Interpretive Questions: Answer all questions in complete sentences, provide quotes to support.
1.) Why does the daughter continue to hold up the ceiling throughout the story?
The daughter continues to hold up the ceiling throughout the story because she wants to obey her father and make him happy, "Reach your arms up—can you touch? Now don't move" (Page 91).
2.) Why does the father make the daughter hold up the ceiling?
The father makes the daughter hold up the ceiling because it's the "perfect house" and he wants it to last because he wants to keep his pride about building the house, "As far as the father knew, no one else's house had suffered" (Page 91).
3.) Why does the daughter say, “I don’t think it will fall”? (p.93)
The daughter says she doesn't think it will fall because she doesn't want to hold up the ceiling and because she doesn't think it will fall, "I don't think it will fall" (Page 93).
4.) Why does the daughter have “no choice” but to hold up the ceiling? (p.95)
The daughter has no choice but to hold up the ceiling because she wants to obey her father and not get in trouble, "But the daughter had no choice" (Page 95).
5.) Why does the mother leave the daughter alone even after the daughter repeatedly tells her mother she is tired?
The mother leaves the daughter alone even after the daughter repeatedly tells her mother she is tired because the mother is being selfish and doesn't want to stay in the house, "But the mother was restless and lonely in the house and when the father left, she wanted to go out, too" (Page 96).
6.) Why does the father blame the daughter for ruining the house?
The father blames the daughter for ruining the house because it was her responsibility to keep the house stable, "The water got through somehow. She let it through" (Page 97).
7.) Why is the father afraid the house will be ruined?
The father was afraid of the house will be ruined because it is his most prized possession and he doesn't want to lose it, "It was the father's favorite thing in the world" (Page 83).
8.) Why does the father tell himself that “if he could keep his house standing, it would be God’s way of telling him he had a reasonable sort of pride, one for which he did not deserve to be punished”? (p. 88-89)
The father tells him self that “if he could keep his house standing, it would be God’s way of telling him he had a reasonable sort of pride, one for which he did not deserve to be punished” because it's based on his pride and whether God thinks he is right or wrong about the house, "The father told himself that if he could keep his house standing, it would be God’s way of telling him he had a reasonable sort of pride, one for which he did not deserve to be punished” (Page 88-89).
9.) At the end of the story, why does the father insist the house is ruined?
At the end of the story, the father insists the house is ruined because the floors are wet and things are ruined, "It's the wood, it's too wet now. The walls are too soft. They'll fall soon" (Page 98).
10.) Why does the father whisper at the end, “She let it through”? (p. 98)
The father whispers at the end that the daughter lets the water through because there is water on the floor and the daughter doesn't speak up about it, "She let it through" (Page 98).
Vocabulary in Context:
1.) Derision (p. 84)
Quote: "So when it crumbled, though they were nothing but kind and supportive to his face, the people in the town whispered behind the man's back about how embarrassing it was that the house had collapsed like a bad soufflé, and they laughed with derision and agreed that the man's pridefulness had been met with just punishment" (Page 84).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word derision means to disrespect something or someone
Synonym: insult, ridicule, mock
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The judge shouldn't have been treated with such derision.
2.) Collectively (p. 84)
Quote: "Later, this is the story they would collectively decide upon, the legend they would pass down to their children and their children's children" (Page 84).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word collectively means all gathered together
Synonym: altogether, conjoint, all
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The group collectively decided that they would build their castle on Minecraft.
3.) Opaque (p. 84)
Quote: "The world was black, caked on and opaque" (Page 84).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word opaque means to be darkened
Synonym: gloomy, dull, murky
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The opaque sky was very scary and unpleasant-looking.
4.) Cascading (p. 85)
Quote: "And later still, in a last heroic push before the sun came up in the morning, the snow grew so dense that it gave the appearance of cascading walls of snow, a world made from snow, solid all the way through" (Page 85).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word cascading means to fall quickly
Synonym: descend, flood, pour
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The waterfall was gracefully cascading over the rocks.
5.) Invincible (p. 91)
Quote: "It was not invincible" (Page 91).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word invincible means indestructible
Synonym: bulletproof, strong, powerful
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): A lot of superheroes are invincible, therefore they cannot be destroyed.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when a character behaves reasonably or unreasonably. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
1.) Why does the daughter continue to hold up the ceiling throughout the story?
The daughter continues to hold up the ceiling throughout the story because she wants to obey her father and make him happy, "Reach your arms up—can you touch? Now don't move" (Page 91).
