Breaking Through: "Back to the Fields"–"Turning a Page"

by Francisco Jiménez
In this memoir, Francisco Jiménez details his family's experiences as Mexican immigrants in the United states during the 1950s and 1960s.

This list covers "Back to the Fields"–"Turning a Page."

Here are links to our lists for the memoir: List 1, List 2, List 3
35 words 33 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. irrigate
    supply with water, as with channels or ditches or streams
    “You could smell death in the air. The fields were irrigated with blood and men hung from trees like rotting fruit.”
  2. parcel
    an extended area of land
    Joe García, one of our neighbors, who had served in World War II, insisted that Papá form a partnership with him, taking care of six acres, three acres each, of newly planted strawberries in a parcel of land located between Santa Maria and Guadalupe.
  3. till
    work land as by ploughing to make it ready for cultivation
    Papá tilled the soil with the tractor while Trampita and I pulled out weeds.
  4. delicate
    easily broken or damaged or destroyed
    We dug them out with a hand shovel, making sure not to damage the delicate plants.
  5. clod
    a compact mass
    Once we cleared the weeds, we broke mud clods with short hoes and shovels.
  6. coarse
    rough to the touch
    Every time Papá tilled the furrows, more mud clods bubbled up, leaving the ground coarse and uneven again.
  7. blight
    any plant disease resulting in withering without rotting
    The rancher examined a few plants and said he thought a blight had infested the plants.
  8. fumigation
    the application of gas or smoke to kill pests or disinfect
    The day the chemical company came, Roberto and I missed school to help with the fumigation. We covered the field with huge sheets of white plastic and sealed the edges with dirt. After the wind died down, a chemical gas was pumped in through a hose from a metal tank loaded on the bed of a large truck.
  9. frayed
    worn away or tattered along the edges
    “You can’t wear that T-shirt, mijo,” Mamá cried out. “It’s yellowish and frayed.”
  10. callused
    having tough, thickened areas of skin
    His large, callused hands felt like old leather gloves.
  11. mill
    move about in a confused manner
    Parents and friends milled around the cafeteria, waiting for the ceremony to start.
  12. procession
    the action of a group moving ahead in regular formation
    As soon as we heard the music, we quieted down and began the procession.
  13. skirmish
    a minor short-term fight
    One morning I started a strawberry war. I had learned the spelling and definition of the word skirmish, which I had added to my notepad to memorize that day.
  14. instinctive
    unthinking
    Suddenly I felt a blow on the back of my right shoulder. I instinctively reached behind with my left hand and scooped up a rotten strawberry.
  15. murky
    cloudy, dirty, and difficult to see through
    We threw in tortilla bits, trying to attract the little gray fish and goldfish that hid under murky waters.
  16. mange
    a skin disease causing inflammation, itching, and hair loss
    I had short bangs and nicks on both sides. I looked like the stray dogs with mange that populated Bonetti Ranch.
  17. upholstery
    covering on a piece of furniture
    The lot was filling up quickly with cars that looked like large insects. Some were lowered in the front and painted in bright metallic colors, like candy apple red, and had tucked and rolled upholstery in white or black.
  18. motto
    a favorite saying of a sect or political group
    A red and white banner with the school’s motto, “Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve,” hung from the ceiling.
  19. vocational
    of or relating to an occupation
    Before I had a chance to answer, he added, “We have excellent vocational programs in car mechanics, electronics, and wood shop. We also have a program for future farmers.”
  20. emphasize
    stress or single out as important
    He emphasized our being on time and suiting up.
  21. lapel
    a fold of fabric below the collar of a coat or jacket
    He had on a blue suit with wide lapels and a white and blue striped tie, and he wore a gold ring on the little finger of his right hand.
  22. wiry
    lean but strong
    My teacher, Mr. Ivan Coe, was a tall, wiry man.
  23. hobble
    walk unevenly due to pain, injury, or weakness
    He slowly got up from the table and hobbled to his room.
  24. console
    give moral or emotional strength to
    Mamá gave us a pained look, shook her head, and followed him, trying to console him.
  25. stocky
    having a short and solid form or stature
    He was a short, stocky man dressed in khaki pants and a short-sleeved shirt, half tucked in.
  26. raspy
    unpleasantly harsh or grating in sound
    He introduced us to his wife, a friendly, petite woman who also had a raspy voice.
  27. draft
    a current of air
    As I opened the door to the rear entrance, a draft of warm air hit my face.
  28. sluggish
    moving slowly
    I loaded it with a sheet of paper and tried typing on it. The keys were sluggish and the letters were barely visible.
  29. wrath
    intense anger
    I muttered the title, “The Grapes of Wrath.” The word grapes reminded me of working in the vineyards for Mr. Sullivan in Fresno. I looked up the word wrath and thought of the anger I felt when I lost my blue notepad, my librito, in a fire in Orosi.
  30. stuffy
    lacking fresh air
    The room was warm and stuffy, so I walked out to cool off and to get a drink of water.
  31. vise
    something likened to a tool that clamps or holds tightly
    “What do you think you're doing, Panchito?” he whispered, placing his left hand on my left shoulder and digging in his fingers. His large hand felt like a vise.
  32. wince
    draw back, as with fear or pain
    “Nothing,” I said, wincing. “I just lost my balance.”
  33. weary
    physically and mentally fatigued
    One rainy Monday evening when Roberto came to pick me up from work, he looked weary and sad.
  34. gawk
    look with amazement
    Roberto did not have time to cruise, but he took pride when people gawked at his car.
  35. decal
    a design that can be transferred from paper to some surface
    The Little Stinker decal did not bother me as much anymore.
Created on Fri Apr 08 09:32:38 EDT 2022 (updated Mon Apr 18 08:49:42 EDT 2022)

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