WorksheetsRefugee
Total questions: 56
Worksheet time: 28mins
Isabel: Describe the repercussions of the collapse of the Soviet Union for Cuba in the 1990s.
Cuba entered a period of scarcity with shortages of food, fuel, and jobs after losing Soviet support
Cuba immediately prospered as new American businesses opened nationwide
Cuba was annexed by another country and placed under foreign military rule
Cuba experienced a brief recession but quickly returned to pre‑1990 living standards
Isabel: What were Iván and his father building, for what purpose, and was this allowed by the authorities?
A homemade boat to flee to the United States; it was illegal
A government‑approved fishing trawler to boost the economy; it was encouraged
A community stage for music festivals; it was permitted with a license
A private taxi to earn money in Havana; it was legal with registration
Isabel: How did Isabel try to make money for her family before they left?
By playing her trumpet for tips on the street
By selling imported electronics at a market stall
By working nights in a factory outside Havana
By renting rooms to tourists in their home
Isabel: During the riot, who saved Isabel from being hit by a police officer’s baton?
Luis Castillo, Iván’s older brother who was a police officer
A foreign journalist covering the protest
An American tourist standing nearby
A local shopkeeper who pulled her into a store
Isabel: Where were Isabel and her family planning to go, and how did they plan to get there?
To the United States by crossing the sea in a homemade boat
To Mexico by taking buses through the countryside
To Spain by applying for travel visas at the embassy
To Jamaica by booking tickets on a ferry
Isabel: Approximately how many miles would their sea journey to the United States be?
About 90 miles
About 190 miles
About 45 miles
About 250 miles
Isabel: What is clave in Cuban music?
The rhythmic pattern that holds the music together, often played on two wooden sticks
A fast dance step unique to Havana street festivals
A type of trumpet solo used to start a song
A lullaby rhythm used only in religious ceremonies
Isabel: How did they avoid being struck by the oncoming tanker at sea?
They signaled frantically until the crew saw them and turned while they paddled out of its path
They dropped anchor and let the tanker pass directly over them
They set their boat on fire to force a rescue
They used a motor to outrun the tanker for several miles
Isabel: Who fell overboard during the voyage, and who went into the water to rescue them?
Isabel’s father fell overboard and Isabel jumped in to help pull him back
Iván fell overboard and the captain dove in to save him
Señor Castillo fell overboard and no one could reach him
Isabel’s mother fell overboard and her grandmother rescued her
Isabel: What happened to Isabel’s abuelita during the journey?
She died on the voyage and the family committed her to the sea
She decided to return to Cuba before they launched
She was arrested by the Coast Guard and deported
She was rescued by a passing cruise ship and taken to Miami
Isabel: Where did they land instead of Miami, and how did the people there help them in a way?
In the Bahamas, where locals quietly gave them water and supplies but urged them to leave quickly
In Puerto Rico, where police immediately granted them visas
In Jamaica, where fishermen towed them to a detention center
In the Florida Keys, where U.S. officials escorted them to mainland Miami
Isabel: Who was attacked by sharks during the voyage, and what was the outcome?
Iván was attacked by sharks and died from his wounds
Isabel was attacked but survived with minor injuries
Señor Castillo was attacked and rescued with serious injuries
A Coast Guard diver was attacked while helping them
Mahmoud: How was Aleppo described before the war?
A modern, bustling city with shops, schools, and apartments
A sparsely populated desert town with few services
A tourist beach city known for resorts
A remote mountain village cut off from roads
Mahmoud: Why were Mahmoud and Khalid attacked, particularly Khalid?
Because bullies thought Khalid looked like a rebel and targeted him for his appearance
Because they were carrying large sums of money
Because they were mistaken for foreign journalists
Because they were breaking a citywide curfew
Mahmoud: Why does Mahmoud believe it is safer not to have friends in Syria in 2015?
Being invisible draws less attention and reduces the chance of being targeted
Friends can demand too much time from studies
The government required students to study alone
Having friends made it hard to leave Aleppo
Mahmoud: Which actions best describe Mahmoud’s seven‑minute prayer ritual during the escape?
Standing to recite verses
Bowing at the waist
Kneeling and touching the forehead to the ground
Lighting candles and singing hymns
Mahmoud: What caused the exterior wall of Mahmoud’s apartment to be gone?
An airstrike or shell exploded, blowing out the wall
A house fire slowly weakened the structure over weeks
An earthquake leveled the building earlier that year
Demolition crews removed it to widen the street
Mahmoud: When their building was hit, what did Mahmoud’s mother choose to do while Mahmoud took his brother and sister to escape?
Stay behind briefly to collect a few belongings and documents
Run first to the street and leave the rest behind
Hide in a closet and wait for soldiers to leave
Go to a neighbor’s flat to ask for food
Mahmoud: Where were Mahmoud and his family planning to go, and how did they intend to travel?
