Silent to the Bone: Chapters 10–15

by E.L. Konigsburg
Connor's best friend Branwell hasn't said a word since he was accused of seriously injuring his younger sister. Connor is determined to find out what really happened so that Branwell can clear his name.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–9, Chapters 10–15, Chapters 16–24

Here is a link to our lists for From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg.
30 words 8 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. diplomatic
    relating to negotiation between nations
    I called her Wonder Woman not because she had managed to get the tape in less time than it would take an ordinary human being but because she had managed to enter the cleverly guarded halls of Knightsbridge Middle School without a diplomatic passport or bulletproof vest.
  2. efficiency
    skillfulness in avoiding wasted time and effort
    “Do you have any other miracles to share with me?”
    “This,” she said, reaching into her shoulder bag and bringing forth a tape player. “A miracle of miniaturization and efficiency.”
  3. pity
    share the suffering of
    When I mentioned that Vivian had let me light her cigarettes, he finally looked up at me and shook his head slowly, slightly, sadly. As if I was to be pitied.
  4. upright
    in a vertical position; not sloping
    The guard came over and set his chair upright.
  5. static
    crackling or hissing noise caused by electrical interference
    I knew that there were ways to improve the sound by bringing up the volume on the good parts and cutting out the static in other parts.
  6. flaxen
    pale yellowish to yellowish brown
    How he must have hated hearing me talk about her blue jumper and her flaxen hair.
  7. brittle
    having little elasticity
    “What instructions?”
    “That it must be oiled now and then or it will get brittle, and pieces will break off.”
  8. whittle
    cut small bits or pare shavings from
    "...Then he comes home, ready to be Dr. Z’s perfect son. And what does he find? He finds that Dr. Z has allowed someone to whittle the ivory. The rules for keeping everything perfect had changed."
  9. enrich
    make better or improve in quality
    Margaret laughed. “I think the s-word was part of it. I think Vivian enriched his fantasies.”
  10. resolution
    a decision to do something or to behave in a certain manner
    I remembered my resolution on the bridge and decided that this was as good a time as any to start leaving my thoughts of Vivian unspoken.
  11. juvenile
    displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity
    I didn't like her calling what I was feeling a mad crush. It sounded so juvenile.
  12. opalescent
    having a play of lustrous rainbow colors
    It was a milky blue (the clerk called it opalescent) and had a few rhinestones (the clerk said they were in good taste) along the edge.
  13. civilized
    having a high state of culture and social development
    Kids who are not frightened by differences admire Branwell for his. Because way down deep they know that civilized people have to preserve rare birds.
  14. curriculum
    an integrated course of academic studies
    By the time you wind down from Thanksgiving, you have to rev up for Christmas, and between the celebrations and special holiday projects, the teachers feel they have to squeeze in the regular amount of curriculum so that we can get decent scores on the achievement tests.
  15. sympathetic
    showing or motivated by understanding and generosity
    In-depth complaining is fun only when you have a sympathetic listener.
  16. suture
    a seam used in surgery
    “Check him out after they remove the sutures.”
  17. genuine
    not pretended; sincerely felt or expressed
    Then I put the digitized tape on the table, and if I tell you that his smile was a real genuine grin from ear-to-ear, that still does not tell you what that smile meant to me.
  18. refine
    improve or perfect by pruning or polishing
    I just had to refine our method of communication.
  19. involuntarily
    against your will
    It was the first that he had touched me since he had been sent to the Center, and it was so unexpected that I involuntarily pulled my hand back.
  20. tuft
    a bunch or cluster of strands, as of grass, hair, etc.
    His head was shaved except for a tuft that ran the distance from his forehead to his neck.
  21. muffled
    being or made softer or less loud or clear
    “Was it a male voice?”
    “Not sure. It was muffled like he had his hand shielding the mouthpiece.”
  22. reckless
    marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences
    “I don't know. Depends on what happens to Nikki. If she pulls out of this, he may just be tried for reckless endangerment. If she doesn't, well, then I guess he'll be accused of manslaughter.”
  23. skitter
    move or skip quickly across a surface
    He glanced at me for only a second before his eyes skittered away.
  24. plume
    anything that resembles a feather in shape or lightness
    He lifted his head and let out so deep a breath that a white plume stayed suspended from his mouth.
  25. intentional
    done or made with purpose and will
    “Spell out? Are you making a pun?”
    Margaret smiled. “Not intentionally.”
  26. pantomime
    a performance using gestures and movements without words
    Branwell looked agitated and started moving his hands in a pantomime of shuffling cards.
  27. sclerosis
    any pathological hardening or thickening of tissue
    Yolanda is the day worker who takes care of Mrs. Farkas who has multiple sclerosis and who lives across the street from the Zamborskas on Tower Hill Road.
  28. fare
    the sum charged for riding in a public conveyance
    “Time to get off.”
    “I want to ride back down.”
    “Gotta pay another fare,” he said.
  29. brazen
    not held back by conventional ideas of behavior
    She winked at me in a way I didn’t like. Didn’t like at all. It was, I thought, sort of brazen.
  30. modest
    humble in spirit or manner
    I am a very modest person.
Created on Fri Dec 21 08:40:39 EST 2018 (updated Fri Dec 21 08:56:45 EST 2018)

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