SUMMER SKIRMISHES2. What does Francisco mean by "Papá never let on that he knew about our game..."? How did Francisco figure out that he must have known?
3. Explain how Francisco put learning his vocabulary into action.
4. What metaphor does Francisco use for the rotten strawberry? What metaphor does he use for the mark it left on Roberto's shirt?
5. How did Roberto know the perpetrator A perpetrator is someone who does something he shouldn't do, usually something very wrong, but the word is used facetiously stated humorously with the intent to be funny in this context. In other words, it's an example of hyperbole or exaggeration. was Francisco? Listen to the words in the pop-up window.
6. Why was Ito coming to visit? What did the family do to prepare for his visit? Do you think the family would have done the same for any guest? Explain.
7. Explain the implication in the line, "I fixed my eyes on every move he made and hung on every word he said..." (P. 63)
8. What wages were doled out? How many hours did the father work for his wage?
9. How did Francisco's father express his gratitude for the higher wage he received each month? If you had been Franicsco's father, would you have done the same thing? Explain.
10. What incident shows that the braceros were at the mercy of labor contractors? Would Ito have acted the same way in this incident? Explain.
11. In what two ways was Carlos the childhood equivalent of the unfair labor contractor? (pages 65-68).
12. Why was the haircut such an awful experience for Francisco? Explain the simile, "Using his left hand like a vise,..." What is a vise?
13. Write a reflective journal on Francisco's mother. Based on this chapter, how did she cover for the father and Francisco to keep them from being upset or embarrassed? In other words, how did she always make situations seem better than they actually were?