Chapter 15

Question 1

I sit by myself in the cafeteria, waiting for the happy couples to arrive, ________ the rising sweet fumes of my barbecue ________ on festival rice.

Answer 1

breathing in; riblette

Question 2

I poke at my _______________________ food with a plastic fork as I attempt to jot down script notes on a yellow legal pad.

Answer 2

overnuked

Question 3

nuke means

Answer 3

To cook a foodstuff in a microwave oven (it is a common misconception that microwave energy is a form of nuclear radiation).

Question 4

I scribble Zonkey! ____ the top of the page.

Answer 4

at

Question 5

How should the movie start? With our two main characters, Jack and Stacy, _________ at school?

Answer 5

hanging out

Question 6

I look up and see him and Matt ______ their trays ____ the opposite side of the table.

Answer 6

plopping on

Question 7

Coop ___________ my pad. HOw much you got so far.

Answer 7

chin-gestures at

Question 8

He swats Matt’s arm. Go on. Tell Sean what you told me. about the budget. Matt ________ his head. Well, I did a little ____________________, and it looks like our biggest expense is going to e the equipment.

Answer 8

teeter-totters; number crunching

Question 9

And renting one–assuming we could even get someone with a credit card to do that for us–can ____ five hundred bucks a week.

Answer 9

run

Question 10

So the ______ is figuring out the camera sitch. We do that, and we are _______. But don’t worry, I’v got a few ideas _________. What we need to be discussing right now, though is casting.

Answer 10

linchpin; golden; percolating

Question 11

linchpin means

Answer 11

a person or thing vital to an enterprise or organization. “regular brushing is the linchpin of all good dental hygiene”

Question 12

percolate means

Answer 12

(of a liquid or gas) filter gradually through a porous surface or substance. “the water percolating through the soil may leach out minerals”

Question 13

As Coop mixes his turkey tetrazzini, the sweaty-clothes smell _______ and makes me gag.

Answer 13

wafts over

Question 14

We have to get on it, ASAP. Which is why I put a notice on Craigslist last night. And on the school’s online bulletin board. So we should have a pretty nice _______ this Saturday.

Answer 14

turnout

Question 15

This Saturday? I sputter. That’s in two days. I can’t have a script by then! _______________, boss, Coop says. We just need the first few scenes for the auditions. I want to get our main actors _____ so we can start shooting this pup the second we’re ready ____!

Answer 15

Don’t sweat it; set; to roll

Question 16

It’s true. Matt nods, taking a bite of his sandwich. So, really, Coop continues, it was a ____________ (deciding the setting).

Answer 16

process of elimination

Question 17

Besides, I mean, I wasn’t about to have a bunch of weirdo actors __________________ my house.

Answer 17

tromping through

Question 18

Fine. My right knee starts _________. I’ll clear the house somehow.

Answer 18

jackhammering

Question 19

She and Helen _____ their plates of food _____ and ___________ next to their respective boyfriends.

Answer 19

set down; take seats

Question 20

A movie? Helen ___________. You mean, like , for a school project? That’d be cool.

Answer 20

perks up

Question 21

Coop shakes his head slowly. No Not for school. For ______. A feature film

Answer 21

reals

Question 22

Coop ignores Val and turns to Helen. We’ve already come up with a killer story idea, and we’ve ______ some serious financing. Matt’s been _______ the business plan, I am researching potential shooting locations, and Sean’s, like, halfway done with the script.

Answer 22

lined up; sketching out;

Question 23

This is no plot, Coop insits. This is a mission. A supreme act of kindness. We’re making this film to help out our friend here. He _____________________ the table ____ me.

Answer 23

motions across; at

Question 24

And Coop continues, giving me the ____ eye, they have nowherefor this brand-new bundle of joy to ____ its down-covered haed.

Answer 24

stink; lay

Question 25

stink eye means

Answer 25

a look of contempt or disdain. a loaded glance.

Question 26

With that, Coop _____ his gaze, like he can’t bear to look at someone so coldhearted. But by the ________________ look on Valerie’s face, I don’t think she’s buying it.

Answer 26

avert; tell me another one

Question 27

If by some miracle this does see __________________, I wouldn’t mind having that credit to put on my ______application

Answer 27

the light of day

Question 28

I do a _______ before realizing it’s Evelyn who’s ___________________ next to me on the bench.

Answer 28

double take; sliding in

Question 29

Hi, I say, my stomach ___________________. What… what are you doing here?

Answer 29

gripping up

Question 30

She was totally chill when I told her I couldn’t hang out yesterday after school because I had to visit my uncle. ______ I may have added that he was dyig of emphysema, but there is a chance that’s not actually a lie.

Answer 30

granted

Question 31

So Evelyn grins across the table. What are we _____ about?

Answer 31

gabbing

Question 32

Evelyn nods slowly, _______. Yeah. Okay. I can’t make any promises, but I think I can work something out by then. I’ll let you know. Anything else you need?

Answer 32

pensively

Question 33

Awesome, ________, Everlyn says, boucing in her seat. This is going to be a blast.

Answer 33

possum

Question 34

And seeing their excitement makes me think that maybe, just maybe, Coop may actually have _____________________ here.

Answer 34

hit the jackpot

Question 35

Then she _____ me with this intense look in her eyes.

Answer 35

turns on

Question 36

I glance around the nearly empty cafeteria to see if anyone else is catching this. But the few ______ who are left are all _____________.

Answer 36

straggler; self-involved

Question 37

She takes a deep breath and ______ a smile from her lips.

Answer 37

wrenches

Question 38

I feel myself leaning away, like maybe her madness is __________.

Answer 38

catching

Question 39

I forgot all about that. I had to reschedule due to Uncle Doug. But I kind of assumed she wouldn’t ____________.

Answer 39

hold me to it

Question 40

She lunges toward me and grabs my head, ______ her face into mine as she administers a _____________________ kiss to my lips, chin, and the bottom half of my nose.

Answer 40

squashing; gaping-mouthed; saliva-soaked

Question 41

There is a loud ________________________ sound as she pulls away.

Answer 41

slurping-up-spaghetti

Question 42

She turns and _______ of the cafeteria.

Answer 42

bounces out