The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle: Chapters 21–33

by Leslie Connor
Twelve-year-old Mason Buttle is struggling to cope with learning disabilities, bullies, and the sudden death of his friend Benny. When the investigation into Benny's death casts suspicion on Mason himself, he becomes even more determined to uncover the truth.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–20, Chapters 21–33, Chapters 34–52, Chapters 53–74
25 words 21 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. vantage
    place or situation affording some benefit
    Calvin calls the upstairs room our vantage point.
  2. bramble
    any of various rough thorny shrubs or vines
    This window looks down on that. Mess of brambles and thorns because Uncle Drum quit mowing it years ago.
  3. sly
    marked by skill in deception
    Calvin gives me a sly eye.
  4. pry
    move or force in an effort to get something open
    I get a hold of the edge of the door. Pry my fingers in deep. I pull it.
  5. slick
    made smooth, as by ice, grease, or water
    It is slick from the rain.
  6. mortar
    a substance used as a bond in masonry or for covering a wall
    The walls are made of stones. With old mortar between them. And some packed dirt.
  7. foundation
    lowest support of a structure
    He says, “This wall is the foundation of your house. See? And then they built two side walls and capped them so it wouldn’t collapse...”
  8. primitive
    used of preliterate or tribal or nonindustrial societies
    It is all primitive art is what Calvin said.
  9. gritty
    composed of or covered with small particles
    Calvin grinds his gritty knuckles in his ear.
  10. shaft
    a column of light
    He says, “Do you get it? It’s a light shaft. It collects light at the top from outdoors and brings it all the way into the room below.”
  11. accuracy
    the quality of being near to the true value
    Calvin says, “The greater test of accuracy comes with the smallest opening. Am I right?”
  12. incomprehensible
    incapable of being explained or accounted for
    He says, “That’s incomprehensible.”
  13. scrawny
    inferior in size or quality
    I am not one to let somebody pound on my best friend’s scrawny back.
  14. backfire
    emit a loud noise as a result of an explosion of fuel
    So I take Calvin up beside the shed where the tractor stays. Key is always in it. I hop up. Give it a start. That engine backfires first.
  15. gauge
    an instrument for measuring and indicating a quantity
    Turns out it doesn’t have much. Or could be the gauge is off.
  16. throttle
    a valve that regulates the supply of fuel to the engine
    But I set the throttle.
  17. buck
    move in a jerky or violent manner
    The tractor sputters and bucks.
  18. stall
    come to a stop
    It goes. And goes. Rolls. And stalls out at the root cellar door.
  19. absorptive
    having the power or tendency to soak up something
    He tells me, “The inside of the tube absolutely has to be a light color. Reflective. So it gives back the light. See how the brown of the cardboard is dark? Well, that is absorptive. It eats the light up.”
  20. trowel
    a small hand tool with a handle and metal blade
    He’s got a granola bar in one hand and a garden trowel in the other.
  21. reflective
    capable of physically throwing back light or sound
    Seems like more light in here than before. This is because of the pale walls. Reflective is what this is.
  22. precision
    the quality of being exact
    Calvin talks about precision.
  23. hoist
    raise or haul up with or as if with mechanical help
    I hoist the drill up.
  24. spigot
    a regulator for controlling the flow of a liquid
    Calvin and I soap up our scrapes and scratches at the spigot.
  25. parcel
    an extended area of land
    Seems long ago. But not long ago. But it was before Uncle Drum sold that last parcel.
Created on Thu Oct 11 13:54:30 EDT 2018 (updated Thu Oct 11 14:26:11 EDT 2018)

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