Vocabulary:

Select the word that best completes the sentence.

  1. The affluentfamily next door had a big house and and expensive car.
  2. The commencementspeaker told the graduates to work hard.
  3. My dream came to fruition when I was voted class president.
  4. The tears in her eyes made it obvious that something was wrong.
  5. My family has a mutual agreement to eat lunch together every Sunday.
  6. On vacation, I always have time to relax and reflect on life.
  7. I feel obligated to tell the truth because honesty is important.
  8. The girl had an early interest in airplanes, perhaps foreshadowing her later career as a pilot.
  9. She had an uncanny resemblance to someone I had seen before.
  10. The civil rights movement marked a period of social upheaval in the U.S.
  11. Right now a new car is a luxury that I can't afford.
  12. Tristan purchased a charming bucolic farmhouse in the countryside.
  13. People are attracted to the area by the proximity of several beaches.

Word Bank:

LuxuryAffluentUncannyProximityCommencementFruitionObvious

ObligatedMutualReflectForeshadowingUpheavalBucolic

Affluent v. Luxury

Choose the word that best completes the sentence. Remember, “luxury” typically describes THINGS, and “affluent” usually refers to PEOPLE or ORGANIZATIONS.

  1. An iPhone is a ______--you don’t need one to survive!
  2. Affluent
  3. Luxury
  1. Because he is an ______man, Bill Gates can afford an iPhone.
  2. Affluent
  3. Luxury
  1. I wish I were ______enough to travel to a new country each month!
  2. Affluent
  3. Luxury
  1. The ______hotel room was filled with the most comfortable accommodations: a king-sized bed, a flat screen tv, and even a PS4!
  2. Affluent
  3. Luxury

Matching: Vocabulary

In the space provided, write the vocabulary word that matches the definition.

  1. Indicating or hinting about a future event Foreshadowing
  2. Very strange & difficult to explain uncanny
  3. Nearness in distance or time proximity
  4. A great comfort or pleasure that you may want but do not need luxury
  5. Relating to a pleasant countryside bucolic
  6. A very big change that often causes problems upheaval
  7. Having plenty of money affluent
  8. A beginning or a graduation ceremony commencement
  9. The point at which a plan is successfully completed fruition
  10. Easy to notice or understand obvious
  11. Shared by two or more people mutual
  12. To think carefully about something reflect
  13. Feeling that you must do something because it is considered right obligated

Reading Questions:

  1. Who is the author of "Of Beetles and Angels"? MawiAsgedom
  2. In "Of Beetles and Angels" the author's purpose was to

○Persuade

○Inform

○Entertain

  1. Who is the author of “Funny in Farsi”? Firoozeh Dumas
  2. In “Funny in Farsi” the author’s purpose was to

○Persuade

○Inform

○Entertain

  1. Where did MawiAsgedom go to college? Harvard
  2. What state did Firoozeh and her family move to from Iran? California
  3. How did Mawi's mother feel about leaving their home in Ethiopia. How do you know? Sad, upset, forlorn, etc. The text indicates that Asgedom’s mother kissed the house and laid her hands upon it before she left, and that she seemed to be in a trance. This behavior shows us that she was not happy about leaving her home.
  4. Boys in Firoozeh's class beg her to teach them bad words in Farsi. What does "man kharam" mean? I’m an idiot.
  5. Who told Mawito "always remember where he came from"? His Mother
  6. What did Firoozeh tell her classmate about her family's camels? That they had a one hump and a two hump (which was their family station wagon) and that they kept them in the garage.
  7. What did the advice “remember where you came from” mean? To remember that you are part of a “human community” and that we are “obligated to give something back” to that community--that we should be sure to help others.
  8. What is Farsi? Farsi is the native language of Firoozeh Dumas’ home country Iran.
  9. Mawi was born in Ethiopia. Where did the family go after that? Sudan/A Sudanese refugee camp.
  10. What country is Firoozeh Dumas from? Iran
  11. Mawi said we are obligated to ______our community. Give something back to

Possible Essay Questions: Answers Will Vary

I will choose two of these short essay questions for your test this week. Practice each one so that you are prepared for the test. Each answer should be at least 1-2 paragraphs long (5-8 sentences per paragraph) and should include two pieces of text evidence. Don’t forget: It’s always better to OVER explain a piece of evidence than to under explain! Don’t be afraid of writing too much!

Funny in Farsi:

What does the author mean in paragraph 7 when she says, “I, however, never punched anybody with my fists.”? Support your answer with at least two pieces of text evidence. Don’t forget to explain your evidence!

How does Dumas react to her classmates’ curiosity? Compose your answer using at least two examples from the text. Don’t forget to explain your evidence!

Of Beetles and Angels:

What does Asgedom say is the most important lesson he learned at Harvard? Provide at least two details from the text that he uses to express how important this lesson was. Don’t forget to explain your evidence!

Explain the meaning of the line, “a butterfly flapping its wings in Japan can cause a hurricane in Louisiana,” from paragraph 21. What examples does the author give to elaborate on (explain) this idea. Use at least two pieces of text evidence. Don’t forget to explain your evidence.