The text: Big Finish

Which piece of textual evidence best supports the idea that the narrator feels left out by her older sister and cousin?

• I like to sit at the kitchen table and draw while she cooks breakfast or washes dishes.

• Marti used to play with me, but lately all she wants to do is talk to Kenza about kissing and other stuff I'm not supposed to know about.

• I try asking Kenza and Marti about the triple bypass, but they yell, 'Go away!'

• Even though I'm almost six, Mom and Grandma can still pick me up and carry me places.

What inference can be made about the narrator’s relationship with Grandma based on the text?

• She sees Grandma as a source of comfort and emotional support.

• She feels that Grandma is too busy with other family members.

• She does not trust Grandma because she forgets things easily.

• She is annoyed that Grandma only listens to Aunt Trudy.

Which sentence from the text best supports the idea that the narrator is still developing an understanding of loss?

• Sometimes I wish I got to grow up on Terra and get bigger.

• I hear Mom make a noise that’s like yelling and crying together. It scares me, and I start to cry too.

• The lady is talking about how things used to be on Terra, but when the numbers get to ten she is quiet.

• My family has been talking about the Big Finish for months and months, and I am tired of hearing about it.

Which statement best expresses a theme of the story?

• The past can shape one's identity, even when memories of it are unclear.

• Growing up means understanding that family is not always supportive.

• Change is inevitable, but it is always exciting and hopeful.

• Being small can be both an advantage and a disadvantage in life.

How does the setting of the story contribute to the theme of identity and belonging?

• Mars represents the narrator’s new home, but she struggles with her connection to Terra.

• She dislikes Mars and wants to return to Terra.

• The family’s gathering shows that they are unaffected by their past on Terra.

• She feels entirely disconnected from Terra and does not care about its destruction.

How does the destruction of Terra help develop the theme of loss in the story?

• It forces the narrator to confront emotions she does not fully understand.

• It makes her happy because she never lived on Terra.

• It does not affect her, as she is too young to care.

• It leads to a family argument that distracts from the event.

How does the narrator’s attempt to ask Kenza and Marti about the triple bypass affect the story?

• It shows that she is eager to learn, even if others ignore her.

• It shifts the story’s focus to Kenza and Marti’s conversation.

• She no longer trusts her family after what happened.

What does the moment when Grandma picks up the narrator after the Big Finish reveal about her character?

• She still finds comfort in physical closeness and familiarity.

• She no longer trusts her family after what happened.

• She is eager to move on and play with her cousins.

• She feels completely disconnected from the event.

What effect does Uncle Joe’s arrival have on the narrator?

• It transforms her boredom into excitement and joy.

• It increases her frustration with her family.

• It makes her question her place in the family.

• It forces her to reflect on her childhood memories.

How does the narrator’s limited understanding of the Big Finish create dramatic irony in the story?

• The reader understands the significance of Terra’s destruction, but the narrator only partially grasps it.

• She knows more about the event than the adults do.

• She has the same level of understanding as the audience.

• She believes Terra’s destruction is funny, while the adults are sad.