English Test Part #1

“Safety of Numbers”

4

What does the narrator’s mother treat the SAT as?

A determining factor in the narrator’s future and a high score will secure success in life.

Why does the mother’s account of Tiananmen Square matter to the narrator’s understanding of her mother?

It helps the narrator understand the events that happened and how they caused her mother to live a life in fear.

What does the narrator’s plan to leave through the back exit after the SAT indicate?

She wants freedom and doesn’t want to be controlled by her mother, but she still wants to make her mother happy by taking the SAT.

What does the narrator’s final fear of “growing up to be scared” express tension between?

It expresses tension between the narrator and her mother because she doesn’t want to be like her mother who grew up to be scared.

“The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant”

4

Why does the narrator hide his fishing rod?

Sheila said she doesn’t like fishing.

The hooked bass and Sheila become competing “tugs” for the narrator. What do they represent?

The pull between doing what you want to do (bass) and what others what you to do (Sheila).

How does the narrator lose the bass?

He cuts the line.

What does the narrator’s claim that her never made the same mistake again suggest that he’s learned?

It suggests that he has learned no to change to make other people happy or like him more.

“Eraser Tattoo”

5

What does the moving truck at the beginning of the story establish?

Shay’s family is moving.

How long have Shay and Dante known each other?

They have known each other since they were young kids.

What symbol does Shay use the erase to make on Dante’s arm?

Shay uses the eraser to make and “S” on Dante’s arm.

What desire does Dante’s talk of building bridges reveal?

His desire to always be with Shay.

What does the last distinction between the sting and the scar represent?

Dante will get over the immediate pain of Shay leaving, but he will still always miss her.

“Marigolds”

4

What do Miss Lottie’s flower represent?

Hope, determination, and looking for the positive in bad times

What experience causes Lizabeth’s destructive outburst?

Hearing her father cry and argue with her mother, which made her realize not everything was as secure as she thought.

What moment causes Lizabeth to identify the end of her innocence?

When she destroyed Miss Lottie’s flowers and realized she couldn’t undo that mistake.

What does the narrator mean when she says she too has “planted marigolds”?

She has also tried to find beauty even in the hardest of times.

“American History”

6

Why does Elena’s neighborhood become unusually silent?

JFK was assassinated.

What does Elena’s view of the neighboring house from the fire escape reveal about Elena?

She is an immigrant who wants to be a person in that house with a perfect family and reach the “American Dream”

What do the differences between Eugene’s house and El Building represent?

They emphasize the social inequalities between Americans and immigrants.

What does Elena’s mother urge her to do instead of going to study with Eugene?

She want Elena to stay home and go to church with her later.

Why does Eugene’s mother refuse to let Elena inside? Do her polite-sounding words make it hurt less for Elena?

She knows Elena is an immigrant who lives in El Building and doesn’t want her around Eugene. The polite-sounding words do not make it hurt less for Elena because she knows the true meaning behind them.

At the end of the story, why is Elena crying?

She has truly realized the injustices in the world that will prevent her from doing things just because of where she came from. She feels like she has lost her respect and a friendship.

“A&P”

6

What initially attracts Sammy’s attention to the 3 girls?

They are wearing bathing suits.

Sammy’s description of the shoppers of “sheep” suggests that he views the shoppers as one of the following: a) unusually king b) wealthy and powerful c) conformist and unthinking or d) hostile to young people. Which of these 4 answers is correct? Why?

c) conformist or unthinking

“Sheep” all act the same and follow what others do, so they don’t think for themselves.

How does Lengel explain his objection to the girls in the store?

He announces in front of all the other customers that bathing suits are inappropiate to wear into the store.

Why does Sammy announce his registration while the girls are leaving?

For the girls to hear and watch him, so he can be like their hero.

Why is it hard to see the girl’s resignation as purely selfless?

While he feels what Lengel did to the girls is wrong, he resigns to impress them.

What happens with the girls after Sammy quits?

Sammy wants to find the girls, but when he gets outside of the store they are already gone.

“Light”

6

How does Enebeli initially respond to his daughter’s love notes?

Trying not to laugh.

What conflict does the disagreement about the girl’s hair and conduct expose?

Enebeli and his wife can’t agree about how the girl should be raised and the mother cares about how the public views her daughter.

What change follows the mother’s disappointed response to the girl’s confessions about the boy?

The girl becomes less confident in who she is because her mother disapproved of her behavior and wants her to change.

The repeated “before” near the end of the story mainly: a) erases the coming separation b) places a remembered moment of freedom beside a painful future c) proves the story occurs in one day of d) signals the mother’s return to Nigeria. Which of these 4 is correct? Why?

b) places a remembered moment of freedom beside a painful future

Enebeli compares the terrible ways she has changed to the version of who she used to be that he loved.

Throughout the story, how do Enebeli and wife deal with their daughter’s upbringing?

By constantly disagreeing on how she should be raised, but both are trying to raise her the way they think is best.

When does Enebeli’s memory of playing azigo with his daughter happen? Why is this important?

It happens after is his daughter is taken by his wife to the United States.

This is important because he wants to remember the good memories instead of excepting who his daughter has become.