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Chirp: Chapters 16–25

While healing from a traumatic experience, 12-year-old Mia tries to help her grandmother save her farm.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–7, Chapters 8–15, Chapters 16–25
25 words 50 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

  1. enamel
    any smooth glossy coating that resembles ceramic glaze
    The enamel pin had a bright American flag on it, with an outline of a girl on a balance beam and, above that, five delicate gold Olympic rings.
  2. touchy
    quick to take offense
    And when Mia asked around, everybody said yeah, Phil was super friendly and kind of awkward and okay, maybe a little touchy, but that was just how Phil was.
  3. turnout
    attendance for a particular event or purpose
    “Maybe,” Gram said. “It would be nice to have a good turnout in case this is our last hurrah.”
  4. patriarchy
    a form of social organization in which men hold power
    “Yep. But that’s how things worked back then. Welcome to the patriarchy.” Then Anne Marie Spangler waved her hand through the air as if the patriarchy were a fruit fly she could flick away.
  5. momentum
    an impelling force or strength
    “Great! Keep that momentum!” Maria shouted.
    Mia let go again and grabbed the next ring.
  6. devastating
    wreaking or capable of wreaking complete destruction
    They listened while Dad-on-the-recorder explained how devastating that virus could be to a cricket farm and how that had just happened to a farm in Quebec.
  7. scenario
    a postulated sequence of possible events
    Mia ran through that scenario in her head. It seemed slightly less terrifying than the processing plant ordeal. It also seemed like it might work.
  8. ordeal
    a severe or trying experience
    Mia ran through that scenario in her head. It seemed slightly less terrifying than the processing plant ordeal. It also seemed like it might work.
  9. prototype
    a standard or typical example
    Anna thought she could get that fixed, but she said it was fine even if it was still a little wonky. Prototypes were always like that, and as long as the basic idea was there, they’d be okay.
  10. sweltering
    excessively hot and humid; marked by sweating and faintness
    It was supposed to be ninety today, and the car was already sweltering.
  11. manipulate
    influence or control shrewdly or deviously
    “No!” Mom said. “It’s his fault. No one else’s. Mia, people who come after kids like this are experts at manipulating them. Making them think they need to stay quiet. But you spoke up.”
  12. defiant
    boldly resisting authority or an opposing force
    “Sometimes courage is quiet,” Gram said. “You were brave to speak up today, Mia. But you were brave before that, too. Sometimes getting up in the morning and being you, no matter what’s happened to you and no matter what anybody says, is the bravest, most defiant thing a woman can do.”
  13. proofread
    read for errors
    Zoya was helping Julia and Dylan proofread their business plan.
  14. defy
    resist or confront with resistance
    Anna finished her last stroke and jumped up to sing “Defying Gravity,” using the purple nail polish jar as a short, stubby microphone.
  15. gig
    a booking for performers
    “We just do show tunes as a side gig,” Clover added, and they all laughed.
  16. beeline
    the most direct route
    As soon as they walked in, Syd made a beeline for Mia.
  17. podium
    a platform raised above the surrounding level
    One of the judges stepped up to the podium. “First, I’d like to congratulate all of you,” he said.
  18. half-hearted
    feeling or showing little interest or enthusiasm
    “Sorry,” Clover said. “I really thought we had a chance.” She gave Mia and Anna half-hearted fist bumps.
  19. rubric
    an authoritative rule of conduct or procedure
    “That’s true,” Anne Marie said, “because the competition was set up with a specific rubric and point structure. But when it comes to real-world investing, we look at more than that.”
  20. delusional
    suffering from or characterized by erroneous beliefs
    He looked at Mia over his shoulder. “And you know what? I never even needed these infected crickets because your grandmother’s just a delusional old lady who’s going to run her little business into the ground all by herself, and then I’ll be able to take over her lease and expand my warehouse. But thanks for the entertainment.”
  21. lurk
    lie in wait or behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
    Daniel and a bunch of Lake Monsters players were lurking in the trees around the warehouse. She couldn’t believe she’d thought he might be behind the sabotage.
  22. surveillance
    close observation of a person or group
    Gram nodded. “After they listened to the recordings, they went to Bob’s house and set up surveillance. Late last night, they saw him leave with a bin and followed him to a big trash bin behind the hospital. They recovered the dead crickets, and when they confronted him at his house later, he confessed.”
  23. thrive
    make steady progress
    “I love to see local businesses thriving,” Mayor Obasanjo said.
  24. banish
    expel, as if by official decree
    “That’s our best endorsement yet,” Gram said, laughing, and went to let Syd out of the office. Syd had been banished so she wouldn’t launch a waddle-bark attack on the guests.
  25. arabesque
    position in which the dancer has one leg raised behind
    She leaned forward into an arabesque. She did a tuck jump and landed. She wobbled just a little. And then she found her balance.
Created on Wed Nov 17 21:07:44 EST 2021 (updated Wed Dec 01 15:18:34 EST 2021)

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