Storm Runners: Chapters 4:12PM–7:42PM

by Roland Smith
Chase Masters and his father travel the country chasing the most destructive storms and trying to help those in need. Then, devastating Hurricane Emily slams the Gulf Coast of Florida, and Chase and two other middle schoolers have to survive the storm of the century.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters One Year Earlier–3:10PM, Chapters 4:12PM–7:42PM, Chapters 5:46AM–7:20PM, Chapters 7:56PM–01:28AM, Chapters 01:41AM–3:42AM
15 words 90 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. confiscate
    take temporary possession of a security by legal authority
    He was someone’s idea of a wonderful pet. The state confiscated him.
  2. aviary
    a building where birds are kept
    At the far end of the building was an indoor/outdoor aviary filled with colorful parrots.
  3. dismantle
    take apart into its constituent pieces
    In the case of Pet here, we have her chained up so she doesn’t dismantle the building. We don’t have an elephant-proof building on the farm.
  4. supervise
    watch and direct
    There’s a doc on the West Coast who’s seen dozens of elephants born. I’ve been on the phone with him every day, offered him a fortune to fly out here and supervise the birth, but he said it would be a waste of money.
  5. pachyderm
    a large mammal with thick skin, such as an elephant or hippo
    “I have pachyderm problems. What’s your excuse?”
  6. memorabilia
    objects that are valued because of their link to historical events or a particular interest
    To get through the front door, they had to move several boxes of framed newspaper articles, photos, and other circus memorabilia to the side.
  7. winch
    pull or lift up with or as if with a lifting device
    A tow truck was winching a blue SUV out of the ditch.
  8. troll
    circulate, move around
    At that moment, John Masters and Tomás were trolling separate parts of Saint Petersburg. John was driving through the business district. Tomás was driving through the wealthier residential areas.
  9. hindrance
    any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome
    Tomás’s poor English was not a hindrance.
  10. transcend
    go beyond the scope or limits of
    His skilled hands transcended all language barriers.
  11. precisely
    in a sharply exact manner
    Both men knew precisely how to prepare a home or business for disaster.
  12. efficient
    being effective without wasting time, effort, or expense
    They were fast and efficient.
  13. premature
    too soon or too hasty
    Well, Richard, it’s a little premature to say Emily’s going to be a Category Five hurricane, but she is gathering strength.
  14. sustained
    continued at length without interruption or weakening
    Right now Emily is stalled about one hundred fifty miles southwest of here with sustained winds in excess of one hundred thirty-one miles per hour, making her a Category Four at the moment, which is still a potentially devastating storm.
  15. potentially
    with a possibility of becoming actual
    Right now Emily is stalled about one hundred fifty miles southwest of here with sustained winds in excess of one hundred thirty-one miles per hour, making her a Category Four at the moment, which is still a potentially devastating storm.
Created on Fri Oct 03 20:32:47 EDT 2025 (updated Tue Dec 16 18:02:06 EST 2025)

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