SAT Vocabulary Study
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Note: The words in each section are given in alphabetical order at the top, then in the order in
which they appear in the section. As much as possible, words are listed in the form in which
they actually appear in the novel. If a definition was not available for that form, the
closest form is defined and the derivative is listed. Other common derivatives are listed
as well. Words capitalized in the novel are also capitalized in the quoted text.
List 1
Chapters 1–4
adherence
apprehensive
awed
bewildered
chastisement
1.
gravitating
nondescript
nurturer
rarity
transgression
apprehensive (ap-ri-hen-siv) adj. uneasy or fearful about something that might happen
derivatives: apprehension, apprehensively
Chapter 1
“But there was a little shudder of nervousness when he thought about it, about
what might happen. Apprehensive, Jonas decided. That’s what I am.”
2.
nurture (nur-cher) v. to care for and protect; to support and encourage
derivatives: nurturer
Chapter 1
“He and the other Nurturers were responsible for all the physical and emotional
needs of every newchild during its earliest years of life.”
3.
awed (awd) adj. filled with or expressing an overwhelming feeling of reverence,
admiration, and fear, produced by something grand, sublime, or powerful
derivatives: awe, awesome
Chapter 1
“Lily looked up, her eyes wide. ‘The Ceremony of Twelve,’ she whispered
in an awed voice.”
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
4.
transgression (tranz-gresh-uhn) n. violation of a law or command; sin
derivatives: transgressor, transgress
Chapter 1
“‘I feel frightened, too, for him,’ she confessed. ‘You know that there’s no third
chance. The rules say that if there’s a third transgression, he simply has to be
released.’”
5.
adherence (ad-heer-uh ns) n. steady devotion, support, allegiance, or attachment
derivatives: adherent, adhere
Chapter 2
“. . .the fact that his father had broken a rule at all awed him. He glanced at his
mother, the one responsible for adherence to the rules, and was relieved that she was smiling.”
6.
chastisement (chas-tiz-muhnt) n. discipline, especially by corporal punishment
derivatives: chastise, unchastised
Chapter 3
“[I]t was . . . considered rude to call attention to things that were unsettling
or different about individuals. Lily, he decided, would have to learn that soon, or
she would be called in for chastisement because of her insensitive chatter.”
7.
rarity (rair-i-tee) n. something rare, unusual, or uncommon
derivatives: rare, rarest
Chapter 3
“Now, seeing the newchild and its expression, he was reminded that the
light eyes were not only a rarity but gave the one who had them a certain look—
what was it? Depth, he decided. . . .”
8.
bewildered (bih-wil-derd) adj. completely puzzled or confused; perplexed
derivatives: bewilderment, bewilder, bewildering, bewilderedly
Chapter 3
“Jonas thought again about that incident. He was still completely
bewildered by it . . . He probably should have brought up his feeling of
bewilderment that very evening. . . . But he had not been able to sort out and put
words to the source of his confusion, so he had let it pass.”
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
9.
nondescript (non-di-skript) adj. of no recognized, definite, or
or kind
particular type
Chapter 3
“[H]e looked at it carefully, but it was the same apple. Unchanged. The
same size and shape: a perfect sphere. The same nondescript shade, about the
same shade as his own tunic.”
10.
gravitate (grav-i-teyt) v. to have a natural tendency or be strongly attracted
(usually followed by to or toward)
derivatives: gravitating
Chapter 4
“But with guidance, as they developed self-confidence and maturity, they
moved on to other jobs, gravitating toward those that would suit their own
interests and skills.”
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
List 2
Chapters 5–8
aptitude
capacity
collective
curb
exuberant
invariably
meticulously
precision
relinquish
vibrant
1. relinquish (ri-ling-kwish) v. to renounce or surrender (a possession, right, etc.)
derivatives: relinquishment
Chapter 6
“Each family member, including Lily, had been required to sign a pledge
that they would not become attached to this little temporary guest, and that they
would relinquish him without protest or appeal when he was assigned to his own
family unit at next year’s Ceremony.”
