Liar & Spy: Break & Enter (#3)–The Scout

by Rebecca Stead
When Georges moves to a new apartment building, he meets Safer, who enlists Georges in a scheme to spy on a mysterious neighbor. Learn these words from the novel by Rebecca Stead.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: The Science Unit of Destiny–Uncle, Bittersweet–Fieldwork, Big Picture–A Message From the Chef, Break & Enter (#3)–The Scout

Here are links to our lists for other works by Rebecca Stead: When You Reach Me, Goodbye Stranger
35 words 20 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. voluntary
    of your own free will or design
    “And then you tricked me into going into a stranger’s apartment.”
    “That was purely voluntary. Very brave. Anyway, you said you forgave me.”
  2. conspiracy
    a secret agreement to perform an unlawful act
    Great. Burglary by telephone. I’m probably about to take one giant step toward the definition of conspiracy.
  3. vaguely
    in an unclear way
    “Now you’re whispering and yelling at the same time. Who knew you were so talented? Anyway, that’s what you’re there for, Georges. To protect me.”
    Which makes me feel vaguely sick.
  4. reactivate
    put in motion again
    The intercom turns itself off, and I push the button to reactivate it.
  5. trace
    a suggestion of some quality
    The man smiles at me. “Going up?”
    No trace of an accent.
  6. accent
    distinctive manner of oral expression
    The man smiles at me. “Going up?”
    No trace of an accent.
  7. aboard
    on a ship, train, plane or other vehicle
    I nod. But I don’t get in.
    “Well, come aboard, son! I’ve had a long trip, and I am ready to be home.”
    I step into the elevator.
  8. exhale
    expel air
    Wait a minute. This can’t be Mr. X; Mr. X doesn’t talk. Relief rushes at me. I exhale.
  9. realization
    coming to understand something clearly and distinctly
    I’m imagining Safer somewhere inside, having the realization that Mr. X has come home.
  10. shortage
    an amount that is less than expected or required
    Before bed that night, I spell Mom a note: MlSS U MIS U MIS U
    There’s a shortage of S’s and only two M’s, so the last one is an upside-down W. I fall asleep to the sound of Dad murmuring into the phone behind his bedroom door.
  11. murmur
    speak softly or indistinctly
    Before bed that night, I spell Mom a note: MlSS U MIS U MIS U
    There’s a shortage of S’s and only two M’s, so the last one is an upside-down W. I fall asleep to the sound of Dad murmuring into the phone behind his bedroom door.
  12. orbit
    move in a path described by a body revolving around another
    The former members of the Blue Team are scattered all over the cafeteria at lunchtime—twelve bodies orbiting the white-hot sun of the cool table.
  13. sensitive
    responsive to physical stimuli
    Mr. Landau glares, “—can’t taste at all. The other eighty to ninety percent of us can taste PROP. Some will be more sensitive to it than others. It isn’t a pleasant taste. Very bitter, in fact.”
  14. genetic
    relating to the study of heredity and variation in organisms
    Mr. Landau starts talking about chemical compounds and genetic differences, and everyone is bouncing in their seats.
  15. glimpse
    a brief or incomplete view
    As she reaches for it, I get a glimpse of the blue dot on her palm.
  16. mutter
    talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
    He wipes his mouth and mutters one word: “Idiotic.”
  17. frustrate
    hinder or prevent, as an effort, plan, or desire
    “You know what that was? This morning? Sitting there smiling with that gross taste in my mouth? Watching Dallas’s lamosity get totally frustrated?”
  18. smudge
    a blemish made by dirt
    Chad opens his hand to reveal a blue smudge.
  19. exhausted
    drained physically
    “Yeah, so that’s the story.” Safer looks exhausted. “Now you know the truth.”
    “Now I know what truth?”
    “That I’m afraid of everything.”
  20. disgusting
    highly offensive
    Am I afraid of anything? Yes, I am afraid of something. There is one thing I am horribly, disgustingly afraid of.
  21. nonexistent
    not having being or actuality
    Safer has completely messed up the nonexistent feeling I was going for. After I hear the front door close, I head out to the television for some America’s Funniest Home Videos.
  22. literally
    without exaggeration
    Instantly, all of it is gone: the clapping, the laughing, the host who smiles literally every second of the show.
  23. heave
    breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted
    The pictures are making me heave and rock until they slow down and then I can’t come up with any more pictures, and the taste of my crying is light and clear and makes me think of the ocean at Cape Cod.
  24. infection
    the invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms
    Finally, finally, Dad showed up to tell me that the doctors said Mom had a serious infection, and she caught it from one of her patients in intensive care.
  25. intensive
    characterized by a heightened level or degree
    Finally, finally, Dad showed up to tell me that the doctors said Mom had a serious infection, and she caught it from one of her patients in intensive care.
  26. virus
    infectious agent that replicates itself within living hosts
    She would have said something like “Georges, I’ve got the X virus, strain Z. It’s a bad one, but there’s medicine for it, and I won’t die on you.”
  27. mosaic
    design made of small pieces of colored stone or glass
    She sat by the window on the airplane—it was her first time on a plane—and she watched the earth pull away, watched the cars, the houses, and the buildings shrink until they were dots of color, part of a giant mosaic that she would not have recognized as her own city.
  28. nudge
    push against gently
    She would nudge me with an elbow.
  29. refuse
    show unwillingness towards
    And that’s why I refused to go into her room, why I started crying and ran to the elevators, and why I said I would never go back.
  30. kiosk
    small area set off by walls for special use
    First, I hate the round coffee kiosk on the first floor where Dad stops to buy a cappuccino, because it’s fake cheerful, and then I hate the elevators that stop on every floor and take forever to get to nine.
  31. stride
    a step in walking or running
    I match my stride to Dad’s as we walk down the hall, one-two, one-two—and I tell myself that if we can get all the way to Mom’s room without having to stop for a passing lunch-tray cart or a sliding door, it will be a good sign.
  32. swat
    hit with quick blow
    But when she reaches for me, there’s a tube connected to her arm.
    She follows my eyes. “Don’t worry about this thing,” she says, swatting at the tube. "Just more antibiotics."
  33. antibiotic
    a substance used to kill microorganisms and cure infections
    But when she reaches for me, there’s a tube connected to her arm.
    She follows my eyes. “Don’t worry about this thing,” she says, swatting at the tube. “Just more antibiotics."
  34. swarm
    move in large numbers
    Kids are starting to swarm all around us, heading into the building.
  35. confirm
    establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts
    He says that Candy is his scout, that if she reports that school is okay and confirms where all the exits are, he might start eighth grade with me and Bob in September.
Created on Fri Jan 05 19:39:43 EST 2018 (updated Mon Sep 24 13:41:44 EDT 2018)

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