To Germany by traveling through Turkey and crossing to Greece by boat before moving north overland
To the United States by flying directly from Aleppo airport
To Egypt by taking a cruise ship from Lebanon
To Jordan by walking across the desert and settling there
Mahmoud: After leaving Aleppo, why did Mahmoud’s mother cover her face more than usual?
To avoid unwanted attention and remain modest among strangers at checkpoints
To protect against a sandstorm on the coast
To disguise herself from relatives who might report them
To hide a contagious illness from other travelers
Mahmoud: Approximately how long was their walk to the Turkish border?
About two days of walking with short rests
About one hour through city streets
About a full week across the mountains
About thirty minutes along a paved highway
Mahmoud: Which description best fits the refugee camp they encountered in Turkey?
Crowded tents and muddy walkways with limited food and water
Spacious apartments with private kitchens and hot water
A clean hotel with organized three‑meal service daily
A quiet village of empty houses waiting for new families
Mahmoud: Where did Mahmoud’s family find shelter while they waited for the smuggler’s boat?
An abandoned building near the coast
A room provided by a luxury hotel
A police station dormitory
A family’s private home arranged by the embassy
Mahmoud: How did Mahmoud’s dad try to keep the mood light for the family during the journey?
By making jokes and playful comments even in difficult moments
By refusing to speak to anyone
By enforcing strict silence at all times
By telling scary stories to prepare them for danger
Josef: In your own words from the text, what did Josef and his family endure on Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass?
Their home was invaded and vandalized by Nazis, and Josef’s father was taken away
They attended a peaceful rally and returned home safely
They moved voluntarily to a new apartment that night
They were evacuated by the Red Cross before any damage occurred
Josef: What did the telegram from Josef’s father say?
That he was being released from the camp on the condition the family leave Germany immediately
That he had found a new job and would return home in a month
That the family must report to a local factory the next day
That visas to the United States had been approved
Josef: Where did the family plan to travel, and how would they get there?
To Cuba aboard the MS St. Louis ocean liner
To Poland by train across the border
To Switzerland on foot through the Alps
To Britain by flying from Berlin airport
Josef: Which description best fits the Hitler Youth?
A Nazi youth organization that indoctrinated boys and enforced loyalty to Hitler
An independent sports league unrelated to politics
A Jewish charity for children displaced by war
A nonpolitical music club for teenagers
Josef: Who were the Gestapo?
The Nazi secret police who arrested and terrorized opponents
Germany’s volunteer fire brigade during the 1930s
A group of foreign diplomats protecting refugees
A humanitarian organization that escorted families to safety
Josef: What did Josef find to be a good omen once aboard the ship?
A playful pod of dolphins alongside the ship, which he took as a lucky sign
A sudden thunderstorm that drenched the decks
An empty dining hall on the first night
A broken compass in the captain’s hand
Josef: Josef’s father believed the ship was a trick. Which outcome did he fear most?
That the passengers would be refused entry and forced back to Germany
That the ship would run out of food within days
That pirates would seize the ship in the Atlantic
That the crew would mutiny and sail to South America
Josef: Which description best matches the atmosphere on board the MS St. Louis early in the voyage?
Festive and comfortable with meals, music, and leisure despite underlying worry
Silent and dark with passengers locked in their cabins
Chaotic with constant drills and rationing from day one
Militarized with armed guards patrolling every corridor
Josef: What is Shabbos?
The Jewish Sabbath, a weekly day of rest and worship
A traditional German sea shanty
A Catholic holy day observed monthly
A Muslim festival celebrated at the end of Ramadan
Josef: What conversation did Josef overhear from the stewards that hinted at trouble?
They worried that Cuba might not allow all the passengers to land
They discussed putting on a talent show for the children
They planned a surprise birthday for the captain
They said the ship would divert to New York for fun
Josef: Why was Josef’s father afraid of “roll call” after his time in the camp?
Because roll call in the camp meant hours of punishment, terror, and humiliation
Because he feared being asked to give a speech in public
Because he associated roll call with school exams
Because he thought names would be published in a newspaper
Josef: While waiting for the Cuban doctor, how did Josef finally get his father’s attention?
He played a familiar tune and spoke softly until his father focused on him
He threw water in his father’s face in the lobby
He ran to the captain to demand help immediately
He wrote a letter and passed it through a steward hours later
Retell in your own words what Josef and his family endured on Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass.
Their home was ransacked and Josef’s father was arrested by Nazi authorities
They quietly moved to a new apartment with police protection
They attended a public celebration that honored Jewish families
Nothing happened to their family during Kristallnacht
Describe the era in which Josef is living.
Nazi Germany in the late 1930s, during rising persecution of Jews
Post–World War II Germany focused on rebuilding
Medieval Europe ruled by monarchs and knights
Modern-day Germany during a time of peace and prosperity
What did the telegram from Josef’s father say?
