P.S. Be Eleven: List 1

by Rita Williams-Garcia
This sequel to One Crazy Summer focuses on Delphine, the eldest Gaither sister, as she begins sixth grade and navigates unexpected changes in her family.

This list covers A Grand Negro Spectacle–My Girl.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5

Here are links to our lists for other books by Rita Williams-Garcia: One Crazy Summer, Gone Crazy in Alabama, Clayton Byrd Goes Underground
30 words 80 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. excursion
    a journey taken for pleasure
    Then we talked about our San Francisco excursion, and eating all those dumplings and fortune cookies.
  2. chaperone
    one who accompanies and supervises young people
    The stewardess, who was also our airport chaperone, shook her head and told us to stay put until everyone was off the plane.
  3. terminal
    station where vehicles load or unload passengers or goods
    The three of us went running down the carpeted walkway toward the terminal.
  4. fugitive
    someone who flees from an uncongenial situation
    We ran like three fugitives, Vonetta cackling and Fern saying, “Gotta, gotta.”
  5. cackle
    emit a loud, unpleasant kind of laughing
    We ran like three fugitives, Vonetta cackling and Fern saying, “Gotta, gotta.”
  6. ruckus
    the act of making a noisy disturbance
    There was a ruckus, starting with a woman and some kids near the front of the line wearing Mickey Mouse ears.
  7. agape
    with the mouth wide open as in wonder or awe
    There were too many eyes and mouths agape, accusing and murmuring.
  8. snicker
    laugh quietly
    Two girls in black Mickey Mouse ears snickered.
  9. chime in
    break into a conversation
    Then all of the women chimed in, and one said our mother should take a firm hand to us.
  10. throng
    a large gathering of people
    Public meant being out among a throng of white people, and for that I was glad.
  11. pedestal
    a position of great esteem
    Big Ma both feared white people and placed them up on a pedestal.
  12. behalf
    as the agent of or on someone's part
    His expression didn’t stop Big Ma from apologizing on my behalf.
  13. spectacle
    something or someone seen, especially a notable sight
    She went on scolding, “Delphine. What do you mean running through the airport, knocking down a white man, causing a grand Negro spectacle for all the world to see?”
  14. humble
    marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful
    For the life of her, she couldn’t understand why I didn’t humbly and full-out apologize.
  15. tribute
    something given or done as an expression of esteem
    After paying tribute to Cecile, she swore I had stepped on the known and unknown graves of every Charles, Gaither, and Trotter...
  16. oppressed
    burdened psychologically or mentally
    She wiped her forehead but looked hot and oppressed under her wig and hat.
  17. tussle
    fight or struggle in a confused way at close quarters
    This would be the point where she’d leap on Vonetta, they’d tussle, and then I’d have to pry them apart.
  18. pry
    move or force in an effort to get something open
    This would be the point where she’d leap on Vonetta, they’d tussle, and then I’d have to pry them apart.
  19. psychedelic
    having vivid colors and bizarre patterns
    But there were no psychedelic rainbows and groovy words painted on this bus.
  20. porter
    a person employed to carry luggage and supplies
    The father got back into the driver’s seat, but the mother didn’t get in, although the baggage porter was nice enough to open a door for her.
  21. utter
    express audibly
    My face burned and the salt trickled down my cheek but I wouldn’t utter a sound.
  22. gawk
    look with amazement
    She looked around expecting others to gawk and point at us Negroes, carrying on.
  23. bristle
    react in an offended or angry manner
    She bristled from both not liking it and liking it in spite of pushing him away.
  24. solidarity
    a union of interests or purposes among members of a group
    Our lessons on solidarity with Sister Mukumbu at the People’s Center hadn’t gone for nothing.
  25. lurch
    move abruptly
    Then Fern lurched across my lap and punched Vonetta in the arm.
  26. heathen
    a person who does not acknowledge your god
    Vonetta socked Fern, and I pulled Vonetta off Fern but Vonetta’s fists were still going like spinning bicycle spokes, and Big Ma yelled, “Stop it. Stop it, you wild heathens!”
  27. typhoid
    infection marked by intestinal inflammation and ulceration
    Then to Pa she said, “That’s that Cecile in them,” like our mother was typhoid.
  28. spare
    save or relieve from an experience or action
    And since they had already witnessed how Big Ma hadn’t spared me from a small taste of what was waiting for us, Vonetta and Fern pulled apart and settled down on both sides of me.
  29. muffle
    deaden (a sound or noise), especially by wrapping
    And before they started up, I gave them my own evil eye, and Fern muffled a “she started it.”
  30. resign
    accept as inevitable
    I resigned myself to seeing lightning in the whipping of a lifetime.
Created on Thu Feb 07 20:48:38 EST 2019 (updated Thu Feb 28 15:21:55 EST 2019)

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