And so it was that a particularly blustery afternoon at the end of March found Ophie ___________ in front of the fire, a True Romances magazine spread before her. -Ophie's Ghosts

“First thing I did was brush up on all the ___________ music. It’s so exciting, all the new music.” -Americanah

And, by the way, you were very ____________________ and grammatical for four in the morning. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

But the hill was treacherously steep; he was ___________________ by the snow and his own lack of strength. The Giver

The weights challenge _______________________ the first part of your exam. I want to see records of everything. Get your clipboards, girls. Saints and Misfits

And his first ________________ thought is that he did not expect being trapped in a fire to feel so cold. The Night Circus

So while Osage boys at other institutions learned farming and carpentry, Mollie was trained in the “__________________________ arts”: sewing, baking, laundering, and housekeeping. Killers of the Flower Moon

Raizel believed that society as a whole was corrupt, and that true freedom and liberty would only be achieved once the power structure was dismantled completely and capitalism ________________________. The City Beautiful

It's strange to think of her this way, as a wife making _______________________ decisions about the way her household is run. Girl in the Blue Coat

Most of them were hiding their faces in their hands, perhaps in an _______________________ attempt to shield themselves from the dementors’ greedy mouths. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

He had an ________________________, honest expression, like he really expected me to debate him on this, when all I really wanted to do was tell him to scram. Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky

“It targets ______________________ memories, like your name, where you grew up, your first teacher’s name, and leaves implicit memories—like how to speak or tie your shoes or ride a bicycle—untouched.” Allegiant

The footsteps were coming nearer: I raised myself on my elbow the better to listen, trying to still the thudding in my eardrums which _________________ my hearing. Nectar in a Sieve

He didn’t see how any of this was _____________________________, but if their host could heal Hazel, Frank decided maybe it would be best not to make him angry. The House of Hades

In the mirror, I can see their _________________ faces following her every move, their eagerness when it is their turn to try a step. Catching Fire

Kate and Sticky’s reaction was just an _________________________ response, he thought; they would come around in a minute. The Mysterious Benedict Society

The North Carolina government—half of which crowded into Garrison’s dining room that night—purchased existing slaves from farmers at favorable rates, just as Great Britain had done when it ______________________ slavery decades ago. The Underground Railroad: A Novel

All the poor lady’s papers were in order; ________________________ directions regarding the place of burial were given. Dracula

Milez doesn’t look at me when he raps, like I’m no longer ____________________. On the Come Up

Looking around, I wondered why Halliday, who always claimed to have had a miserable childhood, had later become so __________________________ for it. Ready Player One: A Novel

He assured the reporter that his men were working night and day on this case, and he was positive justice would _________________________. Summer of the Mariposas

But in any event Odysseus himself would reach home and although he would find trouble waiting for him, in the end he would ____________________. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes

We needed someone to help clear the air and bring some understanding to the __________________ happening all around us. -While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement

Marcus kneels and draws his sword, offering it up to the Augur, his eyes glinting with a strangely exultant _____________________________, as if he’s already been named Emperor. An Ember in the Ashes

Was it possible to feel __________________ for something you never experienced? Book Scavenger

Jack gestured to the hallway lined with painted portraits of famous San Francisco writers wearing _______________________ expressions and silly costumes. Book Scavenger

The attic ________________________ the entire third floor, the floor above where the family lived in Daffodil Manor. Ophie's Ghost

Ever since we left the inn, my stomach had been growing distressed, and the stench that hung in the _________________________ air of that street did nothing to improve it. The Shakespeare Stealer

His expression turned ______________________, and I was instantly sorry I had asked. Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus

He gathered up dishes from the table and piled them into the sink, scrubbing everything with extraordinary __________________________. Among the Hidden

The shootings at Sharpeville provoked national __________________________ and a government crisis. -Long Walk to Freedom

The lotus garden was lit only by starlight, and the air was warm and smelled of _____________________ water. The House of the Scorpion

