Paired Passages: Scope My Life as a Refugee + Poem

SOL 6.4b: Read the following sentence. "Amid the chaos, Shahrukh's family found out that people who had helped the U.S. government in Afghanistan could seek refuge in the United States."

Select the synonyms that could best replace refuge.

• safe haven

• refusal

• habitat

• asylum (sanctuary)

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6.4.b

SOL 6.4a: Read the following sentence: "The Tailban is a violent extremist group that took control of Afghanistan in the 1990s."

Look at the dictionary definition. extremist: n. a person who holds extreme or fanatical political or religious views, especially one who resorts to or advocates extreme action. (from Old French extreme (13c.), from Latin extremus "outermost, utmost, farthest, last; the last part; extremity, boundary; highest or greatest degree," superlative of exterus)

The word "extremist" comes from a word that means:

• highest degree

• fanatical

• resorts to extreme action

• religious views

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6.4.a

SOL 6.4c: Which set of underlined phrases best help you understand the meaning of the word "fretting" in the following sentence:

For days, Shahrukh and his family waited, scared and uncertain, at the airport.  Night after night, Shahruk stayed awake, fretting, while his younger siblings slept.

• For days

• scared and uncertain

• after night

• younger siblings slept

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6.4.c

6.4d: Match the points of view of the narrative nonfiction "My Life as a Refugee" and the poem "Mediterranean Blue"

• third person

• "My Life as a Refugee"

• NA

• Mediterranean Blue

• first person

• NA

In the introduction of “My Life as a Refugee,” the events Shahrukh was watching unfold on the news occurred just after:

• the U.S. military invaded Afghanistan

• the U.S. military left Afghanistan after being there for many years

• the September 11 attacks happened in the U.S.

• the Taliban were no longer in power

According to the article, what happened as a result of the U.S. military’s invasion of Afghanistan? Choose TWO.

• A new government was put into place.

• The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan.

• The Taliban went into hiding but continued launching attacks.

• People lost many basic freedoms.

(SOL 6.6c) Which statements can be supported by the “What to Know” sidebar? Choose TWO.

• There are more refugees and displaced persons now than ever before.

• The country of Syria is experiencing the largest refugee crisis.

• The country of South Sudan hosts the largest number of refugees.

• People are being forced to flee their homes in countries other than Afghanistan.

(SOL 6.4c) In the section “A New Life in Tulsa,” the author writes that “transportation remains an obstacle for many.” Which is the definition of obstacle?

• a thing done successfully, typically by effort, courage, or skill

• something that stands in the way of progress; a barrier

• the object of a person’s ambition or effort; an aim or desired result

• something that prevents one from becoming an American citizen

(SOL 6.5i) Which phrase from the poem “Mediterranean Blue” connects to the central idea of the informational text “How to Be Welcoming”?

• “But something inside him was always paddling home”

• “don’t dare look down on them”

• “My father couldn’t swim either”

• “And if we can reach out a hand, we better”

In “My Life as a Refugee,” the author writes that the photo of Shahrukh grinning on the airplane conveys his optimism. Which line also supports the idea that Shahrukh is an optimistic person? (SOL 6.6c)

• . “Shahrukh uses a bicycle to get to his job.”

• “To be sure, the transition to life in America has been difficult, but Shahrukh is focused on a bright future.”

• "It was very fast,’ Shahrukh remembers.”

• “Shahrukh is among the more than 76,000 Afghan refugees who have become part of communities across the U.S. since 2021.”