The School for Good and Evil: Chapters 5–10

by Soman Chainani
Sweet, angelic Sophie and moody Agatha are shocked when Agatha is sent to the School for Good and Sophie is sent to the School for Evil. Did the School Master make a mistake or does he know the two girls better than they know themselves?

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–10, Chapters 11–16, Chapters 17–22, Chapters 23–30
40 words 49 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. pique
    call forth, as an emotion, feeling, or response
    Sophie listened, ears piqued, and took off like a panther.
  2. scanty
    lacking in extent or quantity
    One head was rabid, drooling, and male, with a grizzly mane. The other head was cuddly and cute, with a weak jaw, scanty fur, and singsong voice.
  3. compromise
    expose or make liable to danger, suspicion, or disrepute
    “All of you will respect each other, whether you’re Good or Evil, whether you’re from a famous tale family or a failed one, whether you’re a sired prince or a Reader. All of you are chosen to protect the balance between Good and Evil. For once that balance is compromised.”
  4. subtly
    in a manner difficult to detect or grasp
    She opened her eyes and saw Beatrix subtly sniffing Tedros’ hair.
  5. testy
    easily irritated or annoyed
    “As I was saying,” Pollux said testily.
  6. quip
    make jokes or witty remarks
    “Her we like,” Anadil quipped, rats squeaking in agreement.
  7. preen
    dress or groom with elaborate care
    “What are Groom Rooms?” Sophie whispered to Hester.
    “Where Evers primp, preen, and get their hair done,” Hester shuddered.
  8. presumptuous
    going beyond what is appropriate, permitted, or courteous
    “How do you become Class Captain?” Hester asked. The question and the presumptuous tone behind it instantly made her unpopular on both sides of the aisle.
  9. stupor
    a state of being half-awake
    Agatha woke from her stupor.
  10. mull
    reflect deeply on a subject
    Still mulling the correct route, she threw open the doors to the stair room and ducked.
  11. palatial
    relating to or being a large and stately residence
    The palatial glass lobby was packed with faculty in their colorful dresses and suits, mingling before class.
  12. sallow
    unhealthy looking
    Looking at this parade of sallow bodies and repugnant faces, she knew she fit right in.
  13. frumpy
    drab, old-fashioned, and unattractive
    Even their frumpy black smocks were just like the one she wore every day back home.
  14. harrowing
    causing extreme distress
    The tidal wave of rain slammed her through harrowing turns and drops as the loose beam lurched wildly in the rain.
  15. caricature
    a representation of a person exaggerated for comic effect
    Just as she was about to start pounding on doors, she caught sight of one at the end of the hall, grafittied with a caricature of a blond princess, splashed with painted slurs: LOSER, READER, EVER LOVER.
  16. jibe
    an aggressive remark directed at a person
    “And she drowns in the lake,” Dot scowled at Sophie, still wounded by her jibe at the Welcoming.
  17. furtive
    secret and sly
    Sophie and Hester exchanged furtive glances.
  18. belligerent
    characteristic of an enemy or one eager to fight
    With a belligerent roar, it smashed Sophie back into the School for Evil and right back on schedule.
  19. relinquish
    turn away from; give up
    “Only once you give up the surface can you dig beneath it! Only once you relinquish vanity can you be yourself!”
  20. draught
    a dose of liquid medicine
    Hort drank his draught excitedly, only to see a wee zit spurt from his chin.
  21. ethereal
    characterized by lightness and insubstantiality
    As class ranks appeared over each girl in ethereal gold clouds—Beatrix 1st, of course—Agatha spun to see a rusted “20” hover over, then crash into her head.
  22. belfry
    a tower in which bells are hung
    Henchmen Training took place in the Belfry, a dreary open-air cloister atop Malice tower that required a thirty-flight ascent up a staircase so narrow the students were squeezed into single file.
  23. convulse
    shake uncontrollably
    Convulsing with cold, she fought back tears.
  24. insipid
    lacking interest or significance or impact
    “No, first you should be asking why stuck-up, stupid, insipid Good wins every competition in this school—and how you're going to change that.”
  25. incessantly
    without interruption
    But just as he swam his last lap, he noticed Beatrix—and the seven girls who now followed her incessantly—peering wide-eyed through cracks in the wooden door.
  26. trundle
    move slowly or heavily
    He heard her snort in disgust before she trundled down the steps, casting shadows all the way.
  27. barrage
    the rapid and continuous delivery of communication
    The teacher unleashed a piercing whistle and a barrage of barks, bays, neighs, and roars blasted from the Woods beyond the schools.
  28. balmy
    mild and pleasant
    Agatha felt herself shiver, despite the balmy fall sun.
  29. slough
    cast off hair, skin, horn, or feathers
    The cocoon sloughed away.
  30. guttural
    relating to or articulated in the throat
    From the Endless Woods came a fox’s growl, guttural and disturbed.
  31. preposterous
    inviting ridicule
    “100% Evil? Me? That’s preposterous! That’s lunacy! That’s—”
  32. incite
    provoke or stir up
    She already had two failing ranks. Inciting an animal stampede and setting the school on fire had earned her a third.
  33. rotund
    excessively large
    Special Talents was taught by Professor Sheeba Sheeks, the rotund woman with boils on both ebony cheeks.
  34. contempt
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
    Panicked, she whipped to her schoolmates to appeal, but they were no longer looking at her with contempt or ridicule.
  35. rancor
    a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
    For a moment, everyone forgot their rancor and marveled at the blue wonderland around them.
  36. cerulean
    bright blue in color, like a clear sky
    Slender beams of sun slipped through cerulean canopies, lighting up turquoise trunks and navy blooms.
  37. nettle
    plant having stinging hairs that cause skin irritation
    Deer grazed on azure lilacs, crows and hummingbirds jabbered in sapphire nettles, squirrels and rabbits jaunted through cobalt briars to join storks sipping from an ultramarine pond.
  38. hoary
    ancient
    As his students followed, Yuba rattled off the history of the Blue Forest in his clipped, hoary voice.
  39. inevitably
    in such a manner as could not be otherwise
    But before they could ever engage in battle, Good and Evil inevitably fell prey to hungry boars, scavenging imps, cranky spiders, and the occasional man-eating tulip.
  40. sullenly
    in a manner showing a brooding ill humor
    With Sophie’s words throbbing in her head, Agatha slumped sullenly and gave up.
Created on Thu Apr 22 13:26:23 EDT 2021 (updated Thu Apr 29 15:21:38 EDT 2021)

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