I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001: Chapters 1–6

by Lauren Tarshis
In this sixth book of the historical fiction I Survived series, eleven-year-old Lucas Calley catches a train into Manhattan, hoping that his fireman uncle could help him continue playing football, but then, he sees a plane flying really low.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–6, Chapters 7–12
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. streak
    move quickly in a straight line
    The massive aircraft streaked through the sky, barely skimming over rooftops.
  2. skim
    move or pass swiftly and lightly over the surface of
    The massive aircraft streaked through the sky, barely skimming over rooftops.
  3. careen
    move at high speed and in an uncontrolled way
    Lucas watched, almost hypnotized, as the plane careened through the sky.
  4. ferocious
    marked by extreme and violent energy
    With one last ferocious roar, the jet plunged into the side of one of the towers.
  5. brutal
    able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
    As usual, football practice was brutal.
    It was ninety-five degrees. Lucas was soaked in sweat. Three guys had already puked up their Gatorades. Lucas’s body felt like one big bruise.
  6. turf
    surface layer of ground containing a mat of grass and roots
    But this is where Lucas was happiest, where he belonged: on this broiling hot turf field with his football team, the Port Jackson Jaguars.
  7. shamrock
    clover with three round leaves that is native to Ireland
    Dad once said that Benny was like the firehouse cheerleader.
    A six-foot-two-inch cheerleader with a shamrock tattoo.
  8. pudgy
    short and plump
    Back then Lucas had been pudgy, shorter even than some of the girls in his grade.
  9. practically
    almost; nearly
    He could practically feel his brain smacking against the inside of his skull.
  10. bash
    hit hard
    They ran into buildings filled with blazing orange flames and choking black smoke. They used metal spears to smash windows, rip out walls, and bash through doors.
  11. tame
    make less strong or intense; soften
    The fires they tamed were more evil and ferocious than any video-game villain or movie monster.
  12. raw
    not treated with heat to prepare it for eating
    Even after all this time, the scars on Dad’s arms were bright red and lumpy, like raw hamburger.
  13. sift
    check and sort carefully
    He’d get this look in his eyes, like his mind was somewhere else—probably sifting through the ashes in that warehouse.
  14. linebacker
    a defensive football player close behind the linemen
    With his blond crew cut and huge shoulders, he looked more like a linebacker than a doctor.
  15. sprain
    twist suddenly so as to wrench
    “We used to think concussions were like sprained ankles,” Dr. Barrett said.
  16. concussion
    injury to the brain caused by a blow
    “You get dinged, you let it heal, and you’re good to go. But now we know that too many concussions can actually change the brain.”
  17. spare
    give up what is not strictly needed
    He caught the 7:17 with one minute to spare.
  18. jut
    extend out or project in space
    When he got out of the subway, he looked up
 and found his landmark: the two silver buildings jutting into the sky.
  19. trickle
    run or flow slowly, as in drops or in an unsteady stream
    The buildings below looked like toys, the rivers like trickling streams, the cars and trucks looked smaller than the models Lucas and Dad built in the basement.
  20. offhand
    casually thoughtless or inconsiderate
    He glanced up and gave an offhand smile, obviously thinking that Lucas was just a neighborhood kid hoping to get a peek at the truck.
  21. stride
    walk with long steps
    “Hey, you!” he said with a surprised grin, striding over.
  22. diesel
    an internal-combustion engine that burns heavy oil
    Lucas breathed in the familiar smell of diesel fuel and sweat.
  23. fanatic
    a person motivated by irrational enthusiasm
    His eight-year-old twin boys were football fanatics, and Mark coached their team.
  24. glint
    a momentary flash of light
    Lucas turned, and then he saw it too: a glint of silver against the bright blue.
  25. slight
    small in quantity or degree
    The plane turned slightly, one wing dipping down.
  26. hypnotize
    induce a state that resembles sleep in
    People up and down the sidewalk were stopped in their tracks, hypnotized by the sight of a jet ripping across the sky.
  27. barely
    in a sparse or scanty way
    It barely missed the tops of some buildings as it careened through the air.
  28. fiery
    like or suggestive of a flame
    Black, fiery smoke gushed out of a huge gash in the building’s side, billowing into the sky.
  29. gush
    flow forth in a sudden stream or jet
    Black, fiery smoke gushed out of a huge gash in the building’s side, billowing into the sky.
  30. billow
    rise and move, as in waves
    Black, fiery smoke gushed out of a huge gash in the building’s side, billowing into the sky.
Created on Mon Oct 16 09:14:47 EDT 2023 (updated Mon Oct 16 12:44:01 EDT 2023)

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