"Allegedly" by Tiffany D. Jackson, Chapters 5–8

When Mary Addison was nine years old, she allegedly killed a child in her mother's care. But is Mary really guilty of the crime of which she was convicted? Read this gritty, suspenseful novel to find out.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1, Chapters 2–4, Chapters 5–8, Chapters 9–14, Chapters 15–18
35 words 9 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. residency
    the act of dwelling in or occupying a place
    In her eight months of residency, although she never spoke a word, she demonstrated cognitive awareness, a sharp memory, and follow-through of tasks given, like coloring inside the lines or writing complete sentences.
  2. cognitive
    relating to or involving the mental process of knowing
    In her eight months of residency, although she never spoke a word, she demonstrated cognitive awareness, a sharp memory, and follow-through of tasks given, like coloring inside the lines or writing complete sentences.
  3. bare bones
    (plural) the most basic facts or elements
    Her office is a tiny box, not even a window, just bare bones.
  4. blunt
    characterized by directness in manner or speech
    Ms. Legion is shocked yet amused by the blunt question.
  5. dumbfounded
    as if rendered speechless with astonishment and surprise
    They look at each other, dumbfounded.
  6. arraignment
    the act of calling someone before a court to be formally charged and to enter a plea
    Hundreds of protesters lined up outside the Brooklyn Criminal Court awaiting the arraignment of the unidentified nine-year-old girl who killed three-month-old Alyssa Richardson last December.
  7. rally
    a large gathering of people intended to arouse enthusiasm
    Protestors traveled from all over the country to participate in the rally.
  8. activist
    a reformer who works to achieve social or political change
    Civil rights activists are concerned that the African American girl will not have a fair trial, citing that race could play a major part in the outcome and her safety.
  9. conservative
    having social or political views favoring the right wing
    Already, the child’s name has been spread across online conservative groups and there have been reported death threats to the young girl’s mother, Dawn Cooper, who was babysitting Alyssa at the time of her murder.
  10. fumble
    feel about uncertainly or blindly
    I’d fumbled around the dark for the coffee can, counting out sixteen dollars and twenty-nine cents by the window under the streetlights with my icy fingers.
  11. mull
    reflect deeply on a subject
    Momma mulls this over, biting the corner of her bottom lip.
  12. mildew
    a fungus that produces a superficial white growth
    We stop by a kid’s sprinkler, turned off for the winter, green with mildew.
  13. narcissism
    an exceptional interest in and admiration for yourself
    One of the first traits of a psychopath is narcissism. The term comes from the Greek myth of Narcissus, the boy who fell in love with his own image in a pool of water.
  14. compensate
    make up for shortcomings by exaggerating good qualities
    When people feel insecure, they create a grand self image in an attempt to compensate for what is lacking internally.
  15. blare
    make a loud noise
    The girls are cackling in the living room with Ms. Stein, TV blaring.
  16. spare
    more than is needed, desired, or required
    “Well, this is some mess you made here,” she says behind her huge wooden desk, papers and files covering every spare surface between us.
  17. anarchy
    a state of lawlessness and disorder
    “I can’t give you your own room! What are you, crazy? There’ll be anarchy! I need to put at least one person in there.”
  18. emancipation
    freeing someone from the control of another
    “Why do you need a lawyer?” I ask.
    “Trying to get emancipated from my parents.”
    Emancipation means freedom. That’s all I know.
    “What do you mean?” I ask.
    “It means you can be free from your parents.”
  19. exonerate
    pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
    “I don’t know. You gotta ask a lawyer. But first you gotta get exonerated.”
    Exonerate, that means to be free of blame. I’ve read about it before, but New Girl keeps on explaining like I’m stupid.
  20. appeal
    take a court case to a higher court for review
    “It means they appeal your case so you’re clear of all your charges. And it won’t be on your record. It’s a clean slate.”
  21. erroneous
    containing or characterized by mistakes
    But to prescribe a child Ritalin and Catapres, a medication that treats aggression, when Mary showed no signs of such behavior? It was erroneous, irrational, and excessive.
  22. lethargic
    deficient in alertness or activity
    The combination would have made her highly lethargic.
  23. pacification
    the act of appeasing someone
    One could almost say the prescribed medication was a form of pacification.
  24. abjure
    formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief
    I take the list and read the first word. Abjure: to reject, renounce.
  25. renounce
    turn away from; give up
    I take the list and read the first word. Abjure: to reject, renounce.
  26. ovation
    enthusiastic recognition
    Kelly is all polite-like, as if she is a soldier returning home from war, deserving medals and standing ovations.
  27. oxymoron
    conjoined contradictory terms
    The nursing home is alive and active, a complete oxymoron.
  28. biased
    favoring one person or side over another
    And the outright biased media coverage that persecuted you, a child, before you ever stepped into a courtroom...it was just unethical.
  29. impression
    a clear and telling mental image
    Now, I don’t know all the specifics but I feel your testimony—your true adult impression of the night’s events—could drastically change the outcome.
  30. slander
    words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another
    “And trust me, when all this is over, we’ll be able to file several suits for slander and defamation of character,” she says.
  31. defamation
    an abusive attack on a person's character or good name
    “And trust me, when all this is over, we’ll be able to file several suits for slander and defamation of character,” she says.
  32. delirious
    marked by uncontrolled excitement or emotion
    We all turn to New Girl, standing by the door with a delirious smile.
  33. adamant
    impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, or reason
    During our four-hour conversation, Mary was very adamant that her father was going to come and collect her sometime in the near future.
  34. remorse
    a feeling of deep regret, usually for some misdeed
    They feel no remorse or guilt from their actions, no concern with the ideologies of right and wrong.
  35. ideology
    an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group
    They feel no remorse or guilt from their actions, no concern with the ideologies of right and wrong.
Created on Tue Jun 19 15:43:46 EDT 2018 (updated Mon Aug 12 10:00:52 EDT 2019)

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