I Am Malala — Vocabulary
Malala Yousafzai
(Edited)

Book sample Uses ACT/SAT
47
militantmilitantmilitants:people who use violent methods to achieve a political goal
The government had agreed to impose sharia law throughout Swat and in return the militants would stop fighting.p.167.246 more
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The Taliban militant said he was fighting for his religion and way of life.more
someone who uses extreme or violent methods to achieve a political goal
Show general definition using extreme or violent methods to achieve a political goal; or someone who uses such methods
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interpretinterpretinterpreter:someone who translates language
Then he asked if he could talk to me and began asking questions using Irfan as an interpreter.p.159.35 more
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Can she interpret Spanish to English for us?more
translate
Show general definition for interpret (as in: interpret Spanish to English) to translate someone’s words into spoken words of another language while they are speaking
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interpret#2interpretinterpreter:expert who understands a complex subject and can explain it to non-experts
He introduced himself as an Islamic reformer and an interpreter of the Quran.p.112.65 more
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I don't know how to interpret her smile.more
understand (In this case: Why did she smile? What does it mean?)
Show general definition for interpret (as in: her interpretation of the data) to understand or explain something in a particular way -- often the meaning or significance of something
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resolveresolveresolved:settled
Cases such as land disputes, common in our area, which used to be resolved quickly now took ten years to come to court.p.113.711 more
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Three of the five issues have already been resolved.more
resolveresolved:settled or solved
Show general definition for resolve (as in: How was the problem resolved?) to solve a problem, settle a disagreement, or for a situation to change
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refugeerefugeerefugees:people who left their homeland because of fear of persecution or violence
They opened the doors of their homes, schools and mosques to the refugees.p.180.613 more
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We're asking for humanitarian aid to assist and resettle the refugees.more
refugeerefugees:people who fled their homeland to getaway from a dangerous or difficult situation
Show general definition someone who has fled their homeland to getaway from a dangerous or difficult situation; or related to such people
13
feudbitter argument of fight
They had been locked in a feud for so long no one even seemed to remember how it had started—probably some small slight, as we are a hot-headed people.p.74.112 more
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Perhaps the most famous American family feud was between the Hatfields and McCoys.more
a bitter, long-standing fight
Show general definition bitter hostile argument between two parties -- typically long-standing between families or tribes with occasional incidents of violence
Show editor's word notes Sometimes the term blood feud is used to reference a feud between families.
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disputedisputedisputes:disagreements
Cases such as land disputes, common in our area, which used to be resolved quickly now took ten years to come to court.p.113.67 more
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The area has long been a source of dispute between India and Pakistan.more
disagreement
Show general definition for dispute (as in: their border dispute) disagreement, argument, or conflict
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influentialhaving influence (affecting people or events)
I dream that one day I will be an influential politician in Pakistan.p.xv.88 more
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The magazine has a special issue identifying the 100 most influential people in the world.more
Show general definition having influence (the ability to affect people or events) -- especially due to respect or admiration
8
illiterateunable to read or write
In our valley we received most of our information from the radio because so many had no TV or were illiterate.p.112.47 more
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She is functionally illiterate, so she will need help filling out the employment application.more
Show general definition unable to read or write (not literate)

or:

uninformed in a particular field or general subject area
Show editor's word notes Note that "functional illiteracy" means that although one may be able to read or write a little, their ability is inadequate for normal requirements in their society.
8
9/11September 11, 2001; when suicide bombers hijacked US airliners and used them as missiles to kill about 3,000 Americans
The brothers were famed for their fiery sermons and attracted thousands of worshippers, particularly after 9/11.p.126.57 more
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Both 110-story buildings of the World Trade Center collapsed from the 9/11 attacks.more
terrorist attacks on the U.S. on September 11, 2001, using hijacked planes to kill nearly 3,000 people
Show general definition the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, when hijacked passenger planes were flown into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing nearly 3,000 people
Show editor's word notes On September 11, 2001, 19 terrorists from the group al-Qaeda hijacked four U.S. passenger airplanes. Two were crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, causing both towers to collapse. A third plane hit the Pentagon. The fourth plane, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back. Almost 3,000 people were killed, most of them civilians and first responders. The attacks led to major changes in U.S. security policies and to long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
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exileexileexiled:forced to leave (one's homeland)
But when you are exiled from your homeland, where your fathers and forefathers were born and where you have centuries of history, it's very painful.p.xvii.16 more
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She fled Tibet and is living in exile in India.more
eviction from one's home country
Show general definition to force someone to live outside of their homeland; or living in such a condition

