Listen Slowly

What inference can you make about Mai's character from the first four paragraphs?

• Mai really appreciates the Vietnam culture and is supportive of her grandma's quest

• Mai has a bad attitude about Vietnam and does not appreciate the culture, she is also not sympathetic about her grandma's quest for her missing husband

• As a reader I can infer that Mai loves the Vietnam culture and especially is greatful for the sticky rice and mung beans

• Mai seems really understanding and is happy to be at Vietnam

What is the meaning of the blue tiles on the wall to Ba?

• The blue tiles are significant because Ba and her husband Ong promised that if they would ever get separated they would rejoin under the blue goddess. This reunion never took place and Ba does not know what happened to Ong

• The blue tiles are meaningful becasue it reminds Ba of a blue sky back when things were better before the war

• The blue tiles are significant becase it is Ba's favorite color and also because it reminds her of Ong's blue eyes

• The blue tiles have no meaning to Ba after all they are just tiles

How does Mai's perspective change by the end of the selection ?

• By the end of the selection Mai finds her grandma annoying and she wishes she could go back Laguna Beach

• Their was no change in Mais attitude she is a very stubborn person and is stuck in her ways

• Mais attitude at the end of the selection is indifferent she did not care at the beginning and does not care at the end

• By the end Mai finds her grandma's strength words and habits soothing rather that irritating . For example at the end the scent of tiger balm tingly and soothing

What is the definition of the word pungent as it is used in paragraph 5?

• not very strong

• something that is bland

• something that has a sharp or stinging smell because she is describing the tiger balm

• something with no significant smell, pretty much odorless

What is the meaning of the word vowed as it is used in paragraph 16?

• The word vowed means betrayal, Ba feels a sense of betrayal because Ong was suppose to meet her under the blue goddess but she has not heard from him

• I think the word vowed means ignore because Ba wants to ignore reality and live in the past

• I think the word vowed means promised, it is used to describe a deal Ba makes with herself she will release her grief when she knows what happened to Ong

• the word vowed means uncertainty because Ba is uncertain she will see Ong again

In paragraph 18, the narrator uses _________ instead of sarcasm.

• humor

• figurative language

• questions

• dialect patterns

What is the effect of the shift in the narrator's voice in paragraph 18- 20 ?

• The narrator becomes less like her grandmother

• The narrator understands her grandmothers actions

• The narrator becomes more like her grandmother

• The narrator judges her grandmothers actions

In the beginning of the selection what is Mai's attitude towards Vietnamese food?

• She loves it and cannot get enough of it

• she is complaining and not very appreciative

• she wants to learn more about how to cook the rice

• She likes pizza better

What does the word anointed mean in paragraph 4?

• not believing in something

• the word anointed means to give power to

• the act of finding something meaningless

• a strong smell or odor

Ba feels very strongly about tiger balm, she feels it can help with many things except

• headaches

• fungus

• backaches

• joint aches