Safety of Numbers
What does "coming of age" mean?
The period of time between adolescence and adulthood
A loud, unpleasant, and confusing mix of harsh sounds:
Part of speech:
Cacophony
noun
How does Sheila Mant react when the narrator mentions fishing on the boat ride?
A. She enthusiastically asks him to teach her how to fish.
B. She admits she secretly enjoys fishing with her father.
C. She expresses disgust, calling fishing "dumb."
D. She ignores him completely and looks at her reflection in the water.
What is the purpose of the apostrophe? (')
To show possession or ownership
ex: The family's cat
Define gentrification
An urban development process where wealthier individuals and commercial investors move into lower-income or working-class neighborhoods, driving up property values, rents, and the general cost of living
Why does the mother care so much about SAT scores?
In China, college exams determined someone's future/life.
I wonder why Sheila would come down so hard on fishing. Was her father a fisherman? Is her antipathy towards fishing nothing more than a normal __________ rebellion?
Filial
How does the narrator handle having the massive bass on his line while rowing Sheila to the fair?
A. He tells Sheila to grab the net while he fights the fish.
B. He secretly maneuvers the fish behind the boat while pretending nothing is wrong.
C. He immediately cuts the line so Sheila doesn't realize he was fishing.
D. He asks Sheila to hold the oars while he reeled in the catch.
The townspeoples (townspeoples’ / townspeople’ / townspeople’s) first reaction was to run from the volcano as fast as they could.
Townspeople’s
(people is already plural = ' + s)
Shay insists on the eraser tattoo because she believes that...
A. Dante will forget her as soon as she is gone.
B. Dante will always stand by her no matter what
C. This separation will only be a short hardship for them
D. This separation may bring the end of their relationship.
How did the mother's experiences in China affect her adult life?
- She is fearful, she wants to stay safe by following the rules.
- She also wants her daughter to follow rules and avoid risk.
Anthony realized the __________ in arguing about soccer with his sister Bella; she insisted she was right no matter what.
Futility
How does the evening end for the narrator?
A. Sheila agrees to go out with him again the following weekend.
B. Sheila leaves the fair in Eric Caswell’s Corvette, leaving the narrator behind.
C. Sheila apologizes for being rude and compliments his rowing skills.
D. The narrator catches an even bigger fish on the way back home.
The five members of the Jones family own a cat.
The __________ cat.
Joneses'
Jones is last name
More than one member of the Jones family own the cat = Jones + es = Joneses
Add ownership: Joneses is plural, so (s then ')
*Final answer: Joneses'
What message about love is expressed in this story?
Love is about making sacrifices and facing challenges together
Explain the confusion with the idiom "safety in numbers" vs "safety of numbers
- Safety in numbers = safer in groups
- Safety of numbers = safety in good grades and exam scores
The __________ young boy apologized to his parents for breaking the window and offered to do chores to pay for it.
Contrite
Describe a moment in the story that depicts the theme of pleasing others vs staying true to yourself.
Answers can vary. Look for evidence in the text!
Passive: Mistakes were made during the experiment. (Hint: Supply a clear subject)
Active: ____________________________________________________________________
hint: Add a subject who MADE the mistake
ex:
The students made mistakes during the experiment.
During the experiment, teachers made mistakes.
I made mistakes during the experiment
What does the phrase "perforated smile" reveal about Dante?
His memories of their relationship cause him both pleasure and pain
How does the contrast between the narrator's mother and her friend Cat’s family highlight a major theme in the story?
A. Cat’s family is strictly organized through schedules, showing that all parents struggle with control.
B. Cat’s family practices "Delegated Discipline" and relies on chaos, emphasizing the tension between rigid control and independence.
C. Cat’s mother forces her children to take SAT prep drills every weekend, highlighting high academic expectations across cultures.
D. Cat’s family avoids using technology, contrasting with the mother's job tracking computer equipment.
(B)
Rather than _____ himself by begging for forgiveness, he chose to walk away with his dignity intact.
Abase
Why can this text be considered a "coming-of-age" story?
Answers can vary. Think about what type of evidence (direct quote, paraphrase, summary) would be most useful to answer this question :)
When would someone want to use a direct quote vs paraphrase?
direct:
paraphrase:
Why might Reynolds have chosen to begin the story with Shay's father leaving?
To introduce conflict and change in Shay's life