Podcast
Questions and Answers
Why did the smugglers choose a cloudy, moonless night?
Why did the smugglers choose a cloudy, moonless night?
- Because the motor worked better in the dark
- To better admire the stars
- To keep the people in the boat cool
- Because the Greek Coast Guard would be less likely to spot them (correct)
What was the main problem they faced in the dinghy?
What was the main problem they faced in the dinghy?
- The GPS device broke down
- The motor was not starting, and the boat was deflating (correct)
- They were being chased by another boat
- They ran out of food and water
What did Ahmed remember hearing about the life jackets?
What did Ahmed remember hearing about the life jackets?
- They were often defective and made people sink (correct)
- They were often sold at discounted prices
- They were made of a special material
- They were mandatory for all passengers
What did Ahmed's father give him?
What did Ahmed's father give him?
What was Ahmed's great-grandfather's watch called?
What was Ahmed's great-grandfather's watch called?
Where were they trying to reach?
Where were they trying to reach?
What did Ahmed's father have slung over his shoulder?
What did Ahmed's father have slung over his shoulder?
What was Ahmed's main concern, given his father's assurance?
What was Ahmed's main concern, given his father's assurance?
What separated the coast of Turkey from the Greek island?
What separated the coast of Turkey from the Greek island?
What did Ahmed feel soaking his sneakers?
What did Ahmed feel soaking his sneakers?
To make the boat lighter, what did people throw into the sea?
To make the boat lighter, what did people throw into the sea?
What did some people use to try and bail water out of the boat?
What did some people use to try and bail water out of the boat?
Who was the woman in front of Ahmed holding?
Who was the woman in front of Ahmed holding?
What did Ahmed's father put around Ahmed's torso?
What did Ahmed's father put around Ahmed's torso?
Where did Ahmed's father go after putting the inner tube on Ahmed?
Where did Ahmed's father go after putting the inner tube on Ahmed?
Why did Ahmed's father jump into the water?
Why did Ahmed's father jump into the water?
What did Ahmed realize the passengers had in common?
What did Ahmed realize the passengers had in common?
What was the 'captain' of the boat originally?
What was the 'captain' of the boat originally?
What 'reward' did the smugglers give to the 'captain'?
What 'reward' did the smugglers give to the 'captain'?
What did Ahmed's father do with the inner tube?
What did Ahmed's father do with the inner tube?
Where did the men swim in relation to the boat?
Where did the men swim in relation to the boat?
What did the passengers do as the boat moved forward?
What did the passengers do as the boat moved forward?
What memory did Ahmed have as he watched his father swimming?
What memory did Ahmed have as he watched his father swimming?
What weather event made the conditions at sea worse?
What weather event made the conditions at sea worse?
What happened to the swimmers when the sideways wave hit?
What happened to the swimmers when the sideways wave hit?
What was Ahmed doing while his father was swimming?
What was Ahmed doing while his father was swimming?
What did the wave do after it swept over the swimmers?
What did the wave do after it swept over the swimmers?
What did the passengers shout as the boat jerked forward?
What did the passengers shout as the boat jerked forward?
What did Ahmed feel as he emptied the bottles of water?
What did Ahmed feel as he emptied the bottles of water?
Flashcards
Dinghy
Dinghy
Small, inflatable boat, often used for short distances.
Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea
The sea between Greece and Turkey.
Smuggling
Smuggling
The illegal transportation of goods or people.
Defective life jackets
Defective life jackets
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Lesbos
Lesbos
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Ahmed Nasser
Ahmed Nasser
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Omega Seamaster
Omega Seamaster
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Inability to swim
Inability to swim
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The rise in panic
The rise in panic
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Soothing
Soothing
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Lightening the Load
Lightening the Load
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"Allahu Akbar"
"Allahu Akbar"
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Inner Tube
Inner Tube
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Treading Water
Treading Water
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Medley of Places
Medley of Places
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Ashamed
Ashamed
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Forgive me, my soul
Forgive me, my soul
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Captain
Captain
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Smuggler
Smuggler
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Buoy
Buoy
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Pride
Pride
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Ebb
Ebb
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Confer
Confer
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Taut
Taut
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Whitecaps
Whitecaps
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Pitch (boat)
Pitch (boat)
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Buck (boat)
Buck (boat)
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Illuminated
Illuminated
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Study Notes
- The story is set on a cloudy, moonless July night in the Aegean Sea
- Smugglers are transporting eighteen men, three women, and four children on an inflatable rubber dinghy from Turkey to Greece
- The dinghy is overloaded and deflating, with only ten centimeters remaining above the water
- Not everyone has life jackets, and few know how to swim
- One woman expresses fear of drowning if the motor doesn't start, and no one disagrees
Ahmed's Perspective
- Ahmed Nasser, a fourteen-year-old boy, remembers stories of defective life jackets that cause people to sink
- His father tries to reassure him, but Ahmed notices the discomfort and fear of the other passengers
- Ahmed realizes the boat is deflating and voices his concern
- The coast of Turkey is less than ten kilometers from the Greek island of Lesbos
- Ahmed wears his great-grandfather's Omega Seamaster watch
- The passengers begin throwing bags overboard to lighten the load, after which Ahmed watches one of the women comforting a baby
Crisis and Sacrifice
- Ahmed's father gives his inner tube to Ahmed and dives into the water to help pull the boat
- Two other men, including the captain, join him in pulling the boat
- The passengers scoop water out of the boat with bottles
- The swimmers pull the dinghy straight into the waves
- A large wave sweeps over the swimmers, ripping the buoy off the rope and causing them to disappear
- Ahmed sees his father's head bob in the distance but gets no response
- All that is left were whitecap waves
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Description
A story set on a smuggler's boat in the Aegean Sea. Overloaded with refugees, the boat is deflating, and the passengers are in danger of drowning. A young boy named Ahmed recounts the events.
