Question

A gust of wind blew a canvas chair across the yard. My eyes followed the circling dirt out to the road and down toward the school bus stop. I was going to miss walking down the road to catch the big school bus that took us into town to school. I enjoyed being with the teachers and the other students. Now that I was finished with school I seemed to have lost some of the excitement from my life.

As I was folding the canvas chair, Chatita Chávez drove into our yard in her father’s old truck. It made short loud sounds and sent out a trail of black smoke out of its tailpipe. She got out smiling as usual and excitedly pointed toward the storm that seemed to be moving toward us.

“I can’t stay long, Nilda. There’s a storm coming and I need to beat it home.” I was glad to see her. “Yes, I think we’re in for some bad weather. Come on in and have a cup of coffee at least,” I said as I took her into our kitchen.

“I’m so excited, Nilda! You’ll never guess what I just did!” I stopped pouring the coffee and turned and looked at her.

“I just went over to Edinburg and registered for junior college,” she said and looked at me and smiled. “Don’t you want to go take classes with me?”

I was astonished. I didn’t know what to say. How could I go to college? I didn’t have any money. I gave Chatita a cup of coffee. “I don’t know. I don’t think I can. Isn’t college expensive?”

Chatita sat down at the table and began adding sugar to her coffee. “Not really, and I’m working part-time at the packing shed(棚)on Canal Road. You could work there, too.”

The wind began to gust causing the house to occasionally make sounds and shake. The lightbulb hanging over the table flashed off and on and I heard a low roll of thunder in the distance.

I hesitantly asked, “Do you think I could get a job at the packing shed?”

“Sure. My cousin is the boss. He’ll give you a job.” Mamá came into the kitchen and exchanged greetings with Chatita. She must have heard our conversation.

“I think it’s nice that you’re going to go to college, Chatita. What will you study?” my

mother asked as she joined us at the table.

“I want to be a teacher.”

“A teacher! How nice!” Mamá said as she patted Chatita’s arm.

“A teacher?” I asked. “Don’t you need a degree?”

“You can start teaching before you get your degree. Clarence Duncan has been teaching in Brownsville since last year and I think Zulema will start this year.”

The lightbulb blinked again and went out. Mamá quickly arose from the table. “I’m going to have to bring in the lanterns. I knew I shouldn’t have packed them away.”

“Well, Nilda, do you want to go? Because, if you do, you can go over to Edinburg with me tomorrow.”

I hesitated, then said, “Yes. I want to go.” My heart was beating fast. I couldn’t believe how happy I was feeling.

“But I have to talk to Mamá and Papá. What if they won’t let me?”

“You can at least go with me tomorrow and find out what it’s all about. I’ll come by for you around eight.”

Chatita left me sitting at the table staring at my cup of coffee. It seemed so unreal, this idea of me going to college. My parents had never had the opportunity for much education. Juana had quit school to get married and Roberto and Zeke had graduated from high school as I had. But college? I would be the first one in my family to go to college. Yes, college was exactly what I wanted.

The day had turned dark and the rain had started. My mother came back into the kitchen with two lanterns.

“Mamá, I need to ask you something.”

She picked up a cloth and began to clean the dust from the lanterns. She looked at me and smiled.

“Mamá, if I could find a way to pay, could I take classes at the junior college?” I asked, trying to control my excitement.

She stopped cleaning and raised her eyebrows. “What would you study, my daughter?”

“I think I want to be a teacher,” I quietly replied.

Mamá sat down at the table across from me. “Then, I would like for you to go to college,” she said in a serious tone.

“What about Papá? Do you think he will allow me to go?”

“Your father wants you to be happy. If going to college and being a teacher makes you happy, then he will probably allow it,” she answered.

I didn’t say anything. I was enjoying the feeling of happiness and sense of wonder that had come over me. The two of us sat in the darkened room without speaking until I saw my mamá rubbing her eyes with the edge of her apron.

“What’s wrong, Mamá.”

“Nothing,” she replied. “I probably got some dust in my eyes. That’s all.”

1.This story is told from the point of view of___________.

A. Chatita B. Mamá C. Nilda D. Papá

2.Chatita responds to Nilda’s hesitancy about going to college with___________.

A. acceptance B. disappointment

C. encouragement D. indifference

3.According to the underlined sentence from the story, what feeling does this realization create for Nilda?

A. Sympathy. B. Frustration.

C. Annoyance. D. Satisfaction.

4.The real reason for Mamá’s tears is most likely because she is___________.

A. proud that Nilda wants to become a teacher

B. concerned about missing Nilda once she leaves

C. worried her husband will stop Nilda from leaving

D. happy that Nilda can work at a job with her friend

5.How does Nilda most show respect for her parents?

A. She picks up a chair from their yard.

B. She seeks their approval to go to college.

C. She sits with her mother without speaking.

D. She tells her mother she plans to become a teacher.

6.Which sentence from the story best supports Nilda’s sense of fulfillment?

A. “Now that I was finished with school I seemed to have lost some of the excitement from my life.”

B. “I haltingly asked, ‘Do you think I could get a job at the packing shed?’ ”

C. “ ‘Mamá, if I could find a way to pay, could I take classes at the junior college?’ ”

D. “I was enjoying the feeling of happiness and sense of wonder that had come over me.”

Answer 1