George: Chapters 4-5

by Alex Gino
Inside, George knows that she is a girl. When her class puts on a production of Charlotte's Web, she is not allowed to try out for the role of Charlotte — but with the help of her best friend, George is determined to show the world who she really is.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1-3, Chapters 4-5, Chapters 6-7, Chapters 8-9, Chapters 10-12
25 words 32 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. deem
    judge or regard in a particular way
    “Anyone who is caught looking at his or her lines instead of paying attention today, as well as anyone who asks me questions about the audition before one thirty this afternoon”—Ms. Udell paused for effect—“will be deemed unable to handle the responsibility of performing.”
  2. wince
    make a face indicating disgust or dislike
    Kelly winced as she dropped her orange tray onto the long table.
  3. illumination
    the degree of visibility of your environment
    Most of the illumination in the large room came from long fluorescent bulbs that ran along the high ceiling.
  4. al dente
    cooked so as to still be firm when eaten
    “It’s limper than the spaghetti! Which is overdone too! It’s not al dente, which is how you’re supposed to cook pasta. Al dente is Italian for ‘to the tooth’ and it means it’s still a little hard in the center, so you have to actually chew it.”
  5. waft
    blow gently
    Outside, the smell of pine trees wafted in from the yards of the houses that bordered the back of the school.
  6. punctuate
    interrupt periodically
    The air was filled with the buzz of a hundred students at recess, punctuated by yells, laughter, and, occasionally, Mrs. Fields’s piercing whistle.
  7. cue
    a reminder for some action or speech
    She glanced behind her whenever Kelly spoke, to make sure no one was watching, and missed half her cues.
  8. frantic
    marked by uncontrolled excitement or emotion
    George’s laughter grew frantic, and she felt light-headed.
  9. earnest
    devout or heartfelt
    “Of course I’m serious,” Kelly said, the bright sun shining on her earnest face.
  10. blare
    make a loud noise
    George opened her mouth, but as with Mom, she couldn’t say the only words that blared through her brain: I’m a girl.
  11. plod
    walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
    After lunch, the class plodded through a spelling pretest, followed by a science work sheet on simple machines, but all George could think about was trying out for Charlotte.
  12. imperceptibly
    in a manner that is difficult to discern
    The minute hand of the clock was a terribly slow lever, pushing the hour hand imperceptibly forward.
  13. fare
    proceed, get along, or succeed
    “The time has finally come to see how you fare as actors and actresses. Everyone who auditions will be given a part.”
  14. spare
    more than is needed, desired, or required
    Ms. Udell turned her attention to the small woman, who had pulled over a spare chair and settled herself quite comfortably at Ms. Udell’s desk.
  15. dictate
    determine, order, or control how something is done
    If you are interested in trying out, I will give you a card with a number on it. The number will dictate the order of your audition.
  16. lurch
    move abruptly
    George’s stomach lurched when there was another sniffle and a snort, followed by the words, “Oh, Charlotte, I miss you so,” and snickers.
  17. flourish
    a showy gesture
    Soon, she came beaming back into the classroom and announced, with great flourish, “Number three, you’re up!”
  18. cadence
    the accent in a metrical foot of verse
    The first words rushed out of her mouth, but then she slowed into the cadence she had practiced.
  19. speckle
    mark with small spots
    George stared intently at the speckled tile floor and wished she were home in her bed.
  20. tousle
    disarrange or rumple; dishevel
    Mom tousled George’s hair.
  21. skeptical
    marked by or given to doubt
    Mom was skeptical.
  22. intimate
    marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity
    “Could you please tell a different story? Perhaps one less intimately related to the inner workings of the digestive system?”
  23. ricochet
    spring back; spring away from an impact
    It ricocheted off the edge of her plate and twirled end over end in the air.
  24. daze
    confusion characterized by lack of clarity
    George nodded, in a daze.
  25. warp
    bend or twist out of shape
    She rubbed the cool pages against her cheeks, leaving behind tearstains that warped the covers.
Created on Tue Feb 13 15:31:25 EST 2018 (updated Tue Feb 13 16:17:56 EST 2018)

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