The Superteacher Project: Chapter 26–Epilogue

by Gordon Korman
When a new teacher arrives at a New Jersey middle school, students are curious about why he has a grandfatherly assistant, doesn't smile or eat, and knows so much about everything.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–8, Chapters 9–14, Chapters 15–20, Chapters 21–25, Chapter 26–Epilogue
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. irate
    feeling or showing extreme anger
    “Calm down, Peggy,” I try to soothe, but I’m even less calm than she is at this point. I’ve known this moment would come ever since I got off the phone with that irate dad.
  2. jostle
    make one's way by pushing or shoving
    The kids who used to jostle each other to get close to him cross the hall and hug the opposite wall just to avoid him.
  3. wistful
    showing pensive sadness
    No, that isn’t wistful sadness in his voice.
  4. revolt
    organized opposition to authority
    “The kids know. The parents are in revolt. The media is waiting for a statement. What does the Department of Education want me to tell them?”
  5. hail
    call for
    That’s when Mr. Aidact hails me through the intercom system.
  6. warily
    in a manner marked by keen caution and watchful prudence
    “What can I do for you, Mr. Aidact?” I ask warily.
  7. conjure
    summon into action or bring into existence
    I conjure a picture of the hall outside detention.
  8. jockey
    compete or struggle for an advantage or a position
    Students packed belly to belly, jockeying for position to be the first inside when the three thirty bell sounds—to score the best seats, to capture a little more of their hero’s precious time.
  9. clique
    an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose
    Mr. Aidact’s fans come from every grade, clique, and corner of the school, from athletes to outcasts, from emo kids to metal heads to skateboarders to the beautiful and popular.
  10. forge
    move ahead steadily
    “Well, no sense wasting your time here,” I forge on.
  11. beckon
    summon with a wave, nod, or some other gesture
    Then I see the lineup of cars in the parking lot—mothers and fathers beckoning and honking.
  12. cacophony
    a loud harsh or strident noise
    As they approach the parking lot, the line of cars breaks into a cacophony of impatient honking.
  13. inexorably
    in a manner impervious to change or persuasion
    There is no way the unit can be an effective teacher under these circumstances—especially since the Al system is dragging AIDACT inexorably toward a mental age of twelve.
  14. assessment
    the act of judging a person or situation or event
    Paul—we agree with your assessment that the project must be ended.
  15. salvage
    collect discarded or refused material
    It has been decided that the unit will be taken out of service and shipped back to the DC lab to be salvaged for spare parts.
  16. outlook
    an attitude that determines how you respond to situations
    I’m in a lousy mood. Sure, we're all responsible for maintaining a positive outlook, but life has to meet you halfway, doesn’t it?
  17. quaver
    give off unsteady sounds
    “That’s our coach,” I quaver, tears spilling past my goofy grin.
  18. belligerent
    characteristic of an enemy or one eager to fight
    “Yeah!” he exclaims in a belligerent tone. “What kind of jerk do you think I am? Mr. Aidact is the best teacher I ever had! No way am I going to let anybody do salvage on him!”
  19. vigorously
    in an energetic manner
    He shakes his head vigorously.
  20. banshee
    a female spirit who wails to warn of impending death
    I know my Oliver Alert should be wailing like a banshee, but I can’t worry about that.
  21. furtive
    secret and sly
    Kids are still ignoring him, even though most of them know about the plans for his big escape tomorrow. Furtive glances dart his way, but nobody speaks to him.
  22. genial
    diffusing warmth and friendliness
    “What can I do for you pupils?” the teacher asks genially.
  23. trinket
    a small cheap ornament, knickknack, or piece of jewelry
    A trophy doesn’t make you a champion. It’s just a trinket.
  24. finicky
    fussy, especially about details
    “These machines are really finicky. The bills have to be perfectly flat.”
  25. adversary
    someone who offers opposition
    “An enforcer hired to terrorize or eliminate adversaries. Yes, I suppose they are goons from my point of view.”
  26. incline
    lower or bend, as in a nod or bow
    He inclines his head to the spot two rows in front of us where Perkins and the three engineers are seated.
  27. thwarted
    disappointingly unsuccessful
    With every thwarted attempt on goal, the crowd lets out a frustrated “Awwwwww!”
  28. disgorge
    cause or allow to flow or run out or over
    But before ten minutes have gone by, cars begin pulling into the parking lot, disgorging Brightling parents. It starts as a trickle, yet pretty soon it’s a steady flood.
  29. harangue
    address forcefully
    She’s talking a blue streak, haranguing the other moms and dads.
  30. periphery
    the outside boundary or surface of something
    Around the periphery comes Mrs. Candiotti, her knees pumping high as she rushes to reach the invaders.
  31. melee
    a noisy riotous fight
    It slices into the melee in front of the net, ricochets off one Seahawk’s toe, bounces against another’s heel, and trickles through the goalie’s pads a split second before the clock turns to all zeroes.
  32. execution
    the act of accomplishing some aim
    It’s going to take split-second timing and perfect execution to get him away from those engineers.
  33. exhort
    spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts
    Suddenly, I’m the biggest Bobcats fan in the whole place. Don't miss! I exhort, beaming mental energy from my brain to hers.
  34. modest
    limited in size or scope
    Cassidy pulls back her stick to blast the ball into the top left-hand corner. Then, just as the goalie commits, she flicks her wrists and sends a modest little dribbler into the opposite side of the net.
  35. rousing
    capable of stirring enthusiasm or excitement
    I don’t know if dancing was ever part of Mr. Aidact’s original programming, but he’s doing it now, right along with the girls, leading them in a rousing chorus of “We Are the Champions.”
  36. fleeting
    lasting for a markedly brief time
    Perkins catches a fleeting glimpse of his AIDACT unit sprinting for freedom.
  37. conspire
    act in agreement and in secret towards a deceitful purpose
    Never before in the history of artificial intelligence has a robot conspired with middle school students to act against all its programming and thwart the plans its designers had for it.
  38. turnpike
    an expressway on which tolls are collected
    By the time the engineering team caught up to the bus on the New Jersey Turnpike and realized AIDACT wasn't on it, the unit could have been almost anywhere in the continental US and Canada.
  39. panoramic
    as from an altitude or distance
    In the awkward silence, I look out the window at her panoramic view of the Brightling Ravine.
  40. pinnacle
    the highest level or degree attainable
    How did a small-town institution that didn't even have an athletic program a year ago rise to the very pinnacle of middle school sports?
Created on Wed Dec 13 15:09:22 EST 2023 (updated Thu Dec 14 11:26:19 EST 2023)

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