A Work in Progress

What excuse does Aimee Mullins' teacher give for not wanting her back in class after her operation?

• Mullins was not well enough to come back to school.
• Caring for her will take up too much class time.
• Other students will hurt Mullins by making fun of her.
• The author’s casts and wheelchair will be a distraction.

In “A Work in Progress,” why is the Mullins shocked by what the man who calls and asks her to give a speech says?

• He does not want her to make any jokes about her legs.
• He would prefer that she not show any signs of vulnerability.
• He does not think that anyone will like her if she seems confident.
• He wants her to present her speech from a wheelchair.

What is the main message (theme) of "A Work in Progress"?

• New prosthetic legs are terrific
• Normal is boring.
• Accepting your differences can help you succeed.
• If you lower your expectations you won't be disappointed

What passage from “A Work in Progress” best supports the answer to the previous question?

• I was the white flash. I didn’t wanna feel hundreds of eyes staring at me.
• I set 3 world records with those legs & they were not human looking at all.
• It would’ve been a lot easier for me to fit into what “normal” looked like.
• I’m walking in Manhattanand I get this tug on my shirt, and look down.

Based on the details in “A Work in Progress,” what is most likely true about the author?

• She refuses to admit that she has any faults.
• She had to overcome a fear of public speaking.
• She secretly still wishes she doesn’t need prosthetics.
• She inspires other people with her actions

What detail from “A Work in Progress” best supports the answer to the previous question?

• A child chooses surgery to walk better after seeing the author’s legs.
• The author turns down a speaking engagement after a man offends her.
• The nurses caring for the author as a child would agree she is a daredevil.
• The author uses her legs to help her float until she can get help.

Which excerpt from “A Work in Progress” is the clearest example of hyperbole?

• I’m not talking about skin color; I’m talkingabout the color white.
• I had these wooden legs with a rubber foot that the toes broke off of.
• She gets on the computer and Googles “new leg,”
• They were the bane of my existence.

Which excerpt from “A Work in Progress” is an example of how Mulllins' uses a literary technique to create humor?

• She needed to make me invisible because she wanted to control her environment.
• “Aimee, we got waterproof legs for you. No more rusty bolts!”
• All I could think to do was pop off these legs & put one under each armpit.
• “No, you can see the knee joint when you walk. It doesn’t look right."

What problem did Aimee have with her waterproof legs?

• They were white
• They were ugly
• They didn't fit
• They were buoyant

What makes Aimee's parents stop asking her to hide her legs?

• Other family members tell her she looks nice in a dress
• The doctor tells them too
• She buys her own clothes, so they have no choice
• They decide they like the way her new legs look