Name: __________________________ Date: Summer 2017Assignment: 8th ELA Summer Reading

Summer Novel – 145th Street: Short StoriesBy Walter Dean Myers

Overview: Over the summer, you will read 145th Street: Short Stories by Walter Dean Myers. A salty, wrenchingly honest collection of stories set on one block of 145th Street. We get to know the oldest resident; the cop on the beat; fine Peaches and her girl, Squeezie; Monkeyman; and Benny, a fighter on the way to a knockout. We meet Angela, who starts having prophetic dreams after her father is killed; Kitty, whose love for Mack pulls him back from the brink; and Big Joe, who wants a bang-up funeral while he's still around to enjoy it. Some of these stories are private, and some are the ones behind the headlines. In each one, characters jump off the page and pull readers right into the mix on 145th Street.

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Parent SignatureThis signature confirms that my student _________________________ has

read this novel carefully and has completed this packet to the best of his / her ability.______________________________ __________________Signature Date

Packet Score:

Quiz Score:

Overall Score:

Be Ready: You will have a quiz AND possibly a Socratic Seminar on this novel when you return to school!

Story 1: “Big Joe’s Funeral”

1. Summary: ____________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. On page 1, the narrator says, “If there was a breeze… it must have stopped somewhere for an iced tea.” This is an example of

a. personificationb. similec. metaphord. idiom

3. When we first meet Peaches, the narrator characterizes her asa. attractive, yet disrespectfulb. serious and pugnaciousc. sorrowful, yet beautifuld. fine and lady-like

4. Why does Big Joe decide to throw himself a funeral before he dies? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Mother Fletcher believes2

a. Peaches and her friends are displaying faith in heaven with their signsb. Peaches and her friends are being rude with their signsc. Peaches and her friends are giving a motivational message to the

community with their signsd. Peaches and her friends are being unhelpful with their signs

6. How did Peaches try to ruin Big Joe’s party after his funeral? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. What mood does the narrator establish for 145th Street when she or she explains, “That’s what 145th Street is like. Something funny happens, then something bad happens” (12)? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. How is Big Joe characterized at the end of the story?a. annoyed b. ridiculousc. selfishd. generous

9. Which quote from pages 12 or 13 best supports your answer to this question? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Story 2: “The Baddest Dog in Harlem”

10. Summary: ____________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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11. When the narrator says, “Mr. Lynch was so old he had washed dishes at the Last Supper,” this is an example of

a. simileb. personificationc. onomatopoeiad. hyperbole

12. Why does the narrator explain that when he sees cops coming, he and everyone else on the block say a quick prayer and put on an innocent face?

a. to suggest that he is guilty of committing a crimeb. to express the distrust between cops and his communityc. to protect his friend Leroy, who he knows has committed a crimed. to convey his feeling of relief when he sees cops entering his

neighborhood

13. Who was at the window of Mary Brown’s apartment that the police shoot at so furiously? How does one police officer justify the shooting?______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

14. “The Baddest Dog in Harlem” is an ironic title becausea. The police dramatically shoot at and kill an innocent animal to “protect”

the neighborhoodb. The police, who are supposed to be stalwart individuals, are terrified of a

dogc. The neighborhood is terrified over a dog in the window, and a police

officer even slips on dog pood. The vicious dog is finally killed after terrorizing the neighborhood for the

entire afternoon

15. The police don’t care very much when they killed Mary Brown’s innocent dog. Explain how Mary Brown’s dog symbolizes the child the police accidently murder, or possibly all of the citizens of 145th Street. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Story 3: “Fighter” 16. Summary:

____________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

17. How does Billy Giles feel about boxing?a. excitedb. terrifiedc. bitterd. obsessed

18. Which quote from the text best supports your answer to the above question?______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

19. On the bottom of page 29, the mood of the boxing ring isa. exuberantb. aggravatedc. excitedd. tense

20. Why does Billy fight?a. It makes him feel taller and strongerb. It helps pay for bills and extrasc. It impresses his communityd. It satisfies his wife

21. On page 32 in the first paragraph, the word adversary meansa. opponentb. wifec. boxerd. friend

22. What storytelling technique does the author use on pages 34-35 and 36?

a. thoughtshotb. snapshotc. figurative language

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d. flashback

23. What is Billy’s attitude towards himself and his life? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

24. Considering Billy’s relationship with his wife, do you agree with Billy’s attitude about his life? Why or why not? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Story 4: “Angela’s Eyes”