2. exuberant (ig-zoo-ber-uhnt) adj. effusively and almost uninhibitedly
enthusiastic; lavishly abundant
derivatives: exuberance, exuberantly
Chapter 6
“The audience applause, which was enthusiastic at each Naming, rose in
an exuberant swell when one parental pair, glowing with pride, took a male
newchild and heard him named Caleb.”
3. invariably (in-vair-ee-uh-b lee) adv. always; without exception
derivatives: invariability, invariable
Chapter 6
“But invariably the grinning Nines, who in technical violation of the rule
had been practicing secretly for weeks, would mount and ride off in perfect
balance, training wheels never touching the ground.”
4. meticulous (muh-tik-yuh-luhs) adj. taking or showing extreme care about
minute details; precise; thorough
derivatives: meticulousness, meticulously
Chapter 6
“Jonas shrugged. It didn’t worry him. How could someone not fit in? The
community was so meticulously ordered, the choices so carefully made.”
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
5. curb (kurb) v. to control as with a curb; restrain; check
Chapter 7
“‘You Elevens have spent all your years till now learning to fit in, to
standardize your behavior, to curb any impulse that might set you apart from the
group.’”
6. aptitude (ap-ti-tood) n. capability; ability; innate or acquired capacity for
something; talent
derivatives: aptitudinal
Chapter 7
“She mentioned that there was one who had singular skills at caretaking,
another who loved newchildren, one with unusual scientific aptitude, and a fourth
for whom physical labor was an obvious pleasure.”
7. precision (pri-sizh-uh n) n. accuracy; exactness
derivatives: precise, precisely
Chapter 7
“But the mistake had been made. And precision of language was one of
the most important tasks of small children. Asher had asked for a smack.”
8. vibrant (vahy-bruhnt) adj. (of sounds) characterized by perceptible vibration,
resonant, resounding; (otherwise) exciting, stimulating, lively
derivatives: vibrance, vibrantly
Chapter 8
“‘I know,’ she said in her vibrant, gracious voice, ‘that you are all
concerned. That you feel I have made a mistake.’ She smiled.”
9. collective (kuh-lek-tiv) adj. of or characteristic of a group of individuals taken
together
derivatives: collectively
Chapter 8
“What did that mean? He felt a collective, questioning stir from the
audience. They, too, were puzzled.”
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
10. capacity (kuh-pas-i-tee) n. power of receiving impressions, knowledge, etc.;
mental ability
derivatives: capacious
Chapter 8
“‘Perhaps Jonas will, because the current Receiver has told us that Jonas
already has this quality. He calls it the Capacity to See Beyond.’”
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
List 3
Chapters 9–13
admonition
assimilated
excruciating
exhilarating
exempted
fleeting
irrationally
obsolete
successor
unnerving
1. exempt (ig-zempt) v. free from an obligation or liability to which others are
subject; release
derivatives: exemption
Chapter 9
“From this moment you are exempted from rules governing rudeness. You
may ask any question of any citizen and you will receive answers.”
2. unnerving (uhn-nurv-ing) adj. depriving of courage, strength, determination, or
confidence; upsetting
derivatives: unnerve, unnerved
Chapter 9
“He was so completely, so thoroughly accustomed to courtesy within the
community that the thought of asking another citizen an intimate question, of
calling someone’s attention to an area of awkwardness, was unnerving.”
3. excruciating (ik-skroo-shee-ey-ting) adj. extremely painful; causing intense
suffering; unbearably distressing; torturous
derivatives: excruciatingly
Chapter 9
“Almost instantly the excruciating pain in his hand had diminished to
the throb which was, now, all he could recall of the experience.”
4. successor (suh k-ses-er) n. a person who follows or replaces another by descent, election,
appointment or the like
derivatives: succeed
Chapter 10
“‘My job is important and has enormous honor. But that does not mean I
am perfect, and when I tried before to train a successor, I failed. Please ask any
questions that will help you.’”
