You Are Here: Connecting Flights: List 1

by Ellen Oh
This collection of twelve stories by different authors is set in the Chicago Gateway International Airport, where tween characters are experiencing delays and encounters colored by their Asian American heritage.

This list covers “Paul: Something to Declare” by Christina Soontornvat, “Jae: Ground Rules” by Linda Sue Park, and “Mindy: Standing Up” by Meredith Ireland.

Here are links to our lists for the book: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4
40 words 215 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. terminal
    station where vehicles load or unload passengers or goods
    The sky is a spooky gray-green color, and thick sheets of rain lash the big glass windows of the terminal. Lightning flashes, and everyone sucks in their breath, then worriedly checks the flight information screens.
  2. cinch
    pull, fasten, or tie something tightly
    She’s only one inch taller than me, and with her hood cinched tight around her brown face, I feel like I’m talking to a giant, plump caterpillar.
  3. embroider
    decorate with needlework
    Even before I notice the embroidered Perez, DDS basketball logo, I can tell they play basketball from the swagger-y way they swing their arms.
  4. flush
    sudden reddening of the face
    That flush of embarrassment surges higher.
  5. vigorously
    in an energetic manner
    She shakes her head vigorously.
  6. stereotype
    a conventional or formulaic conception or image
    I can just imagine the fit she’d throw if we slowed down the line by explaining what’s going on. I know I shouldn’t care about someone like her, but if we slow things down, then we’ll prove that all her stereotypes about “these people” are right.
  7. mode
    a particular functioning condition or arrangement
    That’s when my mind kicks into some strange superhero mode, and I can see everything happening in slow motion: the agent’s confusion at why this tiny old woman has suddenly attacked him...
  8. anguish
    extreme distress of body or mind
    ...my grandmother’s single-minded goal—to protect her husband from being seized by these coldhearted strangers; her body as it twists, winding up her seventy-five-year-old muscles like a spring-loaded coil; and the agent’s amusement, which is soon going to turn to anguish because he doesn’t know what I know: Grandma knows Muay Thai kickboxing, and when she was younger, she used to eat guys like him for breakfast.
  9. contention
    a point asserted as part of an argument
    Mom had refused point-blank to discuss Jae’s contention that he was old enough to stay home on his own.
  10. resolve
    the trait of being firm in purpose or belief
    “You’re late. And this is not a day care center.”
    It took all of Jae’s resolve not to roll his eyes as a match for the instant snark response inside his head. Um, riiiiight. It’s an airport.
  11. impulse
    a sudden desire
    “Lacks impulse control.” That was grown-up-speak for the fact that Jae sometimes “made bad choices,” which was why Mom was reluctant to leave him on his own.
  12. dock
    deduct from someone's wages
    “I should have you take him home and dock your pay,” he said.
  13. periphery
    the outside boundary or surface of something
    It was a fairly large space, with worn vinyl couches around the periphery, square tables and plastic chairs, a counter along one wall with a sink flanked by two refrigerators, a row of vending machines.
  14. flank
    be located at the sides of something or somebody
    It was a fairly large space, with worn vinyl couches around the periphery, square tables and plastic chairs, a counter along one wall with a sink flanked by two refrigerators, a row of vending machines.
  15. concourse
    a wide hallway in a building where people can walk
    Front lobby, Delta desk. Terminal 1, Concourse B food court, Dragon Lotus counter. Baggage claim, United carousel, Terminal 2.
  16. idly
    in a lazy, casual, or aimless way
    As he swiped idly at his tablet, he happened to glance at the monitors.
  17. queue
    a line of people or vehicles waiting for something
    Jae pieced together what was happening: one of the two lines at the TSA checkpoint had been closed down, and everyone from that line was being shunted into the other queue.
  18. assail
    attack someone physically or emotionally
    A powerful memory assailed him: getting separated from his mom in a big-box store when he was about five years old.
  19. nondescript
    lacking distinct or individual characteristics
    The break room was about a third of the way down Concourse B, tucked away behind a nondescript door that said Employees Only.
  20. explicit
    precisely and clearly expressed or readily observable
    For the first time since he had jumped up from the couch, Jae realized what he had done: he’d left the break room against explicit orders from both Mom and Mr. Peters.
  21. jostle
    make one's way by pushing or shoving
    There was no running now; he jostled past people a step at a time.
  22. cacophony
    loud confusing disagreeable sounds
    A shrill voice rose above the cacophony.
  23. apparently
    seemingly; as far as one can tell
    The little girl had been quiet, but the woman’s anger was apparently upsetting her, and she started to cry.
  24. utterly
    completely and without qualification
    Jae was now utterly confused.
  25. disdainful
    having or showing arrogant superiority
    The woman cast one more disdainful look at Jae, then began making her way toward the long lines for customer service.
  26. profusely
    in very large amounts or quantities; extremely
    More babble as each person thanked Jae profusely. He couldn’t decide if he was more pleased or embarrassed by all the attention.
  27. practically
    almost; nearly
    Only a few minutes earlier, that guy Stewart had practically accused him of being part of some kind of threat.
  28. conjure
    summon into action or bring into existence
    On the walk back to the break room, Jae had conjured and discarded a dozen explanations to try to get out of trouble, even as he knew that none of them would work.
  29. assume
    take to be the case or to be true
    Jae was still shaken by how quickly they had assumed things about him, and how fast those things had blown up into what could have been real trouble.
  30. facility
    a building or place that provides a particular service
    “Richard, with all the cancellations and delays, the facilities and the public areas are going to be very heavily used, probably right through tomorrow. The duty roster and the supply inventory need to be adjusted, don’t they?”
  31. pompous
    puffed up with vanity
    “We’re done here, Myung. Get over to E.” Mr. Peters was back to his old pompous self.
  32. stoke
    increase or intensify an emotion or response
    It’s not that I’m upset about leaving the country—I was stoked to go to Europe for the first time two summers ago.
  33. tolerant
    showing respect for the rights or opinions of others
    My dads aren’t sure how tolerant it is there, so they decided to pretend to not be together once we land.
  34. authentic
    not counterfeit or copied
    I mean, it’s not the authentic beef noodle soup Lewis’s mom brought in for Food Heritage Day.
  35. inquisitive
    given to questioning
    Daddy Brian is a reporter for the New York Times and “inquisitive”—which is a nice-people word for nosy.
  36. frazzle
    exhaust physically or emotionally
    A blond woman in a pink sweater stops, looking totally frazzled.
  37. bigoted
    blindly and obstinately attached to some creed or opinion
    Confront hate! Don’t let people feel safe saying bigoted things!
  38. confrontation
    a hostile disagreement face-to-face
    I give them my backpack and take off in whatever direction is away from them, away from the kid and the racist mom and confrontations I didn’t ask for.
  39. slump
    assume a drooping posture or carriage
    My shoulders slump, and I hang my head.
  40. gawk
    look with amazement
    I seriously don’t know how my dads handle being loud and proud all the time when people stare at them. There’s awkward quiet as people continue to gawk.
Created on Fri Jul 19 16:40:18 EDT 2024 (updated Sat Jul 20 12:54:22 EDT 2024)

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