P23

 

Words and Phrases Explained:

• Lathered up: This means to create a foam or suds, in this case, with soap. When you "lather up," you're rubbing the soap to make it foamy.

• Disapprove: To have a negative opinion or feeling about something. If her parents would "disapprove of her behavior," it means they would not like or agree with what she has done or is about to do.

• "what had happened the summer they’d spent here": This is a key phrase in the passage that hints at a past event. The author doesn't explicitly state what happened, but it was something significant that her mother "had never really accepted." It’s a mysterious event that is still affecting the main character's life and her relationship with her family.

• Toweling off: Simply means to dry oneself with a towel after bathing.

• Dipped slightly in the front: This is a description of the neckline of the yellow dress. It means the front of the dress was cut lower than the rest of the neckline, revealing a bit of the chest.

• "conveyed an image she thought would be more appropriate": The character chose the light blue dress not just because she liked it, but because she wanted to present herself in a specific way. "Appropriate" here means suitable or fitting for the situation she is about to enter. The first dress was too revealing; the second one was more modest and "appropriate" for the impression she wanted to make.

• Hooped earrings: These are circular or ring-shaped earrings.

• "pinned it up": To arrange hair by fastening it with pins so that it is off the neck and shoulders.

• "let it back down": To release her hair from the pins, letting it hang loose.

• "She didn’t want to overdo it": She didn't want to make too much of an effort in her appearance, either by being too dressy, wearing too much makeup, or doing too much with her hair. She wanted to look good, but not like she was trying too hard.

• "even things she didn’t want to consider": This is a phrase that creates tension and suggests a range of possible negative outcomes for the upcoming meeting. The character is worried that something bad or unexpected might have happened in the time since she last saw the person she is meeting.

• Lon: This is likely the name of another character mentioned in the story, but the text doesn't provide more information. The main character compares her confidence to Lon's, suggesting they have a similar personality trait.

• Pocketbook: This is an old-fashioned word for a purse or handbag.

• "You’ve come this far, don’t give up now": This is an internal thought from the character, a kind of pep talk to herself. It shows she is nervous and considering backing out of her plans, but she is also determined to follow through with them. The phrase suggests she has made a journey or a difficult decision to get to this point.