Maizy Chen's Last Chance: Chapters 1–27

by Lisa Yee
After her grandfather becomes sick, eleven-year-old Maizy moves from Los Angeles to Last Chance, Minnesota, where she struggles to fit in as her family's Chinese restaurant is targeted with racist attacks.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–27, Chapters 28–55, Chapter 56–Epilogue
35 words 354 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. ironic
    displaying incongruity between what is expected and what is
    “My little Maizy,” Oma says. This is ironic, since my grandmother is only a couple of inches taller than me.
  2. casualty
    someone injured or killed in an accident
    An assortment of smashed bugs grace the windshield, casualties of our three-day road trip from Los Angeles.
  3. saute
    fry briefly over high heat
    When I step inside the Golden Palace, the smell of sautèed garlic and ginger reminds me that I haven’t eaten in over two hundred miles and I’m starving!
  4. authentic
    not counterfeit or copied
    “Is this authentic Chinese?” The big man loosens his tie and deflates.
    My grandmother nods. “Absolutely! All our dishes are from ancient Chinese recipes.”
  5. mince
    cut into small pieces
    Using the sharp edge of the blade, Oma slides everything into a hot wok with minced garlic sizzling in oil.
  6. braised
    cooked by browning in fat and then simmering
    Steam rises from the spicy braised eggplant with minced pork.
  7. memorabilia
    objects that are valued because of their link to historical events or a particular interest
    I distract myself by looking at the pictures and memorabilia that cover the Golden Palace’s walls.
  8. culinary
    of or relating to or used in cooking
    Mom tells people she works in the culinary arts—so maybe food is art, after all.
  9. weary
    physically and mentally fatigued
    “Come on, Maizy. Let’s go get settled.” Mom sounds weary.
  10. delirious
    marked by uncontrolled excitement or emotion
    The two of them look deliriously happy like they’re sharing a secret.
  11. pry
    inquire in an uninvited or presumptuous manner
    I’ll be the one taking him to the doctor so I can get some solid information. It’s impossible to pry a straight story out of your grandmother.
  12. gawk
    look with amazement
    I stop to gawk at a spooky gray mansion.
  13. frantic
    marked by uncontrolled excitement or emotion
    Frantically, I mop up the mess with a napkin.
  14. cusp
    the point of transition when something happens or changes
    I get the feeling that you’re on the cusp of a mother-daughter talk, so that’s my cue to exit.
  15. rummage
    search haphazardly
    Mom rummages through the desk drawers looking for aspirin.
  16. dismissive
    showing indifference or disregard
    Opa waves a hand dismissively. “His food is great, but don’t ever tell him I said that. We don’t discuss Werner in this house.”
  17. ravage
    make a pillaging or destructive raid on, as in wartime
    Long ago in China, warlords ravaged the countryside.
  18. bluff
    deceive an opponent by a bold bet on an inferior hand
    Poker has a weird language. “Fold” means to quit, and “bluffing” is when you pretend you have better cards than you do. “Double barrel” betting and bluffing can throw your opponent’s game off.
  19. subtle
    difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze
    Your opponents will give clues about their cards. It’s called a tell, because a subtle change in how they act can tell you what they’re thinking.
  20. wage
    payment for work
    Their wages were lower than anyone else’s for the same jobs.
  21. waver
    be unsure or weak
    Does Werner spot my tell when my voice wavers?
  22. size up
    look at closely in order to form an opinion about
    Werner eyes my bag as if sizing up the stakes.
  23. casually
    in an unconcerned manner
    As the bratwursts sizzle and whistle on the grill, he asks casually, “How is your grandfather?”
  24. former
    belonging to some prior time
    It’s not just food I deliver. I also bring news to the two former friends about each other’s lives.
  25. grueling
    characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion
    “Running a restaurant is grueling work.”
  26. designate
    assign a name or title to
    “Yes, bacon should be designated a national treasure!”
  27. muse
    reflect deeply on a subject
    “It reminds me of Chicken McNuggets,” Daisy muses while adding red chilies and garlic to hoisin sauce.
  28. punctuality
    the quality or habit of adhering to an appointed time
    Mr. Philips was impressed by Lucky's punctuality. Before the start of every meal, he'd check his gold pocket watch and declare, "On time, again!"
  29. ordinance
    a statute enacted by a city government
    "The Sidewalk Ordinance bans Chinese from carrying laundry or groceries on a pole," he recited.
  30. taunt
    a cruel or scornful remark
    Above the taunts, the police officer shouted, "That stupid braid of yours is against the law, too!"
  31. glare
    look at with a fixed or angry gaze
    Out of nowhere, Riley asks, “Have I done something to offend you? Every time I see you, you glare at me.”
  32. elite
    a group or class of persons enjoying superior status
    In China, education was only for the elite. In addition to teaching Lucky how to run a kitchen, Mrs. Birney, the cook, had taught him something even more valuable. She taught Lucky how to read and write.
  33. lynch
    kill without legal sanction
    In Los Angeles, there was a mass murder and lynching of almost twenty Chinese.
  34. barge
    push one's way
    One day, while the Philipses were visiting family in Los Angeles, four policemen barged into the kitchen.
  35. reluctantly
    with a certain degree of unwillingness
    Reluctantly, I attempt to pick up a worm with a stick.
Created on Mon Oct 31 12:53:52 EDT 2022 (updated Fri Nov 18 17:34:22 EST 2022)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.