Characters
Places/Locations
Vocabulary
Literary Devices
Tiny details
100

The youngest child and the only daughter of the main family in the story.

Ha 
100

The city the main character was born and grew up in.

Saigon
100

"I touch it, so real and long, not knowing if I will have another change to touch _____ fuzz. I pluck one hair." 

golden
100
"water, water everywhere.."
repetition
100
The name of Vietnamese New Year
Tet
200

The oldest brother of the main family of the story. He is twenty-one and he studies engineering.

Brother Quang

200

The reason the mother of the main family chooses to go to America.

Sending her kids to college
200

"Sip, he [the commander] says, and don't waste strength moving around because it's impossible to predict how much longer we will be _______." Meaning: to rest or move on the surface of water (like a boat).

floating
200
In the distance, bombs explode like thunder, slashes lighten the sky, gunfire falls like rain across the land...
simile
200
The type of government they were trying to escape from.
communism
300

He is tall and pig-bellied. He wears a black cowboy hat, tan cowboy boots, and he smokes cigars.

Our Cowboy
300

The city the mother of the family wrote down first (before choosing to go to America) (p.106).

Paris
300

"We watch movies outdoors with images projected onto a white sheet. Brother Quang _______ into a microphone, his voice sad and slow" Meaning: to change from one language to another language

translates
300
We clap and clap as the ships draw together and kiss
personification
300
The type of gemstone on mother's ring.
amethyst
400

The best friend and relative of the Father of the main family.


Uncle Son

400

When the family arrives to the United States, they are sent to a 'tent city' in which state.

Florida
400
A person who pays for new immigrants to eat and live during their first year in their new country
sponsor
400
...the stitches appear in slow motion, the needle a worm laying tiny eggs that sink into brown cloth...
metaphor
400
In "Left Behind," what did Brother Quang leave behind that showed he was very smart?
his report cards, ranking him first in class since kindergarten
500

He resigns from his job in the government. He is crying when he resigns and looks "sad and yellow".

President Thieu

500

The island where the family lives before leaving for the United States.

Guam
500
What is nuoc mam?
fish sauce
500
Black seeds spill, like clusters of eyes, wet and crying
simile
500
The name of Ha's best friend
TiTi
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