The City of Ember

VOCABULARYSet 1

anticipation

• Noun• Expectant waiting; usually with excitement• With anticipation, the children waited for the

Mayor to arrive.

blackout

• Noun• Loss of electric light• Blackouts were common in Ember, and

everyone feared these events.

blotches

• Noun• Spots or marks, especially on the skin, but also

on other surfaces• After crying, little Mary had red blotches on

her face.

civic

• Adjective• Related to one’s community or city• The mayor stated that working in Ember was

everyone’s civic responsibility.

concentration

• Noun• Focus of mind or resources• Lina sat with perfect concentration, thinking

only of her wish for her job.

confidence

• Noun• Belief in one’s abilities• Doon had confidence in his ability to work in

the Pipeworks tunnels.

curiosity

• Noun• Desire to know something• Lina ran with curiosity to each new

“customer” who had a message to deliver

current

• Adjective or Noun• flow of electrical current• The generator created a current of electricity.

decipher

• Verb• To make out something that is said or is

written• The citizens of Ember needed to decipher the

writing left by some of the Builders.