Payback: Chapters 6–11

by Gordon Korman
In this final book of the Masterminds trilogy, the clones don't know whether they can trust each other, themselves, or their DNA donors as they fight to bring down Project Osiris.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–11, Chapters 12–18, Chapters 19–27
40 words 5 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. swanky
    impressively fashionable and elegant
    We’ve got new clothes, because Lenny arranged for this swanky store to come over and bring everything in our size, so we could pick what we wanted.
  2. incline
    lower or bend, as in a nod or bow
    “Shhh!” I hiss, inclining my head to indicate Lenny, who’s on the other side of the room, talking with the store guy.
  3. proceeds
    the income or profit arising from a transaction
    “We’re living off the proceeds of crime,” she whispers righteously.
  4. appeal
    a legal proceeding to review a lower court decision
    “So there I am, years in the can, no reason to think I’ll ever get out. And this mug is running my business, filing appeals, bribing guards to make my life more comfortable. Loyalty.”
  5. kingpin
    the most important person in a group or undertaking
    All the other hired guys seem to be really intimidated by Gus. But not Lenny. He isn't afraid to get into a stare-down with the notorious kingpin.
  6. quack
    an untrained person who pretends to be a physician
    “Dr. Schulman is a quack, and he’s going to have a hard time digesting that stethoscope when I shove it down his throat.”
  7. beseech
    ask for or request earnestly
    Lenny casts me a beseeching look, and I stand up.
  8. dubious
    not convinced
    “I drive.”
    They look dubious, but the idea of staying in front of the game tempts them.
    “No fooling?” Torque asks.
  9. lapel
    a fold of fabric below the collar of a coat or jacket
    It all looks fine to me, but the guy insists on opening everything up, showing me how “this lapel is pressed exactly according to instructions,” and “the crease in these pants was given extra attention.”
  10. sprawl
    sit or lie with one's limbs spread out
    Danny is sprawled out on the couch with a wet towel covering his face.
  11. casual
    natural and unstudied
    Every time we pass a police cruiser, we both hold our breath and try to act casual.
  12. lush
    produced or growing in extreme abundance
    “And it’s so tastefully landscaped. I love the color contrast they’ve created using lush green tropical plants against the desert browns and beiges of the native landscape.”
  13. bluff
    deceive someone about your strength or intentions
    “You’re a good liar,” I praise Tori. “You think you could bluff our way through there?”
  14. mystified
    totally perplexed and mixed up
    I’m mystified. “What is this place, Fort Knox? Why do they need so much security? All they do here is make TV shows.”
  15. denounce
    accuse or condemn openly as disgraceful
    The security lady can see me just fine, and she doesn’t denounce me as an imposter.
  16. sweeping
    taking in or moving over a wide area
    “Look at these little houses.” Her sweeping gesture takes in the neighborhood of bungalows.
  17. virtually
    slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
    The small cottage is virtually identical to all the others, white stucco with a red-tile roof.
  18. cul de sac
    a street with only one way in or out
    This one’s at the end of a cul-de-sac, out of sight of the main road.
  19. solidarity
    a union of interests or purposes among members of a group
    I rush up to stand beside her. Solidarity, I guess.
  20. exasperated
    greatly annoyed; out of patience
    She seems exasperated. “And maybe the moon will fall out of the sky. We’ll deal with that when it happens. For now, we’re moving in.”
  21. seedy
    shabby and untidy
    As we drive, our surroundings get seedier and more run-down. I’ve seen a lot of tough neighborhoods since leaving Serenity, but Chicago takes the prize. The area is not just poor. It’s also old. Everything looks like it’s in the process of crumbling.
  22. frazzle
    exhaust physically or emotionally
    Danny’s really frazzled now. “I can’t leave you here. Bryan wouldn’t like it. And worse, he might tell Gus!”
  23. interpose
    insert between other elements
    A big guy, pretty tattered, pushes back his chair and interposes his bulk between Malik and me.
  24. drawl
    speak in a slow and drawn out way
    “Let me give you kids a piece of advice,” he drawls, his expression unreadable.
  25. airily
    in a manner that is overly casual or lacking seriousness
    “What did you hear?” I rasp.
    “Not much,” he replies airily.
  26. throng
    a large gathering of people
    When the tour bus pulls up, only a few people are still in line. The rest are gathered in the worshipful throng around Eli.
  27. bound
    very likely; almost certain to happen
    “He’ll see it,” I assure him. “And if he doesn’t, someone’s bound to tell him about it.”
  28. rile
    disturb, especially by minor irritations
    She’s mad at me, and I’m mad at her. It should be a fair fight, but it isn’t. Because I’m never going to get as riled up as Laska.
  29. stationery
    paper cut to an appropriate size for writing letters
    The place is a hole-in-the-wall stationery and card shop that also carries small gifts and dumb souvenirs of Chicago attractions.
  30. offset
    compensate for or counterbalance
    The problem is Laska is at the soup kitchen, offsetting my life of crime by slinging beans at the dregs of society.
  31. dregs
    the most worthless or undesirable part of something
    The problem is Laska is at the soup kitchen, offsetting my life of crime by slinging beans at the dregs of society.
  32. ideal
    conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection
    The New Hope Soup Kitchen isn’t an ideal way of life like Serenity pretended to be.
  33. palatial
    relating to or being a large and stately residence
    The limo wheels onto Ramsey Road, and pulls up in front of the palatial Alabaster home.
  34. trappings
    ornaments; embellishments to or characteristic signs of
    Suddenly, the shiny gold decor seems like nothing more than the out-of-date trappings of a dying empire.
  35. solemn
    dignified and somber in manner or character
    Gus’s suite is packed with crooks, standing around with solemn faces.
  36. ravaged
    having been robbed and destroyed by force and violence
    Gus’s ravaged face lights up when he spies Malik.
  37. feebleness
    the state of being weak in health or body
    Despite his feebleness, Gus breaks into a grin. “This is even better! It’s like I’m...still alive, out of jail. And the cops will never know!”
  38. poised
    marked by balance or equilibrium and readiness for action
    Malik is still poised over him, waiting for more.
  39. inert
    unable to move or resist motion
    His eyes never leave Gus’s inert form.
  40. suffuse
    become overspread as with a fluid, a color, or light
    Malik’s face is suffused with outrage.
Created on Mon Mar 11 16:00:48 EDT 2024 (updated Tue Mar 12 12:55:26 EDT 2024)

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