Why the caged bird sings
Introduction
This text is an ______from the ______Newsweek. It was ______by Alan Zarembo and was ______on September 10,2001.
It tells the ______of Ana (not her real name), a young ______woman who illegally emigrated to the US. In this article, the journalist chose to tell Ana’s story to underline the difficult choices and sacrifices that illegals are faced with.
I – The hard life of illegals: we will first of all analyze the dreadful living conditions of illegal immigrants when they first arrive in the US.
Traveling conditions: Ana left ______and crossed the ______. Then, she had to cross the Arizona ______. Then she went to ______hidden in a car. Finally she ended up in ______.
Find three words showing that traveling conditions were dreadful for Ana.
- ______
- ______
- ______
When did she move to the US? How old was she at the time?
______.
The financial problem
Why did Ana choose to emigrate to the US? Explain and quote to justify.
______.
Explain what a smuggler is. What is his role?
______.
II- Climbing up the social ladder
Hard work: Pick out elements showing that Ana had to work very hard when she arrived.
- ______
- ______
- ______
But then, as in any success story, she climbed up the social ladder.
Explain why we can say that, to a certain point, she embodies the American Dream. Include quotations in your answer.
______.
Social recognition
Pick out elements showing that Ana achieved a certain social status and that her social and financial situation has improved.
- ______
- ______
- ______
III- A torn family: if her finanicial situation has improved over the years, the opposite may be said about her personal life.
Her family life
Children (names and ages): ______
When was the last time she saw her children? Why? ______
______.
Who brings them up? ______
Quote at least four elements showing that, thanks to Ana, her family are better off now.
- ______
- ______
- ______
- ______
Does Ana’s mother regret her daughter’s leaving Mexico?
______.
A resented family: Her family is resented in Mexico. The words resented, resentment are used twice (lines 16 and 43). Explain why people are jealous and resentful.
______.
Besides, there is a contrast between Ana’s situation (she makes friends) and her daughter’s, who says: ‘______’.
What do you think about Ana’s daughter’s sentence?
______.
A feeling of alienation: pick out elements in the text showing that Ana got used to the American way of life and that she is alienated (=détachée psychologiquement) from her country.
______.
Conclusion: Even though this is a very sensitive subject, the journalist gives a fairly neutral factual account of Ana’s situation, and he avoids pathos (=tonalité larmoyante) to move (=émouvoir) the reader.
Vocabulary to find in the text => words to remember
atteindre : ______
sans papiers: ______
se rappeler: ______
ville natale: ______
une cabane: ______
être rempli(e) de: ______
consommation: ______
de peur que: ______
admettre: ______
le revenu: ______