How to Find What You're Not Looking For: List 3

by Veera Hiranandani
Set in the 1960s, eleven-year-old Ariel Goldberg travels to New York City in hopes of reuniting her family after her older sister Leah elopes with Raj, an Indian immigrant.

This list covers "How to Have a Nightmare"–"How to Be a Mensch."

Here are links to our lists for the novel: List 1, List 2, List 3
35 words 6 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. crochet
    make needlework by interlocking thread with a hooked needle
    Daddy’s doing the crossword in his chair, and Ma is in her rocking chair with her stockinged feet in slippers, crocheting something in fuzzy yellow and white yarn.
  2. financial
    involving fiscal matters
    “How can Peggy and Jane afford to live here? Are they richer than us?”
    “Darling, the earlier you understand that life is unfair, the better,” Ma says. “And Peggy and Jane’s financial situation is none of our business.”
  3. musty
    stale and unclean smelling
    Her room smells a little musty from the rain outside.
  4. impose
    inflict something unpleasant
    “Your father thought it would be best for you to be in your own place. Probably didn’t want to impose, I guess.”
  5. vertigo
    a reeling sensation; a feeling that you are about to fall
    He says that she has something called vertigo, which was caused by her migraines, which made her very dizzy.
  6. tumor
    an abnormal new mass of tissue that serves no purpose
    “They wanted to make sure she didn’t have something more serious,” he says, leaning against the counter.
    “Like what?” you ask.
    “Like a brain tumor,” he says flatly, but then he notices the shocked look on your face.
  7. bouillon
    a clear seasoned broth
    You put the vegetables and chicken in Ma’s big soup pot, fill it with water, and plop in a bouillon cube.
  8. lurch
    move abruptly
    You both hurry to your usual seat toward the back and sit for a moment, thinking as the bus lurches forward.
  9. pry
    be nosey
    “I don’t mean to pry, but I think I saw you put a poem in your pocket.”
  10. delicate
    easily broken or damaged or destroyed
    She watches you, and you give the poem to her, slowly, carefully, like you’re handing her a newly hatched chick. Miss Field seems to understand this, because she takes it from you just as delicately.
  11. intricate
    having many complexly arranged elements; elaborate
    She opens one of her school folders and takes out an intricate map drawn on white paper. Everything on it is outlined in black ink and then filled in with colored pencils.
  12. granulate
    form into grains
    FOR THE BATTER:
    2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
    1 tsp baking soda
    A big pinch of baking powder
    1 tsp salt
    2/3 cup buttermilk
    1 tsp vanilla
    2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
    1 cup granulated sugar

    2 large eggs

    4 tsp grated lemon zest
  13. confection
    a food rich in sugar
    FOR THE FROSTING:
    2 cups confectioners’ sugar
    1 tbsp light corn syrup
    1/4 tsp vanilla
    2 to 3 tbsp milk
    1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
  14. pious
    having or showing or expressing reverence for a deity
    You think of Rabbi Ackerman and his serious way, his low, pious voice.
  15. sliver
    (figurative) a small or narrow piece or slice
    “That probably won’t happen,” Jane says, a sliver of doubt crossing her face.
  16. commute
    travel back and forth regularly, as between work and home
    You step onto the platform. There are a few people waiting, but not many. It’s not a commuting hour.
  17. hurtle
    move with or as if with a rushing sound
    After a few minutes, Jane and you find yourselves sitting on a crowded, bumpy subway car hurtling downtown.
  18. frayed
    worn away or tattered along the edges
    His clothes are frayed and worn.
  19. sophisticated
    having worldly knowledge and refinement
    But you and Jane are no Nancy Drew with her sophisticated outfits, far-out cars, and never-ending confidence.
  20. confidential
    given in secret
    “I’m sorry, but that information is confidential. Do you want to leave a message here for him? That’s all I can do.”
  21. alcove
    a small recess opening off a large room or garden
    Against the wall to the right there’s a couch with a coffee table. To the left is an alcove with a bed covered in a blue spread.
  22. bohemian
    unconventional or nonconformist in appearance and behavior
    “Your own apartment in Greenwich Village. It’s very bohemian. Or wait, are you guys hippies now?”
  23. thrive
    make steady progress
    We also wanted you to go to college and marry educated Jewish men, raise Jewish children, and continue to thrive as Jews.
  24. rally
    gather or bring together
    Eastbrook, by the way, rallied in support of us, and the bakery did better than ever for a while.
  25. livid
    furiously angry
    “I was livid yesterday,” Ma continues. “But I can’t stay mad, as much as you deserve it for scaring me like that. I don’t know how you found her all by yourself. I took one look at Leah. Her baby,” Ma says, her voice cracking.
  26. privy
    informed about something secret or not generally known
    “I’m not privy to that information,” he says and starts writing on the chalkboard again.
  27. trance
    a psychological state induced by a magical incantation
    You look at his desk, which has a bunch of PEZ dispensers displayed on it. There’s Popeye, Snoopy, a fireman, Mickey Mouse, Batman, Spider-Man, and Superman, but no Wonder Woman.
    “So,” Mr. Wilson says, breaking you out of your PEZ trance.
  28. wring
    twist and compress, as if in pain or anguish
    He’s pacing and wringing his hands.
  29. puncture
    pierce with a pointed object; make a hole into
    Suddenly, Ma says it’s been so chilly for April and Mrs. Jagwani says she’s worried about her tulips and Daddy says he hopes this summer is cooler than last year, and they go back and forth like this until the conversation loses air like a punctured helium balloon.
  30. apparent
    clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
    Ma sits silently, occasionally looking through her purse for no apparent reason.
  31. compose
    make calm or quiet
    After Daddy composes himself, he goes over and pats Raj on the back.
  32. matted
    tangled in a dense mass
    Her hair is matted, but her eyes looking down at the baby are filled with so much love, you can feel it fill the room.
  33. aback
    by surprise
    “You have helped me. You’re the best teacher I’ve ever had.”
    Miss Field looks taken aback. Then her eyes get a little watery.
  34. incident
    a single distinct event
    He will have two weeks of detention for the past incidents, and he knows he will be immediately suspended if anything else happens.
  35. typical
    conforming to a standard or kind
    Raj said normally the Hindu ceremony would be the first time anyone would hear Geeta’s name. “But we don’t do anything the typical way, I guess. We’re making it up as we go along,” Leah said.
Created on Mon Nov 21 12:15:39 EST 2022 (updated Fri Jul 14 10:48:15 EDT 2023)

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