Vocabulary
Rogue Wave
A large and unpredictable wave, very dangerous
Where is Sully when the Rogue Wave comes?
He is steering the ship, above deck.
Who is Scoot?
14 year old girl, good at swimming, spunky, and strong, even though she is small. She is learning how to sail.
The first paragraph of the story tells us this:
A killer wave, also known as a Rogue Wave, is approaching Baja California. It is 800 feet in length and 48 feet tall. It has killed 13 people, mostly fishermen in small boats, but also including a French family of 5.
What can we infer that this story is going to be about?
It is going to be about a dangerous wave. The characters may be injured or killed by it.
Submerge
covered by water
What happens to Scoot when the Rogue Wave hits the ship?
She is knocked out, and the water is up to her neck below deck
19 year old boy. Scoot's older brother. He is teaching her how to sail. When the boat is hit by the wave, he is above the water.
Sully had sailed The Sea Dog a dozen times. He'd been around boats for many of his 19 years.
What can we infer about Sully's ability to sail based on this passage?
That he is a skilled sailor.
Deck
platform or floor of a boat, what you stand on
What is the name of the boat?
The Sea Dog
Beau Tucker
Owns The Sea Dog
What can we infer about this situation? Why is this dangerous?
The water and air are becoming toxic. It could poison Scoot if she were to breathe them in or swallow them. Could also catch fire.
Navigation
guiding a boat along a planned course
How does Scoot escape the capsized boat?
She dives down, opens the skylight, and swims out
Mark Stevens
Captain of The Red Rooster, who rescues Scoot and Sully
"Their father nicknamed her Scoot, because, as a baby, she'd crawled so fast. It was still a fitting name for her as a teenager. With a wiry body, she was fast in tennis and swimming and already the school's champion in the hundred yard dash"
What can we infer about Scoot and her ability to deal with this situation based on this passage?
She is fast and a good swimmer. If she wakes up, she may be able to survive.
Porthole
circular window on a boat
Who rescues Scoot and Sully?
Another boat, The Red Rooster, and her captain, Mark Stevens
Sully decides, even though he knows Scoot can't hear him, that he is going to keep repeating "Listen to me, Scoot. You'll have to get out through the skylight. You've got to dive down and open it. You're small enough to go through it."
Make an inference about why repeating these words, even though Scoot can't hear him, might help them.
It helps Sully to remain calm, and makes him feel less powerless. He also believes that repeating the words might help reach Scoot through mental telepathy.