2.) Why does the father make the daughter hold up the ceiling?
The father makes the daughter hold up the ceiling because it's the "perfect house" and he wants it to last because he wants to keep his pride about building the house, "As far as the father knew, no one else's house had suffered" (Page 91).
3.) Why does the daughter say, “I don’t think it will fall”? (p.93)
The daughter says she doesn't think it will fall because she doesn't want to hold up the ceiling and because she doesn't think it will fall, "I don't think it will fall" (Page 93).
4.) Why does the daughter have “no choice” but to hold up the ceiling? (p.95)
The daughter has no choice but to hold up the ceiling because she wants to obey her father and not get in trouble, "But the daughter had no choice" (Page 95).
5.) Why does the mother leave the daughter alone even after the daughter repeatedly tells her mother she is tired?
The mother leaves the daughter alone even after the daughter repeatedly tells her mother she is tired because the mother is being selfish and doesn't want to stay in the house, "But the mother was restless and lonely in the house and when the father left, she wanted to go out, too" (Page 96).
6.) Why does the father blame the daughter for ruining the house?
The father blames the daughter for ruining the house because it was her responsibility to keep the house stable, "The water got through somehow. She let it through" (Page 97).
7.) Why is the father afraid the house will be ruined?
The father was afraid of the house will be ruined because it is his most prized possession and he doesn't want to lose it, "It was the father's favorite thing in the world" (Page 83).
8.) Why does the father tell himself that “if he could keep his house standing, it would be God’s way of telling him he had a reasonable sort of pride, one for which he did not deserve to be punished”? (p. 88-89)
The father tells him self that “if he could keep his house standing, it would be God’s way of telling him he had a reasonable sort of pride, one for which he did not deserve to be punished” because it's based on his pride and whether God thinks he is right or wrong about the house, "The father told himself that if he could keep his house standing, it would be God’s way of telling him he had a reasonable sort of pride, one for which he did not deserve to be punished” (Page 88-89).
9.) At the end of the story, why does the father insist the house is ruined?
At the end of the story, the father insists the house is ruined because the floors are wet and things are ruined, "It's the wood, it's too wet now. The walls are too soft. They'll fall soon" (Page 98).
10.) Why does the father whisper at the end, “She let it through”? (p. 98)
The father whispers at the end that the daughter lets the water through because there is water on the floor and the daughter doesn't speak up about it, "She let it through" (Page 98).
Vocabulary in Context:
1.) Derision (p. 84)
Quote: "So when it crumbled, though they were nothing but kind and supportive to his face, the people in the town whispered behind the man's back about how embarrassing it was that the house had collapsed like a bad soufflé, and they laughed with derision and agreed that the man's pridefulness had been met with just punishment" (Page 84).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word derision means to disrespect something or someone
Synonym: insult, ridicule, mock
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The judge shouldn't have been treated with such derision.
2.) Collectively (p. 84)
Quote: "Later, this is the story they would collectively decide upon, the legend they would pass down to their children and their children's children" (Page 84).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word collectively means all gathered together
Synonym: altogether, conjoint, all
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The group collectively decided that they would build their castle on Minecraft.
3.) Opaque (p. 84)
Quote: "The world was black, caked on and opaque" (Page 84).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word opaque means to be darkened
Synonym: gloomy, dull, murky
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The opaque sky was very scary and unpleasant-looking.
4.) Cascading (p. 85)
Quote: "And later still, in a last heroic push before the sun came up in the morning, the snow grew so dense that it gave the appearance of cascading walls of snow, a world made from snow, solid all the way through" (Page 85).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word cascading means to fall quickly
Synonym: descend, flood, pour
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The waterfall was gracefully cascading over the rocks.
5.) Invincible (p. 91)
Quote: "It was not invincible" (Page 91).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word invincible means indestructible
Synonym: bulletproof, strong, powerful
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): A lot of superheroes are invincible, therefore they cannot be destroyed.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when a character behaves reasonably or unreasonably. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
reasonableThe daughter cried because her body aches (page 96)
It snows where they live (page 96) The news reports the story because it's worthy of knowing (page 92) The family was working together to save the house (page 89) The father was bragging about building a house (page 83) |
UnreasonableBlaming the daughter for the house bring ruined (page 97-98)
Leaving the daughter alone in the house (page 96) Making the daughter hold up the ceiling (page 90) The abundant amount of snow falling from the sky (page 86) The amount of tears the daughter cried (page 97) |