Inferences
What can the reader infer about Maya’s usual way of working, even though she feels distracted today?
Maya is normally observant and good at noticing details?
Where does Maya find the missing sign-up sheet?
taped to the base of the glass lantern shaped like a tiny tower?
In “the path into a ribbon of black glass,” what is being compared to black glass?
the rain-slick path, which is shiny and dark like glass?
In paragraph 1, “crackled” describes how the weather radio sounded. What does “crackled” mean here?
making a series of short, sharp, rough noises?
Why does Maya carry the lantern outside instead of staying in the shed with the sign-up sheet?
she realizes the lantern may help Mr. Alvarez see a safe route through the rain?
What was Mr. Alvarez trying to move through the flooded patch?
a delivery cart carrying a box of seedlings?
What does “her thoughts felt like a crowded subway platform” suggest about Maya’s mind?
she feels distracted or mentally overwhelmed by many thoughts?
In paragraph 3, “damp around the edges” describes the sign-up sheet. What does “damp” mean?
slightly wet?
What can the reader infer about the garden’s “quiet helpers”?
the objects or small preparations that help people without drawing attention to themselves?
What clue did Maya find beside the brass key?
What is a note telling her to check the “little lighthouse” if the storm knocks out the lights?
In “Its pale beam cut through the rain like a silver thread,” what does the comparison help the reader picture?
a thin, bright line of light visible through the rain?
In paragraph 4, “shield” means to protect. What was Mr. Alvarez shielding the box of seedlings from?
the rain?
How does Maya’s response to the storm show a change from the beginning of the story?
What is that she moves from feeling mentally crowded and uncertain to noticing a clue, making a plan, and helping others?
Why did Maya pin the sign-up sheet beneath the shed’s roof?
so everyone could reach it while it stayed sheltered from the rain?
The story says, “The radio’s red light blinked faster.” Which meaning of “signal” best fits Mr. Alvarez’s line, “You found the sheet—and the signal”?
a sign or message that communicates useful information?
In paragraph 7, “softened” describes the rain. What does “softened” mean in this context?
becoming less heavy or intense?