All 6 Uses

crucial
in
Mao’s Last Dancer
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Chairman Mao's communist theory about the so-called "three classes of people" was crucial when selecting us.†
Chpt 1.7 *

crucial = very important
The first two years, we call them the foundation years, are considered crucial.†
Chpt 2.8
The third and fourth years were especially crucial because teachers would select students as their "talents" to spend most of their time and attention on.†
Chpt 2.13
The crucial planting season was over, and his family's savings were gone.†
Chpt 2.14
I was still working on five consecutive pirouettes and was having tremendous problems breaking this crucial barrier.†
Chpt 2.15
Then, unknown to the consulate officials, Charles made another crucial call.†
Chpt 3.22

Definitions:

(1) (crucial)
very important or necessary -- often because it determines how something else will turn out
(2) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)