Characters
Who are the two main characters in the novel, "A Long Walk to Water"?
Nya and Salva
Why does Salva flee from his village in chapter 1?
His village is under attack. There is gunfire and bombs outside of his school, so he runs into the bushes to escape.
What happens to Nya's little sister in Chapter 7 and what is the difficult decision the family needs to make?
Nya's sister gets sick from drinking dirty water, so the family needed to decide whether to take her to the clinic 2 days away, or to wait and see if she get's better on her own.
Thorns littered the ground Nya walked on. She couldn't avoid them. One day, on her daily walk to the pond for water, she stepped on one.
What does it mean for something to [ litter ] in this context?
to cover the ground or a space, to spread out and be everywhere.
What country does most of the novel take place in?
South Sudan
What tribe is Salva a member of?
Why does "Auntie" refuse to take Salva with her in Chapter 3?
It is too dangerous for them to travel together because the rebels and government are interested in forcing young boys (like Salva) into the war. If she is alone, the soldiers won't bother her.
Where do the men believe they can find water in Nya's village?
In the ground between two trees, because trees need water to grow so there must be water somewhere in the ground.
The island in the Nile River had an abundance of mosquitos. There were mosquitos in the food, the people's hair, and even in Salva's mouth.
What does [abundance ] mean in this context?
a lot (of something)
Which is NOT an environment that the characters travel through:
a) grasslands b) desert
c) river d) forest
d) forest; the characters do not travel through a forest.
What tribe is Nya a member of?
She is a member of the Nuer tribe.
Salva doesn't have scars on his forehead. Adult men have scars on their forehead to signal their adulthood and tribe affiliation.
What is NOT a physical challenge that Salva has faced?
a) losing his toenail b) bitten by mosquitos
c) shot at by a rebel c) starvation
c) shot at by a rebel; they did not shoot at him. they only shot his Uncle.
After consuming the topi's meat, half of the travelers were found by the bushes. Their stomachs rebelled furiously, and they vomited all the food they had consumed.
What does it mean for something to [ rebel ] in this context?
to get upset with you; to be angry with
What is the climate like in the part of Africa where the story takes place?
Dry, arid, hot
Which two people in Salva's life are killed?
The two people are: Mariel (his friend) and Uncle.
Why does Nya's mother fear Dinkas?
The Dinkas and Nuer are enemy tribes and many Nuer women have lost their sons and husbands to the fighting at the lake.
Salva realizes something after confusing the random lady at the refugee camp as his mother. What does Salva realize about his family?
All of Salva's siblings and parents are probably dead, just like Uncle had tried to tell him. He's on his own and needs to continue live on his own.
The Nuer men were merciless. They forced all the adults in Salva's group to remove their clothes. Then, they tied Uncle to a tree and shot him with his own gun right in front of Salva's very eyes.
What does it mean for something to be [ merciless ] in this context?
unkind, cruel, unforgiving
What two crisis's are affecting the two main characters?
war and water scarcity
Who came to Nya's village to find water for the people?
Why does Uncle apologize to Salva at the end of Chapter 6?
Uncle is trying to comfort Salva after Mariel was killed in the middle of the night.
Why is Salva being sent back to South Sudan after being safe in the refugee camp for 6 years?
The camp is being closed because the Ethiopian government has been overthrown by violent rebels. So, they are forcing all the people living there to leave the country.
Walking through the desert was monotomous. For miles, all Salva could see was sand and rocks for four days straight, until he eventually found the group of men dying of dehydration.
What does it mean for something to be [ monotonous ] in this context?
boring; repeating over and over
What is a refugee camp?
A temporary settlement where people, who are escaping their countries because of war and violence, go to live until they can find a permanent safe place to move to.