Chapters 1–6
Ender Wiggin is a brilliant but lonely young strategist in a world where children are trained to defend humankind against alien attacks.
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Explore the Words
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disarrange or rumple; dishevelThe monitor lady smiled very nicely and tousled his hair and said, “Andrew, I suppose by now you’re just absolutely sick of having that horrid monitor.
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squeeze together tightlyHe could feel his legs thrashing, and his hands were
clenching each other, wringing each other so tightly that they arched. -
move abruptlyHe
lurched to one side and fell off the examining table. -
talk in a monotonous voiceIt gave him something to do while the teacher
droned on about arithmetic. -
lying face upwardSo Ender walked to Stilson’s
supine body and kicked him again, viciously, in the ribs. -
great merrimentLoud, but with real
mirth, tears coming to his eyes. -
an outline of a solid object as cast by its shadowEnder heard the hushing sound of the toilet clearing; then Peter stood
silhouetted in the doorway. -
partially excusing or justifying“We’re willing to consider
extenuating circumstances,” the officer said. -
demand and take for use or serviceAnd so we
requisitioned you.” -
someone who is drafted into military serviceConscripts make good cannon fodder, but for officers we need volunteers.”
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soldiers regarded as expendable under artillery fireConscripts make good cannon
fodder, but for officers we need volunteers.” -
a fleet of small craft“Battle School is for training future starship captains and commodores of
flotillas and admirals of the fleet.” -
turn away from; give upHe changed his name,
renounced his religion, and vowed never to have more than the allotted two children. -
the process of absorbing one cultural group into anotherAnd you’re a badge of public shame, because at every step you interfere with their efforts at
assimilation into normal complying society.” -
escape, either physically or mentallyYour parents resent you because of all the past they are trying to
evade.” -
moving and bending with easeAnd all the while, during the interview, Ender and the TV guy would slink along smoothly in front of the cameraman, taking long,
lithe strides. -
pathetically lacking in force or effectivenessIn your
feeble little minds, haven’t you picked up one little fact? -
with extreme conscientiousnessThe boy sitting next to Ender was
scrupulously careful not to touch him. -
not transmitting or reflecting light or radiant energyEnder found the scanner, a sheet of
opaque plastic. -
pertaining to detailed maneuvers to achieve objectivesNo way it’ll be
Tactical School for me. -
release from entanglement or difficultyEvery time, though, he
extricated himself and went back, perhaps to a different spot, to get a different angle on the game. -
one who suffers for the sake of principleHis accent made him exotic and interesting; his broken arm made him a
martyr; his sadism made him a natural focus for all those who loved pain in others. -
feel extreme irritation or angerBut a few
chafed under Bernard’s rule. -
a state of commotion and noise and confusionThere was a
tumult of complaint that it wasn’t fair how Bernard and Alai had shot them all when they weren’t ready. -
shockingly repellent; inspiring horrorNot a choice between his own
grisly death and an even worse murder.
Created on September 4, 2013
(updated August 15, 2018)
(updated August 15, 2018)