Then he pulled forward his own weapon, a twenty-foot-long steel scaffolding pole that had been converted into a crude spear. -City of the Plague God In this sentence, crude means:

"However, viruses constantly evolve, and we remain __________ for any evidence of changing risk to the population, as well as working with partners to address gaps in the scientific evidence." -BBC Feb 24, 2023

He opened his eyes and squinted at her in that ________ way he did when he thought she might be mad at him but he had no idea why. -A Place to Belong

They are in their 60s and don’t know how to navigate the _____________ job market, or they are in their 20s and worry they will never be taken seriously. New York Times Jan 8, 2023

Transforming _________ oil into petroleum produces millions of gallons of wastewater each day filled with toxic chemicals and heavy metals that pours out of the plants and flows into rivers and streams affecting nearby communities. -Salon Jan 28, 2023

We inspected it several times a day, _______ for signs of under- or overwatering, too much or too little sun, spider mites, drafts, chlorosis, general malaise. -The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

Schneider and her teammates beelined toward a pile of snow, _________ on the ground and flapped their limbs to make snow angels before quickly retreating to the warmth of the water. -Washington Post Jan 18, 2023

For a time, she used a photo of her giving a ______, on-track interview with her rivals laughing behind her as her Twitter avatar. -Washington Post Jun 21, 2022

“I’m asking you to try working for a change. At your age I was working hard, not _____________________________ around in a fool’s dream world.” -The Pigman

By night’s end, the Celtics were once again forced to deal with the consequences of their __________________ turnover problems. -Washington Post Jun 14, 2022

Number Two sat at the computer and with quick, ___________________ fingers, typed a string of commands. -The Mysterious Benedict Society

“But that part must not have worked so well. They all still suffer from that pesky ‘_________________________ mournfulness effect.’” -The Mysterious Benedict Society

“Don’t stand there like ninnies. Speak up. Say what must be said. Or, or—” Her voice ____________________ and she began to fidget with her pearls again. The Old Willis Place

Dad says the old lady who owned it was really _____________________, maybe even crazy. -The Old Willis Place

I ________________ under the water, my skin stinging all over, sure I was drowning. -The Lions of Little Rock

The trail, which had seemed large at first, had __________________ until she couldn’t find it anymore. -A Girl Named Disaster

“You really seem to like these stories. Who knows, perhaps they’re all your own invention, and this Capricorn is just a rather _______________ book collector!” -Inkheart

Dustfinger had always been proud of his own agility, but the boy was far nimbler, fast as a deer and with legs just as _________________. -Inkheart

What figurative language is used in the quote above?

Are the soldiers stationed in Utrecht more or less ___________________ than the ones here in Amsterdam? -Girl in the Blue Coat

“Thank you for everything. I won’t ____________ on you any longer.” -The City Beautiful

Finally there’s a ____________ and he gets out, “So, Katniss, obviously this is a very emotional night for everyone. Is there anything you’d like to say?” -Catching Fire

The Nazis kept ___________________ records, took pictures, made films. -Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

At this point in the story, I feel ____________________ to interrupt and give you one last warning. -The Bad Beginning

He was much too _____________________ an artist to permit so unsteady a hand to apply even a drop of paint to his hallways. -In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson

Now, without the comforting _______________ of the train, it strikes him how very far he is from home. -The Night Circus

Griff had feared that the company might have grown ____________ under Harry Strickland, who had always seemed more concerned with making friends than enforcing discipline; but it would seem his worries had been misplaced. -A Dance with Dragons

The mementos range from the mundane — such as a pair of white dress shoes, which came with a note reading, “She tried to _______________ her fashion sensibilities on me” — to the emotionally fraught. -New York Times Feb 14, 2023

We put together some LEGOs the afternoon I took care of him, and we constructed some fairly _________ stuff. -Red Kayak

“Kia is a talented, ____________ guard and a proven impact player and competitor in our league,” Storm general manager Talisa Rhea said. -Washington Times Feb 3, 2023

