Vocabulary
What does Haiku mean?
Specific type of Japanese poem which has 17 syllables divided into 3 lines of 5, 7, 5 syllables.
Will TiTi come back? What text evidence gave you the answer?
I know TiTi will not come back because the text says that she is scared of the war and she and her family are going to America and she gave Ha some seeds that they planned to plant together. A Lot of people in the war are dying. There were a lot of suitcases.
What does Ha do to the man’s arm hair? Why do you think she would do this?
She rips it out because she never felt blond hair before and she is feeling it for the first time.
What does Ha like and dislike about their new home?
She likes the space of the new house but she despises the furniture. She thinks the furniture is ugly and the plates mismatched.
Run
119. Why do you think Pem and Ha trade coats?
So they could disguise themselves as Pink boy and have a distraction.
What does Recoil mean?
It means jumping back in fright, horror, and disgustment.
What happened to Ha's father?
He was captured in the Vietnam war by communists
Nuac Mam is a kind of sauce. How do people feel about the fish sauce? What evidence in the poem gave you your answer?
They put it in their food and has a fishy bitter scent and everything is edible with Nuac Mam. They put Nuac Mam in their tea and their food.
77. What does Mother do in this poem and why?
She wrote a letter to father’s brother because she wants to see if he is okay and let him know if he is alive and that they moved to America.
Not the Same
126. How does Ha feel about the dried papaya?
She feels unhappy and angry. I know this because she throws them out.
What does putrid mean?
Putrid means something that smells horrible.
What jobs does Ha’s mother have? Ha writes, “A few years ago she had enough money to consider buying a car.” Why do you think this has changed?
Ha's mother works in the navy office and she is a secretary. Prices rise and nobody does not want to buy baby clothes.
Why does mother want to sell the amethyst ring?
Mother selled them amethyst ring because to sell it for needles and thread for clothes and sandals.
Third Rule
78. What rule does Ha learn in this poem?
English does not make sense and some nouns don’t need a “s” letter.
Gift-Exchange Day
129. Why does Ha feel happy in this poem? Why does she feel upset in this poem?
Ha feels happy because Pem gave her a doll with long black hair and she feels upset because she has no money and she can’t give Pem a gift.
What does compromise mean?
Why does the family get off the ship?
Bombs started to fall on them and they decided to go to another ship.
In your own words, explain why Brother Quang does not want her to sell the ring?
Brother Quang said that the ring is a memory of father.
Passing Time
79. How does Ha feel in this poem? What evidence in the text gave you the answer?
Ha is upset and embarrassed because she cannot read a baby book.
Eternal Peace
138. Why is it important to Ha’s mother that they say good-bye to the father?
Because they could stop waiting and so the father could go to eternal peace.
What does Narritive means?
A spoken or written account of story
What is Tet? What happens on Tet?
It is a Vietnamese holiday or New year where you have to behave and eat some very delicious sweets.
What evidence in the poem tells us that Ha misses her home and her old life?
She sees water and she feels that the land is like something she once knew. She describes everyday like she dose the same routine.
What does Ha like and dislike about their new home?
She likes the space of the new house but she despises the furniture. She thinks the furniture is ugly and the plates mismatched.
Rumor
117. What rumor does Ha hear?
That Pink boy has a cousin who is strong and she agreed to beat her up when she comes back on Monday.