Baseball in April: List 4

by Gary Soto
This collection of short stories, which draws on the author's own childhood, focuses on Latino and Latina children growing up in California.

This list covers "La Bamba," "The Marble Champ," and "Growing Up."

Here are links to our lists for the short story collection: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4
25 words 236 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. limelight
    a focus of public attention
    Why did I raise my hand? he asked himself, but in his heart he knew the answer. He yearned for the limelight.
  2. pantomime
    a performance using gestures and movements without words
    He cleared his throat and started moving his lips in pantomime.
  3. flail
    thrash about
    Manuel tried to look emotional, flailing his arms on the high notes and opening his eyes and mouth as wide as he could when he came to “Para bailar la baaaaammmba.”
  4. debut
    the act of beginning something new
    During rehearsal, Mr. Roybal, nervous about his debut as the school’s talent coordinator, cursed under his breath when the lever that controlled the speed on the record player jammed.
  5. hygiene
    the prevention of illness and maintenance of health
    He watched a skit about personal hygiene, a mother-and-daughter violin duo, five first-grade girls jumping rope, a karate kid breaking boards....
  6. smock
    a loose coverall that protects the clothes
    His father, a pharmacist who wore a blue smock with his name on a plastic rectangle, looked up from the newspaper and sided with his wife.
  7. commotion
    a disorderly outburst or tumult
    Suddenly he was dressed in his best clothes and standing next to Benny backstage, listening to the commotion as the cafeteria filled with school kids and parents.
  8. ado
    a great deal of fuss, concern, or commotion
    “Tonight we bring you the best John Burroughs Elementary has to offer, and I’m sure that you’ll be both pleased and amazed that our little school houses so much talent. And now, without further ado, let’s get on with the show.”
  9. maneuver
    direct the course of or determine the direction of traveling
    Then the first-grade girls maneuvered onto the stage while jumping rope.
  10. jargon
    technical terminology characteristic of a particular subject
    Manuel thought quickly and reached for scientific jargon he had read in magazines. “Easy, Dad. I used laser tracking with high optics and low functional decibels per channel.”
  11. decibel
    a unit of sound intensity
    Manuel thought quickly and reached for scientific jargon he had read in magazines. “Easy, Dad. I used laser tracking with high optics and low functional decibels per channel.”
  12. rummage
    search haphazardly
    She hopped out of bed and rummaged through the closet until she found a can full of her brother’s marbles.
  13. hypnotic
    attracting and holding interest as if by a spell
    She used her shooter, a milky agate with hypnotic swirls, to blast them.
  14. blustery
    blowing in violent and abrupt bursts
    The day of the championship began with a cold blustery sky.
  15. glum
    moody and sorrowful
    Her opponent looked on glumly as Lupe did what she did best—win!
  16. trinket
    a small cheap ornament, knickknack, or piece of jewelry
    The parents spoiled the kids, giving each of them five dollars to spend on trinkets.
  17. poverty
    the state of having little or no money and possessions
    After that, she sat on a bench, jealously watching other teenage girls who seemed much better dressed than she was. She felt stricken by poverty.
  18. irrigation
    the act of supplying dry land with water by artificial means
    Maybe he would do something crazy, like crash the car on purpose to get back at her, or fall asleep and run the car into an irrigation ditch.
  19. gruffness
    an abrupt discourteous manner
    Maria began to calm down because, after all, her father was really nice beneath his gruffness.
  20. self-conscious
    excessively aware of your appearance or behavior
    She put on coral-pink lipstick and a smudge of blue eyeshadow. She felt beautiful, although a little self-conscious.
  21. dilute
    lessen the strength or flavor of a solution or mixture
    She took off some of the lipstick and ran water over her wrists to dilute the fragrance.
  22. venture
    proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers
    They went to The Gap, where they tried on some skirts, and ventured into The Limited, where they walked up and down the aisles breathing in the rich smells of 100-percent wool and silk.
  23. trellis
    latticework used to support climbing plants
    The garden hose was rolled neatly against the trellis.
  24. miffed
    aroused to impatience or anger
    Maria stared at the floor, miffed. How dare they have so much fun?
  25. resentful
    full of or marked by indignant ill will
    Feeling resentful as Johnny described a ride that dropped straight down and threw your stomach into your mouth, Maria turned away and went off to her bedroom, where she kicked off her shoes and thumbed through an old Seventeen.
Created on Fri Nov 06 20:58:53 EST 2020 (updated Wed Nov 11 11:15:37 EST 2020)

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