Birthday Wishes (IOBA p.30-31)

In the first line of the poem, Ha says, “Wishes I keep to myself.” What can you infer about Ha’s character based on this phrase? (RL 8.1)

• Ha is shy.

• Ha is private about her hopes.

• Ha likes to keep secrets.

• Ha likes to have people guess her thoughts.

What do you think the word chiding means in this context of the sixth stanza of the poem?(RL8.4) “Wish Mother would stop / chiding me to stay calm, / which makes it worse.”

• Scolding

• Whispering

• Calming

• Positive

What evidence in the text helped you figure out what “chiding” meant in that context? (RL 8.4)

• The text states that mother makes it worse when she chides me to stay calm

• Calm means quiet.

• Mother is very soft spoken and spoils Ha.

• The text states that Ha gets upset when her brothers say mean things.

Based on Stanzas 8 and 9 of “Birthday Wishes” Ha writes, “Wish Father would come home….” Which of the following statements explains why she wants him to return? (RL 8.1)

• Ha wants her father to return home so that her mother’s permanent frown” to be lifted and she will be happy again

• Ha wants her father to return home and the war to end

• Ha wants her father to return home so that her mother will be nice to her.

• Ha wants her father to return home to bring her a present.

Ha writes of seven wishes.

Based on these seven wishes, and other things you know about Ha, which of the following best describes her character? (RL 8.1)

• She selfishly wishes for things to make her happy.

• She is a complex character who wishes for both childlike and serious things.

• Her wishes show that she wants to please others.

• She is unrealistic and just wishes for impossible things.

Which of the following quotes most strongly supports the answer to question #5?

• “Wish I could lose my chubby cheeks.”

• “Wish I could stay calm no matter what my brothers say.”

• “Wish I could let my hair grow, Mostly I wish Father would appear in our doorway and make Mother’s lips curl upward.”

• “Wish that my Father would come home so I can stop daydreaming that he will appear in my classroom.”