Blackout: Act 4

by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon
This interwoven novel of short stories explores the relationships and love lives of teenagers during a blackout on a hot summer night in New York City.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Act 1, Act 2, Act 3, Act 4, Act 5
25 words 22 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. murky
    cloudy, dirty, and difficult to see through
    “Ew! I can’t believe people are swimming in that nasty fountain,” I say, watching a white woman sit neck deep in the murky pool.
  2. instinctive
    unthinking
    I slip right into his arms and even though this isn’t exactly a slow song, we sway slow, to our own rhythm. My arms instinctively find their way up his shoulders.
  3. graze
    scrape gently
    His lips graze my forehead, and my whole body shivers.
  4. logistics
    supplying an operation with labor and materials as needed
    I never once thought about the logistics of how we’d go to school together.
  5. frantically
    in an uncontrolled manner
    "Hey!" I shout, running into the street after it, waving frantically.
  6. callous
    a skin area that is thick or hard from continual pressure
    Daddy claims his feet are still calloused from the journey.
  7. majestic
    having or displaying great dignity or nobility
    Black boys with dark skin tend to look majestic in the moonlight.
  8. gawk
    look with amazement
    He lounges in a seat to himself, his long legs stretched across it and his back to the bustle of New York as if he doesn’t wanna gawk at people like the rest of us.
  9. patron
    someone who supports or champions something
    Back home, football is religion, and the Saints are...well, the patron saints.
  10. bound
    move forward by leaping
    Mrs. Tucker bounds down the aisle.
  11. upscale
    relating or appealing to wealthy or high-status consumers
    There are upscale boutiques everywhere that sell clothes I may never be able to afford.
  12. embassy
    a building where diplomats live or work
    If you can’t get him, find the US Embassy. Tell them your granddaddy was a Vietnam vet. They’ll help you out.
  13. necessarily
    in an essential manner
    That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
  14. famine
    a severe shortage of food resulting in starvation and death
    I doubt that God cares about high school love triangles when there are famines and disease all over the world.
  15. bias
    cause to be prejudiced
    “Jazzy, I’m not trying to hear your anti-Tre’Shawn campaign. I need a non- biased opinion, please.”
  16. bustle
    a rapid active commotion
    I sigh and turn toward her, my back to the hustle and bustle below.
  17. strut
    walk in a proud, confident way
    Daddy was a drum major, and Momma said he didn’t walk around campus, he strutted, as if he knew he was “all that and a bag of chips.”
  18. irk
    irritate or vex
    Every small thing about Freddie Simmons irked me with a passion. But one day, I realized something. All those small things irked me mostly because I was mad at myself for being attracted to them.
  19. disdain
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
    For years, I couldn’t explain her disdain for Tre’Shawn, but now it’s like I finally see a part of her that she’s hidden.
  20. ulterior
    lying beyond what is openly revealed or avowed
    “Get to know you a little more without any ulterior motives?” he asks.
  21. flak
    intense adverse criticism
    “I forgot you’re an only child.”
    “Proudly,” he says. “We catch a lot of flak but we’re dope as hell. Just don’t like to share much.”
  22. understatement
    something said in a restrained way for ironic contrast
    Bossy is an understatement when it comes to Mrs. Tucker. She power trips to the highest degree.
  23. fawn
    try to gain favor through flattery or deferential behavior
    “Tourists fawn over the city. Manhattan, Manhattan, Manhattan,” he mocks.
  24. inkling
    a slight suggestion or vague understanding
    “Yeah, and I’ve got an inkling it may actually be a love square.”
  25. eccentric
    conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual
    Umm...I know New York is a bit more eccentric than Mississippi, but is he saying what I think he’s saying?
Created on Thu Jan 13 17:29:37 EST 2022 (updated Fri Jan 21 11:00:10 EST 2022)

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