Growing Up

Where was Gary Soto born?

• Charleston, SC

• Fresno, California

• Las Vegas, Nevada

• Anywhere, USA

How did Soto gain a love for poems?

• He has always loved poetry.

• He found a book of poems in the library one day.

• He has written poems since he was a baby.

• His teacher made him write poetry.

What does Gary Soto consider to be the "joy of being a writer"?

• He does not have joy.

• The joy of being a writer is to take things he sees and hears and then rearrange them.

• The joy of being a writer is that he loves to write.

• The joy of being a writer is that he makes money by selling many books and being a popular author.

What does Gary Soto consider to be "the finest praise"?

• Money

• School and Education

• When a reader says that he or she can "see" his stories.

• Sunlight & Exercise

With whom does Soto want his readers to have connections to when they read his books?

• his family

• his pets

• the world

• his characters in his stories and poems

What is a major theme of "Oranges" by Gary Soto?

• The challenges of growing up

• The importance of wealth

• The complexity of technology

• The impact of climate change

How does Gary Soto summarize the key points in "Oranges"?

• By detailing the economic aspects of orange farming

• Through the narrative of a young boy's first experience with love

• By comparing the boy's life to the girl's life

• Through a series of flashbacks to the boy's childhood

How does the author use figurative language to enhance the theme of growth in "Oranges"?

• By comparing the boy's journey to the ripening of an orange

• Through the use of similes that compare the boy to a seasoned traveler

• By employing metaphors that liken love to a sweet fruit

• Through the symbolic use of winter turning to spring

What inference can be made about the boy's socioeconomic status in "Oranges"?

• He comes from a wealthy family

• He is of middle-class status

• His family struggles financially

• His socioeconomic status is unclear

What is a common theme in literature about 'Growing Up'?

• A) The inevitability of change

• B) The importance of wealth

• C) The complexity of technology

• D) The impact of climate change