Fish Cheeks

How does the narrator's description of the cod in paragraph 3 impact the tone of the passage?

• She describes it as “slimy” and pathetic, which contributes to the angry tone of the passage.

• She describes it as “slimy” with “bulging eyes,” which contributes to the horrified tone of the passage.

• She describes it as pleading with big “bulging eyes,” which contributes to the pitying tone of the passage.

• She describes it as pleading not to be cooked, which contributes to the mocking tone of the passage.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.3.4

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

How does the narrator’s point of view affect how the events are described in the passage?

• She is nervous to have the boy she likes over for Christmas dinner, and so the text focuses entirely on the boy’s reactions.

• She is bored with her family’s old Chinese traditions and wants to try new modern customs, and this affects how she focuses on being more “American.”

• She is excited to have the minister’s son over for Christmas, and this excitement causes her to criticize every little detail of her mother’s cooking.

• She is embarrassed by her family’s Chinese customs, and this shame influences how she describes the food and her family’s behavior.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.3.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

PART A: What does the word “despair” mean as used in paragraph 5?

• shock

• misery

• frustration

• disgust

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RI.5.4

CCSS.RI.6.4

PART B: Which of the following quotes best supports the answer to Part A?

• “Robert grunted hello, and I pretended he was not worthy of existence.” (Paragraph 4)

• “My relatives licked the ends of their chopsticks and reached across the table” (Paragraph 5)

• “I was stunned into silence for the rest of the night.” (Paragraph 6)

• “how much I had suffered during the evening’s dinner” (Paragraph 8)

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RF.5.4C

CCSS.RI.4.1

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RL.5.2

What does paragraph 8 reveal about the narrator’s character development?

• After the dinner, she realizes that the minister’s son is not as friendly as she thought.

• As an adult, she regrets trying to fit in with other Americans and losing her identity.

• Years later, she learns to appreciate her family and her Chinese American identity.

• Years later, she learns to love her mother’s cooking, which she previously hated.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.7.3