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
5. exhilarate (ig-zil-uh-reyt) v. to enliven, invigorate, stimulate; to make cheerful or
merry
derivatives: exhilaration, exhilarating
Chapter 10
“‘It’s like going downhill through deep snow on a sled,’ he said finally.
‘At first it’s exhilarating: the speed; the sharp, clear air; but then the snow
accumulates, builds up on the runners, and you slow, you have to push hard to
keep going, and—’”
6. obsolete (ob-suh-leet) adj. no longer in general use; fallen into disuse
derivatives: obsoleteness
Chapter 11
“‘Snow made growing food difficult, limited the agricultural periods. And
unpredictable weather made transportation almost impossible at times. It wasn’t a
practical thing, so it became obsolete when we went to Sameness.’”
7. admonition (ad-muh-nish-uh n) n. counsel, advice, or caution
derivatives: admonish
Chapter 12
“Jonas listened. He was very aware of his own admonition not to discuss
his training. But it would have been impossible, anyway. There was no way to
describe to his friends what he had experienced there in the Annex room.”
8. fleeting (flee-ting) adj. passing swiftly; vanishing quickly; transitory
derivatives: fleetingly
Chapter 12
“It had happened again: the thing that he thought of now as ‘seeing
beyond.’ This time it had been Fiona who had undergone that fleeting
indescribable change.”
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
9. irrational (ih-rash-uh-nl) adj. without the faculty of reason; deprived of reason
derivatives: irrationally, irrationality
Chapter 13
“He found that he was often angry, now; irrationally angry at his
groupmates, that they were satisfied with their lives which had none of the
vibrance his own was taking on.”
10. assimilate (uh-sim-uh-leyt) v. to take in and incorporate as one’s own; absorb
derivatives: assimilation
Chapter 13
“‘It was chaos,’ he said. ‘They really suffered for a while. Finally it
subsided as the memories were assimilated. But it certainly made them aware of
how much they need a Receiver to contain all that pain. And knowledge.’”
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
List 4
Chapters 14–19
anguish
assuage
carnage
ecstatic
isolation
luminous
ominous
perceive
permeated
released
1. anguish (ang-gwish) n. excruciating or acute distress, suffering, or pain: the
anguish of grief
derivatives: anguished
Chapter 14
“They have never known pain, he thought. The realization made him feel
desperately lonely, and he rubbed his throbbing leg. Eventually he slept. Again
and again he dreamed of the anguish and isolation on the forsaken hill.”
2. assuage (uh-sweyj) v. to make milder or less severe; relieve; ease; mitigate
derivatives: assuagement, unassuaged
Chapter 14
“The daily training continued, and now it always included pain. . . . Each
time, in his kindness, The Giver ended the afternoon with a color-filled memory
of pleasure. . . . It was not enough to assuage the pain that Jonas was beginning,
now, to know.”
3. isolation (ahy-suh-ley-shuh n) n. separation from other persons or things;
aloneness; loneliness
derivatives: isolation, isolate, isolating
Chapter 14
“They have never known pain, he thought. The realization made him feel
desperately lonely, and he rubbed his throbbing leg. Eventually he slept. Again
and again he dreamed of the anguish and isolation on the forsaken hill.”
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
4.
ominous (om-uh-nuhs) adj. portending evil or harm; foreboding; threatening;
inauspicious
derivatives: omen, ominously
Chapter 14
“‘Back and back and back.’” Jonas repeated the familiar phrase.
Sometimes it had seemed humorous to him. Sometimes it had seemed meaningful
and important. Now it was ominous. It meant, he knew, that nothing could be
changed.”
5.
release (ree-leesd) v. free from confinement, bondage, obligation, or pain
derivatives: release
Chapter 14
“‘I’ll have to select the one to be nurtured, and the one to be released. It’s
usually not hard, though. Usually it’s just a matter of birthweight. We release the
smaller of the two.’”
6.
carnage (kahr-nij) n. the slaughter of a great number of people, as in battle;
butchery; massacre
Chapter 15
“He lay sprawled, his gray uniform glistening with wet, fresh blood. The
colors of the carnage were grotesquely bright: the crimson wetness on the rough
and dusty fabric, the ripped shreds of grass, startlingly green, in the boy’s yellow
hair.”
