A Long Walk to Water: Chapters 6–11

by Linda Sue Park
A boy named Salva struggles to survive after being separated from his family in war-torn Sudan. A girl named Nya spends hours each day collecting water for her parents and sister. Their lives eventually intersect in this novel based on a true story.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–11, Chapters 12–18
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. makeshift
    done or made using whatever is available
    They had no house and had to sleep in makeshift shelters. They could not bring most of their things, so they had to make do with whatever was at hand.
  2. monotonous
    tediously repetitious or lacking in variety
    The scenery and motion were so monotonous that Salva might have slept, except he was afraid that if he did, he might fall over the side.
  3. abundance
    the property of a more than adequate quantity or supply
    It was the first place in their weeks of walking that had an abundance of food.
  4. impressive
    making a strong or vivid mental image
    The villagers ate a lot of fish, of course, and hippo and crocodile meat as well. But even more impressive were the number of crops they grew: cassava, sugar cane, yams.
  5. frustration
    a feeling of annoyance at being hindered or criticized
    For every one he killed, it seemed that hundreds more swarmed in to take its place. With their high singing whine constantly in his ears, Salva slapped and waved at them in frustration all night long.
  6. relentless
    never-ceasing
    The sun was relentless and eternal: There was neither wisp of cloud nor whiff of breeze for relief.
  7. wisp
    a thin tuft, piece, or amount of something
    The sun was relentless and eternal: There was neither wisp of cloud nor whiff of breeze for relief.
  8. arid
    lacking sufficient water or rainfall
    Each minute of walking in that arid heat felt like an hour.
  9. parched
    dried out by heat or excessive exposure to sunlight
    His lips became cracked and parched.
  10. utterly
    completely and without qualification
    The next day was a precise copy of the one before: the sun and the heat and, worst of all to Salva’s mind, a landscape that was utterly unchanged.
  11. revive
    give new life or energy to
    Like a miracle, the small amounts of water revived them. They were able to stagger to their feet and join the group as the walking continued.
  12. machete
    a large knife used as a weapon or for cutting vegetation
    As the men approached, he could see that they were armed with guns and machetes.
  13. scythe
    cut with an edge tool for cutting grass
    The long grass had to be scythed and hoed under.
  14. grudgingly
    in a reluctant manner
    Uncle had always shared the animals and birds he shot with everyone in the group. But it seemed they had all forgotten that, for Salva now had to beg for scraps, which were given grudgingly.
  15. emaciated
    very thin, especially from disease or hunger or cold
    It did not seem as if the camp could possibly hold any more, but still they kept coming: long lines of people, some emaciated, some hurt or sick, all exhausted.
Created on Wed Mar 26 20:44:08 EDT 2014 (updated Mon Jun 16 18:27:32 EDT 2025)

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