Thank You, M'am by Langston Hughes

What does Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones mean when she says to Roger, "Shoes come by devilish like that will burn your feet?"

• She means getting shoes that way will hurt your feet and that Roger should find another way to get the shoes.

• She means getting things in a dishonest way will have bad consequences.

• She means Roger will not get in trouble for what he has done.

Make an Inference: Why does Roger want to go to the store for Mrs. Jones?

• Roger wants to use it as a chance to finally escape from Mrs. Jones.

• Roger wants to repay Mrs. Jones kindness by doing something nice for her.

• Roger wants to take the money and buy some shoes instead of going to the store.

Recall: What happened when Roger tried to steal Mrs. Jones's purse?

• Mrs. Jones shakes him until his teeth begin to rattle.

• Roger gets away and runs into the cops on the next block.

• The strap breaks from the tug Roger gives it and he falls to the ground while holding it.

In "Thank you, Ma'm", how do Mrs. Jones and Roger first meet each other?

• They met at school career day

• They met at a church social

• They met when she tried to break up a street fight between Roger and his friend

• They met when she was coming home from work late at night and he crept up on her.

Which of the following words best describes Mrs. Jones's first reaction to being surprised by Roger?

• happiness

• confusion

• fear

• anger

What reason does Roger give for what he tried to do to Mrs. Jones?

• He was out for an adventure.

• He wanted a new bicycle.

• He wanted a pair of special shoes.

• He needed lunch money for school.

What do these lines show about Roger?

"Ain't you got nobody to tell you to wash your face?"

"No'm," said the boy.

• He is shy.

• He is not cared for well at home.

• He has trouble telling the truth.

• He has a good sense of humor.

What does Mrs. Jones do when the boy struggles to get away?

• She jerks him around in front of her, wrestles him with one arm, and drags him up the street.
• She shouts very loudly for help, frightening the boy into staying at her side.
• She warns him that she will call the police and that they will track him down.
• She hits him over the head and knocks him to the ground.

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After Mrs. Jones tells Roger that he could simply have asked for the shoes, the author writes, "the boy looked at her. There was a long pause. A very long pause."

What can be inferred about Roger from this pause?

• He is surprised and a little confused by her offer.

• He is growing ever more suspicious of her.

• He is so unused to washing his face that he forgets to dry it.

• He is waiting for the right moment to run out of the house.

What can be inferred about Mrs. Jones when she makes a point of telling Roger about having done bad things when she was young?

• She was hoping to join Roger in a life of crime.

• She was very lonely and needed someone to talk to.

• She believed that sharing that part of her past would help Roger to trust her.

• Feeling that Roger had lied to her, she told him a lie in return.