Pre-Unit Vocabulary Knowledge Rating – Chapters 1-6
As you complete this unit you need to fill in this vocab list. Place an x in the appropriate location if you know it, have
seen it, or have no idea. Mark notes of what you think the word might mean, even if it’s a guess and you are wrong.
Words
Chapter 1-6
EXAMPLE
Muster
Know It
Have
Seen It
X
???
Notes
I think you put it on food like ketchup.
To gather or cause to gather… words that he could
gather
Sentence from the book: Page 1 – “What are you doing?” he asked in as polite a tone as he could muster.
Imitate
x
To mimic or copy actions
Sentence from the book: Page 1- … his mother had always told him he was to treat Maria respectfully and
not just imitate the way Father spoke to her.
Dismissively
x
Hurriedly
Not showing interest or disregard
Sentence from the book: Page 8- “You’ll make other friends,” said Mother, waving her hand in the air
dismissively.
Banister
x
The railing that runs by the stairs
Sentence from the book: Page 9- He made his way up the stairs slowly, holding on to the banister with
one hand.
Nooks
x
A small area sometimes in a corner
Sentence from the book: Page 12- Even though he lived there for nine years and he was still able to find
nooks and crannies that he hadn’t fully finished exploring yet.
Crannies
x
A small corner in a room( like a nook )
Sentence from the book: Page 12- Even though he lived there for nine years he still was able to find nooks
and crannies that he hadn’t fully finished exploring yet.
Plaque
x
A small medal or sign
Sentence from the book: Page31- There was a plaque attached to the top of the bench but she couldn’t
read the inscription from the distance.
Mahogany
x
A reddish brown color
Sentence from the book: Page 45- The walls were hardly visible; instead they were covered with dark
mahogany shelves.
Insolent
x
Stubborn
Childlike or immature
Sentence from the book: Page 51- …even though your youth and inexperience force you to phrase things in
an insolent manner.
Deliberately
x
To purposely do something
Sentence from the book: Page 58-“ Well of course it’s important,” said Bruno irritably, as if she was just
being deliberately difficult.
Obliged
x
Grateful
Forced to or told to
Sentence from the book: Page 61- …your father arranged it all, even though he was not obliged to.
Words
Chapter 7-10
Prospect
Know It
Have
Seen It
X
???
Notes
A sign or trace of something; looking at something
Sentence from the book: Page 67- …several weeks after Bruno arrived at Out-With with his family and with
no prospect on a visit on the horizon.
Escapade
x
A mischievous adventure or experience
Sentence from the book: Page 68- “ You shouldn’t laugh at poor Herr Roller,” Mother had told him one
afternoon when he had related the story of his latest escapade.
Trenches
x
A small ditch or hole
Sentence from the book: Page 69- Franz was one of the young men who fought for us in the trenches.
Appallingly
x
Rudely
Horror, disgustingly
Sentence from the book: Page 72- … reaching out and—quite appallingly—ruffling his hand through
Bruno’s hair.
Coincide
x
To put together
To be in the same place or time
Sentence from the book: Page 87- … which for some reason always seemed to coincide with the moment
when Mother moved from the main party area into the kitchen…
Slurred
X
Running words together
Sentence from the book: Page 93- …while Grandmother’s voice was surprisingly slurred.
Retrieved
x
To get something back or recover it
Sentence from the book: Page 93- …Gretel and Bruno darted back up the stairs while Grandmother
retrieved her coat from the rack in the hallway.
Sinister
x
Mean or rude
An evil tone or action
Sentence from the book: Page 98- “ Then this is what I’m here to change,” he said in a sinister voice.
Rummaged
x
To go through messily
To search thoroughly
Sentence from the book: Page 99- Bruno jumped off hid bed and rummaged in his wardrobe for an overcoat
and an old pair of boots.
Forlorn
x
Sad, lonely, or confused
Sentence from the book: Page 106- The boy was smaller than Bruno and was sitting on the ground with a
forlorn expression.
Word
Chapters 11-14
Commandant
Know It
Have
Seen It
x
???
Notes
A person in charge
A commanding officer
Sentence from the book: Page 116- … Father received the new uniform which meant that everyone had to
call him ‘Commandant’.
Enunciating
x
To pronounce something correctly
Sentence from the book: Page 119You do not speak until he speaks to you and then you reply in a clear tone, enunciating each word precisely.
Ushered
x
Moving quickly
To let in or motion to come in
Sentence from the book: Page 121- Father saluted them and ushered them inside, where Maria, her head
bowed even lower than usual, took their coats and the introductions were made.
Snippets
x
Small parts of something
Sentence from the book: Page 124- Later that night, Bruno overheard snippets of Mother and Father’s
conversation.
Peckish
x
To be a little hungry
Sentence from the book: Page 135- “ I’m going for a walk and thought I might get puckish on the way.”
Catastrophe
x
Something really bad like a disaster
Sentence from the book: Page 142- …the more Bruno watched him, the more he was sure that catastrophe
was going to strike.
Tubercular
x
Annoying
To be sick or have a certain disease
Sentence from the book: Page 146- “Was he tubercular?” Lt. Kotler stared at Father, confused. “ I beg your
pardon?” he asked.
Incumbent
x
To have to do something
Sentence from the book: Page 146- …when it is incumbent upon all of us to play our part in the national
revival?
Dilemma
x
A bad or confusing situation
Sentence from the book: Page 154- Bruno considered the dilemma he was in.
Sarcasm
x
To say something but not really mean it; teasing
someone
Sentence from the book: Page 157- …she recently had a birthday and thought that sarcasm was the very
height of sophistication.
Words
Chapter 15-20
Medicinal
Know It
Have
Seen It
???
Notes
X
Full of medicine
Something that cures pain or disease
Sentence from the book: Page 167- And when he looked down he saw 64 small glasses, like the ones
Mother used when she was having one of her medicinal sheeries.
Anatomy
x
The structure or making up of something
Sentence from the book: Page 167- …it was like the hand of the pretend skeleton Herr Liszt had brought
with him one day when they were studying human anatomy.
Productions
x
Plays, skits , or performances; acting or performing
Sentence from the book: Page 172- The things he remembered most about her were the productions at
Christmas…
Inconsolable
x
Sad
Could not be comforted
Sentence from the book: Page 178- …and there was a lot of shouting between Mother and Father late at
night, but he was gone…Gretel was inconsolable.
lice
x
Little bugs that live and lay eggs in your hair
Sentence from the book: Page 184- It turned out that both Gretel and Bruno had lice in their hair, and
Gretel had to be treated with a special shampoo…
Misshapen
x
Oddly shaped or formed
Sentence from the book: Page 184- His entire head looked misshapen now that he was bald and his eyes
looked too big for his face.
Remotely
x
A little bit or Kind of close
Sentence from the book: Page 186- …the only person who she had been remotely friendly with, had been
transferred…
Senile
x
Dysfunctional or not normal
Sentence from the book: Page 187- …and they almost never heard of Grandfather, who Father said had
gone senile.
Summoned
x
To call or get someone
Sentence from the book: Page 189- Then one day Father summoned Bruno and Gretel into his office and
informed them of the changes that were to come.
Sensible
x
Smart or logical
Sentence from the book: Page 199- All in all, It seemed like a very sensible plan and a good way to say
goodbye,