Monday, October 19, 2009

A Long Way Gone Ch. 9 Vocab. Words

Chapter 9 Vocabulary Words

  • Simultaneously- adj. existing, occurring, or operating at the same time; concurrent
  • Sentence- The sound of the ocean waters simultaneously reached their ears.
  • Anesthesia- n. general or local insensibility, as to pain and other sensation, induced by certain interventions or drugs to permit the performance of surgery or other painful procedures
  • Sentence- Doctors often put anesthesia on a patient before any surgical procedures.
  • Hesitantly- adj. hesitating; undecided, doubtful, or disinclined
  • Sentence- I hesitantly said no to drugs.
  • Discouraged- v. to deprive of courage, hope, or confidence; dishearten; dispirit
  • Sentence- I was discouraged when I was told I couldn't do something that I thought I could
  • Inevitable- adj. unable to be avoided, evaded, or escaped; certain; necessary
  • Sentence- The rebels were inevitable.
  • Succession- n. the coming of one person or thing after another in order, sequence, or in the course of events
  • Sentence- Ishmael often had succession of memories of his family and friends.
  • Subsided- v. to become quiet, less active, or less violent; abate
  • Sentence- The muscular men subsided and let the boys go with a good punishment.
  • Attentively- adj. characterized by or giving attention; observant
  • Sentence- Ishmael attentively looked at the Atlantic Ocean, because he has never seen such a thing.
  • Intricate- adj. complex; complicated; hard to understand, work, or make
  • Sentence- I had to solve this intricate puzzle.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

A Long Way Gone Ch. 9 Questions

Chapter 9 Questions

1. What sounds do the boys hear? Describe. The boys heard the water hitting on the rocks. They heard something like the roar of big engines , the rolling of metal drums on a tar road, a thunder exploding, roll after roll.

2. How does the Ocean help him remain at peace during war? Tell me a spot that keeps you calm. Ishmael would watch the ocean, admiring the waves which helped him remain at peace during the war. One place that keeps me calm is the beach. Just looking at the water and its reflection makes me really calm. I also love to read at quiet, peaceful, and slightly windy places.

3. Describe the clusters of huts on the beach. There were no one in the village. Mortars lay in the sand with rice spilling out of them; jerry cans leaking water, and fires were left on cooking huts.

4. Who ambushed the boys? What did they do to the boys? Fisherman sprang up with machetes, fishing spears, and nets. The fisherman jabbed the boys with their weapons, made them drop to the ground, sat on top of them, and tied their hands.

5. Why did they attach the young boys? Tell me a time when you were mistaken to be something you are not. The fisherman attacked the boy, because they they thought they were the rebels. The village they came upon on heard a rumor that young people which are believed to be rebels were on their way. I remember that one time when this security man mistaken me for shoplifting.

6. Why was it a bad punishment taking their shoes from the boys? No, I think taking the shoes from the boys was a good punishment, because their feet were getting burnt from the 120 degrees floor. They had no way out of it unless something miraculous happened. They could've walked on water, but it was too deep to walk.

7. Why were his group of boys crying without sound. The group of boys were crying, because they were all thirsty to even make a sound.

8. What did the strange man do for the boys? The man told them to stop. A few minutes later, he came back with a basket full of some type of grass. He made a fire and heated the grass, and place them underneath their feet.

9. Who is Musa? Describe him. Musa was one of the students that attended Centennial Secondary School with Ishmael. He had a round face, he was short and bulky, with tiny round ears that matched his face. He had big eyes and looked as if they were about to pop out of his eye socket. His eyes would often brighten every time he tried convincing people.

10. Describe Kanei. Kanei had a long and calm face. He was skinny and short, with really dark hair which he took good care of every morning. Every time he gets a chance to, he would rub water on his head and take his time arranging his hair.

11. Describe Alhaji. Alhaji spoke with elaborate gestures. He was friends with Jumah.

12. Describe Jumah. Jumah was the one who was always nodding his eyes, agreeing to whatever Alhaji was talking about. He would wave his head left to right, whenever he spoke. He would keep his hands crossed behind his back most of the time like an old man.

