The Book of Unknown Americans

Which statement best describes the narrator’s internal conflict in the story?

• The narrator is pressured by his family about feeling Panamanian and by his peers about not being American, yet he feels more American than Panamanian.

• The narrator implies feeling confused when his family appears proud to become American citizens at the courthouse.

• The narrator discusses feeling more American than Panamanian, yet his father gets angry when accused of being an American.

• The narrator states that he cannot remember anything about living in Panama like his brother who reminisces about his memories.

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Rafael (the dad) cancels a trip to attend his high school reunion in Panama because he is...

• worried about losing his job if he takes too much time off from work.

• afraid that someone tried to blow up a plane two days before he was supposed to leave

• upset that the neighborhood in his home city has been destroyed

• angry about a conversation he had with a former classmate about his plans

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The novel’s title, The Book of Unknown Americans, emphasizes the idea in the excerpt that the characters struggle to

• find out about their past

• locate their other family members

• fit in with their new culture

• return to their former home

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Which character in the story shows the strongest desire to visit Panama?

• Mayor (main character)

• Enrique (brother)

• Celia (mom)

• Rafael (dad)

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“They think we’re Americans now. And maybe we are! Maybe we don’t belong there anymore after all.”

What causes the father to make this statement?

• The father regrets leaving Panama because he now knows that his classmates are angry that he left.

• The father misunderstands what the class president is trying to say and assumes that he is jealous that the father left Panama and became an American citizen.

• The class president suggests that an American citizenship has no value.

• The class president accuses the father of being better than everyone who stayed in Panama because the father left and became an American citizen.

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In paragraph 22, the word conferring comes from a Latin root word that means to...

• count

• believe

• argue

• talk

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Which definition most closely matches the way the word froth is used in paragraph 22?

froth \frôth\ n 1. a fit of anger or vexation 2. something unsubstantial or trivial 3. salivary foam released as a result of disease or exhaustion 4. high prices unwarranted by economic fundamentals

• definition 1

• definition 2

• definition 3

• none of these

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As used in paragraph 25, what does the word recruit mean?

• to hire

• to strengthen

• to enlist

• to renew

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What lesson does the narrator learn when his family goes to the beach?

• His mother likes living in America even though she misses her old home.

• His family now feels more at home in Delaware than in Panama.

• American beaches are more beautiful than beaches in Panama.

• Enrique is materialistic because he is only concerned with his sneakers.

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Cause: The narrator’s father sees the airplanes flying into the towers on television.

What was the EFFECT of this happening?

• The narrator’s father realizes he doesn’t belong in Panamá anymore

• The last trip that is planned to visit Panamá is canceled.

• The family makes a life in their new home and does not want to move again.

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