Smuggling and Customs: A Story Analysis

The story revolves around an old lady who crosses the border daily on a lambreta with a bag of sand. The customs officer suspects her of smuggling but finds only sand each time. Despite his experience, he can't figure out her scheme. Eventually, it's revealed that the real contraband is the lambretas themselves, which she smuggles by diverting attention to the sand bags. The story highlights the themes of cleverness and deception in smuggling.

What was the old lady's daily routine?

• Crossing the border with a sack on her Lambretta

• Selling goods at the market

• Visiting her grandchildren

• Going to the doctor

Why did the customs officer become suspicious of the old lady?

• She had a new Lambretta every day

• She crossed the border every day with a sack

• She was always smiling

• She was always in a hurry

What did the old lady claim was in the sack?

• Clothes

• Food

• Toys

• Sand

How did the customs officer verify the contents of the sack?

• He used a scanner

• He emptied the sack

• He asked her to open it

• He weighed the sack

For how long did the officer intercept the old lady?

• One month

• Two months

• One week

• Two weeks

What did the officer promise the old lady in exchange for revealing her secret?

• To help her with the sack

• To let her pass without inspection

• A new Lambretta

• Money

What was the old lady actually smuggling?

• Clothes

• Food

• Jewelry

• Lambretta scooters

What literary techniques did the author use in the story?

• Humor and irony

• Hyperbole and understatement

• Alliteration and assonance

• Metaphor and simile

What does the story suggest about people at the border?

• They are always honest

• They are never suspected

• They can be very clever

• They are always caught

What does the story highlight about the economic and political situation in Brazil?

• The friendliness of the people

• The strictness of the laws

• The wealth of the country

• The prevalence of contraband