Ode to Pablo’s Tennis Shoes by Gary Soto

List three everyday, common things for which they are grateful.

Pick one of your “common things” and explain why it’s important to you.

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They wait under Pablo’s bed,  Rain-beaten, sun-beaten,  

A scuff of green 

At their tips 

5 From when he fell 

In the school yard.  

He fell leaping for a football  That sailed his way.  

But Pablo fell and got up,  

10 Green on his shoes,  

With the football  

Out of reach. 

What do lines 1 through 12 suggest about the tennis shoes?

• They do not fit Pablo.

• They are not Pablo’s favorites.

• They remind Pablo of his family. 

• They keep a record of Pablo’s experiences.

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Read lines 25 through 28 of the poem below.

He wants to be

Like his shoes

A little dirty

From the road,

What do these lines mainly suggest about Pablo?

• He wants to lead an adventurous life

• He wants to have more time alone

• He wants to take fewer showers.

• He wants to see foreign places

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Read lines 37 and 38 below.  

 

Rubber like  

A lifeboat on rough sea.

What is the main effect of comparing the rubber on the shoes to a lifeboat? 

• It shows that the shoes can float.  

• It shows that the shoes provide safety.

• It shows that the shoes have become neglected.

• It shows that the shoes have become stretched. 

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Why is this poem called “Ode to Pablo’s Tennis Shoes”?

• It praises Pablo’s efforts in school.

• It shows Pablo’s affection for his shoes.

• It shows sympathy for Pablo’s football accident.

• It describes Pablo’s relationship with his mother.

Which of the following pairs best describes the cause of Pablo’s exhaustion? 

•  illness and working

• worry and sadness

• play and studying

• travel and sleeplessness

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What is the purpose of the parentheses in lines 22 through 24?  

• to provide additional details

• to represent the main idea of the poem

• to represent the turning point of the poem

•  to provide the thoughts of other characters 

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In line 18, the author uses the word “snuggle” to show

• Pablo feels bad he neglects his shoes

• Pablo should take better care of his shoes 

• Pablo knows his shoes help him be active

• Pablo has love and affection for his shoes

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