Characters
Setting/ Events
Vocabulary
Critical thinking
Comprehension
100

Who is Miguel in the story?

A servant on Esperanza's family ranch

100

Where is Esperanza's family ranch?

Aguascalientes, Mexico

100

Read this sentence from the chapter

"Mi nieta, we won't be able communicate. The mail is unpredictable and I'm sure your uncles will be watching my correspondence." 

What does the word unpredictable mean? 

Something that is difficult to know or guess what will happen next.

100

When it was time to get on the train to go to Zacatecas, Esperanza said 

" We cannot travel in this car ... It .. it is not clean. And the people did not look trustworthy." 

What about them made her think they weren't trustworthy?  

The people were poor. 

100

What is Esperanza's life like before the fire? 

She lives comfortably as part of a wealthy family 

200

What are the names of Esperanza's parents

Sixto and Ramona

200

Where did they travel to in the wagon? 

Zacatecas, Mexcio 

200

Read this sentence from the chapter

"Mi nieta, we won't be able communicate. The mail is unpredictable and I'm sure your uncles will be watching my correspondence." 

What does the word correspondence mean? 

Letters or messages that people send to each other.

200

What did Carmen mean when she said " I am poor but I am rich"

Money does not mean everything to her but family and the little things do

200

How does Papa's death affect Esperanza's family 

They are all sad because of his death and leaves the future uncertain 

300

What did Senor Rodriguez help Esperanza and the others do?

Plan to escape Mexico 

300

What happened that made them have to leave the rancah?

Tio Luis set it on fire

300

Read this quote from the passage. 

" We have little money and Hortensia. Alfonso and Miguel are no longer our servants. We are indebted to them for our finances and our future."

What does the word indebted mean? 


Owing someone money or feeling that you should do something for someone because they helped you.

300

Why do you think Carmen gave Mama two hens when she left?

As a sign of friendship and to help her out

300

Why is the fire such an important?

It changes their lives because they lost everything and now have to move to another country.
400

Who is Carmen?

A woman they met on the train

400

Why does Mama refuse Tío Luis’s marriage proposal?

She does not want to marry him because she loves Papa and Tio Luis is not a good person

400

Read the sentence from the passage. 

" He (Miguel) seemed as happy as Esperanza was irritable." 

Easily annoyed or upset

400

What did Miguel love and want to work once he got to California ?

He loved trains and wanted to work in a railroad.

400

Why can't Tio Luis find out about Esperanza's and Mama leaving? 

He would not let them leave because he wants to control them. 

500

Who were the nuns that came to pick up Esperanza and the others?

Abuelita's sisters

500

Where do Esperanza and the others plan to go when they leave Mexico? 

California 

500

Read the sentence from the passage

" Clicketta, clicketta, clicketta. The song of the locomotive was monotonous as they traveled North and the hours seemed never- ending."

What does the word monotonous mean? 

something that is boring or sounds the same

500

" Those with Spanish blood who have the fairest complexions in the land, are the wealthiest" 

People with lighter the skin tones had more power and respect than someone with darker skintone 

500

Why does Esperanza have difficulty accepting the changes happening in her life? 

She is upset that everything is changing so fast