Quickwrites
What are the 7 most important things in your life? Explain why?
Vocabulary
carotid: of a major artery supplying blood to the head and neck
ex: "As we drive up to the building, I put my index and middle fingers on my carotid artery just behind my ear to take my pulse."
demolish: destroy completely
ex: "Below the caption I see my dad's demolished pickup, in pieces and burned black, conjoined with a mangled medical truck."
transient: lasting a very short time
ex: "I hit my head on the elephant-shaped coffee table when I experienced syncope, or a transient loss of consciousness, more commonly known as passing out."
glabella: a smooth prominence of the frontal bone above the eyebrows
ex: "And when I did, the sharp edge of the pachyderm's trunk sliced right into my glabella."
profusely: in an abundant manner
ex: "Blood suddenly is everywhere because blows to the head bleed profusely."
viable: capable of life or normal growth and development
ex: "Willow Chance, according to the assembled authorities—was he part of them now? It looked like it!—had no viable relatives."
ex: "As we drive up to the building, I put my index and middle fingers on my carotid artery just behind my ear to take my pulse."
demolish: destroy completely
ex: "Below the caption I see my dad's demolished pickup, in pieces and burned black, conjoined with a mangled medical truck."
transient: lasting a very short time
ex: "I hit my head on the elephant-shaped coffee table when I experienced syncope, or a transient loss of consciousness, more commonly known as passing out."
glabella: a smooth prominence of the frontal bone above the eyebrows
ex: "And when I did, the sharp edge of the pachyderm's trunk sliced right into my glabella."
profusely: in an abundant manner
ex: "Blood suddenly is everywhere because blows to the head bleed profusely."
viable: capable of life or normal growth and development
ex: "Willow Chance, according to the assembled authorities—was he part of them now? It looked like it!—had no viable relatives."
Reading
Chapter 31 p 183- 188
Chapter 32 p 189- 195
Chapter 33 p 196- 200
Chapter 34 p 201- 207
Chapter 35 p 208- 211
Chapter 36 p 212- 217
1. As she spends more time at the nail salon and grows more fluent in Vietnamese, Willow realizes that the manicurists who whisper to each other aren’t discussing customers; rather they are talking about their lives and families. How does this realization both comfort and hurt Willow?
2. Pattie lies to the police and the authorities in order to take in Willow. Later she forces Dell out of his apartment in order to pretend it is hers. Do you think her actions are wrong? Is lying ever justified? Would you lie for a friend? In what circumstances?
3. As the Nguyen family gather around to watch the Japanese players break pots with their heads, Willow says that the program is quite addicting. While she decides to let go of the idea that the blows to their skulls can cause long term health issues, she watches along. She sits back on the sofa and for a moment forgets that she does not have a mother or father. Why do you think she feels that way?
Chapter 32 p 189- 195
Chapter 33 p 196- 200
Chapter 34 p 201- 207
Chapter 35 p 208- 211
Chapter 36 p 212- 217
1. As she spends more time at the nail salon and grows more fluent in Vietnamese, Willow realizes that the manicurists who whisper to each other aren’t discussing customers; rather they are talking about their lives and families. How does this realization both comfort and hurt Willow?
2. Pattie lies to the police and the authorities in order to take in Willow. Later she forces Dell out of his apartment in order to pretend it is hers. Do you think her actions are wrong? Is lying ever justified? Would you lie for a friend? In what circumstances?
3. As the Nguyen family gather around to watch the Japanese players break pots with their heads, Willow says that the program is quite addicting. While she decides to let go of the idea that the blows to their skulls can cause long term health issues, she watches along. She sits back on the sofa and for a moment forgets that she does not have a mother or father. Why do you think she feels that way?
Bring the Text to Life
Willow’s descriptions of Dell’s apartment before and after Pattie’s transformation of the space are pretty vivid. Use details from Chapters 31–36 to illustrate an image of Dell’s apartment before or after.
Writing
Patti, Mai's mom, believes that wearing red finger nail polish is lucky. Do you think that it was luck that changed their situation around? Does luck exist or is it what you make of your situation?