Plot
Character Traits
Vocabulary
Setting
Characters
100

Mia asks traveling immigrants to help investigate this unresolved crime.

What is the theft of the car?

100

Mia asks immigrants traveling to different cities to investigate the stolen car. This shows that she is this.

What is resourceful?

100

“The nurse worked at a hospice that cared for seriously ill patients and their families.” What does hospice mean?

What is a program or facility that cares for people nearing the end of life?

100

Jason and the popular students continue mocking Mia at this location.

What is school?

100

This former hospice janitor comes and stays at the motel. 

Who is Uncle Zhu?

200

Mia’s answer to the class math challenge is marked wrong because she bases it on this.

What is her real experience working at a motel?

200

Mia is deeply affected when her classmates mock her clothing. This shows that she is this.

What is self-conscious?

200

“Liam created a strange concoction by mixing lemonade, grape juice, and sparkling water.” What does concoction mean?

What is something made by combining several ingredients?

200

Uncle Zhu plans to travel to this California city, allowing him to investigate one of Mia’s suspects.

What is San Diego?

200

This teacher marks Mia’s hotel-bill answer incorrect.

Who is Mrs. Douglas?

300

Mrs. Tang compares Mia to this slower form of transportation when criticizing her English.

What is a bicycle?

300

Mrs. Tang becomes extremely upset when Mia struggles with math. This shows that she is this.

What is demanding or not understanding?

300

“The final ten minutes of the delayed flight felt like an eternity.” What does eternity mean?

What is an endless or extremely long period of time?

300

Mrs. Douglas holds the hotel-bill math challenge in this room.

What is Mia’s classroom?

300

This character tells Mia that her English is like a bicycle competing against cars.

Who is Mrs. Tang? 

400

Mia’s father encourages her dream of becoming a writer by purchasing this gift.

What is an expensive pencil?

400

Mia’s father buys her a special pencil and encourages her to continue writing. This shows that he is this.

What is supportive?

400

 “The museum gave each visitor a pamphlet explaining the new exhibit.” What does pamphlet mean?

What is a small booklet that provides information?

400

Mia’s father takes her here to purchase her special pencil.

What is a shopping center?

400

This weekly comforts Mia and helps her understand why her mother may criticize her English.

Who is Mrs. Q?

500

Mia writes this to explain American expressions and customs to Uncle Fung.

What is an informative piece (poster, pamphlet, brochure, etc). 

500

Mia helps Uncle Fung understand the mistakes that cost him his job. This shows that she is this.

What is helpful?

500

 “Our teacher explained that ‘hold your horses’ is an idiom and does not involve actual horses.” What does idiom mean?

What is an expression whose meaning differs from the literal meanings of its words?

500

Mia, Lupe, and the weeklies walk through this area while trick-or-treating.

What is the neighborhood around the motel?

500

This immigrant loses his job after misunderstanding American gestures and expressions.

Who is Uncle Fung?

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