25. Summary: ____________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

26. In Angela’s first dream,a. Mr. Poli stands in front of her class, and Angela feels the same sorrow for

him that she does her deceased fatherb. Mr. Poli cannot sell her olive oil because he dies of a heart attack c. Mr. Poli plays special lottery numbers, wins, then dies of a heart attack

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d. Mr. Poli stands in front of her class and accuses Angela of dishonoring her deceased father

27. Why do the people in the neighborhood think that Angela has special eyes?

a. Because they are very dark, almost blackb. Because she has really good visionc. Because they think her father passed them to herd. Because everyone she looks at dies

28. When the narrator explains, “Others say it didn’t matter, that all that mattered was that Angela had dreamt of him, and that he was dead,” this means

a. Eddie would have died that day no matter what could have occurredb. Eddie’s death is Angela’s faultc. Eddie’s death could have been prevented by Angelad. Eddie could not have died before Angela’s dream

29. Look at the details on page 48. How did Angela’s father die?a. He was in a car accident while drivingb. He was hit by a carc. He was shot in his card. He had a heart attack

30. Do you agree with the community for isolating Angela? Why or why not? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Story 5: “The Streak”31. Summary:

____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

32. Which of the following is NOT something that happens to Jamie in his streak of bad luck?

a. He misses a layupb. He fails Mathc. He provokes a bullyd. He hurts his ankle

33. Why does Jamie become apprehensive as more and more good things keep happening to him? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

34. Why does Jamie’s dad talk to him about drugs?a. Jamie is at the age where dad’s feel they need to have heart-to-hearts

with their sonsb. Jamie’s dad is worried that he’ll do drugs at the dancec. Ellen told Jamie’s dad that Jamie was on drugs after his behavior with

the eggd. Froggy told Jamie’s dad that Jamie was on drugs after his behavior with

the egg

35. Why does Jamie decide that the entire world is on a streak? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Story 6: “Monkeyman” 36. Summary:

____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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_______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

37. When the narrator explains, “The Tigros hit to the ’hood gradually, like the turning of a season,” he is using

a. simileb. metaphorc. personificationd. idiom

38. What does the narrator mean when he says, “I had black skin and white dreams” (74)? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

39. Monkeyman can best be described asa. hairyb. studiousc. ridiculousd. pugnacious

40. After Monkeyman helps Peaches, what is the internal conflict that the narrator and other kids in the neighborhood have to contend with? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

41. How is Peaches characterized?a. audacious and thankful

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b. resentful and meanc. aggressive and unappreciatived. benign and gentle

42. What does Monkeyman do in the park, and who does he bring with him? Why do you think that this is or is not effective in stopping the conflict? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

43. How does the narrator’s experience with Monkeyman change the way he feels about Harlem?

a. He decides that he wants to leave Harlem immediately and never returnb. He thinks Harlem has too much crimec. He begins to take pride in Harlem and wants to serve the communityd. He loves Harlem and thinks it is a really positive place

Story 7: “Kitty and Mack: A Love Story”

44. Summary: ____________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

45. Before Mack met Kitty, he could best be described asa. arrogantb. respectfulc. intellectuald. kind

46. Which quote from the test best supports your answer to this question?

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_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

47. How does Kitty change Mack after she reads him her sonnet? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

48. Why does Mack give up on himself and shut people away after the drive-by shooting?

a. He loses faith in the safety of his neighborhoodb. He loses his self-worth as an athlete and able-bodied manc. He resents the sympathy that people show himd. He is jealous of everyone who can walk

49. How does Kitty communicate that she is there for Mack?a. She slips letters in his window by using his fire escapeb. She calls him every day at the same timec. She sends messages via her grandfatherd. She puts a sign in the window across the street

50. On page 98, in the third paragraph, the word despondent meansa. lonelyb. out of reachc. depressedd. injured

51. What finally coaxes Mack to come to the barbershop?a. People told him that Kitty needed his helpb. He wanted to tell Kitty to leave him alonec. He finally got Kitty’s messagesd. His father made him go

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52. Do you agree with Kitty’s decision to miss so much school? Explain. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Story 8: “A Christmas Story”

53. Summary: ____________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

54. Based on the dialogue between Mother Fletcher and Officer O’Brien, how is Mother Fletcher characterized?

a. aggravatingb. no-nonsensec. benignd. indifferent

55. Why does Bill O’Brien try to keep Harlem away from the rest of his life?

a. He likes keeping work and personal things separateb. He thinks Harlem is a dangerous communityc. He doesn’t want his family to know about his jobd. He gets tired of traveling to Harlem from Staten Island

