Selection Vocabulary
When something bad happens to you that you did not expect. This is also known as bad luck.
misfortune
The man is trying to _______________.
escape from the cell
True or False: Superstitions only explain good fortune.
What does Bebe want Mama Lil to do for her?
sign a permission paper
What does John say was wrong with what he wore as a kid in school?
- He said his pants were too high and his sneakers were too tight.
This word means to make a statement about what you think is going to happen
predict
A ______________ is an idea based on fear, not logic.
superstition
What tool does the man use to try to escape?
- The shield on the light bulb
- The metal prongs from the shield on the light bulb
According to the article, some people believed that throwing salt over your shoulder would _________
- stop the evil spirits from stealing your salt
Mama Lil and Bebe have a special relationship. Explain why it is special and not like other adult-child relationships.
"But then, too, I had a sister-to-sister connection with Mama Lil that not many kids had with their grandmas. I was Mama Lil's only true family, and she was the only real parent I had." (page 34).
John says that his life started to change for the better when __________________
Mr. Zufa suggested that he become a comedian
This is the series of events that make up the story
plot
When you look for __________, you look for proof or clues that something is true.
evidence
Why does the man get very angry in the middle of the story?
The last prong broke
The superstition about knocking on wood probably started because ____________
because of the insects that live in certain trees. "Lots of noisy insects live inside trees."
Bebe dreams of building bridges and being an engineer. Will this be easy for her to do? Explain.
No, it will not be easy. There are not many women engineers and Mama Lil does not want Bebe to become one.
Mr. Zufa tells John that he was being obnoxious. What does this word mean?
obnoxious is another word for annoying
This is an academic word for "a problem"
conflict
Something that gets in your way or prevents you from doing something is known as an _________
obstacle
True or False: The only way out of the cell was to use the shield.
FALSE
Answers will vary
What "favor" does Mama Lil do for Bebe in the story? What is Bebe's reaction to the "favor"?
Mama Lil gets her an application to the beauty salon and Bebe gets upset because she does not want to work there.
What was John's ultimate mission in high school?
He wanted to become cool.
This means to make clear and understandable; to get rid of confusion
clarify
When you give your ___________, you give your approval.
consent
How did the man's belief affect his ability to escape from the cell?
He believed that the door to the cell was locked, so he thought he had to use the prongs to escape.
He thought he had to be clever, so he used unnecessary tools in his efforts to escape.
What do superstitions cause people to do? Explain.
Superstitions are beliefs that cause people to act a certain way based on those beliefs. For example, if you believe that it's bad luck to walk under a ladder, you will avoid walking under ladders because of that belief.
What is Mama Lil's biggest fear about Bebe becoming an engineer?
Bebe will leave and never come back.
What does John say about Mr. Zufa at the end of his article?
"Here's a guy who was able to look beneath all the stuff I pulled in class and find some kind of merit in it, something worth pursuing. How cool is that?" (page 48)
This is the academic word for what the characters say to each other; the character's words
dialogue