New From Here: Chapters 57–102

by Kelly Yang
Moving back to California from Hong Kong, ten-year-old Knox, his older brother Bowen, and younger sister Lea, must deal not only with the coronavirus but also the separation from their father and fearful suspicions of their background.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–23, Chapters 24–56, Chapters 57–102
35 words 19 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. adrenaline
    hormone secreted by the adrenal gland in response to stress
    I was worried for a second that all the quarantine and time away from soccer meant I’d somehow lost it, but as my feet tap the ball along the grass, I feel the adrenaline soaring through me.
  2. mortified
    made to feel uncomfortable because of shame or wounded pride
    “Oh my God, he’s coughing!” one kid says. They hurry away from Bowen. He sits down on the bench, mortified, and glares at me like it’s all my fault.
  3. authentic
    not counterfeit or copied
    They also had the best barbecue fried rice I've ever tasted. And I've had a lot! So head over to Uncle Chang's if you want some authentic Chinese food!
  4. collaborative
    accomplished by working jointly
    “It’ll be on the phone anyway, and we’ve seen our mom do it a bunch of times! All you do is say ‘that sounds fascinating’ and ‘I’m very collaborative!’ How hard can it be?”
  5. relevant
    having a bearing on or connection with the subject at issue
    Reports are saying a person in California who reportedly did not have relevant travel history or exposure has contracted the coronavirus.
  6. contract
    be stricken by an illness, fall victim to an illness
    Officials are not quite sure how the patient contracted COVID-19, and experts are fearing that, in fact, community spread may be happening.
  7. dismay
    the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles
    I shake my head in dismay.
  8. console
    give moral or emotional strength to
    “It’s okay…,” I try and console him later in our room.
  9. gobbledygook
    incomprehensible and wordy jargon
    As we look up law firms and email their hiring departments, I stare at Bowen and admire his intense concentration skills. The way he’s able to scroll through pages and pages of confusing text on each law firm’s “Careers” page. Wade through the gobbledygook of corporate-speak.
  10. obnoxious
    causing disapproval or protest
    I walk up and ring the Taradippins’ doorbell. It makes a loud cowbell sound inside. Even their doorbell’s obnoxious.
  11. gingerly
    in a manner marked by extreme care or delicacy
    “My earrings!” Mom cries as Bowen shines a flashlight on the glistening stones.
    She reaches for them gingerly.
  12. blatant
    without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
    “Back in those days, there was a lot of blatant discrimination. I remember trying to get more customers for the bank I was working for in San Francisco, and my boss said, ‘Why are you wasting your time? Chinese people all hide their money under the mattress,’” Mom says, shaking her head.
  13. groggy
    stunned or confused and slow to react
    Bowen stumbles into the kitchen in his usual groggy half-awake morning walk and grabs a muffin from the counter.
  14. analogy
    drawing a comparison in order to show a similarity
    I can tell she really wants to go along with the Lion King analogy. But still, the thought of Mom being so far away from the rest of her pack...when there might be something dangerous in the air, it cramps my throat.
  15. arrogant
    having or showing feelings of unwarranted importance
    “The world’s too globalized. It’s wishful thinking, downright arrogant on our part, to think the virus won’t come here. The question is not if, but when.”
  16. insulate
    surround with material to protect from heat, cold, or noise
    “He might be able to get away with one of those full-body costume suits. Ever seen those people in inflatable shark suits at Halloween?”
    “That protects you from the virus?”
    “It’s insulated. Better than nothing!” he says.
  17. bout
    a period of illness
    Coach Carter walks over and starts telling the other kids to cut it out, but his words are swallowed up by another bout of heavy coughing.
  18. intolerant
    unwilling to tolerate difference of opinion
    ICEE stands for interrupt, correct, educate, and echo. Anytime someone says something intolerant, we should interrupt them, correct the thing they are saying, educate them on why it’s wrong, and echo statements of support for the victim.
  19. skeptical
    marked by or given to doubt
    “Do you know how?” he asks with a skeptical tilt of his eyebrow.
  20. waft
    be driven or carried along, as by the air
    Soon the smell of buttery popcorn wafts from the kitchen as Bowen microwaves the bag.
  21. ashen
    pale from illness or emotion
    Our faces turn ashen white.
  22. transcript
    an official record of a student’s academic performance
    I have to send off some emails, then I need to FedEx my college transcript over to the company in New York.
  23. digest
    arrange and integrate in the mind
    It takes Bowen a second to digest my words.
  24. slur
    a negative or offensive remark about someone
    “I never told you this, but remember the restaurant Lao Lao and Lao Ye worked at? It was vandalized once. Someone graffitied racist slurs on the walls.”
  25. abundance
    the property of a more than adequate quantity or supply
    Out of an abundance of caution, the school district will be closing our campuses to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
  26. venture
    proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers
    I wonder how they’re holding up in Beijing...are they still hibernating or have they ventured outside?
  27. obtuse
    of an angle, between 90 and 180 degrees
    I’m having trouble remembering the difference between an acute triangle and an obtuse triangle.
  28. acute
    (of an angle) less than 90 degrees
    “An acute triangle is smaller than ninety degrees. Remember, it’s always smaller because it has the word ‘cute’ in it,” Bowen says. “Things that are small are usually cute.”
  29. brood
    the young of an animal cared for at one time
    “You guys are lifesavers!” one mom says, pushing the skateboard back with a twenty-dollar tip. Her screaming brood runs up and down the stairs behind her.
  30. critical
    urgently needed; absolutely necessary
    “What’s an essential worker?” we ask Mr. Brady.
    “I think it’s someone whose job is absolutely critical in order for society to function, like healthcare workers, emergency services, food and grocery store staff....”
  31. advocacy
    active support of an idea or cause
    “It was for my public service. I started an advocacy group for immigrant students and students who are the first in their family to go to college. To help them combat professor bias.”
  32. sluggish
    lacking energy, quickness, or alertness
    I try to get up but my body is slow and sluggish. I put my hand up to my neck. Why does my throat suddenly feel so painful and dry? And my hand so cold?
  33. fateful
    having momentous consequences; of decisive importance
    I close my eyes, thinking back to that fateful airplane trip and how I thought we were getting on the lifeboat to safety.
  34. inception
    an event that is a beginning
    He tells us of America’s long, painful history of racism, which goes all the way back to the country’s inception, and how it lingers to this day.
  35. consistent
    steady and reliable in performance or behavior
    “It’s something we have to work hard at every day to stamp out,” Dad says. “Even though we don’t always succeed, it takes consistent courage, and through our small heroic acts of bravery, we will turn the tide.”
Created on Wed Nov 23 09:39:34 EST 2022 (updated Thu Feb 09 15:26:33 EST 2023)

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