The Experiment
what is the purpose of the experiment?
Who was Mr. Zufa?
Leguizamo's math teacher
Who wrote the open window? And mention the main characters.
Written by Saki. Main characters are Mr. Frampton, Vera, Mrs. Sappleton
Name the characters in One in a million
Hodja, the merchant, the donkey
what is the plot of the experiment?
A man offers himself as a volunteer for an experiment. He has a time limit to be able to escape the cell he was put into, he tries different ways to escape but time runs out and is not able to get out in time. Turns out the door was never closed.
Why is Bebe living with Mama Lil and how are they related?
Mama Lil is her grandmother and Bebe is living with her because her parents died on a building fire.
According to Leguizamo what was his only value?
His only value was to be funny
How does Mr. Frampton reacts when he sees the men coming back?
He panics and runs away from the house without any explanations.
What are the characteristics of a folk tale?
passed down through generations, authors are unknown, simple settings with universal themes, reflect on the culture they come from,
The walls were built of thick cement blocks, the door was made of steel, the floor and ceiling were made of concrete, there were no windows, there was only one light bulb.
why doesn't mama lil want Bebe to go work on the renovations?
Because she says that is men's work, but also because she's scared of something happening to Bebe, she's scared of loosing her.
What are the characteristics of a memoir?
personal, focused on real events, specific period of time or themes, subjective truth, authenticity.
They keep the window open because Mrs. Sappleton believes her husband and brothers will come back from the hunting trip they 'died' on.
How does Hodja describe the donkey and how does the merchant describe it?
Hodja: it was a bag of bones, had a dirty and shaggy coat, it was worthless, didn't follow orders, and was lazy.
Merchant: clean and strong, magnificent beast, ripple muscles, smooth and silky coat, and bright, intelligent eyes.
1. He tried pushing the cement blocks.
2. He searched for a trap door on the floor.
3. He used the metal shield of the light bulb.
What does Bebe want to do for the summer?
She wants to join the youth renovation team to help repair/renovate the Brooklyn Bridge alongside engineers.
How does John Leguizamo describes himself?
He used pants too high, sneakers too tight, underwear without leg holes. He was the Quasimodo of Jackson Heights.
Who arranges Mr. Frampton's trip and how does this person think of him?
His sister arranges the trip and sends him introduction letters. She thinks of him as a nervous, depressed person who won't speak his whole trip.
Why does Hodja say the donkey is one in a million after he sold it?
Hodja thinks the donkey is “one in a million” because after he’s sold it, it becomes rare and irreplaceable
What is the beginning, rising action, climax, and resolution of the story?
beginning: A man volunteers to be on an experiment
rising actions: he wakes up in a cell, he has a time limit to escape, he uses a metal shield to carve his way out.
climax: time's running out and the last metal prong of the shield breaks.
resolution: the man is unable to escape the cell on time and looses the experiment
What is the beginning, rising actions, climax, and resolution of the story?
beginning: Bebe talks about wanting to work during the summer on the bridge's renovations.
rising actions: Mama lil denies Bebe from working there as it is not fit for a woman, Bebe and Mama Lil argue.
Climax: the day the renovations start Mama Lil hasn't signed the permission.
Resolution: Mama Lil signs the permission form and allows Bebe to work on the renovations.
What did Mr. Zufa told Leguizamo that changed his perception of things?
What does Vera’s ability to invent stories suggest about her personality?
She is imaginative, quick-witted, and clever, but also mischievous and manipulative.
What does this folk tale suggest about human nature and how we talk about possessions?
We tend to glorify what we’ve lost, and language can make something ordinary sound extraordinary.