Lupe Wong Won't Dance: Chapters 10–17

by Donna Barba Higuera
In order to get the chance to meet her favorite pitcher, Lupe Wong must get an A in gym class — which means conquering the dreaded square dancing unit.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–3, Chapters 4–6, Chapters 7–9, Chapters 10–17, Chapters 18–27
30 words 8 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. unscathed
    not injured
    Paolo looks like he’s going to pass by and leave me unscathed. Instead, he jukes and takes me out at the knees.
  2. hinder
    prevent the progress or accomplishment of
    He strolls into the house like he didn’t just lay me flat, and possibly hinder my ability to ever have children.
  3. suffragette
    a woman advocate of women's right to vote
    Attention, anyone with any humanity! The suffragette movement has come to Issaquah Middle School!
  4. barbaric
    without civilizing influences
    Please help stop the barbaric practice of required square dancing in which girls have to say yes to male suitors! This is an antiquated custom and needs to end immediately.
  5. suitor
    a man who courts a woman
    Please help stop the barbaric practice of required square dancing in which girls have to say yes to male suitors! This is an antiquated custom and needs to end immediately.
  6. antiquated
    so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period
    Please help stop the barbaric practice of required square dancing in which girls have to say yes to male suitors! This is an antiquated custom and needs to end immediately.
  7. thwart
    hinder or prevent, as an effort, plan, or desire
    I spend the rest of the evening hiding in my room. I even do the “pretend to clean my room” trick. My mom won’t want to thwart a miracle, so that will keep her from asking too many questions.
  8. infamous
    known widely and usually unfavorably
    I’m about to become infamous.
  9. pirouette
    rapidly spin the body, usually as part of a dance
    I’m not even sure why Claire cares. Field Day is for sports. It’s not like she can pirouette in between soccer and football players.
  10. twinge
    a sudden sharp feeling
    The twinges in my stomach must be like the itchy nose thing. Someone, somewhere, must be talking about me.
  11. electrolyte
    a solution that conducts electricity
    He takes a swallow of an orange electrolyte drink, and his face twists up like someone’s biting his big toe.
  12. dislodge
    remove or force out from a position
    He puts an entire saltine cracker in his mouth. He chews for a solid thirty seconds, then dislodges a stuck cracker between his teeth.
  13. crevice
    a long narrow depression in a surface
    Niles, Gordon, and I run for our area and start searching for a good hiding spot. Zola insists it should be placed in a crevice making it more difficult to dig out.
  14. outcropping
    part of a rock formation that juts above surrounding land
    Niles points to an outcropping of small rocks behind us.
  15. consolation
    the comfort you feel when soothed in times of disappointment
    About half the kids don’t even care about the game and run into the forest behind us. The only consolation is I know the same desertion is happening behind enemy lines on the other side of the field.
  16. hoard
    a secret store of valuables or money
    “We need you to defend the Forest of Endor.” I motion at the surrounding trees. “You are the perfect person to guard the magical hoard from the evil Orcs.”
  17. pull strings
    influence or control shrewdly or deviously
    Her hands are on her hips and she juts her chest out. “Well, your mom is a teacher. She can pull strings to get you help, unlike the rest of us.”
  18. recuperate
    get over an illness or shock
    At this rate, he’s not going to recuperate in time to be quiet during the video, the title of which is now projected on the screen: “I’m a Little Quarky—A Subatomic Particle’s Confession.”
  19. gloat
    dwell on with satisfaction
    I can’t think of anything worse than losing my #1 spot to Marcus and having to listen to him gloat.
  20. spiel
    artful or slick talk used to persuade
    I’ve heard this spiel before. Along with Fu Li, and Randy Johnson and a couple others, Jamie Moyer was one of the best pitchers the Mariners ever had. And he wasn’t the fastest.
  21. sheepish
    showing a sense of shame
    They are too sheepish to even glare at me, but if they had, they would’ve seen my teeth gritting.
  22. flourish
    a showy gesture
    “Gordon! That’s not part of the routine.”
    He throws his leg and arm out even further, making a jazz hand. “It’s called flourith.”
    “Flourish?”
    “Yeah, flourith.”
  23. self-conscious
    excessively aware of your appearance or behavior
    I look around the locker room, suddenly self-conscious without her. I fold my arms over my chest and walk out into the gym feeling very alone.
  24. churn
    be agitated
    My stomach churns and I’m happy my mom doesn’t make breakfast burritos.
  25. ricochet
    spring back; spring away from an impact
    We get to my gate and our rock ricochets into the gutter.
  26. bouillon
    a clear seasoned broth
    All my grandparents at once means plain steamed rice in the rice cooker for Grandma and Papa Wong, and another pot on the stove with onions, garlic, tomato, and chicken bouillon for Paolo and Bela. I’ll take a scoop of each to keep things even.
  27. cinch
    pull, fasten, or tie something tightly
    I cinch my mouth together to keep from laughing, but I’m pretty sure I know where my crappy comeback gene comes from.
  28. admonish
    scold or reprimand; take to task
    “Paolo,” Mom admonishes.
  29. unison
    the act of occurring together or simultaneously
    Bela points to me, and Grandma Wong to Paolo. “Eat more,” they say in unison.
  30. medley
    a collection containing a variety of kinds of things
    A medley of the day’s horrors flashes through my mind—smashing into Claire, knocking Gordon down, ruining Samantha’s expensive shoes.
Created on Sat Jul 17 21:04:54 EDT 2021 (updated Mon Jul 26 15:47:32 EDT 2021)

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