He would be released from the camp if the family left Germany immediately
He had secured a safe government job in Berlin for the family
He was being transferred to a new camp for permanent detention
He had escaped and would meet them in Switzerland
Where do they plan to travel to and how will they get there?
To Cuba by ship on the MS St. Louis
To the United States by train through France
To Poland by bus arranged by relatives
To England by airplane via Amsterdam
Would you have taken the armband off to go explore like Josef did? Why or why not?
No; removing it would be dangerous and could attract punishment if discovered
Yes; it would guarantee safe passage through the city
Yes; it would prove loyalty to the Nazi authorities
No; wearing it was illegal and could lead to arrest
Describe the Hitler Youth.
A Nazi organization that indoctrinated German boys and girls into Nazi ideology and discipline
A volunteer charity focused on providing food and shelter for refugees
A league of professional soldiers sent to the front lines
A political party that opposed Adolf Hitler’s policies
Who are the Gestapo?
Nazi Germany’s secret state police who enforced the regime’s policies through intimidation and terror
An international court that protected civil rights in Europe
A resistance group fighting against the Nazis from within Germany
A neutral diplomatic corps assisting refugees
Were you expecting the Hitler Youth boy on the train to let Josef go? Why or why not?
No; given the group’s indoctrination, mercy would be unexpected
Yes; the organization taught tolerance for all religions
Yes; he recognized Josef as a classmate and followed rules to help him
No; he was ordered by a Gestapo officer to release Josef
What did Josef find to be a good omen on the ship?
The ship’s welcoming, cruise-like atmosphere and the captain’s kindness
A secret message predicting safe arrival hidden in his cabin
A rainbow appearing over the harbor at departure
Finding extra money tucked into his passport
Josef’s father believes the ship is a trick. What do you predict?
The ship will reach Cuba but political issues will threaten entry
The ship will be attacked by pirates in the Atlantic
The ship will detour to England to drop off all passengers
The ship will turn back to Germany immediately after departure
Describe the atmosphere on board the MS St. Louis.
It felt like a pleasant ocean cruise with good food and entertainment
It was a prison transport with shackles and locked cabins
It resembled a cargo freighter with no crew interaction
It felt like a military vessel with daily drills and curfews
What is Shabbos?
The Jewish Sabbath observed weekly from Friday evening to Saturday evening
A German tax required for passage on the ship
A Nazi holiday celebrating party victories
A Hebrew term for a passport visa
Do you believe Josef’s dad’s paranoia is warranted? Why or why not?
Yes; his experiences in a concentration camp justify extreme caution
No; the Nazis had already promised the family full protection
Yes; because the ship’s crew openly threatened the passengers
No; Cuba had guaranteed unconditional entry for all refugees
What conversation did Josef overhear from the stewards?
A discussion suggesting some crew members resented the Jewish refugees
Plans to throw a surprise birthday party for Josef
Orders to turn the ship into a hospital for Cuban citizens
Instructions to confiscate all luggage for a customs auction
What song did Josef hear when he was touring below the decks? What did it remind him of?
A German waltz that reminded him of life before the Nazis
A Cuban rumba that reminded him of Havana’s streets
A military march that reminded him of Dachau
A Yiddish lullaby that reminded him of his childhood home
What happened to finally get Josef’s father out of the cabin? What caused his father to get so upset while out of the cabin?
A medical visit required him to leave, and crowds and orders triggered his panic
He was promised a job on board, and excitement overwhelmed him
The captain invited him to the bridge, and sea sickness upset him
Immigration officials escorted him to a dance, and loud music scared him
Why was Josef’s father afraid of “roll call”?
It reminded him of the brutal camp routine where prisoners were counted and punished
He feared being selected for a talent show on board
He worried it meant paying extra fees for meals
He thought it would delay the ship’s arrival by several days
How did Josef get his father’s attention while waiting for the Cuban doctor?
He startled him by raising his voice and speaking firmly to break through his panic
He waved a white flag from the balcony to signal help
He wrote a long letter and slid it under the cabin door
He sent a telegraph message from the ship’s radio room
Why do you suppose Orduna and SS Flandre were able to let passengers off but not Josef’s ship?
Cuban authorities revoked or restricted visas for the MS St. Louis while allowing others under different agreements
Those ships secretly bypassed Cuban laws by docking at a private island
Orduna and SS Flandre were German Navy vessels with special rights
Josef’s ship arrived during a storm that closed the harbor for weeks
Imagine you were Josef while the cabin was torn apart by the officers. How would you feel?
Terrified and powerless as your family’s safety and dignity were violated
Relieved because the search meant the voyage would end sooner
Excited to see how a police search is conducted
Indifferent because cabin inspections were routine fun