13. Describe Saidu and Moriba. Saidu and Moriba were both quiet like Ishmael. They always sat next to each other p away from the group. Saidu had big ears, and his ears would stand up like a deer's. Moriba on the other hand mostly played with his hands, examining the lines on his palm, and rubbing his fingers as he whispered to himself.


14. Which one of these boys would you most likely identify with? I would most likey compare myself to Saidu and Moriba only because Im quiet.

15. After Ishmael finds more about the host, describe the host. Have you ever met someone that was super nice to you? Like they host to the boys. The host brought the boys water and food every morning and night. He had the whitest teeth that they had ever seen, and he mostly shirtless. Sometimes he would be chewing on sap every morning when he comes to wake the boys up. Ive been tretaed nicely like how the host treated the boys when I come to people's houses.

16. When 12 men ran after their group of 7 what happened? Did they get caught? Twelve men came chasing after the boys, wrestling them to the sand and typing them up. Ishmael gave up when he knew he was going to get caught up anyways.


17. What did Ishmael do to surprise the chaser? Ishmael surprised the chaser by giving up and letting the chaser tie him up.


18. What did the chief of the village call the boys
? The chief of the village called the boys "devils" and "rascals".

19. What saved him from being killed? The tape cassette saved the boys from being killed. He listened to the cassette and asked Ishmael where he get ttm and he foreign songs from. Ishmael answered him and demonstrated a dance move. the chief was impressed with the dancing as well as the singing.

20. Tell me a time were you almost got killed or escaped a huge accident? My mother told me that one time when I almost got killed was when I was a little baby. My cousin found me laying face down in the water, when theres was flooding going on in the Philippines. I guess she took me out and I was still alive. Im not sure if this was true. I dont believe it, but that was what I heard.

A Long Way Gone Ch. 8 Vocab. Words

Chapter 8 Vocabulary Words

1.Suitable- adj. such as to suit; appropriate; fitting; becoming
Sentence- The dress looked suitable on her.
2.Familiarize- v. to make (oneself or another) well-acquainted or conversant with
Sentence- I had to familiarize myself on the place where I was getting stationed at.
3.Vicinity- n. the area or region near or about a place; surrounding district; neighborhood
Sentence- I live in a good vicinity where everyone is all nice.
4.Irresistibly- adj. not resistible; incapable of being resisted or withstood
Sentence- I was looking at chocolate and it was irresistibly good.
5.Hesitantly- adj. hesitating; undecided, doubtful, or disinclined
Sentence- I hesitantly said no when my friends asked me if I wanted to go to the club with them.
6.Medicinal- adj. of, pertaining to, or having the properties of a medicine; curative; remedial
Sentence- Ishmael tried looking for the medicinal leaves that his grandfather used.
7.Visualize- v. to recall or form mental images or pictures
Sentence- Ishmael tried not to visualize those brutal images.
8.Notorious- adj. widely and unfavorably known
Sentence- Ishmael met a man that was notorious in his village.
9.Lured- v. to attract, entice, or tempt; allure
Sentence- Ishmael almost got lured into a trap while was walking through the jungle.

A Long Way Gone Ch. 8 Chapter Assignment

Chapter 8 Chapter Assignment

A Long Way Gone Ch. 8 Questions

Chapter 8 Questions

Part 1.



1. Why do you think he was feeling someone is always after him? Can you relate? Ishmael was often paranoid at times. He was afraid the rebels could be right behind him and just attack him there. His shadow would scare at him at times. I can somewhat relate to him. I get paranoid at times because I'm always scared of monster or ghosts.

2. What is always on his mind? Scenes of people getting their heads cut off by machetes, smashed by cement bricks, and rivers filled with blood was always on his mind.

3. Describe his sleeping situation? Ishmael walked for two days straight without sleeping. He only slept when it was safe to do so. he would go to a safe place and sleep.

4. Describe what food kept him alive? The only food that kept Ishmael alive was this fruit that he had never seen. It didn't taste good as it looked, but it surely satisfied his stomach.

5. Describe the medicine grandpa made. What does it do? Grandpa made the medicine by writing a special Arabic prayer on a waleh ( slate) with ink that was made of another medicine. The writing was then washed off the slate, and that water which was called Nessie was put in a bottle.

