suspended
temporarily prohibited from attending school
Wolverine
character from Marvel's X-Men franchise, known for the knife-blade claws that extend from his knuckles
World Trade Center
towering building complex completed in 1972 in Manhattan, destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 (9/11)
Ground Zero
name given to the site of the former World Trade Center in the wake of 9/11 attacks
9/11
name given to the coordinated attacks of September 11, 2001, in which terrorists believed to be involved with al Qaeda flew hijacked planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, with a fourth plane crashing in a Pennsylvania field, likely having been downed before it could reach its target
Afghanistan
mountainous central Asian republic
paddy
field where rice is grown
Taliban
fundamentalist Islamic movement that took control of Afghanistan in the mid-1990s, was forced out of power by the US following the attacks of 9/11, and regained control of Afghanistan following the US withdrawal in 2021
Pashto
the official language of Afghanistan; language of the Pashtun people of southern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan
Kabul
capital city of Afghanistan
Afghan National Army
the land-force branch of the Afghan Armed Forces; following the US withdrawal in 2021, the ANA quickly disintegrated, surrendering to the Taliban or fleeing
gargantuan
very large
Twin Towers
two main buildings of the World Trade Center, which were destroyed in the 9/11 attacks
flinch
make a quick movement in response to pain, surprise, or fear
burqa
loose-fitting whole-body garment worn in public by some Muslim women
turban
long cotton or silk headdress worn wrapped around the head by some male Sikhs and Muslims
mujahideen
term for guerilla fighters in Islamic countries who fight a jihad
jihad
a fight or struggle against the enemies of Islam (derived from the Arabic word for effort)
Soviet-era
originating in the era before the collapse of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
former federation of communist republics that came out of the 1917 Russian Revolution and formally dissolved in 1991
