Question

For the last few minutes, something had been tugging at my memory. My mind seemed to be very sluggish that morning, as if I was still unable to cast off the burden of sleep. I felt that I could do with some of that oxygen — but before I could reach the mask, understanding exploded in my brain. I whirled on the duty engineer and said urgently:



Notes
AllDefinitionsFootnotes
Excel (verb) : to do or perform better than others
Girder (noun) : a large iron or steel beam used for building bridges and large buildings
having or appearing to have length, width, and height
Precisely (adverb) : exactly
a person who specializes in the study of mind and behavior
extremely small
Depart (verb) : to leave; go away
Unauthorized (adjective) : not having permission
a passage used to move fresh air
a wall that divides the inside of a ship or aircraft
a building or room in which members of a crew take their meals
Pathetically (adverb) : in a way that causes feelings of sadness and sympathy, especially because a person or animal is suffering
a strong expression of grief or sorrow
Circuit (noun) : a closed path followed by an electric current
Eclipse (noun) : an event when the sun looks like it is completely or partially covered
unable to be explained
Question 4
Write: What does the word "sluggish" suggest about how the narrator is feeling in paragraph 20?

Answer 1

"Sluggish" suggests the narrator feels mentally slow and groggy — still drowsy and lacking energy or alertness. The phrase "as if I was still unable to cast off the burden of sleep" supports that he is sleepy and his thoughts are moving slowly.