6. What was the most difficult part being in the forest? The most difficult part of being in the forest was being lonely. When your alone you think too much even when there isnt you could be doing.

7. Tell me a time when you wished you could stop thinking but you couldn’t? That one time when I had bad flashbacks of what happened to me, my cousin, and friends. It was so bad for me, because I somewhat got betrayed. I never knew my cousin would do such a thing.

8. Describe his life in the forest? Apart from eating and drinking water and once every other day taking a bath, Ishmael would spent most of his time fighting himself mentally in order for him to avoid thinking about what he had seen, where his life was going, and where his family and friends were.

9. What drove his spirit alive? Ishmael bummed into six boys, three of them whom attended Cenntenial Secondary School, drove his spirit alive.

10. How do they differentiate from what tribe each person is from? Each person from a different tribe had a unique marks on their cheeks and their features.

11. What does this mean, pg.55 “Our innocence had been replaced by the fear and we had become monsters”? Fear had overcomed them. They no
longer fear, fear. Since they became monster. People fear them.


12. Why were men with machetes after them often? Men with machetes were often after them, because the men probably thought that they were the "seven boys", but instead they were children running away from the war.


Part 2.

1. Explain how the images he is coming across is affecting him. When Ishmael comes across a burnt village or in other words a village that had been attacked, images of people head's getting cut off by machetes, smashed by cement bricks, and a river filled with blood would go through his mind. Every time he closes his eyes, plagues of images would run through his mind.

2.What does he do to keep his mind occupied? In order for Ishmael to keep himself company, he would try to find his way out the jungle.

3.Does Ishmael seem afraid to be lost in the jungle? According to the chapter it didn't seem like Ishmael was afraid that he was lost, he just accepted the fact he was.

4.Do you think it was a risk to eat the strange fruit? Yes, I do think it was a risk that he ate the strange fruit. The fruit could be strange and could even poison and kill him. He had no other choice but to eat it anyways since that was the only edible thing.

5.How do you think the memories of his family make him feel? I think the memories of his family made him feel sad and lonely, especially since hes all by himself. When memories of his family came through his mind, he thought of his grandfather and his medicinal leaves.

6.What crafty resources does he use to clean his body? Ishmael uses this particular kind of grass he learned when he came to visit his grandmother to clean his body.

7.Explain the internal conflict going on between Ishmael and his thoughts? Ishmael couldnt stop thinking no matter what he does. Lonliness was the most difficult part of being in the forest. When you alone by yourself stranded in the jungle, you cant help but think a lot.

8. He is starting to fear the forest and the possibilities, describe some possible dangers that are scaring him. The possible dangers that are scaring him are the big pigs that roam around him and snakes that slithers near him.

9.Ishmael keeps reminiscing about times with his family. What do you think this does for him emotionally? As Ishmael thought of his father he remembered what he told him, which kept him going on his journey. Those words as stated in the book, "If you are alive, there is hope for a better day and something good to happen. If there is nothing good left in the destiny of a person, he or she will die" became the vehicle that drove his spirit forward and made it stay alive.

10.How long does he stay in the forest? Ishmael spent more than a month in the forest.

11.Who did he run into? Ishmael ran into six boys, three of them were Alhaji, Musa, and Saidu whom attended Centennial Secondary with him.

12.What indicated what tribe they were from? The marks on their face and physical features indicted the tribe they were from.

13.How did one of the boys comfort him? One of the boys told Ishmael, " Circumstances will change and things will be fine, just hold on a little more" and he replied back with a smile.