7.
ecstasy (ek-stuh-see) n. an overpowering emotion or exaltation; a state of
sudden, intense feeling; rapturous delight
derivatives: ecstatic, ecstatically
Chapter 16
“In one ecstatic memory he had ridden a gleaming brown horse across a
field that smelled of damp grass, and had dismounted beside a small stream from
which both he and the horse drank cold, clear water.”
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
8.
perceive (per-seev) v. to become aware of, know, or identify by means of the
senses; to recognize, discern, envision, or understand
derivatives: perception, perceptive, perceivable
Chapter 16
“‘What did you perceive?’ The Giver asked.
‘Warmth,’ Jonas replied, ‘and happiness. And—let me think. Family.
That it was a celebration of some sort, a holiday. And something else—I can’t
quite get the word for it.’”
9.
permeate (pur-mee-yet) v. to pass into or through every part of; to be diffused
through; pervade; saturate
derivatives: permeation, permeative
Chapter 17
“And his new, heightened feelings permeated a greater realm than simply
his sleep. Though he knew that his failure to take the pills accounted for some of
it, he thought that the feelings came also from the memories.”
10. luminous (loo-muh-nuhs) adj. radiating or reflecting light; shining; bright.
derivatives: luminosity, luminously
Chapter 18
“And [Rosemary] listened carefully. Her eyes were very luminous, I
remember. . . . She was so enthusiastic. So delighted to experience new things.”
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
List 5
Chapters 20–23
augmented
diminished
efficient
emphatically
fugitives
lethargy
rueful
sing-song
stealthily
vigilant
1. efficient (ih-fish-uhnt) adj. performing or functioning in the best possible manner
with the least waste of time and effort; competent; capable
derivatives: efficiency, efficiently
Chapter 20
“‘Fiona is already being trained in the fine art of release,’ The Giver told
him. ‘She’s very efficient at her work, your red-haired friend. Feelings are not
part of the life she’s learned.’”
2. rueful (roo-fuh l) adj. feeling, showing, or expressing sorrow or pity; mournful; doleful
derivatives: rue, ruefully
Chapter 20
“The Giver gave a rueful, anguished, empty laugh. ‘Jonas, you and I are
the only ones who have feelings. We’ve been sharing them now for almost a
year.’”
3. emphatic (em-fat-ik) adj. uttered with emphasis; strongly expressive
derivatives: emphasis, emphasize, emphatically
Chapter 20
“Jonas shook his head emphatically. ‘No, Giver,’ he said. ‘I want you to
keep that, to have with you, when I’m gone.’”
4. stealthy (stel-thee) adj. done, characterized, or acting by stealth; furtive
derivatives: stealth, stealthily
Chapter 21
“It was terribly dangerous because some of the work crews were still
about, but he moved stealthily and silently, staying in the shadows, making his
way past the darkened dwellings and the empty Central Plaza, toward the river.”
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
5. sing-song (sing-sawng) adj. monotonously jingly in rhythm and pattern of pitch
Chapter 21
“‘It’s bye-bye to you, Gabe, in the morning,’ Father had said, in his sweet,
sing-song voice.”
6. fugitive (fyoo-ji-tiv) n. a person who is fleeing from prosecution, intolerable
circumstances, etc.; a runaway
Chapter 21
“It would not be safe to travel in daylight. They would be looking for him soon. . .
. Gabriel’s head nodded, after a moment, and fell against Jonas’s chest. Together the
fugitives slept through the first dangerous day.”
7. augmented (awg-men-tid) adj. made larger; enlarged in size, number, strength,
or extent; increased
derivatives: augmentation, augment
Chapter 21
“The journey had become automatic; the sleep by days, hidden in
underbrush and trees; the finding of water; the careful division of scraps of food,
augmented by what he could find in the fields.”
