Word: Expository

 

expository

[ ik-spoz-i-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee ]

adjective

1. of the nature of exposition; serving to expound, set forth, or explain:

   an expository essay;

   expository writing.

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               Max sat slumped in his desk, resting his chin on his hand. His eyes were glazed as he focused on nothing. In fact, he studiously avoided focusing on the one thing he should have been. His mind was not wandering though. That implied there was thought occurring. His mental silence was broken by a foot hitting the side of his calf.

               “Pay attention.” Opal said as quietly as she could.

               “Do I have to? It’s not like we’re learning anything important.” Max said, equally quietly.

               “Not important? We’re learning about one of the most important wars in history.”

               “Uh-huh, that’s nice. How is it relevant to us?”

               “It shaped cultures across the world. How the different species interact with each other is still influenced by it.”

               “Great. Cool. Doesn’t tell us what those cultures are like now, or how everyone gets along. We gotta get out of the classroom for that.”

               “The lessons we learn now will give us important cultural context when interacting with ancient ruins and structures.”

               “As long as the treasure’s there, I don’t care much for that other stuff. Look, Opal, how about we cut to the end of this conversation. You keep listening to the big, important lore dump and I’ll not do that.”

               “Lore dump?”

               “Yeah, you know. A big lump of exposition. It’s a term from back home. Remember those video games and movies I told you about? It’s from those. And I pretty much always skip them whenever I had the option. I don’t see why this one being in real life should change that.”

               “This is not a game.” Opal said through clenched teeth.

               By now a few of the nearby students had picked up on the conversation. Neither Opal nor Max cared about being listened to though.

               “I know. Doesn’t make it any less pointless. Or less boring. I mean, come on, why do I need to know who won the…” He actually looked at the lecturer’s writing for the first time since the lesson began. “battle of the twin rivers? I don’t even know where the twin rivers are.”

“And if you were paying attention, you would.”

Max shrugged. “It’s not like it’s critical info. If we ever go there, I’ll know where they are. And there’ll probably be some memorial or something that explains the battle in a more interesting way, anyways.”

Opal resisted screaming. That would disrupt the entire class and probably get her in trouble. Instead, she clenched her first and mentally envisioned herself knocked several of Max’s teeth out of his mouth.

“Is there any way I can get you to actually pay attention?”

“Nope.”

Before she could say anything, the student sitting behind them leaned forward. It was a young man that neither of them knew. The student whispered to Max.

“If you don’t pay attention, you’ll probably fail the class and have to repeat it again next year.”

Max worked his jaw as he considered the boy’s words.

               “Hm, good point. See, Opal? This guy gets it.”

               And with that, he turned to face the lecturer, who still seemed oblivious to the conversation. Opal looked from Max to the student behind them and back again. She watched Max actually begin to take notes. She ran her hands down her face and resisted the urge to do a great many loud and disruptive things.

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Pay attention is class, everyone. You never know when some random piece of information will come in handy.