A Long Way Gone Ch. 7 Chapter Assignment

Chapter 7 Chapter Assignment

Thursday, October 8, 2009

A Long Way Gone Ch. 7 Questions

Chapter 7 Questions

1. Describe the attack of Kamator?
The attack at Kamator happened out of nowhere. There was no signs or rumors that the rebels were close or nearby. Everyone quickly and silently left the mosque when they heard that the rebels were coming. The imam ignored it and continued on praying. He then got caught by the rebels.
2.Who is Mam? What did the rebels do to him? What did the Rebels do to him? Imam was the person who was reciting a a long sutra and the mosque. The rebels demanded him to know what parts of the forest were people hiding in. Imam hesitated to tell the rebels the hideouts that he ended up getting tied up, andd set his body to flames.
3. How did he and his brother get separated? Ishmael had to run to the bush and had to time to go back inside and get his brother.
4. Can you relate? Tell me when you were seperated from your family or someone you care for? I can somewhat relate to Ishmael and Junior when I got separated from my dad. We separated from him, because we had to come to the United States.
5. What was his main source of diet? Ishmael's main source of diet was oranges since that was really all he could carry.
6. Where is he trying to get to? Why? Ishmael was trying to get to a place where peace existed, because he feared of death
7. How did the man and his family treat him in the river? Why? The man and his family that was in the river ignored him at first, because they feared him since he was a stranger to them. The man then talked to him asking him where he was from and who was he. He gave some information when Ishmael asked here Bonthe was. He could feel that the man didnt want him there, since he was just a stranger to them.
7. Why was the attack so unexpected? The attack was so unexpected, because the people never heard of any rumor that the rebels were getting closer to their village.
8. Describe what happened to the imam? Imam ignored the fact that the rebels were already at their village, and he got captured. He didnt want to tell the rebels where people were hiding at that he ended up getting tied up and burnt.
9. Did all of the boys stay together? Explain. The boys ended up getting seperated when the attack at Kamator happened.

10. Why is the memory of moving to Mogbwemo so important right now? The memory of moving to Mogbwemo was important at the moment, because dhe missed the goodtimes he had with his family, especially when his family was going away due to the war.
11. Describe the scene of the village Kamator when Ishmael and Kalo oko returned? The village had no living thing in sight. The silence in the village was scary. There were no footprints in sight. Not even a lizard or any sort of any animal in sight.
12. Describe how Ishmael is feeling now that he is alone in the forest? Ishmael felt frustrated living in fear it was as if he was waiting on death to come to him.
13. Have you ever done something that you thought you couldn’t do? Yes, Ive done many things that I thought I would never do before, like that one time when I thought I was going to fail that one test, but I actually passed it.
14. Why is the family that he meets so skeptical of him? The family he meets was so skeptical, because the family didnt know Ishmael. He was a stranger to him.
15. How do you think he feels not being trusted? Especially when he hasn’t done anything wrong? I think Ishmael felt bummed out about not being trusted especially when he hasnt done anything wrong. It was really hard to trust people that time.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

A Long Way Gone Ch. 7 Vocab. Words

Chapter 7
Vocabulary Words


  • Oblivious- adj. forgetful; without remembrance or memory
  • Sentence- I was often oblivious about my failures from the past.
  • Vigorously- adj. powerful in action or effect
  • Sentence- Ishmael vigorously attacked his enemies.
  • Demanded- v. to ask for peremptorily or urgently
  • Sentence- I demanded my dog to sit down.
  • Possibilities- n. the state or fact of being possible
  • Sentence- There was a possibilities that Ishmael could die during the war.
  • Motioned- n. the action or process of moving or of changing place or position; movement
  • Sentence- I motioned for the nearest knife when I was getting attacked by this crazy man.
  • Thatched- n.a material, as straw, rushes, leaves, or the like, used to cover roofs, grain stacks, etc
  • Sentence- The house's rooftop was covered in thatch leaves.
  • Mounted- adj. serving on horseback or on some special mount, as soldiers or police
  • Sentence- Warriors were mounted on their horse's backs.
  • Pretending- v. to allege or profess, esp. insincerely or falsely
  • Sentence- My brother was only pretending to go sleep so I can go away.

