chapter 20

Question 1

I hammer my _________, sean _______________ his hands ____ and ________ on his Casio, and Matt ____ like crazy on a three-quarter-size Torino Red Squier Mini guitar, as we bring our very first song to a __________ ______________ conclusion.

Answer 1

cymbals, rakes up and down on; thrashes; hard-driving, ecstatic

Question 2

I am sorry! God that accent can be so _________ sometimes

Answer 2

grating

Question 3

she tries to ____________ her laughter for a second, but then rolls over on the couch and starts cracking up

Answer 3

hold in

Question 4

my skin _______ with embarrassment

Answer 4

prickles

Question 5

Sean crows with a big clueless grin on his face. Did we not rock the hell out of that, or what?
____________, Sean

Answer 5

muzzle it

Question 6

Muzzle it SEan, I say, my cheeks flaming. we were crap.

SEan looks suddenly ___________

Answer 6

bitch-slapped

Question 7

this sends Valerie–who finally begun to ____________ herself–back _______

Answer 7

compose; into fits

Question 8

Matt. I growl thru cleched teeth. I feel angry vein _____________

Answer 8

pulsing in my temple

Question 9

Because if you stop in the middle of a song, it sounds bad.

Or, Matt says, if you just plain _____, it sounds bad

Answer 9

blow

Question 10

Matt lifts his guitar off and hands it to DAd, who looks at it like the pathetic thing it is. dad ____________________ his head, does some fine-tuning of the string, and ______ all the dials on Matt’s Rocktron Velocity amplifier.

Answer 10

slips the strap over; cranks up

Question 11

The speaker on Matt’s _____ buzzes like it’s filled with _______

Answer 11

amp; wasps

Question 12

Dad glances back at Matt’s amp. Nah. These ______ are built like brick __________.

Answer 12

bastards; shithouses

Question 13

DAd ______________ and hits a power chord with authority.

Answer 13

strikes a pose

Question 14

strike a pose

Answer 14

strike a pose
To assume a dramatic or exaggerated bodily attitude or position, as for a photograph or portrait. After the serious wedding photos were finished, everyone struck a silly pose for a funny picture. I always feel awkward striking a pose for these publicity shots. It always feels so forced.

Question 15

Dont worry you will be great. Besides, the lead singer’s the __________. He gets the lion’s share of the _________

Answer 15

front man; muttonchops

Question 16

Now the most important thing is to ___________. Rock is all about passion.

Answer 16

bring the energy

Question 17

The chords are simple. It’s E minor, D, G, D, E minor. Over and over again. I’ll _________

Answer 17

start us off

Question 18

his ________________ sends an excited chill skittering up my arms

Answer 18

guitar riff

Question 19

his guitar riff sends an excited ________ skittering up my arms

Answer 19

chill

Question 20

Now I won’t say that we sound great. Becaue we don’t. Even though Dad is totally ______ on the guiatar

Answer 20

dope

Question 21

And when Dad teras into the guitar solo, his fingers flying up and down the ______ board, I feel the tiniest glimmer of hope

Answer 21

fret board

Question 22

tear into

Answer 22

tear into
phrasal verb of tear
1.
attack verbally.
“she tore into him: “Don’t you realize what you’ve done to me?””
synonyms: attack, assail, hit, strike, let fly at, lay into, lash out at, set about, set upon, fall on, turn on, assault, beat, thrash, pound, pummel, wallop, hammer, pounce on, round on, pelt, drub; More
2.
make an energetic or enthusiastic start on.
“a jazz trio is tearing into the tune with gusto”

Question 23

And when Dad ___________ the guitar solo, his fingers flying up and down the fret board

Answer 23

tears into