Two Roads: Chapters 12–17

by Joseph Bruchac
While his father is on a campaign to pressure Congress and President Hoover to deliver bonus payments owed to veterans of the Great War, twelve-year-old Calvin Blackbird must fight his own battles at a federal agricultural Native American boarding school in Oklahoma.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–11, Chapters 12–17, Chapters 18–22, Chapters 23–30
40 words 21 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. cadence
    a recurrent rhythmical series
    HUP, TWO, THREE, FOUR.
    That cadence is being counted by the officer walking beside them, watching with an eagle eye to make sure no one is out of step.
  2. attire
    clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion
    At first they look the same. All in military attire, hair cut short, caps low on their foreheads.
  3. complexion
    the coloring of a person's face
    Only their brown faces suggest they’re Indian. Though I see some among them whose skins are as pale as a white man. Plus a few whose complexions are as dark as a Negro’s.
  4. dignitary
    an important or influential person
    Some of the men in suits look as dignified as foreign dignitaries.
  5. maneuver
    a military training exercise
    Some of the squads of marching boys and young men are performing intricate maneuvers. The youngest ones, who had made some pretty obvious missteps as they passed, have now halted.
  6. catcall
    a cry expressing disapproval
    There’s also a fair amount of shouting from the girl students. Not exactly shouting, though. They’re making an echoing sort of call. It’s nothing like the catcalls or sarcastic hooting I’ve heard from the stands during the few baseball games I’ve seen.
  7. wholesome
    characteristic of physical or moral well-being
    “I wish to welcome you all here today to see this fine display of discipline and wholesome competition, principles that Challagi attempts to ingrain in our boys and girls as we mold them to meet a world so different from that in which their savage forebears lived.”
  8. forebear
    a person from whom you are descended
    “I wish to welcome you all here today to see this fine display of discipline and wholesome competition, principles that Challagi attempts to ingrain in our boys and girls as we mold them to meet a world so different from that in which their savage forebears lived.”
  9. fraternize
    be on friendly terms with someone, as if with a brother
    They may try to keep the boys and girls apart. All sorts of rules and penalties if you’re caught fraternizing. But we’d still find ways to get together.
  10. impassive
    having or revealing little emotion or sensibility
    The girls retreat to their seats, but not without quite a few of them glancing over their shoulders at particular boys—all of whom are attempting to look impassive.
  11. vigorously
    in an energetic manner
    Superintendent Morrell holds out his arms, grasping Pop’s elbow with his left hand as he vigorously shakes with his right.
  12. assume
    take to be the case or to be true
    “Young man,” he says, “am I correct in assuming your father has brought you here to join us? Although it is...” his voice takes on a teasing tone “...far from the start of the regular school year?”
  13. conjecture
    the formation of conclusions from incomplete evidence
    Mints, I think.
    My conjecture is proven right away. He reaches into his coat pocket, extracts a red-striped lump, shucks off the cellophane, and pops the candy into his mouth.
  14. acquit
    behave in a certain manner
    “Answering the call of duty to one’s country cannot be called running away. Rather running to. From what I heard, you acquitted yourself quite well as a soldier, William.”
  15. subsidize
    support, as through grants or other funds
    As your son, an enrolled member of the Creek Nation, there’s no question that the government will subsidize him.
  16. shorn
    having the hair, fur, or wool cut short
    “Ready to get shaved like a sheep?”
    He studies my face as he says that. Looking to see if I show any signs of anxiety about being shorn like Samson in the Bible story.
  17. moniker
    a familiar name for a person
    “Okay. But that’s not what any but the teachers call me. Possum. That’s my moniker. Possum.”
  18. condemn
    pronounce a punishment, as in a court of law
    I follow behind like a condemned man being led to the gallows.
  19. gallows
    an instrument from which a person is executed by hanging
    I follow behind like a condemned man being led to the gallows.
  20. clipped
    (of speech) having quick short sounds
    Her voice is as sharp as her features. Clipped, precise. Almost mechanical.
  21. infirmary
    a health facility where patients receive treatment
    Every object in here, medical things for which I do not know the names, seems hard and cold. Being an infirmary, this is where people get fixed up when they’re hurt.
  22. inoculation
    taking a vaccine as a precaution against a disease
    If this nurse gave me a smallpox inoculation she’d probably scrape a hole to the bone.
  23. typhoid
    infection marked by intestinal inflammation and ulceration
    “Typhoid,” she says, picking up a syringe with a needle on it big enough to kill a bull.
  24. pry
    move or force in an effort to get something open
    “Open your mouth.”
    I do, but not fast enough or wide enough to avoid her grabbing my chin and prying it down as she shoves in a stained, flat wooden stick to depress my tongue.
  25. tuberculosis
    infection transmitted by inhalation or ingestion of bacilli
    “Good. Lungs clear. No tuberculosis to share with the other boys and girls.”
  26. registrar
    the administrator responsible for student records
    She puts down the card, taps it again with her pencil. “This is not my job,” she says. “But the school registrar is away this weekend. So I am filling in.”
  27. hack
    chop or cut away
    Getting my hair hacked off and needles stabbed in me was no picnic.
  28. taciturn
    habitually reserved and uncommunicative
    And the answer is that I’ve never been overly talkative. Most times, I’d rather listen. However, over the last couple of days I have been much more—what was that word I read in my dictionary? Taciturn. That’s it. I’ve been taciturn ever since Pop sprung it on me that he was Creek Indian.
  29. trudge
    walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
    The fifty cents the cowboy gave me plus a few I’ve picked up off the ground as we traveled. I’ve always kept my eye out for the glint of metal as Pop and I have trudged along.
  30. abide
    put up with something or somebody unpleasant
    “That medal,” he says, “you need to keep safe. Not from the other boys, mind you. We don’t abide no sneak thieves. Especially in our gang which is all made up of straight shooters. It’s more from some of those who run this place. Leave something like this around, it’ll vanish like snow on a sunny day.”
  31. passel
    a large number or amount
    The cavity isn’t quite large enough for a person to fit in, but it’s plenty big to hold a passel of interesting-looking objects. Different shapes and sizes, all are wrapped in leather or cloth.
  32. drawl
    speak in a slow and drawn out way
    “Jay Bird,” he drawls, “you’re the first I’ve showed this to.”
  33. marooned
    cut off or left behind
    But I’m not going to be isolated here at this Indian school. Marooned on a desert island like Robinson Crusoe.
  34. tendril
    slender structure by which some plants attach to an object
    Some of its branches are as big around as tree limbs. It’s fastened itself firm, tendrils digging in like fingers into the stone and wood.
  35. benighted
    lacking enlightenment or knowledge or culture
    “You already appear much more civilized, young man. A lad of this century and not the benighted long-haired past. Next we shall rid you of those rags. Get you into proper clothes.”
  36. facility
    a building or place that provides a particular service
    I assume you are impressed with our facilities. Especially the addition of the washrooms down the hall.
  37. traipse
    walk or tramp about
    No longer must our lads traipse outdoors to use the outhouse as they did during your father’s tenure with us.
  38. tenure
    the term during which some position is held
    No longer must our lads traipse outdoors to use the outhouse as they did during your father’s tenure with us.
  39. adieu
    a farewell remark
    “Adieu, then.”
    He strides away, leaving us standing there.
  40. imposing
    impressive in appearance
    The two of us stand side by side, looking out over the broad lawn that stretches in front of the big imposing buildings of the school.
Created on Sat May 04 11:55:46 EDT 2024 (updated Mon May 06 11:02:59 EDT 2024)

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