A Long Way Gone Ch. 6 Chapter Assignment

Chapter 6
Chapter Assignment


A Long Way Gone Ch. 6 Vocab Words

Chapter 6
Vocabulary Words

*massacres- n. the unnecessary, indiscriminate killing of a large number of human beings or animals, as in barbarous warfare or persecution or for revenge or plunder
Sentence- The children reminded the people about the massacres, which struck fear in their hearts and mind again.
*voluntary- adj. done, made, brought about, undertaken, etc., of one's own accord or by free choice
Sentence- The voluntary guards were ordered to take Ishmael and his friends back to the chief of their village.
*parables- n. a short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson
Sentence- Rap music was just like telling a parable story, but in white man's language.
*blistered- n. a thin vesicle on the skin, containing watery matter or serum, as from a burn or other injury
Sentence- Ishmael's palms got blistered from cutting bushes the whole day.
*midday- n. the middle of the day; noon or the time centering around noon
Sentence- The soil smelled damp in midday.
*engulfed- v. to swallow up in or as in a gulf; submerge
Sentence- The river rose which swallowed part of the village.
*scouting- n. an act or instance of reconnoitering; reconnaissance
Sentence- Ishmael and his friends were ordered from their scouting posts onto out into the fields.
*fertile- adj. bearing, producing, or capable of producing vegetation, crops, etc., abundantly; prolific
Sentence- Ishmael thanked the gods and ancestors for giving them fertile soil to plant their crops.
*pitied- n. a cause or reason for pity, sorrow, or regret
Sentence- Ishmael and his brother were often pitied for not having parents.
*occasional- adj. occurring or appearing at irregular or infrequent intervals; occurring now and then
Sentence- The birds would occasionally flap their birds during spring time.

A Long Way Gone Ch. 6 Questions

Chapter 6
Questions
  1. What are some advantages and disadvantages of being in a group of 6 boys? The advantage is that the 6 boys had to stay together so they can get over their everyday obstacles that go through everyday. The disadvantages is that villagers/ people were afraid of people their age due to the war. Especially that rumor that was going on when boys their age were forced to kill their own family. The only way they can avoid chaos from people was to hide and walk through bushes.
  2. Why were children feared? People feared children, because they were mostly recruited by the rebels. Children were also used to kill people.
  3. How did they avoid confrontation with people in villages? In order for them to avoid confrontation with people in villages was by walking through nearby bushes.
  4. What was the consequence of the war? People stopped trusting each other, and every stranger became an enemy. Even people who knew each other were careful of how related or how they spoke to you.
  5. Who saved the boys from being drowned? The young boy from Mattru Jong saved them from the war.
  6. What happened with the chief? The chief asked to play the tape cassette he found, and asked what kind of foreign music. The boys go on and on about the music and ended up talking about Mattru Jong. The chief then asked for a young man to explain to him about Mattru Jong
  7. In this chapter he escaped death again, how? Describe his relationship with JR.? Ishmael escaped death when they were caught by this muscular men which brought them to their village. They were about to get thrown into the river not until the chief came along. You could say that Ishmael and Junior was kinda close. Junior taught Ishmael how to make rocks skip on water. He cared when Ishmael got hurt and he examined his wounds.
  8. Explain the internal conflict going on that involves his brother Jr. His brother Junior couldn't make eye contact with him, but he still continued to spend time with him. Ishmael's brother was close to him that he asked if he was alright from falling and he examined his legs.
  9. What season is it? Describe the setting? It was the season for planting. The first rain had falling, making the soil soft. Birds began building their nests in mango trees. Dew came every morning, leaving leaves wet, and the air moist.
  10. Why pour wine in soil? Pouring wine in soil was a ceremony that they do to thank ancestors and the gods for providing fertile soil, healthy rice, and a successful farming year.
  11. What did he see as a fore shadow (hint of what will happen)? Ishmael knew that tough days were coming ahead of him as he came to look at the bush that was supposed to be cut.
  12. Describe the backbreaking work of clearing the bush? Ishmael and his friends had to chop down the thick bushes with heavy machetes and axe. They would go flying backwards every time they bring the axe up to chop down the thick bushes.
  13. What made him and his brother misfits of their community? What did they often do? Ishmael and his brother was a misfits of their own community, because they didn't have a mother at home. They would always get into fights with the other kids in their village.
  14. Can you relate growing up as a misfit? How? I can relate growing up as a misfit. Without parents there to discipline you, you would probably grow up bad, since no one was there to teach you whats right from wrong and the other way around.
  15. Why did Ishmael get into a lot of fights in school? Ishmael gets into fights a lot, because kids at their school would pity, make fun of, and give them that look that said their mother's talk about them a lot.
  16. What is the significance of the ending of this chapter? The rebels came to Kamator where they spend days and days doing labor work. The attack at Kamator was the time, when him and his friends got separated.