Part One / The Exodus
Bourgeois (adj.) - characteristic of the middle class
"..., they changed from their overly 'bourgeois' trousers into a cloth they wrapped around their waist, ..." (4)
Pizza Hut is definitely not considered a bourgeois kind of restaurant.
Vestibule (n.) - a hall, or lobby next to the outer door of a building
"..., and we had to leave about half of them in the vestibule." (5)
Wait for me in the vestibule of HSBC Tower.
Lianas (n.) - a woody climbing plant that hangs from trees
"You had to get out quickly by grabbing onto lianas." (11)
My little brother and I would often swing on the lianas as if we were Tarzan.
Palaver (n.) - prolonged and tedious fuzz or discussion
"The next morning came the palaver over renting a boat." (15)
Every morning, before school, my brother and I would have our daily palaver over who would ping the movie we would watch tonight.
"The next morning came the palaver over renting a boat." (15)
Every morning, before school, my brother and I would have our daily palaver over who would ping the movie we would watch tonight.
Asphyxiated (verb) - die by being deprived of air
"We caught a few fish that had been asphyxiated in the mud..." (19)
The corpse was analysed and was found to be asphyxiated, that was the cause of death for the poor girl.
"We caught a few fish that had been asphyxiated in the mud..." (19)
The corpse was analysed and was found to be asphyxiated, that was the cause of death for the poor girl.
Husked (n.) - the dry outer covering of some fruits or seeds
"... how it is planted, harvested, and husked." (21)
The husks of the grain were needed to be removed.
"... how it is planted, harvested, and husked." (21)
The husks of the grain were needed to be removed.
Weir (n.) - an enclosure of stakes set in a stream as a trap for fish
"Father tied a weir to the base..." (24)
We had to build a weir in order to live in this wilderness which we were forced to call home, it was the only apparatus that could get us food.
"Father tied a weir to the base..." (24)
We had to build a weir in order to live in this wilderness which we were forced to call home, it was the only apparatus that could get us food.
Indoctrination (verb) - teach or instruct someone to accept a set of beliefs uncritically
"... the children were supposed to attend these indoctrination meetings..." (25)
By forcing someone to convert religions, the victim must first undergo numerous indoctrination meetings in order to 'brainwash' them.
"... the children were supposed to attend these indoctrination meetings..." (25)
By forcing someone to convert religions, the victim must first undergo numerous indoctrination meetings in order to 'brainwash' them.
Bonze (n.) - a Japanese or Chinese Buddhist religious teacher
"... when he was still living amongst the bonzes." (35)
I was lucky enough to bump into a bonze when wandering the grounds.
"... when he was still living amongst the bonzes." (35)
I was lucky enough to bump into a bonze when wandering the grounds.
Consecrated (verb) - sacred
"But you, nothing can destroy you, you are consecrated." (35)
The Buddha is considered consecrated.
"But you, nothing can destroy you, you are consecrated." (35)
The Buddha is considered consecrated.
Part Two / Daughters of Pol Pot
Pastille (n.) - a small pellet, lozenge
"My Aunt Nang had found a few pastilles of quinine" (49)
My Grandpa has numerous types of pastilles, all required to make his health better.
"My Aunt Nang had found a few pastilles of quinine" (49)
My Grandpa has numerous types of pastilles, all required to make his health better.
Vestiges (n.) - traces or remnants of something that is disappearing or no longer exists
"All those vestiges of rotten Western society." (50)
The vestiges left behind by the Aztecs prove to be very useful to find out more about their history.
"All those vestiges of rotten Western society." (50)
The vestiges left behind by the Aztecs prove to be very useful to find out more about their history.
Filch (verb) - steal in a casual way
"..., but I always managed to filch a few meagre handfuls, ..." (80)
I spotted a man who managed to somehow filch jewels from the store I was in, immediately informed the manager of the shop.
"..., but I always managed to filch a few meagre handfuls, ..." (80)
I spotted a man who managed to somehow filch jewels from the store I was in, immediately informed the manager of the shop.
Bout (n.) - a short period of intense activity of a specified kind
"..., however, a few girls had begun to have bouts of fever." (80)
I would prefer to not have a bout of hyperventilation in this running race.
"..., however, a few girls had begun to have bouts of fever." (80)
I would prefer to not have a bout of hyperventilation in this running race.
Part Three / The Agony
Reveille (n.) - a signal sounded to wake personnel in the armed forces
"When the reveille whistle blew the next morning, my leg hurt and I told our Mekong about it." (135)
A reveille whistle pierced through my restless dreams of nothing in the barracks.
"When the reveille whistle blew the next morning, my leg hurt and I told our Mekong about it." (135)
A reveille whistle pierced through my restless dreams of nothing in the barracks.
Part Four / Time Worn Away
Tourniquet (n.) - a device for stopping the flow of blood through a vein or artery, typically by compressing a limb with a chord or tight bandage
"He detached the insect, crushed it, and then tried to bleed the poison out of my wound, putting a tourniquet just above the elbow ." (157)
A snake suddenly leaped out of the bushes and bit me, the guide immediately put a tourniquet above the wound to bleed the poison out.
"He detached the insect, crushed it, and then tried to bleed the poison out of my wound, putting a tourniquet just above the elbow ." (157)
A snake suddenly leaped out of the bushes and bit me, the guide immediately put a tourniquet above the wound to bleed the poison out.
Recalcitrance (adj.) - having an uncooperative attitude towards authority or discipline
"It was useless to protest since they had only one way of dealing with recalcitrance - a pickaxe blow to the back of the head." (169)
It is often hard to show recalcitrance toward a government official, you would have to be very brave along with a strong point to make.
"It was useless to protest since they had only one way of dealing with recalcitrance - a pickaxe blow to the back of the head." (169)
It is often hard to show recalcitrance toward a government official, you would have to be very brave along with a strong point to make.
Part Six / Strangers In Our Own Land
Suppurate (verb) - undergo the formation of pus
"... he had an open wound that was beginning to suppurate running the length of his bruised calf. " (230)
My open wound began to suppurate again, after 3 days, because of the lack of proper medical attention.
"... he had an open wound that was beginning to suppurate running the length of his bruised calf. " (230)
My open wound began to suppurate again, after 3 days, because of the lack of proper medical attention.