Vocab
A newborn baby is placed in this small bed that can rock gently back and forth. What word is this?
cradle
Name the 2 main characters
Nya and Salva
What happens to Nya's foot while she is walking?
She steps on a thorn.
Where does Nya finally arrive in Chapter 3?
At the pond.
Which word means “to do something again”?
A. preview
B. rewrite
C. dislike
D. careless
B. rewrite
What is the difference between a summary and a prediction?
A summary tells what has already happened; a prediction tells what you think will happen next.
The students strongly disagreed with the new school rule and spoke up to show that they did not support it. What word describes what they did?
Protested
What happens at Salva’s school that causes him to run?
Gunfire (war)
How does Nya remove the thorn from her foot?
She uses another thorn to dig it out.
What does the water at the pond look like?
It is muddy and brown.
The base word is agree. Add the prefix dis-. What does the new word mean?
Disagree — to have a different opinion or not agree.
What does it mean to infer?
To use evidence and what you already know to figure something out that the author does not directly state.
The teacher continued speaking in the same dull, unchanging voice for so long that several students became bored. What word describes the teacher's voice?
Droned
What does Salva's daydreaming about his family and life at home help the reader understand before the gunfire begins?
It shows that Salva has a safe, ordinary childhood before the war suddenly changes his life.
After fleeing the village, what does Salva do when he sees a large group of people?
He joins the group of people who are fleeing.
What does Nya do when she reaches the pond?
She drinks some water and fills her container.
Which word means “not able to be understood”?
A. misunderstood
B. misunderstanding
C. understandable
D. misunderstandingly
C. understandable
What is the difference between a character trait and a character feeling?
A trait is a lasting quality of a character, while a feeling is an emotion the character experiences.
After escaping the danger, the travelers finally found a safe place where they could rest without being afraid. What word describes this safe place?
Haven
What tribe does Salva belong to?
Dinka
What is Salva worried about when the group separates into people from different villages?
He is worried because his family is not with him.
Why will Nya's walk home take longer than her walk to the pond?
Her container is now full of water, making it heavier to carry.
Break the word uncomfortable into its parts. Identify the prefix, base word, and suffix.
un- + comfort + -able
A character faces a difficult problem but continues trying instead of giving up. What character trait does this most strongly demonstrate?
Perseverance, determination, or resilience.
Your teacher says, “Don't tell me every detail. Just tell me what this chapter was mostly about.” What word is your teacher asking you to give?
gist
How does the setting of Sudan affect Salva’s actions in Chapter 1?
The war and violence force Salva to leave his home and become separated from his family.
How do the rebel soldiers divide the people at the camp?
They separate the men from the women, children, and elderly people.
Who does Salva meet after he realizes the group has left him?
An older Dinka woman.
The word carelessness contains a base word and TWO suffixes. Identify all three parts and explain how each suffix changes the word.
care + -less + -ness
What is one major contrast between Salva’s life and Nya’s life in the beginning of the novel?
Salva is escaping war and searching for safety, while Nya is living with her family but struggling daily to find water.
Instead of sitting normally, the exhausted animal lowered its body close to the ground and rested with its legs bent underneath it. What word describes this position?
Haunches
Salva is frightened and confused, but he continues moving with the group. What does this reveal about his character?
It shows that Salva is courageous and determined even when he is afraid.
Why is Salva especially vulnerable when the group leaves him behind?
He is young, alone, and has no idea where he is going or whether he will ever find his family.
What does the older woman give Salva to eat, and what does she have him help with?
She gives him peanuts, and he helps her by fetching water and gathering firewood.
Look at the word unpredictability. Identify the base word, prefix, and TWO suffixes. Then explain how the affixes work together to create the meaning.
un- + predict + -able + -ity
What can readers infer about Sudan based on both Salva’s and Nya’s stories?
Sudan is a place where war, environmental conditions, and limited access to resources make everyday life extremely difficult for many people.