Short stories vocab

Question 1

Profusely

Answer 1

1) adverb 2) to a great degree; in large amounts 3) “The flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green” (738).

Question 2

Boisterous

Answer 2

1) adjective 2) (of a person, event, or behavior) noisy, energetic, and cheerful; rowdy 3) “…before they broke into boisterous play, and their talk was still of the classroom and the teacher, of books and reprimands” (738).

Question 3

Reprimand

Answer 3

1) verb 2) to reprove (scold) sharply or censure (disapprove) formally usually from a position of authority 3) “…boisterous play, and their talk was still of the classroom and the teacher, of books and reprimands” (738).

Question 4

Civic

Answer 4

1) adjective 2) of or relating to a citizen, a city, citizenship, or community affairs 3) “The lottery was conducted–as were the square dances, the teenage club, the Halloween program–by Mr. Summers who had time and energy to devote to civic activities” (739).

Question 5

Jovial

Answer 5

1) advective 2) cheerful and friendly 3) “He was a round-faced, jovial man and he ran the coal business…” (739).

Question 6

Paraphernalia

Answer 6

1) noun 2) miscellaneous articles, especially the equipment needed for a particular activity 3) “The original paraphernalia for the lottery had been lost long ago, and the black box now resting on the stool had been but into use even before Old Man Warner, the oldest man in town, was born” (739).

Question 7

Perfunctory

Answer 7

1) adjective 2) lacking in interest or enthusiasm 3) “…some people remembered, there had been a recital of some sort, performed by the official of the lottery, a perfunctory, tuneless chant …” (740).

Question 8

Interminably

Answer 8

1) adverb 2) having or seeming to have no end 3) “…he seemed very proper and important as he talked interminably to Mr. Graves and the Martins” (740).

Question 9

Surly

Answer 9

1) adjective 2) bad-tempered and unfriendly 3) “So me and Sugar leaning on the mailbox being surly, which is a Miss Moore word” (196).

Question 10

Ferocious

Answer 10

1) adjective 2) savagely fierce, cruel, or violent 3) “But then he tries to take off with Junebug foot still in the door so we talk about his mama something ferocious” (197).

Question 11

Notion

Answer 11

1) noun 2) a conception of or belief about something 3) “And Big Butt ain’t got the first notion” (197).

Question 12

Recitation

Answer 12

1) noun 2) the action of repeating something aloud from memory 3) “I read it again for myself just in case the group recitation put me in a trance” (198).

Question 13

Treachery

Answer 13

1) noun 2) violation of allegiance or of faith and confidence; act of treason 3) “Miss Moore is besides herself and I am disgusted with Sugar’s treachery” (201).

Question 14

Furtive

Answer 14

1) adjective 2) attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble; secretive 3) “Furtive boys in pink shirts hanging about on wash day after school” (169).

Question 15

Cowering

Answer 15

1) verb 2) to crouch down in fear 3) “She stoops down quickly and lines up picture after picture of me sitting there in front of the house with Maggie cowering behind me” (170).

Question 16

Doctrines

Answer 16

1) noun 2) a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a Church, political party, or other group 3) “Hakim-a-barber said, ‘I accept some of their doctrines, but farming and raising cattle is not my style’” (171).

Question 17

Clabber

Answer 17

1) noun 2) sour milk that has thickened or curdled 3) “She jumped up from the table and went over in the corner where the churn stood, the milk in it clabber by now” (171).

Question 18

Dasher

Answer 18

1) noun 2) a plunger for agitating cream in a churn 3) “‘And I want the dasher too’” (171).

Question 19

Heritage

Answer 19

1) noun 2) something transmitted by or acquired from a predecessor 3) “‘Your heritage,’ she said” (174).

Question 20

Trifles

Answer 20

1) noun 2) a thing of little value or importance 3) “…said Mrs. Hale’s husband, with good-natured superiority, ‘women are used to worrying over trifles’” (821).

Question 21

Disdainful

Answer 21

1) adjective 2) showing contempt or lack of respect 3) “…Mrs. Hale began to arrange the dirty pans under the sink, which the county attorney’s disdainful push of the food had deranged” (823).

Question 22

Acquiescence

Answer 22

1) noun 2) the reluctant acceptance of something without protest 3) “‘Of course it’s no more than their duty,’ said the sheriff’s wife, in her manner of timid acquiescence” (823).

Question 23

Detained

Answer 23

1) verb 2) to hold or keep in or as if in custody 3) “Mrs. Hail stood examining the clothes of the woman who was being detained in town had said she wanted” (824).

Question 24

Shabby

Answer 24

1) adjective 2) in poor condition through long or hard use or lack of care 3) “…she folded the shabby clothes and piled them at one corner of the table” (824).

Question 25

Indecisive

Answer 25

1) adjective 2) not settling an issue 3) “But the next moment she moved, and said in her thin, indecisive way: ‘Well, I must get those clothes wrapped’” (827).

Question 26

Scrutinized

Answer 26

1) verb 2) to examine or inspect closely and thoroughly 3) “…Martha Hale now scrutinized that piece, compared it with the dainty, accurate sewing of the other blocks” (827).

Question 27

Apprehensive

Answer 27

1) adjective 2) anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen 3) “Again their eyes met–startled, questioning, apprehensive” (828).

Question 28

Incisively

Answer 28

1) adjective 2) (of a person or mental process) intelligently analytical and clear-thinking 3) “‘No, Peters,’ said the county attorney incisively; ‘it’s all perfectly clear, except the reason for doing it’” (832).

Question 29

Evasion

Answer 29

1 ) noun 2) the action of avoiding something 3) “There was a moment where they held each other in a steady, burning look in which there was no evasion nor flinching” (833).

Question 30

Facetiously

Answer 30

1) adjective 2) joking or jesting often inappropriately 3) “‘Well, Henry,’ said the county attorney facetiously, ‘at least we found out that she was not going to quilt it’” (834).

Question 31

Pungent

Answer 31

1) adjective 2) having a sharply strong taste or smell 3) “…a stiff sheet of white paper the right amount of insect shells, saffron-colored seeds, and pungent leaves for his ailing customers” (225).

Question 32

Solemnity

Answer 32

1) noun 2) formal or ceremonious observance of an occasion or event 3) “I nodded back with equal solemnity” (226).

Question 33

Pawn

Answer 33

1) noun 2) one of the chessmen of least value; one that can be used to further the purposes of another 3) “…as we discovered later, it was missing a black pawn and a white knight” (227).

Question 34

Benevolently

Answer 34

1) adjective 2) organized for the purpose of doing good 3) “‘Little sister, it has been a long time since I play with dolls,’ he said, smiling benevolently” (229).

Question 35

Retort

Answer 35

1) verb 2) say something in answer to a remark or accusation, typically in a sharp, angry, or wittily incisive manner. 3) “I quickly put the box down next to him on the bench and displayed my retort” (229).

Question 36

Prodigy

Answer 36

1) noun 2) something extraordinary or inexplicable 3) “…I was touted as the Great American Hope, a child prodigy and a girl to boot” (231).

Question 37

Malodorous

Answer 37

1) adjective 2) highly improper 3) “He wore a dark, malodorous suit” (231).

Question 38

Concessions

Answer 38

1) noun 2) something surrendered or granted 3) “My parents made many concessions to allow me to practice” (232).