“The Last Spin”
1.What was the relationship of the boys at the beginning?
3.What do they realize about each other?
4.How do they feel about each other before the last spin? How do we know this?
5.How do Danny and Tigo start to discover what they have in common?
6.Although Danny and Tigo are afraid to go on with the "game", they do, and even change the rules making it more dangerous. Why?
7.Do the boys have reason to be enemies? Are they really enemies?
8.Compare the relationship between the boys at the beginning of the story to how they feel about each other at the end.
9.How is their relationship with one another different to their relationship with the gang?
10.Why do Danny and Tigo join gangs?
11.Why is "territory" so important that these boys are willing to die for it?
12.What is the boys dilemma?
13.How does the author create suspense in the story?
14.What solution did both of them agree to before the last spin?
“The Last Spin”
Answer the following questions.
1. What word is repeated often in the opening two paragraphs?
2. What evidence is there that this story is set in the past?
3. Aside from their jackets there is little description of Dave and Tigo. How do you imagine these two to look like in your minds-eye as you read the story?
4. Why are they having this ‘match’, this ‘game’?
6. Why does Tigo keep ‘upping the odds’ by putting more bullets in the gun?
7. Both men are understandably nervous. Find some examples that show this taken from the text.
8. How does their attitude towards their clubs change over the story?
9. Find the moment in the story where Dave and Tigo’s relationship changes for the better.
11. Did you like the story? Give some examples/reasons from the story.
12. What about the ending of the story, what do you think would have been a better ending?
13. Why does Tigo hang his head and weep at the end?
14. Find as many slang words you can from the story. Then try to figure out what they may mean.
15. From the context, guess the meaning of these words:
abruptly
hastily
complicated______
the Bronx______
incredulous ______