8. vigilant (vij-uh-luhnt) adj. keenly watchful and alert to detect danger; wary
derivatives: vigilance, vigilantly
Chapter 21
“As he pedaled through the nights, through isolated landscape now, with
the communities far behind and no sign of human habitation around him or ahead,
he was constantly vigilant, looking for the next nearest hiding place should the
sound of engines come.”
9. diminish (dih-min-ish) v. to lessen; decrease
Chapter 22
“But the frequency of the planes diminished. They came less often, and flew,
when they did come, less slowly, as if the search had become haphazard and no longer
hopeful.”
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
10. lethargy (leth-er-jee) n. the quality or state of being drowsy and dull, listless and
unenergetic, or indifferent and lazy
derivatives: lethargic
Chapter 23
“But his mind was alert now. Warming himself ever so briefly had shaken away
the lethargy and resignation and restored his will to survive. He began to walk faster on
feet that he could no longer feel.”
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
Fill-in-the-Blank Activity
The Giver
Using the vocabulary words listed below, fill in the blanks with suitable word choices. Each word or its
derivative is used once. The answers may or may not be used in the same plot context as in the original
quotations, but they do correspond to the characters and events in the novel.
List 1
Chapters 1–4
adherence
apprehensive
awed
bewildered
chastisement
gravitate
nondescript
nurturer
rarity
transgression
1. When the unidentified jet plane flies over the community, the residents feel frightened
and ______________ because they are unsure what to say or do.
2. Jonas’s father’s role as a(n) ______________ defies gender stereotypes. It also allows
him the possibility of bringing home a newchild who needs some extra attention.
3. Jonas’s parents try to help ease his ______________ about the upcoming Ceremony of
Twelve by sharing their own childhood experiences.
4. It is clear that this ceremony is held in ______________ by the entire community and
carries great importance.
5. Although Jonas’s family seeks to ______________ to the community’s rules, they still
allow themselves to call baby Gabriel by his name before it becomes official.
6. Unlike his father, Jonas has not ______________ toward any particular job in the
community. Instead, he has volunteered in a variety of locations.
7. Jonas realizes that both his and little Gabriel’s eyes are a(n) ____________ in the
community. The author may be hinting that in their uniqueness, the two boys share
something in common.
8. Jonas commits a minor ______________ when he brings home an apple to study, and he
must apologize for his actions the following day.
9. The apple, of unremarkable size and ______________ shade, seems to Jonas to change
briefly in appearance while he and Asher toss it back and forth in the air.
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
10. Jonas is careful to report to his volunteer duty at the House of the Old; not doing so
would violate the community’s expectations, resulting in ______________.
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
Fill-in-the-Blank Activity
The Giver
Using the vocabulary words listed below, fill in the blanks with suitable word choices. Each word or its
derivative is used once. The answers may or may not be used in the same plot context as in the original
quotations, but they do correspond to the characters and events in the novel.
List 2
Chapters 5–8
aptitude
capacity
collective
curb
exuberant
invariably
meticulously
precision
relinquish
vibrant
1. Jonas’s family participates in several ______________ family rituals, the telling of
feelings each evening and the telling of dreams each morning.
2. Jonas must take a pill after reporting his unusual dream, ______________ his inner
Stirrings in exchange for calm and stability.
3. Lily finds it difficult to ______________ her excitement as her mother ties her hair
ribbons for the upcoming Ceremony.
4. ______________ in the community, if someone dies or is released, a newchild is given
that person’s name. Perhaps this regular practice comforts their loved ones.
5. Jonas trusts that the Committee of Elders have assigned his role with the same
______________ care they use for the assignments of spouses and children.
6. As the Ceremony of Twelve begins, the Chief Elder highlights some of the unique
______________ of the Elevens, including scientific and caretaking abilities.
7. Asher suffered repeated discipline as a child in an effort to teach him to use
______________ language by a certain age.
8. The Chief Elder’s voice is described as ______________, but ironically, the members of
Jonas’s community have never seen bright, vivid colors.
9. Jonas is selected to be the Receiver of Memory because he possesses the qualities of
intelligence, integrity, courage, and a special ______________ to “see beyond.”
