Abuela Invents the Zero

Which passage BEST identifies the reason the narrator feels guilt at the conclusion of the story?

• “Once home, she refuses to let my mother buy her a coat because it’s a waste of money for the two weeks she’ll be in el Polo Norte, as she calls New Jersey, the North Pole.”

• “I do have a responsibility to Sandra and Anita, who don’t drive yet.”

• “When we get the apartment, my parents are at the kitchen table, where my mother is trying to eat some soup.”

• “Your grandmother says to tell you that of all the hurtful things you can do to a person, the worst is to make them feel as if they are worth nothing.”

Which sentence from the short story MOST STRONGLY supports the answer to Question 5?

• “I try to walk far behind them in public so that no one will think we’re together.”

• “There is a Harley Davidson fashion show at Brookline Square we cannot miss.”

• “I warm it up for Abuela, as instructed by my parents, and drive it to the front of our building.”

• “She doesn’t speak to me on the way home, even though she almost falls a couple times.'

Which of the following BEST describes how the narrator’s mother feels at the conclusion of the story (❡ 16-21)?

• The mother is upset by the way her daughter has treated Abuela.

• The mother is hopeful her daughter will get to know Abuela better.

• The mother is confused by the story her daughter tells her about Abuela.

• The mother is grateful to show her daughter photographs of Abuela as a child.

What happens in the story fourth?

• The narrator does not want to help Abuela when she is lost.

• The narrator is bribed into taking Abuela to church.

• The narrator learns the meaning of “zero” (as is used in the title of the story).

• Abuela wears a shawl in the middle of an East Coast winter.

What is the main effect of the author’s use of Spanish phrases in the memoir?

• It captures the author’s cultural environment.

• It identifies the intended audience for the memoir.

• It emphasizes the tension between the author’s parents.

• It indicates the time period in which the memoir takes place.

What is the main theme of 'Abuela Invents the Zero'?

• Family relationships and cultural identity

• The importance of technology

• The impact of war

• Environmental conservation

Which character in 'Abuela Invents the Zero' feels embarrassed by their grandmother?

• The narrator

• The narrator's mother

• The narrator's father

• The narrator's friend

What does the grandmother in 'Abuela Invents the Zero' refuse to buy?

• A coat

• A hat

• A pair of shoes

• A scarf

In 'Abuela Invents the Zero', what does the grandmother call New Jersey?

• El Polo Norte

• El Desierto

• La Selva

• La Ciudad

What literary device is used when the grandmother calls New Jersey 'el Polo Norte'?

• Metaphor

• Simile

• Personification

• Hyperbole