Me and Uncle Romie

How does James feel at the beginning of the passage?

• lucky to be leaving home

• angry about missing his birthday

• nervous about going to New York

• happy to be visiting Uncle Romie

How can you tell that this passage is told in first-person point of view?

• because the narrator describes the setting

• because the narrator is the first person to speak

• because the narrator is one of the passage characters

• because the narrator knows every character's thoughts

At the beginning of the passage, what does James think about Uncle Romie's artwork?

• It sounds easy.

• It sounds ugly.

• It sounds important.

• It sounds meaningful.

At first, how does James feel about Uncle Romie?

• He fears and dislikes his uncle intensely.

• He feels an instant connection with his uncle.

• He wishes he could be as talented as his uncle.

• He feels he and his uncle have nothing in common.

Why does Uncle Romie usually close his studio door?

• because he is angry with Aunt Nanette

• because he doesn't want to be disturbed

• because he is unhappy about James's visit

• because he fears someone will copy his work

How does James react when he learns Aunt Nanette will miss his birthday?

• He tries to take a train home.

• He feels homesick and lonely.

• He asks Aunt Nanette to stay home.

• He knows he'll have fun with Uncle Romie.

Why is first-person point of view important in the sentences below? I saw saxophones, birds, fire escapes, and brown faces. It's Harlem, I thought. The people, the music, the rooftops, and the stoops. Looking at Uncle Romie's paintings, I could feel Harlem, its beat and bounce.

• It is the only way to describe art accurately.

• It shows how James feels about his uncle's art.

• It shows how Uncle Romie feels about his art.

• It is the only way to describe Harlem accurately.

What happens when James and Uncle Romie have breakfast together?

• They have an argument.

• They learn about each other.

• Uncle Romie teaches James how to paint.

• James tells Uncle Romie he wants to go home.

Which sentence describes a change in the way James feels about Uncle Romie?

• "My Uncle Romie stayed hidden away in his studio."

• "Lying in the dark, I heard heavy footsteps in the hall."

• "It turns out Uncle Romie knows all about baseball—he was even a star pitcher in college."

• "Uncle Romie didn't know about cakes or baseball games or anything except his dumb old paintings."

Which sentence BEST expresses the theme, or message, of the passage?

• Sometimes our first impressions of people can be wrong.

• Cities are more exciting places to live than small towns.

• Aunts are usually easier to relate to than uncles are.

• Feeling homesick is a natural part of growing up.