The Moonlit Vine: Chapters 8–17

by Elizabeth Santiago
Fourteen-year-old Taína (Ty) Perez is overwhelmed by troubles within her family, school, and gang-filled neighborhood, when her dying Puerto Rican grandmother passes down sacred objects that had belonged to their ancestral Taíno leader and warrior.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue–Chapter 7, Chapters 8–17, Chapters 18–26, Chapter 27–Epilogue
40 words 12 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. mannerism
    a behavioral attribute that is distinctive to an individual
    But even though Benny was darker, there was no mistaking that Benny was Izzy’s father due to how alike they were in every other way, from body shape to mannerisms to even voice.
  2. lithe
    moving and bending with ease
    They were both tall, lithe, and graceful.
  3. static
    crackling or hissing noise caused by electrical interference
    Benny played with one of the controllers until he found the distant Spanish radio station. It was hard to hear and full of static, but Benny didn’t care.
  4. bound
    move forward by leaping
    Before Benny could ask more questions, Izzy and Luis came bounding back.
  5. assert
    declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
    “Izzy,” Benny said, “why don’t we go say hello to Abuela?” He looked at Ty. “Is that okay?”
    “Of course it’s okay,” Milagros asserted. “You’re her son, right?”
  6. tentatively
    in a hesitant manner
    “Um, he needed a change,” she answered tentatively, looking toward her grandmother’s bedroom, wondering if she could escape by joining Benny and Izzy.
  7. legacy
    anything handed down by someone or something in the past
    Guanina thought of her mother, Higüamota, and her grandmother Anacaona and was propelled by a deep desire to preserve their legacy. The objects were the link to not only their existence, but Cacimar’s as well. If the items were destroyed or were not passed on accordingly, the true history of her people could be erased forever.
  8. disposal
    the power to use something or someone
    She wanted to copy it, so her children and children’s children would have the likeness, but with the tools she had at her disposal, she could not think of how to capture it.
  9. taper
    give a point to
    The face was carved in a circle that tapered at the bottom to show a strong chin.
  10. helm
    steering mechanism for a vessel
    The owl purposefully flew toward the driver at the helm, caught his attention, and then flew in a slightly different direction. The Taíno steering the canoe adjusted their path to follow it.
  11. engrossed
    giving or marked by complete attention to
    She looked back at Izzy and Milagros, who seemed to be engrossed in a shoe conversation, then lowered her voice.
  12. pensive
    deeply or seriously thoughtful
    Izzy looked pensive. “Why’d your mom kick him out? That seems like a lot.”
  13. inexplicable
    incapable of being explained or accounted for
    She had heard her mother and grandmother speak of inexplicable things that had happened mostly in Puerto Rico, like visions of dead people or predictions of the future, and while those stories could make Ty nervous, they also intrigued her.
  14. intrigue
    cause to be interested or curious
    She had heard her mother and grandmother speak of inexplicable things that had happened mostly in Puerto Rico, like visions of dead people or predictions of the future, and while those stories could make Ty nervous, they also intrigued her.
  15. assorted
    consisting of a haphazard variety of different kinds
    Benny grabbed assorted pots and pans from the kitchen cabinets like he was preparing for a feast.
  16. unintelligible
    not clearly understood or expressed
    Mrs. Lopez muttered something unintelligible under her breath and then slammed her window shut.
  17. distraught
    deeply agitated especially from emotion
    He had been in prison a year when he was attacked and killed. The prisoner who did it was given more prison time, but that didn’t help anyone cope with the loss. When it happened, Eddie had been distraught, and it seemed like only Ty could comfort him.
  18. waft
    be driven or carried along, as by the air
    The strong aroma of pepper, onions, and garlic wafted out of the kitchen and into the entire apartment.
  19. sluggish
    lacking energy, quickness, or alertness
    Ty drew closer and took her pulse. It felt a little sluggish but followed a regular pattern.
  20. jovial
    full of or showing high-spirited merriment
    For some reason Luis thought that was the funniest thing he had heard and laughed uncontrollably, causing most everyone at the table to giggle. Ty was the odd one out. She kept eating, ignoring the jovial tone, until she couldn’t eat anymore.
  21. estranged
    caused to be unloved
    Her mother didn’t seem to be interested in hearing about Alex’s visit and didn’t want to know about her estranged husband’s new job.
  22. listless
    lacking zest or vivacity
    She asked about Abuela, who was still listless, then went into her own hideaway of a bedroom.
  23. regal
    belonging to or befitting a supreme ruler
    Standing in the doorway was Abuela. Gone was the frail, faraway look she had worn hours before. Instead, she looked strong, almost regal.
  24. vibrant
    vigorous and animated
    For a moment, Ty was reminded of a younger, more vibrant version of her grandmother—the one that used to play with her when she was a little girl.
  25. mesmerized
    having your attention fixated as though witchcraft
    Ty could now see that it was the box her grandmother had hidden from her earlier that morning. The box she had said didn’t exist. Mesmerized by it once again, Ty instinctively knew it was important.
  26. warily
    in a manner marked by keen caution and watchful prudence
    Ty watched her warily. Would Alzheimer’s make her tell mad crazy stories like this? she wondered.
  27. solemnly
    in a serious and dignified manner
    “Anacaona also gave strength to this amuleto,” she said, holding the amulet and looking at it solemnly.
  28. frail
    physically weak
    She placed the amulet into Ty’s small hands then covered them with her own frail and thin ones, holding them as she spoke.
  29. extricate
    release from entanglement or difficulty
    Ty extricated herself from her grandmother’s grip.
  30. anoint
    choose by or as if by divine intervention
    That woman acted as though her god had anointed her to a position of superiority over others who believed differently.
  31. emulate
    strive to equal or match, especially by imitating
    She felt as though Maria was a character she was emulating, but Guaynata was her true being.
  32. lineage
    the descendants of one individual
    From what I was told, her grandmother, Guanina, had carved the picture along with some markings to show the lineage. First Anacaona then Higüamota then Guanina then Casiguaya then Tinima then, eventually, me.
  33. stupor
    a state of being half-awake
    She cut the banana into pieces, and then sat next to him in a stupor.
  34. intimate
    marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity
    Esmeralda and Benny were speaking in hushed tones outside Abuela’s bedroom. Ty had never seen them in intimate conversation and wondered what they were discussing.
  35. inconsolable
    sad beyond comforting
    Milagros was crying in the kitchen, more like hollering and screeching, inconsolable, even with Izzy tending to her.
  36. earnest
    characterized by a firm, sincere belief in one's opinions
    “Was she a ghost?” he asked, glancing toward Alex then back to Ty.
    Ty hesitated. What could she say? She gazed down at Luis’s earnest face and then up at Alex’s confused one and decided to tell the truth as she knew it at that moment.
  37. tangible
    perceptible by the senses, especially the sense of touch
    The zemi and amulet were real, tangible things. As much as she didn’t understand fully what they meant, knowing they existed and that they were given to her by Abuela were comforting.
  38. embalm
    preserve a dead body
    “My abuela didn’t want to be embalmed, so everything has to happen faster than usual.”
  39. reprimand
    censure severely or angrily
    “Shh, little man,” Alex said, before anyone could reprimand Luis’s enthusiasm.
  40. berate
    censure severely or angrily
    What kind of friend am I? I didn’t know any of this! Ty berated herself.
Created on Wed Sep 11 16:56:57 EDT 2024 (updated Tue Oct 15 15:19:40 EDT 2024)

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