Nothing But the Truth: Chapters 15–19

by Avi
Using journal entries, memos, letters, and dialogue, award-winning author Avi pokes fun at high school, politics, and the media. This satirical novel demonstrates that truth is always subjective.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–6, Chapters 7–11, Chapters 12–14, Chapters 15–19
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. maintain
    state or assert
    English teacher Margaret Narwin, who brought about the suspension, maintains the boy was making a nuisance of himself.
  2. balmy
    mild and pleasant
    DR. SEYMOUR: Gloria! Good morning. Looks like spring is here.
    MRS. HARLAND: It is balmy, isn’t it?
  3. demonstration
    a public display of group feelings
    We've got the scandal out at the U. The demonstration in D.C. The kid kicked out of school for being an American patriot.
  4. notion
    a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
    I mean, there are the three R’s—reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic—and the three P’s—prayer, patriotism, and parents. At least, that’s my notion of schooling.
  5. liberal
    a person who favors a philosophy of progress and reform
    Let’s see if we got any ultraliberals out there who’ll call in and try to defend this—I was about to say woman—person.
  6. nuisance
    anything that disturbs, endangers life, or is offensive
    Now, how could singing the national anthem—Oh, say, can you see...—ever...ever...ever be making a nuisance?
  7. squelch
    suppress or crush completely
    What does the kid know other than his own, natural-born patriotism? And then this creep of a teacher comes along and squelches it.
  8. commotion
    the act of making a noisy disturbance
    During the playing of the national anthem, he sang. Loudly. With no respect. Very loudly. To make a commotion.
  9. raucous
    disturbing the public peace; loud and rough
    On March 28, March 29, and March 30, Philip Malloy caused a disturbance in his homeroom class (Margaret Narwin, teacher) by singing the national anthem in a loud, raucous, disrespectful manner.
  10. cease
    put an end to a state or an activity
    When asked by Miss Narwin—on the first occasion—to cease, Philip Malloy reluctantly did so.
  11. dispute
    have a disagreement over something
    Philip Malloy does not dispute the above facts.
  12. inappropriate
    not in keeping with what is correct or proper
    It should be noted that Philip Malloy was reported to show inappropriate behavior in his regular English classes with Miss Narwin.
  13. emphatically
    in a forceful manner; with emphasis
    What I say is—most emphatically—what is the point of installing computers—which my generation never seemed to need—and at great cost—if our young people are not allowed to practice the elemental values of American patriotism?
  14. animosity
    a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility
    Indeed, there is evidence that Philip Malloy's acts were indicative of some personal animosity he feels toward the homeroom teacher, Miss Narwin. His rudeness was also on display in the English classes he had with her.
  15. inferior
    of low quality
    His grade there indicates inferior work.
  16. condemn
    express strong disapproval of
    On behalf of our membership we strongly condemn your suppression of patriotism in the American School System.
  17. suppression
    forceful prevention; putting down by power or authority
    On behalf of our membership we strongly condemn your suppression of patriotism in the American School System.
  18. assault
    a threatened or attempted physical attack
    One is never too young to fight for our constitutional rights, which are under constant assault from right-wing forces.
  19. dignified
    formal or stately in bearing or appearance
    At such times all students are asked to “Please all rise and stand at respectful, silent attention....” In past years our desire for a dignified moment of patriotism has been firmly maintained.
  20. dismayed
    struck with fear, dread, or consternation
    As a teacher in the Dayton, Ohio, school system for ten years, I am dismayed and horrified that in this day and age a colleague of mine should suspend a student from school for singing the national anthem.
  21. overwhelming
    so strong as to be irresistible
    DR. SEYMOUR: Every one of them demanding we fire this Narwin woman.
    DR. DOANE: Not this one.
    DR. SEYMOUR: Well, the overwhelming majority.
  22. regret
    sadness associated with some wrong or disappointment
    Biggest regret I’ve ever had was dropping out of college.
  23. plead
    appeal or request earnestly
    I pleaded with Joe not to suspend him.
  24. misconstrue
    interpret in the wrong way
    Gert, people will misconstrue.
  25. evenhanded
    without partiality
    DR. DOANE: We are trying to be evenhanded....
    MISS NARWIN: He’s a student. I’m a teacher. Hands are not meant to be even.
  26. frank
    characterized by directness in manner or speech
    But, Ted, I’ll be frank with you. All this publicity—negative publicity—isn’t—won’t—do us any good.
  27. sympathize
    share the feelings of; understand the sentiments of
    MR. GRIFFEN: People want to hold the line on taxes.
    DR. SEYMOUR: I sympathize. I pay taxes too.
  28. tenure
    the right to keep a job permanently, especially a teaching job
    You’ve got a problem there. Tenure.
  29. astonishing
    surprising greatly
    It’s astonishing.... Did I tell you, I had another call from a TV reporter—
  30. vaguely
    in an unclear way
    DR. DOANE: Peg, do you remember you put in an application for funds? Some kind of refresher course, English teaching. I’m not sure what. For the summer.
    MISS NARWIN: Vaguely.
  31. expedite
    process fast and efficiently
    We'll expedite the application.
  32. pension
    regular payment to allow a person to subsist without working
    You'll lose no time on your pension.
  33. sabbatical
    a leave usually taken every seventh year
    As I said, full-time. With pay. You could be with your sister.... A sabbatical.
  34. rational
    consistent with or based on or using reason
    Even though I am not yet a member of the board, I was able to meet with Superintendent Seymour—who has, I assure you, my deepest respect—and discuss in a calm, rational fashion what might be done.
  35. equitable
    fair to all parties as dictated by reason and conscience
    When it became clear that the problem was not with school policy itself, but the misguided judgment of a particular teacher—a teacher out of touch with Harrison values—a solution was worked out that is equitable to all—and preserves the good name of our community.
  36. fiscal
    involving financial matters
    The budget is fiscally prudent, and I, for one, support it.
  37. prudent
    marked by sound judgment
    The budget is fiscally prudent, and I, for one, support it.
  38. petition
    a formal request that something be submitted to an authority
    Want me to start another petition to get Narwin to apologize?
  39. naive
    marked by or showing unaffected simplicity
    They say it’s a leave. But Mr. Duval, I’m not stupid. Naïve perhaps.
  40. candid
    openly straightforward and direct without secretiveness
    Well, it's possible. But I'd be less than candid with you if I said it will appear.
Created on Thu Jun 01 19:51:29 EDT 2017 (updated Tue Jun 28 14:58:03 EDT 2022)

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