Zara's grandmother had been an engineer, and when she passed away, she left Zara a battered green notebook. Inside were sketches of machines, equations, and notes in tiny handwriting. On one page, Grandma had drawn a self-watering planter and written, "Attempt 14. Still leaks." Zara decided to finish it for the science fair. Her first planter flooded the kitchen counter. Her second didn't water at all. Each time, she wrote a note in the…
Try this question: The notebook was battered. What does battered mean?
Ayana and her older brother, Kofi, were hiking in a state forest when they realized the trail markers had disappeared. They had been following orange blazes painted on trees, but for the last ten minutes they had seen none. Kofi wanted to keep walking. "The trail has to be up ahead," he insisted. Ayana remembered what the park ranger had said at the trailhead: if you lose the trail, stop, stay calm, and go back to the last marker you saw. "We…
Try this question: They retraced their steps. What does retraced mean?
For six weeks, Lena had been the understudy for the lead role in the school play, which meant she learned every line but would perform only if the lead, Charlotte, could not. Every rehearsal, Lena sat in the third row mouthing the words while Charlotte stood in the spotlight. Some days Lena felt invisible. She considered quitting more than once, but her drama teacher, Mr. Abara, told her, "An understudy is the most prepared person in the…
Try this question: What is an understudy?