Where You See Yourself: Section III

by Claire Forrest
Born with cerebral palsy and needing a wheelchair to get around her Minneapolis neighborhood, high school senior Euphemia Galanos dreams of a career in digital media, but the college that would best prepare her is located in a city that does not seem accessible.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Section I, Section II, Section III
40 words 17 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. pensive
    deeply or seriously thoughtful
    His face is pensive, and I can’t tell if he’s concentrating harder on his driving or my question.
  2. chide
    scold or reprimand severely or angrily
    “You’re going to get us kicked out of here, and where else can we go to save big money, Wilder?” I chide him jokingly.
  3. fend
    try to manage without help
    “You’re really leaving him out there to fend for himself?”
  4. smitten
    marked by foolish or unreasoning fondness
    I catch a glance at my sister, who has a silly grin on her face. It is the look of a girl who is completely smitten with her boyfriend, and, from the laughter coming from the kitchen, whose boyfriend is completely winning over her parents.
  5. dainty
    delicately beautiful
    Inside white tissue paper sits a bracelet on a thin, dainty gold chain.
  6. impromptu
    with little or no preparation or forethought
    Drew seems content to manage the playlist as an impromptu DJ, although he has to take requests from Calvin every five minutes.
  7. rendition
    a performance of a musical composition or a dramatic role
    “Put me down for a rendition of Ariana Grande’s ‘Into You.’ It’s my go-to for karaoke.”
  8. entail
    impose, involve, or imply as a necessary result
    Wilder is smart, and I know he knows now what all of this entails.
  9. respective
    considered individually
    He stuffs everything back into their respective file folders as best he can, then places the crate upright, and the files back in place.
  10. sterile
    free of pathological microorganisms
    The waiting room of this company is also their showroom. The room is sterile, the carpets tan, with matching uncomfortable seats like you’d see in a doctor’s office.
  11. expansive
    able or tending to extend in one or more directions
    Circling us around the outside of this expansive room are things that make me feel, well, to be honest, like I’m way too young to be here.
  12. expend
    use up or consume fully
    I look at the specs advertised: 360-degree-pivot turning radius, reaching top speeds of four miles per hour. About the speed of a bike ride, the representative on the phone had said. I could get places in half the time, basically without expending any physical effort.
  13. increment
    the amount by which something increases
    I only move the chair in inch-by-inch increments, stopping and starting in little jolts like I just got my learner’s permit.
  14. remnant
    a small part remaining after the main part no longer exists
    The scooter immediately breaks through the gross, wet gray slush, remnants of winter that would normally be a fight in my chair.
  15. gesticulate
    show, express, or direct through movement
    I move my arms around, gesticulating broadly.
  16. blatant
    without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
    “I am so, so proud of you, Effie. You’re amazing.” This is a sentence that moms say to their kids a lot. And it can be something disabled people hear a lot. Go somewhere on my own? So amazing. Push through the blatant discrimination toward me at my high school? So proud.
  17. exemplary
    worthy of imitation
    Based on your exemplary application and the strong feedback from your interview session, we would like to award you the Women in Media Scholarship for $4,000, renewed annually, to support your education at Prospect.
  18. auspicious
    indicating favorable circumstances and good luck
    The green gate welcomes me, large and almost auspicious. It doesn’t surprise me that they arrange for prospective students to be greeted here; it’s impressive, a grand entrance into a new chapter.
  19. callous
    a skin area that is thick or hard from continual pressure
    Instinctively, I look at her hands, and notice she has the same callouses on the base of her thumb that I do, rough spots from wheeling.
  20. ingenious
    showing inventiveness and skill
    Disability is an art. It’s an ingenious way to live.
  21. impending
    close in time; about to occur
    When I congratulate her on her impending graduation, she looks a little down.
  22. wistfully
    in a pensively sad manner
    She smiles wistfully for a second before adding, “I’m a bit jealous of you, having it all before you.”
  23. unequivocally
    in an unambiguous manner
    I’ve never known what it’s like to be a part of a group that is unequivocally fighting for the same thing.
  24. esplanade
    a stretch of pavement or grass for walking by the seashore
    In the half hour before I’m set to meet Mom and Dad for our meeting with the Disability Resources office, I head to the Campanile Esplanade.
  25. gritty
    composed of or covered with small particles
    I thought I wanted to move to New York City and ride the gritty subways and be among the skyscrapers.
  26. rumination
    a calm, lengthy, intent consideration
    There are times when you feel like a song finds you at the exact right time, like the only explanation is someone got into your brain and put your thoughts to a melody, matched your constant looping rumination into a catchy chorus.
  27. aspirational
    (of a product or ad) suggesting wealth and high status
    I can picture my younger self, with frizzy hair and no conception of makeup, who thought that the teenage characters on kids’ shows were still a little bit cool and aspirational, even though she knew she wasn’t supposed to admit it.
  28. endeavor
    earnest and conscientious activity intended to do something
    We wish you the best on all your future educational endeavors.
  29. hinder
    be an obstacle to
    ACCESSIBILITY CONCERNS HINDER EXPERIENCE AT MILL CITY HIGH SCHOOL
  30. superficial
    only concerned with what is apparent or obvious
    Mill City High School’s School Beautification Project promises an opportunity, along with financial support from the school, to make the building welcoming to all who enter. Yet the project suggests only superficial changes, when physical and attitudinal barriers prevent the building from being a place where disabled students can thrive.
  31. swoon
    be overwhelmed with ecstasy, especially when encountering something or someone you admire
    Harper is working out a way to ask Calvin to our prom (he’ll have to ask her to his school’s, of course) and I know Cam asked Ali in a more simple way already. I get wanting to be private, but no fretting over what dress to get? Not even one bit of swooning?
  32. fraught
    marked by distress
    You and the lunch hour have a history that’s deeply fraught.
    For your ability to go out, I’m so proud that you fought.
  33. tulle
    a fine fabric net used for veils, tutus, or gowns
    I look across the floor of the Macy’s salesroom to see Cora holding up a hot pink dress with a sequin-filled top and a puffy tulle bottom.
  34. cinch
    pull, fasten, or tie something tightly
    The belt hits right at my waist to cinch perfectly.
  35. poise
    great coolness and composure under strain
    “I can’t believe how far you’ve come this year. Every single thing you’ve faced, you’ve handled with such grace, and poise, and spunk that I know you’re going to be fine.”
  36. boutonniere
    a flower that is worn in a buttonhole
    In five minutes, I see that Calvin has already found Harper, their parents getting the shot of her pinning on the boutonniere.
  37. lapel
    a fold of fabric below the collar of a coat or jacket
    My hands shake as I position it on the lapel.
  38. marquee
    a structure, often with a signboard, over an entrance
    Inside, there’s a red carpet with gold ropes on the side, leading to the official photo area, a marquee that reads MILL CITY HIGH SCHOOL PROM with the date underneath.
  39. relish
    derive or receive pleasure from
    Someone I don’t recognize whispers, “Oh, cool! Look at the back of her chair.”
    I don’t like being on display, but I relish this moment. After all, I deserve it.
  40. meager
    deficient in amount or quality or extent
    There’s a tiny bubbling fountain there, and a little bench, a meager attempt at making you forget you’re not facing a parking lot.
Created on Fri May 24 16:35:43 EDT 2024 (updated Sat May 25 14:45:36 EDT 2024)

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