The Ink of Setauket
In the damp autumn chill of 1780, Setauket, Long Island, existed under a suffocating mantle of red coats and watchful eyes. British soldiers patrolled the cart paths, their bayonets gleaming coldly in the gray coastal twilight, while townspeople went about their chores with guarded expressions and tightly closed lips. Beneath this tranquil pastoral veneer ran a hidden current of intrigue. Fourteen-year-old Nathaniel Ward knew this better than most. Working as a hostler at the village's bustling waterfront tavern, Nathaniel spent his days currying horses and hoisting grain sacks, but his ears were perpetually tuned to the low murmurs of officers and merchants. He also observed the discreet domestic signals along the bay—most notably, the black petticoat that occasionally fluttered from a neighbor’s clothesline, signaling that a whaleboat courier was preparing to slip across the sound to Connecticut under cover of darkness.
- hostler:
- A person employed to take care of horses, especially at an inn or stable.
- veneer:
- An attractive or peaceful outward appearance that hides an underlying truth.
- vellum:
- A fine, durable parchment prepared from animal skin and used for writing.
- cipher:
- A secret code or system of transformed letters and numbers used to conceal meaning.
- reagent:
- A chemical substance used in a reaction to detect or reveal other substances.
- stratagem:
- A clever plan, scheme, or trick designed to deceive an opponent in war.
- clandestine:
- Done in secret, often because it is unauthorized or illicit.
- discrepancy:
- A noticeable difference or inconsistency between facts that ought to match.
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Sobre este texto de conto para o 7º ano
“The Ink of Setauket” é um texto de conto sobre American Revolution, escrito para o 7º ano. A leitura leva cerca de 7 minutos (1.001 palavras). O texto inclui um quiz interativo e uma atividade para imprimir com perguntas de compreensão e gabarito.