Follow-up Questions
"I spent pretty much the entire weekend at a robotics competition in Philadelphia."
"How did your team end up doing?"
"That sounds intense—what kind of robot did you build?"
"Have you guys been preparing for that for a long time?"
Hesitate
"I wanted to raise my hand in science class, but I hesitated because I wasn't totally sure I had the right answer."
"Instead of blending in with the rest of the student section, Maya wore a neon-yellow jumpsuit that made her completely conspicuous in the bleachers."
Easily seen, attracting attention, or standing out.
Bat
A flying mammal; a piece of baseball equipment
Letter: B
Category: Things you find in a high school backpack
Binder, bottle, book, breath mints, etc.
"Mr. Davis assigned a 5-page history paper that’s due the exact same day as our chemistry midterm."
"That's brutal. Have you started outlining the paper yet, or are you studying first?"
"Are you going to ask him for an extension, or do you think he won't budge?"
"Same here—which one are you more worried about?"
Distracted
"I got so distracted by music in the hallway that I barely read two pages of my book."
"Before submitting the final draft of their lab report, the partners scrutinized every graph and corrected every minor typo to make sure they wouldn't lose points."
To examine closely, inspect thoroughly, or review in detail.
Bark
Letter: C
Category: Positive personality traits or character virtues
Courage, compassion, consistency, cooperation.
"I finally watched that new superhero movie everyone has been talking about last night."
"Did it actually live up to the hype, or was it overrated?"
"Who was your favorite character?"
"Would you recommend seeing it in theaters, or is it fine to stream at home?"
Compromise
"My brother wanted pizza and I wanted tacos, so we reached a compromise and ordered from a place that serves both."
"The coach’s group text about Saturday practice was so ambiguous that half the team showed up at 7:00 AM while the other half assumed it was completely optional."
Unclear, vague, or capable of being understood in more than one way.
Watch
To look or monitor something; a device worn on the wrist to tell time
Letter: S
Category: Things that can cause stress
Social media, siblings, speaking in public, snakes
"I guess my driver's test on Saturday could have gone a lot better."
"Oh man, what happened? Did parallel parking trip you up?"
"Ugh, sorry to hear that. Do you get to retake it soon?"
"Are you doing okay? That must have been upsetting."
Exaggerate
"My brother loves to exaggerate, so when he claimed the line at the cafeteria was 'a mile long,' it was really only ten people."
"To mitigate student anxiety surrounding final exam week, the counseling department set up quiet study zones, provided free snacks, and brought in certified therapy dogs."
To make something less severe, relieve, or reduce negative impact.
Date
The day of the month; a romantic outing between two people
Letter: T
Category: Coping strategies or techniques people use to calm down when overwhelmed
Taking a deep breath, talking to a friend, turning off the lights, talking a walk
"A bunch of people from the track team were hanging out after practice, but I went straight home."
"Were you just completely drained, or did something happen at practice?"
"Did they invite you and you weren't feeling it, or was it kind of an exclusive thing?"
"Sometimes you just need to recharge. Did you end up doing anything relaxing when you got home?"
Reluctant
"He was reluctant to join the debate club because of stage fright, but he went to the first meeting anyway."
"The competition had a strict three-minute time limit, forcing Marcus to cut all superfluous personal stories and keep only the essential facts."
Unnecessary, extra, exceeding what is needed.
Drop
A small quantity of liquid; to let something fall to the ground
Letter: P
Category: Jobs or careers
Pharmacist, pilot, plumber, police officer