The Last Beekeeper: Chapters 4–9

by Pablo Cartaya
As a farmer in the Valley's Lot 2506, twelve-year-old Yolanda Cicerón does not have the money to continue her training to be a neurolink surgeon, so despite her sister's warning, she accepts a scholarship from the System.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–3, Chapters 4–9, Chapters 10–15, Chapters 16–22, "Understanding Bees"
40 words 15 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. efficient
    being effective without wasting time, effort, or expense
    We’ve uncovered some exciting new tech and think we’re just months away from having far superior and efficient drones.
  2. flourish
    make steady progress
    “Yolanda has flourished under your care, Camila,” Mayor Blackburn says.
  3. cultivate
    prepare for crops
    “Your abuelita wrote a great deal about pollinators,” he says. “Have you found anything in there that might help cultivate your fields?”
  4. modified
    changed in form or character
    All we eat are modified beans and vitamin supplements with water.
  5. gruff
    blunt and unfriendly or stern
    “Conferencing,” VOz says in that gruff voice she’s programmed to speak in.
  6. lag
    the act of slowing down or falling behind
    “Hello?” I say, checking the connectivity. I have full power. There shouldn’t be a lag. My V-probe starts buzzing, then my wall screen flickers.
  7. scourge
    something causing misery or death
    The cover of The Scourge floats on the wall near the far side of the room. “Chapter Twenty,” VOz continues. “Evil Insects of the Past.”
  8. mite
    small arachnid that infests animals, plants, or stored foods
    Dust mites tickle my nose, and my neck starts to itch.
  9. distinction
    high status importance owing to marked superiority
    Some of you will one day receive the medical certification to perform the neurolink surgery implants. Only a select few of you will be awarded that distinction.
  10. cerebral
    of or relating to the brain
    When he does talk, it’s usually in one or two sentences like, “Make an incision in the cerebral cortex and implant the device.”
  11. incision
    the cutting of or into body tissues or organs
    I ended up making an incision too high up, and my test skull started shaking. A big sign flashed across my screen saying:
    Your patient is deceased. Neurolink operation—failure.
  12. snobby
    tending to associate only with people of a similar background
    The other students are private chatting and don’t bother to even ask my name. They’re kind of snobby, but I’m not about to let their attitude get to me.
  13. jargon
    technical terminology characteristic of a particular subject
    There are a lot of scientific words and jargon that you might be able to help out with.
  14. slat
    a thin strip of wood or metal
    Our roof has two large slats of aluminum sealed together with concrete and a solar panel that hasn’t been updated since I was a kid.
  15. dejected
    affected or marked by low spirits
    My sister seems dejected. Her good mood gone. She returns to the scowl I’m used to seeing.
  16. shabby
    showing signs of wear and tear
    She would rather stay in this shabby old house forever.
  17. conifer
    a type of tree or shrub bearing cones
    The massive conifers making up our forest block out most of the sunlight under their canopy of branches and leaves.
  18. flashy
    (used especially of clothes) marked by conspicuous display
    They’re people who live in Silo. I can tell by their flashy clothes.
  19. implement
    pursue to a conclusion or bring to a successful issue
    “Our first goal as a community,” he continues, “is to take care of each other. Especially when times are tough. With that in mind, I’m implementing a flat pay for everyone living outside of Silo. This will begin next week.”
  20. homestead
    dwelling that is usually a farmhouse and adjoining land
    He says that every homestead living in the Greater Valley will receive fifty thousand credits to cover costs, no matter what crops they’re producing or not producing.
  21. deploy
    use or distribute systematically or strategically
    “These are our brand-new Artificial Intelligence Force drones,” Mayor Blackburn says, addressing the crowd. “AIF for short. We’ve just finished development and are ready to deploy them for the safety and well-being of our community.”
  22. unsavory
    morally offensive
    She’s made choices that I’m sure she hasn’t told you about. Made friends with some unsavory people over the years.
  23. radicalize
    make more extreme in social or political outlook
    “It’s better if you don’t connect with the Rivera girl again. She’s gotten radicalized by some unsavory ideologies that aren’t good for the community.”
  24. ideology
    an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group
    “It’s better if you don’t connect with the Rivera girl again. She’s gotten radicalized by some unsavory ideologies that aren’t good for the community.”
  25. warrant
    show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for
    A small part of me wonders if their search was connected to whatever got them exiled. But what in the world could be in those woods that warranted exiling?
  26. practical
    having or put to an actual purpose or use
    Nothing has worked, and we’re running out of practical solutions.
  27. waft
    be driven or carried along, as by the air
    The door creaks open, and a musty smell wafts outside.
  28. fauna
    all the animal life in a particular region or period
    There are scientific descriptions of trees and strange names of flora and fauna.
  29. pragmatic
    guided by experience and observation rather than theory
    It’s all written very pragmatically. There isn’t a lot of narration. Just facts and figures. I understand the language she’s writing in—it’s the language of science.
  30. viscous
    having the sticky properties of an adhesive
    A structure of waxy hexagonal cells produced by Apis mellifera where their young are reared and the viscous food substance is made.
  31. genus
    taxonomic group containing one or more species
    Genus and substance highly sanative.
  32. dense
    hard to pass through because of heavy growth
    The trees get denser the farther I get into the woods.
  33. unsettle
    cause to feel nervous, anxious, or upset
    The woods are peaceful but also unsettling. I’ve been walking for what seems like hours. Every tree looks exactly like the other.
  34. decline
    a gradual decrease
    Besides, Abuelita talks about the bees’ decline and their extinction. Like how humans dumped pesticides on them and killed them off.
  35. gingerly
    in a manner marked by extreme care or delicacy
    Chiquita pops out from the bushes and laughs as she moves gingerly toward me.
  36. venture
    proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers
    This is why I don’t venture into the woods! Or spend time outside! The pain continues rising and squeezing so tight my entire leg is going to explode.
  37. gruesome
    shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
    I keep looking at my hand and thinking about that gruesome insect sting in The Scourge.
  38. hedge
    avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing
    “You said Abuelita...Abuelita’s book and the woods,” I hedge, not sure where Cami’s V-probe might be.
  39. compel
    necessitate or exact
    I wish I could get her to see that I can handle myself and whatever truth she feels compelled to keep from me.
  40. wary
    marked by keen caution and watchful prudence
    My sister has always been wary of the System, but she’s been even more cautious lately.
Created on Fri Nov 17 15:12:18 EST 2023 (updated Sat Nov 18 16:04:11 EST 2023)

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