The Giver: Chapters 1-4 Vocabulary

Intrigue

Occasionally, when supplies were delivered by cargo planes to the landing field across the river, the children rode their bicycles to the riverbank and watched, intrigued, the unloading and then the takeoff directed to the west, always away from the community.

• cause to be interested or curious

• laugh at with contempt and derision

• deeply agitated especially from emotion

• check and sort carefully

Jeer

Even the children were scolded if they used the term lightly at play, jeering at a teammate who missed a catch or stumbled in a race.

• laugh at with contempt and derision

• influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering

• boldly resisting authority or an opposing force

• very intense

Palpable

Now, thinking about the feeling of fear as he pedaled home along the river path, he remembered that moment of palpable, stomach-sinking terror when the aircraft had streaked above.

• capable of being perceived

• deeply agitated especially from emotion

• check and sort carefully

• boldly resisting authority or an opposing force

Complicated

His feelings were too complicated this evening.

• difficult to analyze or understand

• understand the meaning of

• expressing compassion or friendly fellow feelings

• capability to perform or produce

Defiant

She held up a clenched fist and the rest of the family smiled at her small defiant gesture.

• boldly resisting authority or an opposing force

• capability to perform or produce

• expressing compassion or friendly fellow feelings

• having unexpected good luck

Sympathetic

“Oh, no,” Mother murmured sympathetically. “I know how sad that must make you feel.”

Jonas and Lily both nodded sympathetically as well.

• expressing compassion or friendly fellow feelings

• difficult to analyze or understand

• deeply agitated especially from emotion

• cause to be interested or curious

Capacity

Most of the people on the night crew had not even been given spouses because they lacked, somehow, the essential capacity to connect to others, which was required for the creation of a family unit.

• capability to perform or produce

• very intense

• having unexpected good luck

• excessively aware of your appearance or behavior

Overwhelming

To see him brought before her a second time caused her overwhelming feelings of frustration and anger. And even guilt, that she hadn’t made a difference in his life.

• very intense

• mentally upset over possible misfortune or danger

• expressing compassion or friendly fellow feelings

• having unexpected good luck

Apprehensive

“I’m feeling apprehensive,” he confessed, glad that the appropriate descriptive word had finally come to him.

• mentally upset over possible misfortune or danger

• having unexpected good luck

• very intense

• expressing compassion or friendly fellow feelings

Reassured

Though he had been reassured by the talk with his parents, he hadn’t the slightest idea what Assignment the Elders would be selecting for his future, or how he might feel about it when the day came.

• having confidence restored; freed from anxiety

• having unexpected good luck

• mentally upset over possible misfortune or danger

• excessively aware of your appearance or behavior