56. How can Kathy be best characterized on Christmas morning?a. sweet and easy-goingb. bold and determinedc. unkind and annoyedd. excited and eager

57. Why does O’Brien drive his daughter and Kathy through the worst streets in Harlem?

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a. to make them feel uncomfortable about their decision to visit Mother Fletcher

b. to show them how awful his job isc. to show them how much more fortunate they are than the people of

Harlemd. to patrol the streets for any sign of criminal activity

58. What do Mother Fletcher, Kathy, and Meaghan teach Officer O’Brien about how to approach his work and life? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Story 9: “A Story in Three Parts”Part I: “Doll”

59. Summary: ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

60. Why does Big Time feel so awful as he walks up the stairs to Miss Pat’s apartment?

a. He has a terrible illnessb. He is coming down from a drug highc. He is nauseous from the food Miss Pat gives himd. He is nervous about asking her for money

61. Why did Doll kill her children?a. To save them from a life of slaveryb. To get revenge against her mastersc. To prevent the overseer from abusing themd. To teach the other slaves a lesson

62. In what way is Miss Pat “killing” Big Time?a. She is giving him poisoned foodb. She is telling him depressing storiesc. She keeps talking to him when he is sickd. She gives him money for drugs

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63. What is Big Time experiencing that is similar to what Doll and her children experienced? Explain. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

64. Why does Miss Pat try to get Big Time to think about Doll being whipped, more than Doll’s children dying, at the end of her story?

a. to try to make Big Time consider how his actions hurt Miss Patb. to make Big Time imagine how terrible slavery wasc. to make Big Time realize how awful whipping isd. to make Big Time compare his pain to Doll’s pain

Part II: “Sweet Jimmy”

65. Summary: ____________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

66. Why is it ironic that Part II is entitled “Sweet Jimmy”?a. Jimmy is not the main characterb. The name Jimmy is very commonc. Jimmy is not a good persond. Jimmy has strong drugs

67. Why is it ironic that Jimmy wants to discuss the SATs with Big Time?

a. Big Time can hardly think straight, because he’s so high14

b. Big Time is unintelligent, and wouldn’t be able to score wellc. Big Time doesn’t know anything about the SATsd. Big Time took the SATs years and years ago

Part III: “The Roof”

68. Summary: ____________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

69. What is Benny’s situation? Why is he likely on the roof? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

70. When the fire starts, Big Time can be characterized asa. externally indifferent, yet internally panickedb. lazy and excited for deathc. apathetic about Benny’s terror and fearlessd. apprehensive and pugnacious

71. How might Benny have changed Big Time’s life? Explain. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Story 10: “Block Party—145th Street Style”

72. Summary: ____________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

73. Why doesn’t Peaches want her mother to marry Big Joe?a. She doesn’t think Big Joe is a good personb. She doesn’t think her mother deserves a man like Big Joec. She thinks her mother should marry someone elsed. She still feels close to her father

74. Why does J.T. try to keep Peaches and Squeezie out of his apartment? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

75. Describe the friendship between Peaches and Squeezie. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Post-Reading Reflection:

76. Which story did you enjoy the most? Why? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Final Response:

Directions: Choose ONE of the four prompts below to write a sophisticated open-ended response to. Then complete your QUICK PLAN! You must follow ANEZZNEZZ format and use QUOTATIONS as evidence.

A. Walter Dean Meyers presents several different sides of Harlem throughout 145th Street.

Is the overall mood of the collection of short stories positive or negative? Use two examples that stuck out to you to prove your point.

Does Meyer’s want the reader to fear Harlem, feel sympathy for Harlem, or feel empathy for Harlem?

B. There are several black male characters throughout 145th Street who deal with various issues.

Which of the black male characters is most admirable, and why? How does Meyers suggest the one can be an admirable black man from

Harlem?C. The 7th grade essential question is, “Do you define yourself, or do others

define you?” Give one example of a character from Harlem who allows his or her

environment to determine his or her actions. Give another example of a character from Harlem who blazes a path

despite his or her environment. D. An important question to consider is, “How do societies become oppressive?

How do individuals fight against oppression?” Explain one specific example of how Harlem is an oppressed society. Explain how one character combats this oppression.

I am responding to prompt ________. Don’t forget your QUICK PLAN!

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