I walked the halls facing straight ahead, a saunter in my step, only slightly and consciously glancing to the sides.

Saunter means:

• to hop on one foot while walking

• to walk in a slow and relaxed manner

• to run quickly and urgently

• to crawl on all fours

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.4C

CCSS.L.6.4C

CCSS.L.7.4C

CCSS.L.8.4C

CCSS.L.9-10.4C

If you came from the Hills, you were labeled from the start...The first hint of trouble and the preconceptions proved true.

Preconceptions are:

• actions taken before creating an idea

• thoughts you share with sameone before converstaion

• pre-existing ideas, beliefs, or opinions that someone holds about a particular topic

• smells that remind you of something from your past

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

The gusts proved no obstacle for a half-court game of B-ball, even as dark clouds smothered the sky.  Boy voices interspersed with ball cracking on asphalt.

Asphalt is:

• a type of metal used in construction

• a type of mixture used for roads, highways, and other types of pavement

• a type of paint used for outdoor surfaces

• a type of glue used for woodworking

Tags

CCSS.L.5.5C

I remember the shrill, maddening laughter of one of the kids on a bike, this laughing like a raven's wail, a harsh wind's shriek, a laugh that I would hear in countless beatings thereafter.

Shrill is a:

• low-pitched and soothing sound

• deep and resonant sound

• high-pitched and piercing sound

• soft and quiet sound

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

...punching him in the face, cutting his lower lip, punching, him vomiting..When they had enough, they threw us back, dirty and lacerated;  back to Watts...

Lacerated means:

• to decorate with laces and ribbons

• to sing in a loud and harsh manner

• to cause a wound or injury by tearing or cutting

• to remove the skin from a fruit or vegetable

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4