Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish: Chapters 12–15

by Pablo Cartaya
After 14-year-old Marcus gets into a fight at school, his mom decides to take him to Puerto Rico, where Marcus searches for his absentee father.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–7, Chapters 8–11, Chapters 12–15, Chapters 16–22
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. stoop
    small porch or set of steps at the front entrance of a house
    Everyone says good-bye, and Tío Ermenio continues to wave at us from the stoop.
  2. beaming
    pleased and proud
    “She acts tough, but she’s the best daughter any father could ask for,” Sergio says, beaming.
  3. impressive
    producing a strong effect
    Before I reach Charlie, he strikes a pose and does an impressive dance twirl.
  4. disperse
    move away from each other
    The song ends and people start to disperse.
  5. lopsided
    having one side lower or smaller or lighter than the other
    Two other people we don’t know join us at our lopsided table.
  6. impose
    inflict something unpleasant
    "Hilda,” Angela jumps in. “It’s rude to impose.”
  7. advisable
    worthy of being recommended or suggested; prudent or wise
    "It has the character of a three-legged donkey,” María says. "Interesting to look at but not advisable to ride on.”
  8. humanitarian
    of or relating to the promotion of popular welfare
    My mom asks what they were doing in Senegal, and they say that their dad works for a humanitarian aid company and they were helping out during the summer.
  9. faze
    disturb the composure of
    Charlie doesn’t seem fazed, which surprises me. He goes around to the other side of the car and hops in next to María. He smiles at her lovingly. She smiles back and pats his hand.
  10. jut
    extend out or project in space
    Sergio moves a stick jutting out of the middle and revs the engine.
  11. lurch
    move abruptly
    The truck lurches forward and back a few times before plowing ahead.
  12. plow
    move through or across in a forceful way
    The truck lurches forward and back a few times before plowing ahead.
  13. cram
    crowd or pack to capacity
    His face looks a bit sad, like maybe he wishes he could be crammed into this car too.
  14. indigenous
    originating where it is found
    Sergio tells us that the Taíno were the indigenous population on the island.
  15. heritage
    practices that are handed down from the past by tradition
    “Taíno heritage runs deep in Puerto Rico,” Sergio says.
  16. dense
    having high compaction or concentration
    We turn down another road and head into an area dense with trees.
  17. forge
    a special hearth where metal is heated before shaping
    “It literally means,” María says, answering for her dad, “‘Stone without water doesn’t sharpen in the forge.’”
  18. rustle
    a light noise, like the noise of leaves blowing in the wind
    The air is thick, and the rustle of the trees makes me feel like I’m way smaller than I really am.
  19. muzzle
    forward projecting part of the head of certain animals
    A dark brown horse with a white spot on its muzzle trots to the edge of its gate and stops.
  20. bolt
    run away
    If that gate opens, the horse could bolt out and crush us.
  21. solemn
    dignified and somber in manner or character
    Her face is solemn as she walks toward my brother and the horse.
  22. raspy
    unpleasantly harsh or grating in sound
    Her voice is deep and raspy, like she just woke up from a long nap.
  23. uproot
    pull up by or as if by the roots
    Darma’s face is stern but not angry. “Weeds need to be uprooted if the seeds are to grow.”
  24. scrawl
    write carelessly
    There are signs everywhere with squiggly names scrawled on them.
  25. tethered
    confined or restricted with or as if with a rope or chain
    Tía Darma said your father was too untethered and impatient.
  26. amends
    something done or paid to make up for a wrong
    Your dad got upset and left the farm life behind forever. I couldn’t convince him to make amends. He said he had other plans.
  27. sarcastic
    expressing or expressive of ridicule that wounds
    “Yeah, Darma is a great influence,” I tell her sarcastically.
  28. fundamental
    serving as an essential component
    At that exact moment, Darma walks in. She always has creepy timing. “He asked me for money,” she says. “And he ignored his basic, most fundamental duty.”
  29. humidity
    wetness in the atmosphere
    The humidity is thick, and sweat forms on my neck.
  30. survey
    look over carefully or inspect
    “Sometimes he prefers to be out in the fields. Like he’s surveying the land. Watching over it. I told your mother you need to see the landscape for yourself to decide what to do.”
Created on Wed Dec 18 22:03:31 EST 2019 (updated Thu Jan 09 15:48:21 EST 2020)

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