10. Proud and excited about Jonas’s honor, the crowd ______________ chants his name.
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
Fill-in-the-Blank Activity
The Giver
Using the vocabulary words listed below, fill in the blanks with suitable word choices. Each word or its
derivative is used once. The answers may or may not be used in the same plot context as in the original
quotations, but they do correspond to the characters and events in the novel.
List 3
Chapters 9–13
admonition
assimilated
excruciating
exempted
exhilarating
fleeting
irrationally
obsolete
successor
unnerving
1. As Jonas reads through the instructions for his new assignment, he learns that he is
prohibited from some practices, such as dream-telling and medication, yet
______________ from others, such as rude personal questions and lying.
2. Accustomed to constant politeness and comfort, Jonas finds these new special
permissions ____________.
3. Jonas learns that, since he will ______________ The Giver, taking over his role in the
community, his new title is Receiver of Memory.
4. Because books have become ______________ to the community, Jonas is not prepared
for the rows of volumes he sees in The Giver’s living quarters.
5. To help Jonas understand his new role as Receiver, The Giver selects a positive, even
______________, experience of riding a sled as his first memory.
6. When Jonas begins to recognize colors, he experiences quick, ______________ glimpses
of red and green; then things return to their usual flat, nondescript hues.
7. As Jonas gains knowledge, he becomes more separated from his friends and angry about
this separation. Since he can’t explain his anger, he believes it is ______________.
8. Although the instructions from Elders ______________ Jonas not to discuss his training
with anyone, he can’t resist trying to pass on the joy of colors to Asher or the powerful
majesty of a living elephant to Lily.
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
9. In a discussion with the Giver, Jonas learns that memories not contained by a Receiver
return to the community, who must experience and eventually ______________ these
memories.
10. As Jonas and The Giver become closer, Jonas asks if he can receive more negative
memories to help relieve some of The Giver’s heavy, sometimes ______________ pain.
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
Fill-in-the-Blank Activity
The Giver
Using the vocabulary words from the list below, fill in the blanks with suitable word choices. Each word
or its derivative is used once. The answers may or may not be used in the same plot context as in the
original quotations, but they do correspond to the characters and events in the novel.
List 4
Chapters 14–19
assuage
anguished
carnage
ecstatic
permeated
isolation
luminous
ominous
perceived
released
1. When Jonas experiences his first taste of intense physical discomfort through the second
sled ride, he is not allowed to take any medication to ______________ his pain.
2. As Jonas continues to experience painful memories such as extreme hunger, he questions
why he and The Giver must endure the ____________ pain of these memories all by
themselves; he wishes that, instead, everyone could share the burden together.
3. When Jonas accidentally ____________ a calming sailboat memory to restless Gabriel
one night, he learns that the little boy is able to receive memories just as he can.
4. When Jonas enters a memory of warfare, he is overwhelmed by the bloody
____________ of men’s and horses’s broken bodies, the cries and the cannons, and the
young soldier’s blank stare of death.
5. To help ease Jonas’s pain after the war memory, The Giver transmits several wonderful
memories, including a(n) ____________ horseback ride through a field to a clear stream.
6. As Jonas experiences The Giver’s favorite memory of a winter holiday scene, he
____________ warmth, family, and a concept he learns afterward is called “love.”
7. Once Jonas stops taking his morning pill, and, as he sees more of the world through his
memories, his view of the world becomes more ____________, full of light and color.
8. Rosemary, the girl who preceded him as Receiver of Memory, was so disturbed by the
____________ of separation, hunger, poverty, and terror that she requested release.
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
9. Jonas also learns that when Rosemary was released, the memories that she had received
____________ the community’s minds so that they were forced to think about them.
10. It isn’t until Jonas watches the video of the release of the smaller twin that he realizes that
the positive word “release” is a(n) ____________ term, a euphemism for “put to death.”
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
Fill-in-the-Blank Activity
The Giver
Using the vocabulary words listed below, fill in the blanks with suitable word choices. Each word or its
derivative is used once. The answers may or may not be used in the same plot context as in the original
quotations, but they do correspond to the characters and events in the novel.
