Name: ______________________________

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

Chapter 3 Activities
Part 1: Vocabulary
Directions:
1. Read over the following definitions so that when you come across the word in chapter one, you
will understand the meaning.
2. Under each definition is the sentence or phrase taken from the story that contained the
vocabulary word. To become more familiar with the word meaning do one of the following:
A. Rewrite the sentence or phrase substituting a synonym or phrase from the definition.
thoughtfully
Example: “Two-Bit gallantly offered to walk them home…”
Or
B. Use the given sentence as a model to help you create your own sentence.

Example: John gallantly opened the door for his mom as she approached the house

Words
Page37 Page 39 Page 41

gallantly: adj. engaged: bleakly: adv.

(gal-lent-lee)
(form of the word gallant)
Gallant: courteous and
thoughtful, especially toward
women.
“Two-Bit gallantly offered to
walk them home…”
Page 38
aloofness: adj.
(uh-loof-ness)
(form of the word aloof)
Aloof:
1.) Not involved or unwilling to
become involved with other
people or events, often out of a
sense of lofty superiority to
them
2.)Physically distant especially
in feeling or interest.
“Socs were always behind a
wall of aloofness, careful not to ornery: uncooperative and
let their real selves show
through.”
(en-gajed)
(form of the word engage)
engage: to become involved or
take part in an activity
“They were engaged in some
kind of wild conversation…”
buckskin: n.
(buck-skin)
buckskin: a horse of a grayish
yellow color
“Mickey Mouse was a dark-gold
buckskin, sassy and
ornery…”
sassy: adv.
(sas-see)
sassy: lively and high-spirited
ornery: adv.
(or-ner-ee)
irritable (informal)
(bleak-lee)
(form of the word bleak)
bleak: without hope or
expectation of success or
improvement
“ ‘No,’ Cherry said bleakly, ‘it’s
Randy and Bob.’ “
grimly: adv.
(form of the word grim)
grim: extremely unpleasant,
distressing, or sinister
“ ‘ And,’ Two-bit added grimly,
‘a few of the socially elite
checkered-shirt set.’ “
elite: n.
(e-leet)
elite: a small group of people
within a larger group who have
more power, social standing,
wealth, or talent than the rest of
the group

impersonally:
(im-per-son-uhl-lee)
(form of the words personal
and impersonal)
impersonal: Not considering
people as individuals but
focusing on events and facts
“The Socs even fought coldly
and practically and
impersonally.”
Page 42
dumbfounded:
(dum-found-ded)
dumbfound: to make someone
temporarily speechless by
surprise or conclusion
“ ‘No…’ Two-Bit said,
dumbfounded. ‘No, Ponyboy,
that ain’t right…you got it
wrong…’ “
winced:
(winssd)
(form of the word wince)
wince: to make an expression
of pain with the face because of
seeing or thinking of something
unpleasant or embarrassing.
“Johnny’s eyes went round and
he winced as though I had
belted him.”
Page 46
Soused:
Slang for drunk
“I think I’m a little soused.”
Page 43
passionately: adv.
(pah-shun-et-lee)
(form of the word passionate)
passionate: expressing intense
or overpowering emotion
“It ain’t fair!” I cried
passionately. “It ain’t fair that
we get all the rough brakes.”
cunning: adj.
(cun-ning)
cunning: clever or artful in a
way that is intended to deceive
(mislead somebody or hide the
truth)
“…and Dally – wild, cunning
Dally – turning into a hoodlum
because he’d die if he didn’t,…”
Page 47
Vaguely: adj.
(vayg-lee)
(form of the word vague)
vague: not clear in meaning or
intention
“I saw Johnny’s cigarette
glowing in the dark and
wondered vaguely what it was
like inside a burning ember…”
Page 44
resignedly: adv.
(re-zined – ed - lee)
(form of the word resign)
resign: to give up on something
reluctantly and without protest
“ ‘Well,’ Cherry said resignedly,
‘they’ve spotted us.’ “
reeling:
Slang for walking unsteadily
due to being drunk
Cherry speaking to Bob about
his drinking:
“You call reeling and passing
out in the streets a little?
Bob,…”
Page 48
scatterbrained: adj.
(scat-ter-brained)
(form of the word scatterbrain.)
scatterbrain: somebody who is
incapable of serious or
organized thought or
remembering important things.
“I only wanted to lie on my back
under a tree and read a book or
draw a picture, and not worry
about being jumped or carrying
a blade or ending up married to
some scatterbrained broad
(slang for woman) with no
sense.”
 Name: _______________________________________
Date: _______________ Pd. ________
Syllable work: Dividing the following words into syllables will help you to recall how to
pronounce the words correctly and spell them correctly.
Hints: Remember every syllable has to have a vowel sound.
A prefix in a word will be a separate syllable.
A suffix in a word will be a separate syllable.
Directions: Divide the words in column 1 below into syllables. When we check the answers, put a
check mark next to the words that you divided correctly and using the answers provided, redo in
column 2 the ones you divided incorrectly.
My Guess The Correct Syllable Division
2 Syllable Words: 2 Syllable Words:
sassy ______ ______ sassy ______ ______
meekly ______ ______ meekly ______ ______
grimly ______ ______ grimly ______ ______
bleakly ______ ______ bleakly ______ ______
cunning ______ ______ cunning ______ ______
vaguely ______ ______ vaguely ______ ______
3 Syllable Words: 3 Syllable Words:

gallantly _____ _____ _____ gallantly _____ _____ _____

aloofness _____ _____ _____ aloofness _____ _____ _____

engaged ______ ______ engaged ______ ______

ornery _____ _____ _____ ornery _____ _____ _____

4 Syllable Words: 4 Syllable Words:
passionately _____ _____ _____ passionately _____ _____ _____

_____ _____
resignedly _____ _____ _____ _____ resignedly _____ _____ _____ _____
5 Syllable Word: 5 Syllable Word:

impersonally _____ _____ _____ impersonally _____ _____ _____

_____ _____ _____ _____

Part 3: Fluency Check
Directions: On the Time to Beat line below, you will write the time that it took your teacher to
read the list of 10 words. Then you use a stopwatch and will practice beating that time. When
you are ready to go for your “official time,” ask your teacher to time you. Place that time on
the Official Time line

Time to beat:
1. gallantly
2. aloofness
3. impersonally 1st time: _____

4. engaged 2nd time: _____

5. sassy 3rd time: _____

6. ornery 4th time: _____

7. meekly 5th time: _____

8. grimly Official Time:

9. bleakly ____________
10. passionately
11. cunning
12. vaguely
13. resignedly

Part 3: Comprehension Check

When you finish the chapter, do the following:
1. Write a chapter summary by following these steps:
a. First, complete the 5+ Ws (Who?, What happened?, Where? When? Why?, and How did
the “what happened” make the character(s) feel/react?
b. Second, use the 5+Ws information to write a two to three sentence summary.
2. Think of a chapter title and explain why you chose it.
3. Write a double journal entry:
a. Find and copy a meaningful piece of the text (It can be a piece of dialogue or a piece of
description.)
b. Copy it into your notebook
c. Under the copied text draw a line under it to separate it from your reaction/response that
you will write below this line.
d. Under the line write your reaction/response. (For example, tell how the selected text made
you feel, or give an opinion you formed after reading it)