Abuela Invents the Zero
Quiz
•
English
•
8th Grade
•
Practice Problem
•
Medium
+28
Standards-aligned
JAMIE OHARA
Used 672+ times
FREE Resource
About this resource
This quiz focuses on reading comprehension and literary analysis of the short story "Abuela Invents the Zero" by Judith Ortiz Cofer. The assessment is designed for 8th grade students and evaluates their ability to analyze character relationships, interpret textual evidence, make inferences, and understand plot sequence. Students must demonstrate close reading skills by identifying specific passages that support character motivations and emotions, particularly focusing on the complex relationship between a teenage narrator and her visiting grandmother. The questions require students to analyze the narrator's feelings of embarrassment and shame, the father's parenting approach, the mother's emotional response, and Abuela's cultural displacement. Additionally, students must sequence plot events and define vocabulary words in context, showing their understanding of both explicit and implicit story elements. Created by Jamie O'Hara, an English teacher in the US who teaches grade 8. This comprehensive assessment serves multiple instructional purposes, from formative assessment during a literature unit to summative evaluation of students' analytical reading skills. Teachers can use this quiz as homework following class discussion of the story, as a review activity before a larger test on short story elements, or as a warm-up to reinforce key concepts about character development and cultural themes. The quiz effectively supports classroom instruction by requiring students to return to the text for evidence-based answers, promoting careful reading habits essential for literary analysis. The combination of comprehension, inference, vocabulary, and sequencing questions aligns with Common Core standards RL.8.1, RL.8.3, RL.8.4, and RL.8.6, helping students develop the critical thinking skills necessary for analyzing complex literary texts and understanding diverse cultural perspectives.
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17 questions
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1.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
30 sec • 1 pt
Which of the following passages MOST STRONGLY shows Abuela’s lack of familiarity with New Jersey?
“Right up to the time when we’re supposed to pick up the old lady at the airport, my mother is telling me stories about how hard times were for la familia on la isla, and how la abuela worked night and day to support them after their father died of a heart attack.”
“It is January, two feet of snow on the ground, and she’s wearing a shawl over a thick, black dress.”
“It’s like she had a spot picked out for some unknown reason, and although it’s the most inconvenient seat in the house, that’s where she has to sit.”
“She is praying loud, in Spanish, and singing hymns at the top of her creaky voice."
Tags
CCSS.RI.7.1
CCSS.RI.8.1
CCSS.RL.7.1
CCSS.RL.8.1
CCSS.RL.9-10.2
2.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
30 sec • 1 pt
What answer MOST STRONGLY shows about the father’s perspective of his daughter?
The father believes the daughter needs to learn to drive more safely.
The father believes the daughter should be punished for being disagreeable.
The father believes the daughter needs gentle encouragement to do the right thing.
The father believes the daughter should learn to make decisions more quickly.
Tags
CCSS.RL.6.3
CCSS.RL.6.6
CCSS.RL.7.6
CCSS.RL.8.6
CCSS.RL.9-10.3
3.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
30 sec • 1 pt
Which is MOST STRONGLY a similarity between the narrator and Abuela?
Both the narrator and Abuela wear clothes that make them appear small in stature.
Both the narrator and Abuela enjoy telling jokes to family to make them laugh.
Both the narrator and Abuela cover their faces with their hands when embarrassed.
Both the narrator and Abuela walk with small steps to get to church on Sunday.
Tags
CCSS.RL.5.3
CCSS.RL.6.3
CCSS.RL.7.3
CCSS.RL.8.3
CCSS.RL.9-10.3
4.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
30 sec • 1 pt
Which passage BEST identifies the reason the narrator feels guilt at the conclusion of the story?
“Once home, she refuses to let my mother buy her a coat because it’s a waste of money for the two weeks she’ll be in el Polo Norte, as she calls New Jersey, the North Pole.”
“I do have a responsibility to Sandra and Anita, who don’t drive yet.”
“When we get the apartment, my parents are at the kitchen table, where my mother is trying to eat some soup.”
“Your grandmother says to tell you that of all the hurtful things you can do to a person, the worst is to make them feel as if they are worth nothing.”
Tags
CCSS.RI.7.1
CCSS.RI.8.1
CCSS.RL.7.1
CCSS.RL.7.2
CCSS.RL.8.1
5.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
30 sec • 1 pt
Which inference about the narrator’s feelings toward Abuela is BEST supported by the text?
She is hoping to show Abuela about the city.
She is excited to introduce Abuela to her friends.
She is uncertain how to keep Abuela safe.
She is ashamed to be seen with Abuela.
Tags
CCSS.RL.6.3
CCSS.RL.6.6
CCSS.RL.7.6
CCSS.RL.8.6
CCSS.RL.9-10.3
6.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
30 sec • 1 pt
Which sentence from the short story MOST STRONGLY supports the answer to Question 5?
“I try to walk far behind them in public so that no one will think we’re together.”
“There is a Harley Davidson fashion show at Brookline Square we cannot miss.”
“I warm it up for Abuela, as instructed by my parents, and drive it to the front of our building.”
“She doesn’t speak to me on the way home, even though she almost falls a couple times."
Tags
CCSS.RI. 9-10.1
CCSS.RI.7.1
CCSS.RI.8.1
CCSS.RL.7.2
CCSS.RL.8.1
7.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
30 sec • 1 pt
Which of the following BEST describes how the narrator’s mother feels at the conclusion of the story (❡ 16-21)?
The mother is upset by the way her daughter has treated Abuela.
The mother is hopeful her daughter will get to know Abuela better.
The mother is confused by the story her daughter tells her about Abuela.
The mother is grateful to show her daughter photographs of Abuela as a child.
Tags
CCSS.RL.6.3
CCSS.RL.6.6
CCSS.RL.7.6
CCSS.RL.8.6
CCSS.RL.9-10.3
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