Furia: Chapters 15–23

by Yamile Saied Méndez
An Argentinian teenager keeps her success as a soccer player — and her dreams of attending college in North America — a secret from her family.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–7, Chapters 8–14, Chapters 15–23, Chapter 24–Epilogue
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. scrimmage
    practice play between two teams
    We're meeting there, and then we’re playing a scrimmage against a team of North Americans who are touring Argentina.
  2. pungent
    strong and sharp to the sense of taste or smell
    The pungent smell of my socks when I unrolled them made Roxana cough.
  3. uncanny
    surpassing the ordinary or normal
    Side by side, the resemblance was uncanny.
  4. hinder
    prevent the progress or accomplishment of
    The current recruiting system—playing in college first—is hindering our professional program, so we’re looking for ways to inject younger players into the national league, bypassing university teams.
  5. redundant
    more than is needed, desired, or required
    Coach Alicia placed an arm over my shoulder and the other over her sister’s and said, “In the beautiful game, words are redundant. Furia, go play, and tell my sister why you deserve a place on a professional team in our native language.”
  6. adversary
    someone who offers opposition
    As if someone had flipped a switch, La Furia ate up her adversaries.
  7. smoldering
    showing scarcely suppressed anger
    Gasps and cries of sympathy rose from both teams in a mixture of English and Spanish, curse words and prayers. Then there was a smoldering silence.
  8. palpable
    capable of being perceived
    I couldn’t hear what they said, but the disappointment was palpable.
  9. clamber
    climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling
    I clambered back to my feet, and when I started putting my things in my backpack, I saw Diego looking at me from the corner of the pitch, his brow creased with worry.
  10. spontaneity
    the quality of coming from feelings without constraint
    “You have esa picardía...there’s not a word in English to describe it, but the flair, you know? That cleverness and spontaneity that I hardly ever encounter in the U.S. academies. You played like a female Neymar.”
  11. bantering
    cleverly amusing in tone
    I’d meant to sound playful, flirty, bantering, like always.
  12. nape
    the back side of the neck
    Tentatively, I put my hand on the nape of his neck.
  13. latent
    potentially existing but not presently evident or realized
    The latent goddess inside me pulled at her bindings until she snapped them.
  14. lucid
    capable of thinking in a clear and consistent manner
    In a lucid second before I took off my jersey, I remembered we were out in public.
  15. ellipsis
    a mark indicating that words have been omitted
    “Had I known,” Diego said softly, “I would’ve had them print Furia. You know, they have a women’s team. Maybe one day...” In the space of the ellipsis, I saw our future like in a movie.
  16. implicitly
    without doubting or questioning
    Diego trusted me so implicitly, he texted what I dictated to him without once questioning me.
  17. staccato
    marked by or composed of disconnected parts or sounds
    He sat up and typed staccato lies to his best friend.
  18. atelier
    a studio especially for an artist or designer
    It was almost like traveling back in time to when Mamá worked at her atelier downtown and it was just the two of us most days.
  19. venture
    proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers
    “When I couldn’t venture out into the storm, one of the nuns said Diego was coming over to bring some donations, so I just waited for him.”
  20. rosary
    a series of prayers counted using a string of beads
    But the Rosario Central banner that hung from the rearview mirror along with the blue-and-yellow rosary beads confirmed that it was my father’s car.
  21. scathing
    marked by harshly abusive criticism
    Karen sent them a scathing look before diving back into El Visitante.
  22. benevolent
    showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding
    Sister Cruz watched benevolently from the kitchen, where she was kneading bread.
  23. imperceptibly
    in a manner that is difficult to discern
    His eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.
  24. roil
    be agitated
    Frustration roiled inside me, but Diego was leaving.
  25. imperative
    requiring attention or action
    Since I couldn’t heal my ankle without help, and getting back into shape was imperative, and keeping secrets was so exhausting, I decided to come clean.
  26. pretentious
    creating an appearance of importance or distinction
    I wondered if it was too pretentious to say we’d won because of me.
  27. sultry
    attractive and suggesting hidden passion
    “Have a safe flight, Mr. Ferrari,” I said, imitating the woman’s sultry voice.
  28. conciliatory
    intended to placate
    She patted the table and in a conciliatory voice said, “Come, sit with me.”
  29. nondescript
    lacking distinct or individual characteristics
    We arrived at a nondescript house in Arroyito just as Central’s game was starting.
  30. scrutinize
    look at critically or searchingly, or in minute detail
    I averted my gaze as she scrutinized me, but her features were already imprinted in my mind.
  31. parish
    a local church community
    When we got out of the car, my mom looked across the street to the Natividad del Señor parish and crossed herself.
  32. cheeky
    offensively bold
    Coach sent Carolina a look that made the girl shrivel. That’d teach her not to be cheeky with Alicia Aimar.
  33. intone
    recite musically; recite as a chant or a psalm
    "We’ll play hard, play to win, and have fun. Claro?”
    “Like water,” the original Eva María players intoned. The newcomers joined in a beat too late, but now they knew for next time.
  34. fester
    gnaw into; make resentful or angry
    Miriam’s warning echoed in my mind, but I pushed it down, down, down to fester along with my worry for my brother and dread over what my father would say if he ever found out my mom was my agent and manager.
  35. meme
    an amusing image that spreads rapidly through social media
    And that’s what I texted him: emojis of apples and oranges and a meme that said KEEP TRYING.
Created on Wed Dec 09 09:17:41 EST 2020 (updated Wed Dec 16 13:44:01 EST 2020)

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