or more rarely:  voluntary absence from a place someone would rather be
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martyrsomeone who dies or suffers in the name of their religion
O Allah, please make war between Muslims and infidels so I can die in your service and be a martyr.p.34.45 more
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Many believe that all the Apostles were martyred except John; however, the Bible reports only on the martyrdom of James.more
martyrmartyrdom:someone who dies upholding religious principles
Show general definition someone who is killed or made to suffer greatly for their beliefs, often unjustly; or someone who acts as if they suffer a lot; or to make someone into such a person
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illustratehelp make clear
My father often spoke of the kindness of Akbar Khan and Nasir Pacha to illustrate that if you help someone in need you might also receive unexpected aid.p.44.61 more
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Pictures of flooding help to illustrate the problem of global warming.more
make clear
Show general definition for illustrate (as in: as illustrated by this example) to help make clear -- typically by example
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contrastcontrastby contrast:in a comparison that shows differences
The MQM is a very organized movement, and the mohajir community sticks together. By contrast we Pashtuns are very divided,p.220.6
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Contrast winter in Panama with winter in Alaska.more
point to differences between
Show general definition for contrast (as in: contrast their writing styles) point to differences between; or compare to show differences
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Talibanfundamentalist Islamic political and military organization
I don't want to be thought of as the "girl who was shot by the Taliban" but the "girl who fought for education."p.309.6267 more
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The Taliban enforce a strict Muslim code of behavior.more
a fundamentalist Islamic political faction that rules Afghanistan
Show general definition a fundamentalist Islamic political faction that rules Afghanistan

(A fundamentalist is someone who strongly believes in old, traditional forms of a religion.)
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PakistanMuslim republic that is the fifth most populous country and has nuclear weapons
The director of the CIA said Pakistan was "either involved or incompetent."p.212.5191 more
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Pakistan was created as a country when India was partitioned in 1947 to create separate Muslim-majority and Hindu-majority nations.more
a south Asian Muslim republic that is the fifth most populous country
Show general definition a south Asian Muslim republic that is the fifth most populous country
Show editor's word notes Pakistan borders India, Afghanistan, Iran, & China.

When Great Britain granted independence to British India, two countries were created based on religious identity. India was primarily Hindu and Pakistan was predominantly Muslim.

Millions of people moved in the months after the partitioning in order to live with their religious majority. Hundreds of thousands were killed.

Pakistan was divided by India with those living to the west separated by 1,000 miles of India from those living in the east. The two Pakistani areas were called West Pakistan and East Bengal which was later called East Pakistan. In 1971 East Pakistan won its independence from West Pakistan and changed its name to Bangladesh.
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Islamthe Muslim religion; second most practiced religion in the world
We have many strands of Islam in Pakistan.p.91.567 more
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Islam is predominant in northern Africa, the Middle East, Pakistan, and Indonesia.more
Muslim religion which is second most practiced in the world
Show general definition the monotheistic religious system of Muslims founded in Arabia in the 7th century and based on the teachings of Muhammad as laid down in the Koran; the world's second most practiced religion
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AllahIslamic way of referencing God
We believe Allah listens more closely to the white-haired.p.249.110 more
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The word Allah has been used by Arabic people since pre-Islamic times.more
Show general definition Islamic way of referencing God
Show editor's word notes "Allah" literally means "the God" who is said by Islamics to have 99 names such as "The Merciful" and "The Compassionate". Allah is a contraction of the words "al" (the) and "ilah" (God).
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infidelinfidelinfidels:negative term for people who do not believe in the "right" religion
O Allah, please make war between Muslims and infidels so I can die in your service and be a martyr.p.34.47 more
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He described the Iraqi police as a tool in the hands of crusaders and infidels.more
Show general definition a negative term describing someone as not believing in the "right" religion or god
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accompanytravel with
While boys and men could roam freely about town, my mother and I could not go out without a male relative to accompany us, even if it was a five-year-old boy!p.26.56 more
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The nurse accompanies the old woman everywhere.more
accompanyaccompanies:travels with
Show general definition for accompany (as in: accompany on the journey) to travel along with