Hidden Truths: Chapters 1–15

by Elly Swartz
On a summer camping trip in Massachusetts, twelve-year-old best friends Eric Stein and Dani Meyer are shaken up by a fiery explosion.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–15, Chapters 16–26, Chapters 27–46
35 words 5 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. dugout
    a shelter beside a baseball field for players and coaches
    As he gets closer, the kids scattered around the field move like a swarm toward the dugout.
  2. relish
    spicy or savory condiment
    As I walk past the skinny glass table where Mom dumps her keys, I see my favorite photo of me and Eric at the Red Sox game eating hot dogs with heaps of relish.
  3. paisley
    a fabric with a colorful swirled pattern of curved shapes
    Dani and her dog, Casey, are already in the kitchen, surrounded by one of Mom’s worst decisions: the pink-and-orange paisley wallpaper.
  4. coordination
    the skillful and effective interaction of movements
    So one day I dragged her giant red bucket of baseballs to the field and told her she could pitch to me. That was the day I learned about hand-eye coordination. And how I don’t have any.
  5. wicker
    flexible branches or twigs that can be woven together
    I dart upstairs and dig my baseball glove from the wicker basket in the corner that still smells like the turkey jerky I accidentally left in there last week.
  6. consignment
    the delivery of goods for sale or disposal
    I hold up a white-and-brown mini remote-control version of our camper. “Dad found it at Big Al’s Consignment Shop.”
  7. douse
    wet thoroughly
    I douse my body with the required block and spray, then hop into the bathroom to change.
  8. insist
    assert to be true
    Mr. Stein insists it’s a secret recipe, but Eric and I both know it’s really just noodles with ketchup.
  9. reel
    wind onto or off a revolving spool
    Eric tilts, pulls, and sways until he reels in a big fat trout.
  10. flail
    thrash about
    He’s yelling something and his arms are flailing.
  11. stub
    strike accidentally against an object
    Me stepping out of the camper. Stubbing my toe.
  12. rustle
    a light noise, like the noise of leaves blowing in the wind
    Then I hear it. A rustle of leaves.
  13. static
    crackling or hissing noise caused by electrical interference
    No answer. More talking. Lots of voices. Crisscrossing.
    Muffled together.
    Like static.
    Buzzing.
  14. gauze
    bleached cotton cloth of plain weave used for bandages
    Lloyd the EMT comes over and cleans the cut on my knee, squeezes some ointment on it, and wraps it in gauze.
  15. antiseptic
    a substance that destroys harmful microorganisms
    Turns out the gash on my knee from falling on the rocks is just a bad cut that needs cleaning, more antiseptic, and a large Band-Aid.
  16. rigid
    having a form maintained by a stiff unyielding frame
    We walk along the white-walled hallway with strange hospital smells to the waiting room and sit in the rigid orange plastic chairs.
  17. interject
    speak abruptly, especially as an interruption
    Mom glances at my dad. I interject before he flanks my other side—I’ve seen them do the silent tag-team parent thing before—“I’ll be fine. I promise.”
  18. pulpit
    a platform raised to give prominence to the person on it
    It’s small and kind of like my temple. Not the Torah part, but the pulpit, the soft seats, and the stained-glass window.
  19. amend
    make revisions to
    I interlock my hands until my knuckles turn bone white, get down on my knees, and amend my prayer.
  20. sustain
    undergo, as of injuries and illnesses
    “Dr. Jeffries said you sustained nerve damage in your shoulder. He hopes it will improve when the swelling goes down.”
  21. debris
    the remains of something that has been destroyed
    The doctor thinks the cabinets and door that fell on her in the explosion and likely caused the fracture and nerve damage, also somehow shielded her from the fire and most of the debris.
  22. grit
    clench together
    I grit my teeth to dull the hurt.
  23. numbness
    partial or total lack of sensation in a part of the body
    “The throbbing is from the fracture, the troll is from the swelling, and the numbness and tingling are because of the nerve damage. I promise, rest, physical therapy, and the medicine will help with all of it.”
  24. wince
    draw back, as with fear or pain
    I try to readjust my pillow and wince as the pain pings across my shoulder.
  25. reckless
    marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences
    “Eric, you ran into a fire to save your best friend.” Her eyes are wet. “That’s bravery.” She pauses and puts her hand on top of mine. “But it was also reckless.”
  26. hamper
    a basket usually with a cover
    I grab the dirty clothes from the floor and stick them in the wicker hamper at the end of my bed.
  27. sensation
    an awareness of some type of stimulation
    I close my eyes, and with my good hand I trace the buttons on my Chris Sale jersey to distract from the jabbing sensation.
  28. cringe
    draw back, as with fear, pain, or embarrassment
    I cringe as she shoots off her long list of questions, but Waylan listens patiently while she speed-reads down the paper.
  29. sliver
    (figurative) a small or narrow piece or slice
    A sliver of hope slides in.
  30. scorch
    burn slightly and superficially so as to affect color
    As we drive up the dirt road to our campsite, I see that the ground’s covered with smoky dust, scorched gravel, and metal debris.
  31. char
    burn slightly and superficially so as to affect color
    I see the charred camper, and my mind winds back to the loud boom.
    Smoke. Heat. Fire.
  32. vise
    something likened to a tool that clamps or holds tightly
    Shoved against my body, it feels like a vise squeezing my guilt.
  33. sear
    burn slightly and superficially so as to affect color
    “Just wish I knew how this happened,” he says, as if the answers are hidden in the seared dirt beneath his feet.
  34. sincerity
    an earnest feeling
    “How can you not know if you turned off the stove? It’s not like I’m asking if you took out the trash.” The sincerity slips from his voice.
  35. frenzy
    state of violent mental agitation
    “The truth is, we’re not even certain what happened. Eric could have just spun himself into a worried frenzy for nothing.”
Created on Sat Jan 13 16:50:26 EST 2024 (updated Mon Jan 15 14:09:59 EST 2024)

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