Summer Rebuild
Nancy Floyd
1Jennifer had no inkling what was in store for her during summer vacation. While her classmates were attending various camps, enjoying family getaways, training for fall athletics, or even working summer jobs, Jennifer would be dedicating three months to a top-secret assignment with her father, Robert. It was a humid Saturday afternoon when Robert blindfolded Jennifer and guided her to the garage. Her stomach flip-flopped with excitement, as she grew curious about the endeavor before them. Her mind whirled with possibilities of adventurous vacation plans or thrilling new hobbies—that is, until Robert removed the blindfold. With a euphoric grin stretched across his face, he grandly gestured toward the center of the garage.
2Feeling like a balloon pricked with a pin, Jennifer deflated as the mounting anticipation flooded out of her. Situated in the center of the garage was a dilapidated car. Corroded fenders, a dented hood, a shattered windshield, scratched and peeling paint, and torn seat cushions spewing stuffing and springs from gaping seams held her gaze. Jennifer contemplated how her father could possibly be so jovial about such an unsightly pile of rubbish. Then he delivered a disheartening announcement: their top-secret undertaking was to reconstruct the heap of junk.
3Despite her best efforts to evade it, Jennifer spent every afternoon and evening for three months assisting her father with the restoration. Together, they hammered out dents, sanded down the finish, reconstructed the engine, and removed the tattered upholstery. They spent hours surfing the Internet and scouring local salvage yards, searching for necessary parts. They deliberated paint colors, seat covers, hubcaps, and headlights, and every evening, they took a photograph of the car in its present condition to document their progress.
4The difficult work and the scorching summer temperatures made for exhausting days. At times the work was so tedious that Jennifer felt as if her efforts were futile, but over time she began to realize that their labor was paying off. Although the work was demanding and dirty, the former clunker gradually began to resemble an actual automobile.
5During the last week of August, the final part was delivered and ready to be installed. Robert unveiled a burnished mahogany steering wheel with gleaming chrome spokes. After Robert affixed the steering wheel, he opened the passenger door for Jennifer to climb in. Robert cranked up the engine, carefully backed the car out of the driveway, and cruised into town. As the pair glided down Main Street, Jennifer witnessed the awestruck gazes of onlookers as they passed. Bursting with pride, Jennifer gleefully waved to classmates and friends, all of whom cheered and whistled as the glossy car crept along. When they returned home, Robert presented Jennifer with a leather-bound album filled with photographs that documented the rebuilding process. As Jennifer slowly flipped through the photos, she was amazed at the automobile’s drastic transformation. She discovered her own attitude had been transformed as well. Three months before, she viewed the project as a pointless undertaking, but now she realized that her efforts had resulted in something beautiful. Maybe this top-secret assignment wasn’t such a miserable way to spend summer vacation after all.
Question
What is the meaning of the word dilapidated as used in the second paragraph?
Responses
A dependabledependable
B enormousenormous
C renovatedrenovated
D shabbyshabby
D shabby
The word dilapidated in the second paragraph is used to describe the car as being in a state of disrepair or shabbiness.