Connect-It 8th Reading Review

Which phrase from paragraph 1 best serves as an antonym context clue for the word refined?

• weeding his garden

• who loved numbers

• let his hair run wild

• sold his house

Paragraphs 1 through 3 are important to the story because they establish that Anthony

• prefers talking to the serious Grandpa he has always known

• is surprised to learn about Grandpa’s change in behavior

• thinks that Mom should not worry about Grandpa’s new activities

• wants Grandpa to teach him how to maintain a garden

In paragraph 5, Anthony chooses not to mention the ready-made pesto most likely because he —

• believes that Grandpa’s homemade pesto will be more flavorful

• realizes that Grandpa is excited about making homemade pesto

• thinks it does not look as good as the kind he usually buys at the grocery store

• knows that using a ready-made pesto means he would not get to spend time with Grandpa

By telling the story from the first-person point of view, the author helps the reader understand —

• how Grandpa feels about living by himself in the old cottage

• why Grandpa’s life is different from that of his parents

• why Anthony enjoys Grandpa’s cooking despite the taste

• how all the characters feel about their Italian heritage

What can the reader conclude about Grandpa from his actions in the story?

• He regrets his career working as a banker.

• He misses living and working in the suburbs.

• He wants to reconnect with his Italian roots.

• He wishes his daughter would cook Italian food for him.

Read this information about the origin of the word perennial.

from Latin per-, meaning “throughout,” + annus,

meaning “year”

This information helps the reader determine that the word perennial in line 9 means

• not measurable

• highly desirable

• not easily avoided

• continually present

In the first stanza, the poet uses the metaphor of a hunt to emphasize that Mother is

• eager to finish her shopping and begin preparing the hot sauce

• competing with other shoppers at the market for the best produce

• determined to find just the right peppers to use in her hot sauce

• skillful at combining many different ingredients in her recipes

The words “patiently,” “pounds,” and “promptly” in the second stanza highlight Mother’s

• desire to improve

• devotion to her task

• need for assistance

• eagerness to finish her work

The poet uses present tense throughout the poem to convey that

• the speaker wants to visit the market again soon

• the speaker wishes she were young again

• the memory is vivid to the speaker

• the memory makes the speaker feel childlike

Based on the details in the poem, the reader can conclude that Mother

• takes making hot sauce for her family seriously

• spends the entire day making hot sauce

• makes hot sauce for her family every day

• wants her daughter to learn to make hot sauce