Hatchet Vocabulary Quiz 1

He had never flown in a single-engine plane before and to be sitting in the copilot’s seat with all the controls right there in front of him, all the instruments in his face as the plane clawed for altitude, jerking and sliding on the wind currents as the pilot took off, had been interesting and exciting.

What does the word 'altitude' mean?

• Cold, treeless land with a short growing season

• Able to be heard

• The height above ground or sea level

• Very big or large in size

The pilot’s words were a hiss, barely audible.

What does the word 'audible' mean?

• Tangible
• Visible
• Unable to be heard
• Able to be heard or clearly heard

Instead his eyes burned and tears came, the seeping tears that burned, but he didn't cry.

What does the word 'seep' mean

• Explode suddenly
• Evaporate quickly
• Freeze instantly
• Flow or pass slowly through small openings or pores

The plane slewed suddenly to the right.

What does the word 'slewed' mean?

• To fly smoothly in a straight line
• To land gently on the runway
• To hover in mid-air
• To turn or slide violently or uncontrollably in a particular direction

He had seen the pilot use it, had seen him depress the switch at his belt, so Brian pushed the switch in and blew into the mike.

What does the word 'depress' mean?

• Turn on or activate
• Lift up or raise
• Twist or rotate
• Push down or lower

When he opened his eyes again, it was evening and some of the sharp pain had abated -- there were many dull aches -- and the crash came back to him fully.

What is the meaning of the word 'abated' as it's used above?

• become more intense
• stay the same intensity
• disappear completely
• become less intense or widespread

He pulled the torn remnants of his windbreaker, pieces really, around his shoulders and tried to hold what heat his body could find.

What does the word 'remnants' mean?

• Fresh flowers
• Remaining parts or fragments of something
• Leftover food
• New clothing

Down beneath that were dials with lines that seemed to indicate what the winds were doing, tipping or moving, and one dial with a needle pointing to the number 70, which he thought—only thought—might be the altimeter. The device that told him his height above the ground. Or above sea level.

What does the word 'altimeter' mean?

• Device that tells height above the ground

• Device that measures temperature
• Device that measures wind speed
• Device that measures air pressure

With it came some warmth, small bits of it at first, and with the heat came clouds of insects—thick, swarming hordes of mosquitos that flocked to his body, made a living coat on his exposed skin, clogged his nostrils when he inhaled, poured into his mouth when he opened it to take a breath.

What does the word 'horde' mean?

• A small gathering of individuals
• A peaceful and serene environment
• A large group or crowd of people or animals
• A single person or animal

Pulling until his hands caught at weeds and muck, pulling and screaming until his hands caught at last in grass and brush and he felt his chest on land, felt his face in the coarse blades of grass and he stopped, everything stopped.

What does the word 'coarse' mean?

• Smooth and fine in texture
• Soft and fluffy in texture
• Wet and slippery in texture
• Rough or not fine in texture