List 5
Chapters 20–23
augmented
diminished
efficient
emphatically
fugitives
lethargy
rueful
sing-song
stealthily
vigilant
1. Jonas’s reaction to the release of the twin is probably ____________ by the fact that the
person administering the injection is his father, whom he has always viewed as kind and
good.
2. Jonas is probably saddened to learn that lovely, kind Fiona, one of his closest friends, is
already learning to release the Old in a gentle but____________ manner.
3. Jonas’s angry, bitter feelings begin to ____________ as he and The Giver develop a plan
to help force the community to share the burden of painful memories once again.
4. The plan for Jonas’s escape depends on careful timing and ____________ in order to
properly succeed.
5. The Giver is ____________ that he must remain with the community to help counsel the
members through the pain and confusion of the returning memories.
6. Ironically, Jonas’s father speaks to Gabriel in a playful, ____________ voice as he
describes his planned release for the following morning.
7. Jonas quickly decides to change the plan he made with The Giver that would have made
it seem as though he had fallen into the river. Instead, he becomes a _____________,
which means that the community will be actively searching for him.
8. Jonas and Gabriel survive by sleeping in the day, traveling at night, and watching
____________ for airplanes.
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
9. Jonas ____________ realizes that starvation, something he was told he would never
experience, is a possibility now that he has left the community’s food supplies behind.
10. As he reaches the end of his journey, Jonas uses scraps of memories to fight against
____________ and carry Gabriel to the top of the hill.
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
Multiple Choice Exam
The Giver
Answers may be the vocabulary words from your list or any of the derivations.
1. discipline
a. scrutiny
b. declaration
c. chastisement
d. collusion
e. transgression
6. done as a group
a. rueful
b. collective
c. commendable
d. pliable
e. bewildered
2. of no definite type or kind
a. nondescript
b. collective
c. vibrant
d. exempt
e. obsolete
7. to restrain
a. nurture
b. assimilate
c. permeate
d. calibrate
e. curb
3. violation of a law or command
a. adherence
b. chastisement
c. rarity
d. stealth
e. transgression
8. excitedly enthusiastic
a. exhilarating
b. excruciating
c. fleeting
d. luminous
e. exuberant
4. uneasy or fearful
a. lethargic
b. fleeting
c. callous
d. apprehensive
e. malevolent
9. precisely; thoroughly
a. agonizingly
b. meticulously
c. excruciatingly
d. succinctly
e. tenuously
5. to be naturally drawn
a. perceive
b. gravitate
c. nurture
d. isolate
e. exude
10. to surrender, as in a possession or right
a. agitate
b. commemorate
c. gravitate
d. illuminate
e. relinquish
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
11. counsel, advice, or caution
a. premonition
b. augmentation
c. bewilderment
d. admonition
e. uncanny
17. rapturous; blissful
a. anguished
b. ominous
c. permeated
d. ecstatic
e. mercurial
12. taken in as one's own; absorbed
a. assuaged
b. succeeded
c. assimilated
d. released
e. obfuscated
18. radiating or reflecting light
a. luminous
b. manifold
c. comatose
d. efficient
e. sing-song
13. freed from an obligation
a. exempted
b. assimilated
c. admonished
d. mutated
e. lavished
19. foreboding; threatening
a. stealthy
b. nondescript
c. rueful
d. ominous
e. irrational
14. a person who replaces another
a. fugitive
b. carnage
c. idol
d. linchpin
d. successor
20. diffused through; saturated
a. permeated
b. perceived
c. augmented
d. deceived
e. awed
15. depriving of courage, strength, or
confidence
a. vigilant
b. unnerving
c. rueful
d. isolating
e. letharging
21. made larger; increased
a. defunct
b. augmented
c. devoted
d. adhered
e. awed
16. relieve; ease; mitigate
a. assuage
b. comply
c. anguish
d. curb
e. mediate
22. spoken with emphasis; expressive
a. efficient
b. vigilant
c. emphatic
d. ecstatic
e. collective
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
23. drowsiness; lack of energy
a. obsolescence
b. capacity
c. adherence
d. irrationality
e. lethargy
24. furtively; secretly
a. judiciously
b. invariably
c. stealthily
d. haplessly
e. grotesquely
25. awake and alert; watchful
a. militant
b. capacious
c. meticulous
d. vigilant
e. apprehensive
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Giver
Vocabulary List
1. adherence
2. admonition
Chapter 2
3. anguish
Chapter 12
Chapter 14
4. apprehensively
Chapter 1
5.
