What is the MAIN conflict in the story?
Maya doesn't get permission to go to the school dance because of her strict parents.
Why was Maya called into the office?
Her brother got suspended from school for fighting.
What can you infer about the narrator?
The narrator wants to go to the school dance, but thinks she is unlikely to get permission.
What kind of diagram is this? __/\__
A plot diagram
What does the word "infer" mean?
Take a "guess" based on text or something read. Not directly stated.
Why is Maya upset when she is first called to the office?
She thinks that she is in trouble.
Why did Maya lie when translating for her father?
She didn't want Papa to get mad and she felt she'd be blamed for her brother getting into a fight.
What brought the narrator's family to America?
Aunt Madina met her husband through and international dating magazine and then sponsored Maya's family to come to America.
What is the climax of the story?
Maya doesn't get permission from her parents to attend the school dance.
What does the word "analyze" mean?
To study or look at something closely.
Why do Maya's parents have stricter rules than her friends' parents?
They are from a country with different customs.
What are the two events that makes Papa mad?
Nurzhan gets suspended and he catches Maya with boys.
Where did the narrator's family come from?
Kazakhstan
What is completely resolved (solved) in the resolution of a story?
the conflict (problem of the story)
What does the reader learn during the exposition of the story?
the characters, the setting, background info (how Maya's family got to America)
How does Nurzhan help to resolve the story's conflict?
He convinces their parents to sign the slip by offering to be Maya's chaperone at the dance.
How does Maya's life change after her mother's injury?
She had to do Mama's work for her and cook for the family.
What activity did Maya have to miss out on because of her brother?
Her gymnastics meet
Say one event that is part of the rising action of the story?
Nurzhan gets into a fight at school.
Maya gets caught with Daniel after school.
Which of Maya's actions show that she is a responsible daughter?
She misses her gymnastics meet to translate for the school.
She does her mother's cleaning job, and cooks for the family when Mama gets hurt.
What does Mama do to show that she understands that growing up in America will be different for Maya?
She gives Maya a special bracelet to wear to the dance.
Identify why Maya has become involved in her brother’s suspension from school. What does her involvement suggest about her role in the family?
Maya has become involved because school officials want her to help locate her parents; she has been asked to act as their translator. Maya’s involvement suggests that she is often placed in situations where she must be adult-like as she speaks for her parents.
What does Mama mean when she says to Maya, "you have brought shame on your father and the family"?
She embarrassed her family when she had physical contact with an American boy.
Say one event that is part of the falling action of the story.
Maya's mom gives her the gold bracelet.
Nurzhan goes with Maya to the school dance.
Maya dances with Daniel at the dance.
What are two events that show Nurzhan is willing to stand up for what he thinks is right?
He stands up to his bully.
He tries to defend Maya when she is caught with Daniel.
He gets the Spring Fling permission slip signed for Maya.