Summer of the Mariposas

Juanita moved his arms up and down and from side to side. "He hasn't been dead very long," she hypothesized. "See, no rigamorphus." "Rigor mortis," I corrected.

Which best describes the meaning of the word, rigor mortis?

• temporary stiffness of muscles occurring after death

• the decay of a body after death

• the process of preparing a body for burial

• the investigation of a crime scene

Answer explanation

Rigor mortis, which translates from Latin as "stiffness of death", sets in quickly and usually ends three or four days after death. Mystery writers frequently make use of rigor mortis as a means by which the detective or the examiner can determine the time of the victim's death, which often turns out to be all-important in solving the case.

Who is the Narrator of "The Summer of the Mariposas"?

• La Llorona

• Pita

• Odilia

• Mama

What is the main conflict the sisters are having in this chapter?

• The sisters are arguing over whether they will become famous for their discovery.

• The sisters are arguing over who is the leader of the group.

• The sisters are arguing over what to do with the dead body they have found.

• The sisters are arguing over whether the authorities are to be trusted.

Reorder the following events of Chapter 1, starting with the beginning.

• Odilia believes that she sees a ghost.

• Odilia discovers the dead body in the river.

• The sisters argue over what to do with the body.

• Money falls out of the cadaver's pocket.

• Juanita pulls the body out of the water.

After discovering the corpse, I reached over and picked the bigger pieces of debris out of her bangs as I mulled over our predicament.

Using your context clues, choose the best synonym for the word, predicament.

• dilemma

• solution

• breakthrough

• blessing

Answer explanation