6.
7.
8.
Chapter 2
Chapter 18
Chapter 14
Chapter 21
aptitude
assimilated
assuage
augmented
9. awed
10. bewildered
Chapter 1
Chapter 3
11. capacity
12. carnage
Chapter 8
Chapter 15
13. chastisement
14. collective
15. curb
Chapter 3
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
diminished
ecstatic
efficient
emphatically
excruciating
exempted
exhilarating
exuberant
fleeting
fugitives
Chapter 8
Chapter 7
Chapter 21
Chapter 16
Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 6
Chapter 12
Chapter 21
gravitating
Chapter 4
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
invariably
irrationally
isolation
lethargy
luminous
32. meticulous
Chapter 6
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 23
Chapter 18
Chapter 6
33. nondescript
34. nurturer
35. obsolete
36. ominous
37. perceive
38. permeated
39. precision
40. rarity
41. release
42. relinquish
43. rueful
44. sing-song
45. stealthily
46. successor
47. transgression
48. unnerving
49. vibrant
Chapter 3
Chapter 1
Chapter 11
Chapter 14
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 7
Chapter 3
50. vigilant
Chapter 21
Chapter 14
Chapter 6
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Chapter 10
Chapter 1
Chapter 9
Chapter 8
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SAT Vocabulary Study: The Giver by Lois Lowry
Writing Activities
Values in The Giver
Businessman Roy Disney (nephew of Walt Disney) once stated, “It’s not hard to
make decisions when you know what your values are.” In The Giver, author Lois Lowry
shows us how a society’s values of control, comfort, and equality can supply benefits but
can also place a heavy burden on the values of freedom, life, and love.
In a well-organized essay, using specific evidence from the novel, analyze the
benefits and costs of one of the community’s values. Then explain how Jonas’s decision
to leave the community with Gabriel honors a new value the community has forgotten.
Include at least five vocabulary words in your essay.
The Giver Chapter 16
In Chapter 16 of The Giver, Jonas discovers through The Giver’s shared
memories many positive aspects of life before Sameness: birthday parties, interactions
with animals, and camping. Each of these experiences not only offers pleasure, but also
teaches Jonas the benefits of a different way of life. Witnessing a birthday party teaches
Jonas about the importance of individuals; sharing a drink of water with a horse teaches
him about the bonds between animal and human.
The most powerful memory The Giver shares with Jonas is a family holiday
celebration. Read the passage below. Then, in a well-organized essay, analyze how the
diction, sensory imagery, and interactions between the people in the scene all contribute
to the positive mood.
“He was in a room filled with people, and it was warm, with firelight glowing on
a hearth. He could see through a window that outside it was night, and snowing. There
were colored lights: red and green and yellow, twinkling from a tree which was, oddly,
inside the room. On a table, lighted candles stood in a polished golden holder and cast a
soft, flickering glow. He could smell things cooking, and he heard soft laughter. A
golden-haired dog lay sleeping on the floor.
On the floor there were packages wrapped in brightly colored paper and ties with
gleaming ribbons. As Jonas watched, a small child began to pick up the packages and
pass them around the room: to other children, to adults who were obviously parents, and
to an older, quiet couple, man and woman, who sat smiling together on a couch.
While Jonas watched, the people began one by one to untie the ribbons on the
packages, to unwrap the bright papers, open the boxes and reveal toys and clothing and
books. There were cries of delight. They hugged one another.
The small child went and sat on the lap of the old woman, and she rocked him and
rubbed her cheek against his.”
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