From the Book of Unknown Americans

Read these sentences from paragraph 12. “They think we’re Americans now. And maybe we are! Maybe we don’t belong there anymore after all.” What causes the father to make this statement?

• The father regrets leaving Panamá with his family because he now knows that his classmates are angry that he left their country and got a job.

• The class president accuses the father of thinking he is better than everyone who stayed in Panamá because the father left and became an American citizen.

• The class president suggests that American citizenship has no value.

• The father respects the class president and wants to return to Panamá.

How do paragraphs 23–25 advance the plot?

• They introduce conflict between the narrator and his mother.

• They introduce the reason the family takes a trip to the beach.

• They describe the climax in which another obstacle prevents the family from returning to Panamá.

• They resolve the conflict because the family now wants to stay in the United States to support it.

Which statement best describes the narrator’s internal conflict in the story?

• The narrator is pressured by his family about feeling Panamanian and by his peers about not being American enough.

• The narrator implies feeling confused when his family appears proud to become American citizens at the courthouse.

• The narrator discusses feeling more American than Panamanian, yet his father gets angry when accused of being an American.

• The narrator states that he cannot remember anything about living in Panama like his brother who reminisces about his memories.

Which sentence from the selection best represents its main message?

• I was less than a year old when my parents brought my brother and me to the United States. (paragraph 1)

• I spent a lot of time trying to find it in me, but usually I couldn’t. I felt more American than anything, but even that was up for debate. . . . (paragraph 3)

• I let her, too, even though every time she did, instead of comforting me, it only made me more scared. (paragraph 24)

• That year around the holidays we were all miserable. Holidays were always bad. . . . (paragraph 26)

Which sentence from paragraphs 1 to 5 foreshadows that the family will not return to Panamá?

• They needed to believe they’d done the right thing and that it made sense.

• But while they waited for that day, they started making friends.

• Enrique was in school, and I started, too.

• And before they knew it, we had a life here.

How does paragraph 10 advance the plot?

• It foreshadows the terrorist attack of September 11.

• It demonstrates how hard life is for people in Panamá.

• It emphasizes the tension between the old and new cultures.

• It introduces the conflict between the narrator’s mother and father.

What was the effect of the Mayor's father getting a job in America?

• Mom and Dad lost their jobs.

• Dad got angry with the sons.

• The family makes a life in their new home and does not want to move again.

What is the primary theme explored in 'The Book of Unknown Americans'?

• A) The immigrant experience and identity

• B) The history of Panama

• C) The American education system

• D) The impact of technology on society

Which character in 'The Book of Unknown Americans' struggles with adapting to American culture?

• A) Mayor

• B) Alma

• C) Enrique

• D) Rafael

In 'The Book of Unknown Americans', what literary device is used to highlight the cultural differences between characters?

• A) Metaphor

• B) Foreshadowing

• C) Irony

• D) Symbolism