Chapter 56

Question 1

Are you kidding. She was ____________ the days. It was driving her nuts that you were always in her room

Answer 1

counting down the days

Question 2

Our room,” I clarify. Whoa, Aaron Altma at a whole box of Raspberry Zingers without hurling. I’m, like, the last person to “Like” that. Sean Hance, always __________________.

Answer 2

late to the party

Question 3

I think I’ve got a pretty good ending written here if I _____________________

Answer 3

do say so myself

Question 4

Well, I guess that’s two things you woe me: an explanation and the Wal-Mart uniform you still haven’t returned. What are you doing right now? Maybe you can swing by and _____________________________________

Answer 4

kill both bats with one bone

Question 5

Kewl, Nessa says. Bring some snacks. We are ___________________

Answer 5

going on a picnic

Question 6

That graves used to have ______________ as well as __________________

Answer 6

footstones; headstones

Question 7

And that people have been having picnics __________________ since Victorian times, when it was considred a lovely relaxing Sunday-afternoon activity to ________________ with nature and the deceased

Answer 7

in cementeries; commune

Question 8

commune

Answer 8

See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
verb (used without object), com·muned, com·mun·ing.
to converse or talk together, usually with profound intensity, intimacy, etc.; interchange thoughts or feelings.
to be in intimate communication or rapport:
to commune with nature.

Question 9

Of course. Nessa laughs, her legs _______ the purple blanket she’s spread out in front of an old weather-stained headstone.

Answer 9

tucked up on

Question 10

She ______________ the corner of her mouth with a paper napkin

Answer 10

dabs at

Question 11

I don’t see what the big deal is. You just grill a couple of chicken breasts, _______ some pesto, slice up some tomato and lettus, and ___________________ on a baguette. It’s not brain surgery

Answer 11

mash up; chuck it all on a

Question 12

mash up

Answer 12

See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
verb (used without object), com·muned, com·mun·ing.
to converse or talk together, usually with profound intensity, intimacy, etc.; interchange thoughts or feelings.
to be in intimate communication or rapport:
to commune with nature.

Question 13

chuck

Answer 13

chuck1
CHək/
informal
verb
verb: chuck; 3rd person present: chucks; past tense: chucked; past participle: chucked; gerund or present participle: chucking
throw (something) carelessly or casually.
“someone chucked a brick through the window”
synonyms:
throw, toss, fling, hurl, pitch, cast, lob
“he chucked the letter onto the table”
throw (something) away.
“they make a living out of stuff people chuck out”
synonyms:
throw away/out, discard, dispose of, get rid of, dump, scrap, jettison; More

Question 14

her grave’s in the newer part of the cemetery. She ________________ the right

Answer 14

points off to

Question 15

reverential

Answer 15

rev·er·en·tial
ˌrevəˈren(t)SH(ə)l/
adjective
adjective: reverential
of the nature of, due to, or characterized by reverence.
“their names are always mentioned in reverential tones”

Question 16

And there was this one Thanksgiving where she was lifting the turkey from the pan and it _______________ all over the place

Answer 16

exploded

Question 17

But I play them over in my mind sometimes late at night when the missing really __________

Answer 17

hits hard

Question 18

D’oh! Coop would make me ___________________________ saying that

Answer 18

turn in my testicles

Question 19

But \nessa doesn’t seem _______________. Yeah it’s sort of sad, really, Nessa says. Unless you’refamous or something, most of us are just a couple of generations from being totally forgotten about

Answer 19

weirded out

Question 20

Make your own choices, and who cares if you _____________. Because if you don’t, it’s an insult to people like Maggie Stillman, who never had the chance to make those choices

Answer 20

fall flat on your face?

Question 21

You know, most people get annoyed when I _______________________ my philosophical ramblings. But you don’t seem bothered or _______________ or anything

Answer 21

go off on; creeped out

Question 22

I look around at the cemetery The long _________. The tress _________________. The flowers that have started to ________

Answer 22

stretch of lawn. sprouting their leaves; bloom

Question 23

And so I go on to tell her all the ________ Details.

Answer 23

gory

Question 24

First about the trip to the mall and getting ______________ bird crap

Answer 24

spackled

Question 25

Then about how the movie thing pretty much _________________ in our faces

Answer 25

blew up

Question 26

Giving up? That’s like… that’s like saying the people who got into the lifeboats on the Titanic were giving up. At some point, you’ve got to know when to ___________

Answer 26

jump ship

Question 27

It’s nothing like that. This isn’t a diaster, Sean. I\t’s just a ___________

Answer 27

hiccup

Question 28

Uhh, the film festival is in less than a week and I have no camera, no budget, no leading actors, a drama teacher who’d like to take over my movie, and a ___________________________ uncle who thinks every animal wnatos to bite off his penis

Answer 28

stoned-out-of-his-gourd

Question 29

Okay. Nessa stands and ______________ her pants.

Answer 29

brushes off

Question 30

Think about it. ou let everyone make choices for you. Your friends. This Evelyn girl. Your uncle. YOur drama teacher. They all ___________________________ and you just stand there and take it

Answer 30

bulldoze their way over you

Question 31

That’s not true. I say. A sourness __________ of my stomach

Answer 31

blooming in the pit

Question 32

You know, the one who lived for himself. I just… I don’t understand how it ____________ the movie

Answer 32

pertains to

Question 33

Today it’s the movie. Tomorrow it’s what college you go to. AFter that it’s what job you’re willing to settle for. Where you live. Who you get married to. It __________

Answer 33

spirals out

Question 34

My stomach is all ______________ as I think of all the confrontations I’ll have to have to make this work

Answer 34

clenched up

Question 35

Nessa reaches behind her neck and ___________ the chain with the cross pendant.

Answer 35

unclasps