Parachutes: Chapters 38–65

by Kelly Yang
Claire's parents send her from China to California to live with a host family and attend an American high school.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–11, Chapters 12–37, Chapters 38–65, Chapters 66–85
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. preposterous
    inviting ridicule
    It eats at me the way Zach said no when Claire asked if he was my boyfriend. The face he made, like it was preposterous, something that could only be possible in the land of make-believe.
  2. juxtaposed
    placed side by side often for comparison
    This, juxtaposed with the way his eyes lit up when Claire walked into the room, practically purring, “It’s you!"
  3. substantive
    being on topic and prompting thought
    Occasionally, he offers a comment but never anything substantive.
  4. immaculate
    completely neat and clean
    The inside of the house looks even more immaculate than the outside.
  5. allegation
    a formal accusation against somebody
    “Dani, these are serious allegations you’re making. If Mr. Connelly really did what you say he did, you’ll need to tell Mrs. Mandalay, and there would be a formal investigation.”
  6. muse
    reflect deeply on a subject
    Maybe I was wrong about Jay, I muse with Jess over FaceTime as I’m getting ready for school.
  7. mecca
    a place that attracts many visitors
    At 13,000 square feet, Fred Segal can only be described as a mecca for serious fashionistas.
  8. impeccable
    without error or flaw
    She’s got impeccable taste. Almost every single thing she picks up, I adore.
  9. earful
    a severe scolding
    My dad would have called me up and given me an earful.
  10. sham
    adopted in order to deceive
    I’m not going to live the rest of my life in a sham marriage, just so my parents can save face.
  11. conglomerate
    a group of diverse companies under common ownership
    His father owns Li Incorporated, a massive real estate and telecommunications conglomerate.
  12. disoriented
    having lost your bearings
    I look around, feeling slightly disoriented as I register that I’m in one of the guest bedrooms, down the hall from Jay’s room.
  13. bask
    derive or receive pleasure from
    It almost feels like I’m back in Shanghai, and I bask in the familiar comfort.
  14. compartmentalize
    keep separate; separate into isolated categories
    And now I’m being punished for my ability to compartmentalize things!
  15. purge
    rid of impurities
    I write in a trance, the words shooting out of me. It feels good to let it out, to purge and process the pain and humiliation of what happened.
  16. discreet
    marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint
    Jay discreetly settles the bill before it even arrives at our table.
  17. equity
    the ownership interest of shareholders in a corporation
    Mrs. Mandalay informs me that one of the investors of xomegan.com is friends with the school. A private equity fund.
  18. idyllic
    charmingly simple and serene
    I text Jess as Jay and I drive up and down Balboa Island, a tiny island in Newport Beach with waterfront houses, sailboats, and idyllic streets.
  19. profound
    coming from deep within one
    Mrs. Lau shakes her head at me and lets out a profound sigh. “This makes me so sad,” she finally says.
  20. trajectory
    a progression or course of events, actions, or developments
    Mr. Matthews is always talking about upward trajectory. Lately, it’s been one never-ending, downward nightmare.
  21. commendation
    an official award given as formal public statement
    Did you ask Mrs. Mandalay to take away my headmistress commendation as retribution?
  22. retribution
    the act of taking revenge
    Did you ask Mrs. Mandalay to take away my headmistress commendation as retribution?
  23. coy
    affectedly shy especially in a playful or provocative way
    “When I first met your dad, I didn’t call him back for days,” she says, blowing on her green tea. “You have to be a little more coy with guys or they’ll lose interest.”
  24. opulent
    rich and superior in quality
    He waves his hand at the crystal chandelier hanging above the opulent karaoke bar.
  25. verbatim
    using exactly the same words
    “And what were his words exactly?”
    I repeat them verbatim to the girls.
  26. prod
    urge on; cause to act
    “Just tell me...,” I prod.
  27. bangle
    jewelry worn around the wrist for decoration
    He points at one of the bracelets to the shop guy—an 18k solid-gold bangle with little diamonds around it.
  28. ravenous
    extremely hungry
    It is not ravenous like Jay’s.
  29. lapse
    a mistake resulting from inattention
    It was a mistake. A lapse in judgment. A moment of weakness.
  30. cacophony
    loud confusing disagreeable sounds
    The band room shakes with the cacophony of voices and instruments as Mr. Rufus tells us to settle down.
  31. contract
    become smaller or draw together
    There are tiny specks of gold as his irises expand and contract.
  32. chiffon
    a sheer fabric of silk or rayon
    My chest rises and falls in my white chiffon dress as I think about what just happened with Zach.
  33. awol
    absent without leave
    “He adored me enough to go AWOL for three days,” I remind her.
    “But he came back,” she says.
  34. deter
    turn away from as by fear or persuasion
    My scream does little to deter Jay.
  35. truancy
    failure to attend, especially school
    She informs me that technically, in California, it’s a crime not to go to school. “It’s called truancy....”
Created on Tue Feb 02 14:22:11 EST 2021 (updated Tue Feb 09 09:13:07 EST 2021)

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