th
Pages 146-147
Equator: an imaginary line around the widest part of the earth that is an equal distance from all points to the North and South Poles
Moral Support: encouragement, and approval that does not involve action
Course: route
Navigator: someone who plans, records, controls the course of a plane
Homing Signals: signals sent out to guide planes or other craft to their landing spot
Morse code: a system of signals used to represent numbers and letters that can be combined to create words and messages
Pages 148-149
Accounting: a detailed narrative; a record of events
Journal: a personal record of events; a diary
Runway: a strip of level ground where airplanes take off and land
Bearing: the location of an airplane in relation to the people who are trying to locate it
Static: random noises in a radio receiver that make it hard to hear what is being said
Pages150-151
Reasoned: figured out by considering the facts
Disappearance: the state of having vanished
Aviation: the operation of aircraft
Pages 152-153
Transmission: a message sent by radio
Hoax: a trick meant to fool people
Grounded: forced to remain on the ground
Page 154
Analyzed: examined or looked at very carefully
Testimony: statements made in order to show facts
Estate: all money and belongings that belong to someone who has died
Page 156-157
Compelling: powerful; having a strong effect
Taxied: moved slowly on the ground after taking off or before landing

Controversy: a public disagreement between groups of people who have opposite views
Inspiration: a positive example that encourages others to attempt to reach their goals
Accomplish: to succeed in doing something
Pages 160-161
Novelty: something new and unusual
Bookkeeping: the job of keeping track of how money is spent and received
Dashing : brave, bold, and daring
Pages 162-163
Primitive: having characteristics of the earliest version, crude, simple
Destiny: what the future has in store for a particular person
Locals: people who live in a certain neighborhood or community
Scouting: searching for
Cockpit: in a small airplane, the space where the pilot and sometimes one or two passengers sit
Realized: achieved; made real
Motivate: encourage others to act in a certain way
Pages 172-173
Village: a small settlement
Sod: a chunk of grassy soil held together by matted roots
Kayak: a lightweight canoe, propelled by a double-bladed paddle, with only a small opening for one or two people
Common Room: a large room where people gather to eat or share other activities
Hearth: the floor of a fireplace, which usually extends into a room
Page 175
Mainland: the large land mass of a country continent that does not include its islands
Page 179
Sparkling: giving off flashes of light
Page 180
Phases: the changes in appearance that the moon or planet goes through each month

Suspicious: having the feeling that something unusual or wrong is going on
Pages 184-185
Veil : a very thin piece of fabric that covers the faces
Lapping : drinking a liquid by bringing it into the mouth with the tongue
Brimming: filled as full as possible
Pages 186-187
Jaguar: a large wild cat that lives in the Americas
Tranquil: peaceful
Scything: cutting things down with a scythe, a tool with a bent handle and large curved blade
Crook : something bent or curved
Pages 191-192
Paleontologist: a scientist who studies prehistoric life
Prehistoric: belonging to the time before history life
Fossils: the hardened skeletons or other remains of creatures of prehistoric times
Excavation: the process of finding something by digging for it
Specimens: samples taken for scientific study
Pages 194-195
Emerged: began to appear or develop
Prey : an animal hunted or caught by other animals for food
Marrow: the soft material inside bones that is the source of red and many white blood cells
Embryos: animal in their earliest stages of growth, before they are born
Agility: the ability to move quickly and easily
Page 197
Hypothesis: scientific suggestion, based on what is known so far
Evidence: the data used to draw a conclusion
Treacherous: dangerous
Page 199
Catastrophe: great and sudden disaster
Geologists: scientists who study the earth’s crust and the rocks it is made of
Traces: extremely small amounts
Asteroids: small, often irregularly-shaped bodies that orbit the sun

Extinct: no longer living on the earth; having
Page 200
Climate: relating to weather conditions over a long period of time
Theory: an idea that is based on evidence but that cannot be stated as fact
Seeped: passed slowly through small openings
Page 203
Channel: the deepest part of a stream or river
Churning: moving or swirling violently
Ligaments: tough tissues that connect two bones or hold organs in place
Page 204-205
Burrowing: making a tunnel, hole, or shelter by digging
Drought: a long period of little or no rainfall
Surge: a sudden onrush or increase
Erosion: all the natural processes that wear away earth and rock
Page 211
Young: offspring
Expedition: a trip made by a group of people with a definite purpose
Page 212
Joints: points at which movable body parts are connected
Page220
Unabashed: not embarrassed
Page 225
Fate: destiny
Gay: light-hearted
Loathe: hate
Page 228
Icily: in a cold tone of voice
Deliberately: slowly and emphatically
Page 232-233
Ad Libbing: making up lines

Testily: in an irritated way