Speak Questions
First Marking Period
1. Name the “clans” that Melinda refers to. Do you think that these “clans/cliques” still exist today in schools?
2. What clan did Melinda used to belong to? What does she call herself now?
2. What happens in the cafeteria that makes Melinda run out of the lunch room?
3. How is Melinda’s attitude in her art class different from her attitude towards her other classes?
4. Describe the globe Mr. Freeman uses in his class, and explain how he uses it.
5. Describe how the students are Merryweather High School treat Melinda. Give at least three examples from the text to support your answer.
6. How does Melinda’s family communicate?
7. Describe Melinda’s new hiding place at school.
8. What did Melinda do that caused everyone at school to hate her?
9. What book does Melinda read on Halloween instead of going trick-or-treating?
Second Marking Period
1. The school has decided to change the school mascot four times. List all three previous mascots that have been used and explain why the school felt they had to change each one.
2. What author has the school district banned from the school library?
3. Explain why David Petrakis walks out of Mr. Neck’s class. Give enough details in your answer to fully explain why he is upset.
3. Describe the art project that Melinda makes with Turkey bones.
4. Who is the “IT” Melinda refers to?
Third Marking Period
1. What animal does Melinda compare herself to whenever she sees Andy?
2. What reason does Heather give Melinda for no longer sitting with her at lunch?
3. Who does gives Melinda a Valentine card on Valentine ’s Day?
4. Who is the one person that Melinda speaks too? Why?
5. Melinda takes inspiration from Picasso in her tree drawing. What unique artistic methods does she take from him and apply to her tree?
6. What is Melinda’s reward for going to all her classes for an entire week?
7. Describe Melinda’s conflict over the party David Petrakis is throwing at his house to celebrate the basketball victory.
8. What was Melinda’s initial reaction to Andy when he approached her at the party?
Fourth Marking Period
1. Why does the PTA want to change the hornet mascot to something else?
2. How does Ivy offer Melinda help?
3. Why does Melinda’s dad always take the taxi to the airport?
4. Using details from the text, describe Melinda’s conflict over whether or not to warn Rachel about Andy.
5. How does Melinda warn Rachel about Andy?
6. What does Melinda do to get put in in-school suspension?
7. What event prompts Melinda to go home, crawl in her closet, bury her face in her clothes, and scream at the top of her lungs?
8. What happened at school that ruins Melinda’s shirt?
9. Describe how students decorate the bathroom stall doors?
10. What has happened to the people who were supposed to help Heather decorate for prom?
11. What conclusions can you draw based on the response to Melinda’s “thread” on the bathroom stall door?
12. Where does Melinda go on her first bike ride?
13. What happened between Rachel and Andy at the prom?
14. The first time Melinda was raped she couldn’t find her voice and she couldn’t find the inner strength to fight back. How does she react when Andy attempts to rape her again?
Speak Vocabulary
First Marking Period
1. Indoctrination
2. Demerit
3. Inconspicuous
4. Sanctuary
5. Errant
6. Wan
7. Pseudo
8. Burrow
9. Inciting
10. Floundering
11. Degrading
Second Marking Period
1. Refurbished
2. Xenophobic
3. Retreat
4. Subjectivity
5. Sensibilities
6. Revolutionary
7. Drone
8. Demure
9. Dormant
Third Marking Period
1. Conundrum
2. Imbeciles
3. Vespiary
4. Dynamics
5. Dense
6. Submission
7. Bigoted
8. Asphyxiated
9. Wistful
10. Reluctance
Fourth Marking Period
1. Consistency
2. Tenacious
3. Genetics
4. Recessive
5. Momentum
6. Foster
7. Conscience
8. Muse
9. Incriminate
10. Delinquency
11. Coaxes
12. Vaguely
13. Reputation
14. Maladjusted
15. Banished
16. Leper
17. Pruning
18. Devious
19. Alleged
20. Hazing