Plot
Characters
Figurative Language
Setting
Figure It Out!
100
Why do the Grenzers come into the Lowe's apartment and wait there for a few hours?
Fritz failed to attend to military duty, which all young men have to do when they are done with school.
100
Who are the secret police that make sure no one in East Germany break any laws, sometimes in harmful or disrespectful ways? (Hint: they are sometimes called the "Volkspolizei" )
The Stasi (Volkspolizei means, in German, "people's police" )
100
What example of figurative language is this? "…the splinters from the other end of the handle stuck out of the earth like a porcupine's quills."
Simile (Similes- Use the words "like" or "as" to compare two things.)
100
Where, in the world, does Gerta, (as well as her friends and family) live?
She lives in East Germany.
100
What does Gerta find out about what the Stasi did to their home area? (Fairly early in the book)
She finds out that the Stasi have bugged her house-which this means that Gerta and Fritz could not talk about their true feelings for the Wall and what they will do to stop it. If they do reveal these feelings, the Stasi will hear them speaking about this and will punish them.
200

What happens after Gerta, Frtiz, and Mama hear shoveling coming towards them while they are digging their tunnel?

Papa and Dominic break a small hole in between them and Gerta, Mama, Fritz, and Müller's family. They all find each other and tell what has happened, what they will do, and how they feel.

200
Which character attempted to escape East Germany by hiding in a compartment in a specially-designed car? (But this character didn't make it)
Peter Warner (Anna's older brother)
200

What example of figurative language is this? "…the overalls were so warm, I wondered how long it would take before I baked in them."

Hyperbole (exaggeration)

200
Where do Gerta and Fritz start digging their tunnel to the West?
As they call it, the "Welcome Building"
200
How would you give a summary of this book?
This book describes how Gerta Lowe, a not-so-normal girl, gets a drawing of a Building, which she is forbidden to go. With the Stasi, (their secret police who watch every movement anyone makes to disobey them), always on the lookout for anything suspicious, she has to secretly tunnel to West Germany to her father and brother. She barely gets caught every time, but she finally makes a deal with Officer Müller (a guard) to let them keep tunneling after he finds out what Gerta is doing. After months of tunneling, Gerta and her family and friends tunnel to freedom in West Germany.
300
Why does Gerta want to be let in to Anna's room so badly?
Gerta wants to measure the distance between Gerta and Fritz's tunnel and the Death Strip. Gerta gets and excellent view from Anna's bedroom window.
300
Who is very artistic, and who Gerta thinks drew the picture of the Welcome Building?
Dominic Lowe (Gerta's brother-who went with Papa to West Germany)
300
What example of figurative language is this? "Of hammering, heavy footsteps, and hushed conversations form men with sharp voices."
Alliteration (Alliteration- Uses the same beginning sound over and over again. Uses the same CONSONANT over and over) Ex: Sally Sells Sea Shells by the Sea Shore)
300

Where does the Lowe family live? What is it like in their environment?

East Germany---This area was dark, gray, and gloomy. (Any other words similar to these example words will do)

300
What is the tone of this book? (Tone- How the author wants you to feel) A. Angry and Serious B. Ironic and Shocking C. Surprising and Unexpected D. Happy and Cheerful
C. Surprising and Unexpected
400
What happens after Müller shoves Gerta out of the way of a gun, forcing her towards the bend of the tunnel?
Müller gets shot and gets killed. Gerta wants to help him, even when she knows he is not breathing.
400
Which character is good friends with the Lowe family and gets suspicious of Gerta's actions? This character goes and tries to figure out for itself what is going on, and then, finally, figures out what Gerta and Fritz are doing?
Anna Warner
400
What example of figurative language is this? "With my heart threatening to pound out of my chest, I began pacing the floor." A. Hyperbole B. Simile C. Personification D. Metaphor
C. Personification (Your heart can't really threaten to pound out of your chest. The real meaning is that your heart is pounding hard and wildly.)
400
Where does Gerta, along with her family, the Warners, and the last of Müller's family, end up when the exit the tunnel? What awaits them there?
Gerta (and others) exit their tunnel into a graveyard, in which they used as cover because the tunnel could honestly be a "grave." Some West Germany officers await them and make sure all of Gerta's family and friends were alright. (They especially helped Fritz- with his leg shot.)
400
What is the theme of this story?
The theme is that freedom should not be taken for granted. Unlike everyday Americans, this family risked their lives for freedom, cutting close to almost... death.
500
What happens just before Gerta steals the pulley for the tunnel?
Gerta meets the kind woman with the silky, long hair in the same shadowy cove they are using to not be seen. She bribes Gerta to forget that they had met with five Ostmarks. (Dollars)
500
Which character longs for freedom, but has to break some laws to achieve it?
Herr Krause
500

What figurative language does this sentence provide? "From there, my eyes drifted to the Berlin Wall, the side of it we had never seen before in the east. It was covered with graffiti and signs protesting its very existence. The sight of it startled me, that people would express themselves so boldly, so publicly."

Imagery (Imagery- to make a picture in your mind of...)

500
Where did Gerta find the wooden door, to support the walls of the tunnel that were collapsing? A. The Basement Of Gerta's Apartment Building B. The Welcome Building's 4th Floor C. The Store D. The Welcome Building's 2nd Floor
D. The Welcome Building's Second Floor
500
What are three key details that lead up to the main idea of this book?
1. Gerta gets passed the drawing of the Welcome Building, sparking her inspiration to start tunneling to the other half of her family- her dad and brother. 2. Gerta and Fritz dig the tunnel to the West 3. Gerta, and others, emerge from the tunnel into West Germany. Main Idea: How one family digs a tunnel to freedom from the large Berlin Wall.
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