“You’re saying that our grandmother was a famous author? Or she would have been, except this Madeline woman _________ her story?” -How to Disappear Completely

Each brick had been cut with her ulo, the half-moon shaped woman’s knife, so ____________ it can trim a baby’s hair, slice a tough bear, or chip an iceberg. -Julie of the Wolves

“No. I didn’t mean that. I eat lots of things, but goats are my—well, they’re my livelihood. They _____________ me.” Summer of the Mariposas

If the fictional entry is found on another cartographer’s map, it becomes clear a map has been __________. -Paper Towns

She shook fuzzy _________ of feathers out of her hair and spat them off her face. -Summer of the Mariposas

Argentina’s second goal was elegant, _____________ and rollicking — a counterattack executed to perfection that flowed from one end to the other in a matter of seconds and with economical touches on the ball. -Washington Post Dec 18, 2022

Ekon shook himself, brushing away the _____________ of the nightmare like a cobweb. -Beasts of Prey

What figurative language is used in the quote above?

The number of people who lived in the home at any given time fluctuated between five and nine, which made for tight living conditions. -The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates In this sentence, fluctuated means:

She served until 2000 and was responsible for corralling the _________, cackling members, often with repeated shouts of “order, order,” leading to common comparisons to a school principal. -New York Times Feb 27, 2023

Some cities have been nearly ___________, and the path of devastation is wide and deep across the country, affecting factories, homes, offices, phone lines, hospitals, churches, warehouses, ports, railways and farmland. -New York Times Dec 8, 2022

While I watched, horrified, she held them up to herself and danced around the room, admiring her reflection in the ______________ mirrors. -The Old Willis Place

Over her shoulder, Harry could see the Slytherin team _________ and pointing in his direction. -Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets

She hadn’t meant it, and the poisonous thought—the shocking, __________, unthinkable notion of the five of them doing harm to one another—had made Sarai ill. -Strange the Dreamer

A fox had been going about its life here, and some humans had __________ that life—wasn’t that enough of an outrage? -Pax

"It's almost inconceivable that a fish this large still occurs in a river as heavily fished and developed as the Mekong," says Zeb Hogan, a fish biologist at the University of Nevada, Reno. -Science Magazine Jun 20, 2022 In this sentence, inconceivable means:

Keep in mind that the price may _______ by a few dollars depending on when you look at the deal, and that you may need to switch the site’s region to see your local currency. -The Verge Aug 15, 2022

“These misbehaved bureaucrats have also ___________ the reputation of the other dedicated civil servants, many of whom worked long hours in essential jobs during the pandemic.” -Washington Times Jan 30, 2023

But by immersing themselves in their favorite reading topics, they felt far away from their _________, as if they had escaped. -The Bad Beginning

“I asked for one thing. One! And you trying to play me like I can’t take everything you love. You think it’s a game? Maybe I've been too ________. Maybe you need some inspiration.” Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky

Her black hair was twisted up in a ________ knot and the dark circles under her eyes were more pronounced tonight. -Summer of the Mariposas

Her strength surged through him - a wave of courage and ____________ that made him feel substantial again, anchored to the mortal world. -Blood of Olympus

“She’s insecure about her ____________ and picks on me to make herself feel better.” -On the Come Up

And early in the pandemic, the scarcity of personal protective equipment for front-line health care workers was a defining characteristic of the unprepared and ________ response to COVID. -Salon Jun 5, 2022

An improbably long patchwork scarf was wrapped around his neck, and a fur hat perched _________ on his large head. -Hattie Big Sky

Even though his anarchist streak is partly what makes him a benevolent authority figure, you wouldn’t say he’s soft or ___________ with his students. -New York Times Feb 20, 2022

She often decorates her cakes with halos of dried herbs that she forages from her home state of New Hampshire, and intentionally arranges some askew so that they tilt like a frosted Tower of Pisa. -New York Times Dec 14, 2021 In this sentence, askew means:

“There is ____________ in your blood too. The willpower to endure seemingly insurmountable obstacles." -Amari and the Night Brothers