Lupita Mañana: Chapters 10–13

by Patricia Beatty
After the death of their father, thirteen-year-old Lupita and her brother journey from Mexico to the United States in search of a better life.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–3, Chapters 4–6, Chapters 7–9, Chapters 10–13
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. glum
    moody and sorrowful
    Suddenly Elvio asked Salvador, “Are you going to the fields tomorrow with Mamá?”
    “Sí,” Salvador said glumly.
  2. glower
    look angry or sullen as if to signal disapproval
    Salvador glowered. “That is less than Lupita and I were paid in Colton.”
  3. lapse
    pass into a specified state or condition
    When Salvador lapsed into a glum silence, Lupita asked, “Aunt Consuelo, could you teach me some English words as we work in the fields?”
  4. rivulet
    a small stream
    Salvador’s old shirt clung to her, and as she twisted the vegetables from their stems, she felt her back begin to itch. She didn’t know if it itched from the rivulets of sweat or from the ants and other insects she spied among the squash.
  5. stupor
    a state of being half-awake
    Lupita passed the remainder of the morning in a stupor of weariness.
  6. fiesta
    a public celebration or party
    “You should go, muchacho. Señor Fidencio has a club for young men there. They have fiestas, good times.”
  7. avert
    turn away or aside
    Lupita averted her eyes from his angry face.
  8. venture
    proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers
    When there was a pause in the conversation, Lupita ventured to speak to the woman across from her. “Señora, remember what you said yesterday? I would like to go to Mass tomorrow, but I do not have a dress.”
  9. impish
    naughtily or annoyingly playful
    Consuelo smiled and asked, “Are you helping tonight so I will give you money to go to the cinema?”
    “Of course, Mamá,” Catarina replied impishly.
  10. tenor
    the adult male singing voice above baritone
    Though he had a good tenor, he sang only gringo songs, and Lupita couldn’t understand them.
  11. rapt
    feeling great delight and interest
    She looked around to see if Salvador felt the same way, but he was listening raptly.
  12. intently
    with strained or eager attention
    Salvador looked at Lupita intently.
  13. ruefully
    in a manner expressing pain or sorrow
    Rather than argue in front of the Ruizs, she turned and headed outside. At the door she looked back ruefully at her brother.
  14. rivet
    direct one's attention on something
    Suddenly Lupita’s eyes riveted on the woman nearest her, some three rows ahead.
  15. incense
    a substance that produces a fragrant odor when burned
    The night before the Day of the Dead Mamá would set her candle alight in front of his picture and put out a glass of water for his thirst, some food to nourish him, and incense to guide him home.
  16. shabby
    showing signs of wear and tear
    Salvador still dressed in Papá’s clothing when he went to the fields, but Lupita could tell by the way he put on the black-and-white check coat and the felt hat that he disliked them for their shabbiness.
  17. misgiving
    uneasiness about the fitness of an action
    That was almost a half-hour’s pay. But she must have a dress. If she got one today, she could go to Mass tomorrow.
    “Sí, Irela,” she agreed despite her misgivings.
  18. finery
    elaborate or showy attire and accessories
    Aunt Consuelo said the yellow dress was a little long, but that they shouldn’t shorten it because Lupita might still grow. Salvador glanced at her in her new finery and said indifferently, “Bueno.”
  19. indifferent
    showing no care or concern in attitude or action
    Aunt Consuelo said the yellow dress was a little long, but that they shouldn’t shorten it because Lupita might still grow. Salvador glanced at her in her new finery and said indifferently, “Bueno.”
  20. trivial
    concerned only with minor or unimportant things
    After about twenty minutes of trivial conversation with Aunt Consuelo and Elvio, he got up, walked over to her, and dropped a twenty-dollar bill into her lap.
  21. evade
    act in a way to avoid or escape from difficulty
    Ay de mí, he had refused to speak to her! She vowed that he would not evade her company so easily the next time he came.
  22. apparently
    seemingly; as far as one can tell
    Salvador smiled too, apparently having forgotten that Hermilio had not wanted him in his house.
  23. jar
    a sudden impact
    Usually it ran noisily but smoothly. Now, however, it was jerking and jolting and rocking back and forth. A particularly hard jar sent her over onto her neighbor.
  24. cavernous
    being or suggesting a large dark enclosed space
    In a few minutes the pickup rolled through the wide-open door of a cavernous building made of large, pink concrete blocks.
  25. saunter
    a careless leisurely gait
    He did not look so elegant here in a pair of grease-stained coveralls, but he walked in the same easy saunter.
  26. grope
    search blindly or uncertainly
    Groping for the right words, Lupita said shyly, “Not once did I write that you and Uncle Hermilio do not get along together or that you work in the fields.”
  27. chiefly
    for the most part
    She continued to send what money she could, chiefly her own earnings.
  28. crochet
    make needlework by interlocking thread with a hooked needle
    Though she had no coat to wear, Consuelo loaned her a black, hand-crocheted shawl for the occasion.
  29. curt
    speaking in a terse, rude, or abrupt way
    “I ride with Lucky in the front,” Salvador said curtly. “You get in the back seat, Lupita.”
  30. anteroom
    a large entrance or reception area
    Salvador grabbed Lupita by the wrist and pulled her out of the anteroom to the very edge of the dance floor.
  31. festoon
    decorate or adorn
    Hundreds of people filled the room; they stood along the walls or danced under a ceiling festooned with red and white crepe paper.
  32. throng
    a large gathering of people
    Where was Salvador? She could not spot him or Lucky Ruiz in the throng of waiting dancers.
  33. falter
    be or become weak, unsteady, or uncertain
    At that very instant the music changed, faltering into discord and winding down to a slow, wailing finish.
  34. discord
    a harsh mixture of sounds
    At that very instant the music changed, faltering into discord and winding down to a slow, wailing finish.
  35. thicket
    a dense growth of bushes
    Dropping to the ground, she crouched in a thicket of oleanders planted just under the window.
Created on Thu Mar 28 12:10:28 EDT 2019 (updated Tue Apr 02 11:37:39 EDT 2019)

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