When Sea Becomes Sky: Part Two

by Gillian McDunn
On Pelican Island, where both developers and a drought are threatening the Carolina salt marsh, twelve-year-old Rebecca (Bex) Wheeler discovers a statue, whose mystery distracts her from family troubles.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Parts Four–Five
40 words 22 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. thoroughfare
    a public road from one place to another
    There were two main routes. To the left was Sea Salt Boulevard, the main thoroughfare on Pelican Island.
  2. consist
    be composed of
    The journey consisted of a series of tiny paths that wound through neighborhoods...past Mooney Park with its tire swings and water views, through the backyards of cotton-candy-colored houses with wide front porches, pretty gardens, and flowering crepe myrtle trees.
  3. dedicated
    devoted to a cause or ideal or purpose
    One half was a dedicated visitors’ center, with leaflets about attractions on the island, fishing boats available for charter, and schedules for the ferryboat.
  4. drawl
    speak in a slow and drawn out way
    “Hey there,” he drawled in his low rumble.
  5. depict
    show in, or as in, a picture
    The sketch depicted a high, arching bridge that connected the mainland to Pelican Island.
  6. hub
    a focal point around which events revolve
    “There’ll be lots of growth here, and Pelican Island will be the hub. Real-estate prices will skyrocket.”
  7. bustle
    move or cause to move energetically or busily
    Our quiet little Pelican Island is going to be bustling, that’s for sure.
  8. necessarily
    in an essential manner
    I’m not sure about statues, necessarily, but pirates ran their ships up and down the coast.
  9. skeptical
    marked by or given to doubt
    “Maybe the water was deeper hundreds of years ago,” I suggested.
    “Could be.” Mr. Harris’s voice sounded skeptical.
  10. slump
    assume a drooping posture or carriage
    Davey and I walked home, shoulders slumped. Our fun summer mystery had taken an unhappy turn.
  11. beeline
    the most direct route
    He went out the screen door and made a beeline for the big magnolia tree in the backyard.
  12. sprawl
    sit or lie with one's limbs spread out
    He sprawled out on the grass—within moments, he was completely absorbed in the story.
  13. rustle
    forage food
    “Are you hungry? We could rustle up some bowls of macaroni and cheese.”
  14. tine
    a prong on a fork, pitchfork, or antler
    She heaped our bowls high and handed me a spoon. Davey preferred a fork. He liked to slide an individual piece on each tine and eat them off one by one.
  15. hypothetical
    based primarily on surmise rather than adequate evidence
    "Can I ask you one of those questions—you know, the kind where it’s about an imaginary situation?”
    Mom set down her water glass. “A hypothetical question? Absolutely.”
  16. approximately
    imprecise but fairly close to correct
    Now that I think about it, finding a mark would be best. Because if the mark tied the object to a specific person, you would then know approximately when that object was made.
  17. quirk
    twist or curve abruptly
    “Do you think I could use your laptop? To learn more,” I said.
    The corner of Mom’s mouth quirked up. “Of course. Let me know if I can help.”
  18. scrutinize
    look at critically or searchingly, or in minute detail
    We sat together in Mom’s chair, scrutinizing videos and articles.
  19. marine
    native to or inhabiting the sea
    Aside from the ancient Romans, most of the underwater artwork had been placed intentionally. Some were even designed to help marine life, so corals and sponges had safe places to grow.
  20. savor
    taste appreciatively
    He must have been in a good mood because he gave me a yellow M&M right when I got into the boat. I kept it on my tongue to savor it, knowing it might be a while before I saw another.
  21. murky
    cloudy, dirty, and difficult to see through
    I switched on the flashlight, which made a thin but steady beam through the murky water.
  22. flare
    become widened, usually at one end
    “It’s wearing a dress, right? How could you tell it wasn’t a robe or something?”
    I thought hard, tapping the pen against my chin. “The top part goes in a V shape, like this. Then it gathers at the waist and flares out.”
  23. corrosion
    deterioration in metals from oxidation or chemical action
    I examined the head of the statue. A patch of corrosion covered the side of the neck. I reached out to touch the rough surface, unsure why rust had occurred there but not anyplace else.
  24. pleat
    a fold in a garment or piece of fabric
    On the paper, I’d drawn the dress as smooth, but the gray-green metal had been shaped to somehow look like pleats at the shoulder.
  25. bodice
    part of a dress above the waist
    Circles were etched onto the bodice of the dress.
  26. forge
    make something, usually for a specific function
    The algae hadn’t appeared randomly. It had grown where the artist had forged the grooves.
  27. groove
    a long narrow furrow cut by a natural process or a tool
    “This time, I noticed the algae was in the ridges and grooves,” I said.
  28. distinct
    recognizable; marked
    “Mom mentioned distinct marks, not a bunch of circles.”
  29. essential
    of the greatest importance
    As important as the statue was, Davey was even more important. Davey was essential.
  30. anonymous
    having no known name or identity or known source
    I examined the statue’s shins and knees. No marks. My heart thudded. Maybe the artist liked being anonymous.
  31. survey
    look over carefully or inspect
    I surveyed the entire dress, following the pattern of interconnected circles.
  32. symmetrical
    having similarity in corresponding parts
    More lines—that’s the last thing I needed. That wasn’t a clue—just another place for algae to collect. And what’s worse, the lines weren’t symmetrical. The artist must have gotten lazy.
  33. smug
    marked by excessive complacency or self-satisfaction
    The statue looked smug, like it knew it had won.
  34. spatial
    pertaining to the expanse in which things are located
    “It requires excellent spatial relations. And lots of patience to deal with people who are particular about their vehicles.”
  35. emphatically
    in a forceful manner; with emphasis
    I crossed my arms tightly. “Staying here makes me happy.”
    Davey crossed his arms, too, and nodded emphatically.
  36. lope
    run easily
    Dad headed back to the bridge, walking with his long-legged, loping stride.
  37. exasperation
    a feeling of annoyance
    Davey sighed in exasperation. “Oh, would you let me do it already?”
  38. judgmental
    relating to an assessment of a person, situation, or event
    Squish perched in his lap, staring at me with a judgmental look on her face.
  39. grimace
    contort the face to indicate a certain mental state
    “Should I say we found it in the marsh?”
    I grimaced. “Definitely not.”
  40. disclose
    make known to the public information previously kept secret
    We cannot disclose the precise location but it is somewhere in the general area around Port Rogers.
Created on Sat Jul 20 16:54:51 EDT 2024 (updated Sun Jul 21 15:55:21 EDT 2024)

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