The Honest Truth: Chapters 1–3 ½

by Dan Gemeinhart
Afflicted with recurring cancer, Mark is determined to go on the adventure of a lifetime — so he runs away from home and attempts to climb Mount Rainier. As Mark confronts the challenges of the mountain, his best friend Jessie faces her own struggle: whether or not to reveal Mark's secret.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–3 ½, Chapters 4–6, Chapters 6 ½–9 ½, Chapters 10–13 ½
30 words 424 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. crouch
    sit on one's heels
    When I saw the station up ahead, I ducked around a corner and crouched down in an alley.
  2. bulge
    something that bulges out or projects from its surroundings
    When I turned to go, I felt the bulge in my pocket. I took a shaky breath and pulled out the watch.
  3. clench
    squeeze together tightly
    I threw the watch to the ground as hard as I could. It smashed against the concrete. The glass cracked but didn’t break. My jaw clenched and I stomped on it, so hard my foot hurt.
  4. heave
    breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted
    My lungs were heaving. My breaths were hard and fast, and my stomach was starting to feel sick.
  5. sleek
    having a smooth, gleaming surface reflecting light
    When I walked around the corner I saw the train waiting. It was sleek and silver and rumbling like a bottled earthquake.
  6. lurch
    move abruptly
    I fished in the pocket of my gray hoodie and found my train ticket, the one I’d ordered online the night before with the credit card I’d snuck out of my mom’s purse. My belly lurched.
  7. bound
    move forward by leaping
    Beau came bounding out, his claws clattering on the wet sidewalk.
  8. clatter
    make a rattling sound
    Beau came bounding out, his claws clattering on the wet sidewalk.
  9. scamper
    run or move about quickly or lightly
    Beau scampered around, sniffing the strange city smells and going to the bathroom everywhere.
  10. rustling
    a light noise, like leaves blowing in the wind
    I heard a rustling at my feet, where my duffel was. I heard a zipper being drawn back.
  11. blur
    become vague or indistinct
    I was so tired the words on the menu blurred in my eyes.
  12. fumble
    feel about uncertainly or blindly
    My brain fumbled around for a good lie, but it was too tired; everything slipped out between its fingers.
  13. slouch
    walk slovenly
    She slouched over to where I sat.
  14. flicker
    move back and forth very rapidly
    I couldn’t help it; my eyes flickered up to my picture behind her.
  15. desperately
    with great urgency
    She winked at me, and I tried desperately to smile.
  16. suspect
    imagine to be the case or true or probable
    She didn’t suspect a thing.
  17. nausea
    the state that precedes vomiting
    As I closed my notebook, the nausea hit me: a green, rolling wave of sickness that started deep in my belly and rose up toward my throat.
  18. barely
    in a sparse or scanty way
    I barely made it.
  19. gurgle
    make sounds similar to bubbling water
    My voice sounded angrier than I wanted, but my stomach was still gurgling and my legs were weak and the smell of coffee and bacon was making me feel worse and Beau was still stuck in the duffel.
  20. vacant
    not containing anyone or anything; unfilled or unoccupied
    The bar—the one my fake dad was at—was the other way, and ahead of me were only boarded-up buildings and vacant lots.
  21. queasy
    feeling nausea
    I kept my eyes on the light and ignored my heaving lungs, my queasy stomach.
  22. taunt
    harass with persistent criticism or carping
    The voice was scratchy and taunting.
  23. lurk
    wait in hiding to attack
    His friends were lurking shadows behind him, moving to surround me.
  24. inescapable
    impossible to avoid or evade
    His friends were lurking shadows behind him, moving to surround me. They were stupid laughs and shoving hands. They were everything bad and ugly and inescapable.
  25. mock
    treat with contempt
    “Please,” the kid said in a squeaky voice, mocking me.
  26. sneer
    express through a scornful smile
    “Oh, I betcha do,” the kid sneered.
  27. slink
    move or walk stealthily
    My anger, chased away by fear, came slinking back.
  28. wrench
    twist or pull violently or suddenly
    There was a final, wrenching tug on my backpack.
  29. hoarse
    deep and harsh sounding as if from shouting or illness
    “Leave me some,” I croaked, my voice hoarse and my breath short.
  30. urgent
    compelling immediate action
    He whined, a quiet but urgent whine, and nudged me with his nose.
Created on Thu Nov 15 14:18:50 EST 2018 (updated Thu Nov 15 14:40:50 EST 2018)

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