The Wanderer: Vocab & Techniques

Question 1 of 10

The sea 'unsettles' the narrator. This means it makes her feel...

A) Calm and relaxed

B) Excited and happy

C) Anxious, disturbed, and unable to feel settled or safe

D) Bored and uninterested

Question 2 of 10

'We tremble' as we listen. Tremble means...

A) To dance energetically

B) To shake slightly, usually from fear or cold

C) To shout very loudly

D) To swim through deep water

Question 3 of 10

A 'surge' of water broke on her. A surge is...

A) A sudden, powerful, forward-rushing movement — like a wall of water

B) A gentle trickle of water

C) A small puddle on the deck

D) A type of fishing net

Question 4 of 10

Uncle Mo has 'succumbed' to seasickness. This means he has...

A) Successfully fought off the seasickness and recovered

B) Never experienced seasickness before

C) Pretended to be ill to avoid work

D) Been defeated by it — he gave in and is now ill

Question 5 of 10

Brian's arm was 'sprained'. A sprain is...

A) A broken bone that needs a plaster cast

B) An injury where the ligaments around a joint are stretched or torn — painful but not broken

C) A type of bandage used on boats

D) A sunburn from being on deck too long

Question 6 of 10

Uncle Dock 'wrenched' his back. Wrenched means...

A) Gently massaged his back to feel better

B) Scratched his back on a rough surface

C) Twisted or pulled it violently, causing a painful injury

D) Leaned his back against the wall to rest

Question 7 of 10

Her leg was 'throbbing'. This means it was...

A) Beating with a steady, pounding pain — like a heartbeat of hurt

B) Completely numb with no feeling at all

C) Itching and needing to be scratched

D) Growing longer from being stretched

Question 8 of 10

She feels she might 'shatter into a zillion pieces'. This metaphor shows...

A) Her bones are literally about to break apart

B) The boat is about to break apart

C) She is very cold and her teeth are chattering

D) She feels emotionally fragile — as if she's made of glass and one more shock could break her completely

Question 9 of 10

'It was like being born' — why does the writer compare the storm to birth?

A) Because she is actually a baby in the story

B) Because the storm happened on her birthday

C) The physical experience matches birth — forced through a small space, helpless, wet, connected by a line, pulled by a hand, unable to speak

D) Because the water was warm like a bath

Question 10 of 10

'I am in one piece physically. Inside, though, I am in many pieces.' The contrast between these two sentences shows...

A) She has internal injuries that doctors need to treat

B) The difference between physical damage (body is okay) and emotional damage (she's traumatised and falling apart inside)

C) She is hungry and needs food to feel whole again

D) The boat has broken into many pieces around her

The Wanderer: Vocab & Techniques

Assessment complete