Approximations
Interpretive Questions: Answer all questions in complete sentences, using quotes as support.
1.) Why does Melinda cooperate with her mother’s plan to get her father to buy the television?
1.) Melinda cooperates with her mothers plan because she doesn't want her mother to get mad at her because she is stuck with her mom not dad. when she says “It seems I was on the verge of losing two things I badly wanted.” (p 102) she has to choose between her father or mother and since she has to be with her mother she had to do what her mother wanted.
2.) Why does Melinda’s mother make getting the television the goal of their second visit with Melinda’s father?
2.) Melinda's mother wants to get a television from the second visit because she feels that her ex husband should at least help her by giving her a television. “I pay for your school and your books and your skates and your lessons, and I pay the rent.” (p 97) she wants the father to contribute in some way.
3.) Why is Melinda nervous before she goes down to talk to her father, while her mother is having fun getting her ready?
3.) Melinda is nervous because she doesn't want to lose the connection they have by saying if you love me you would buy me a T.V.. when the mom says “See if you could get him to buy a TV” (p 101) the mom is using Melinda to get what she wants and getting revenge.
4.) Why does Melinda think for a “wild moment” of asking for a candy bar, but then tell her father she is saving for the television? (p. 102)
4.) Melinda tells her father about the television instead of the candy because she realizes her mom would get mad at her and at the end of the day its her mom she lives with. “But I didn't because I knew it would end.” (p 102) she doesn't want to ruin the relationship with her mother so she has to do what she says.
5.) Why does Melinda’s mother yell at her and call her “ordinary” after they get back from Disneyland? (p. 103)
5.) Melinda mother tells Melinda she is ordinary because she was not talking after the incident with the television to anyone. When her mother says “you didn't say one word the whole time you were there.” (p 103) she is saying that she was ordinary after the incident with the TV and wasn't acting like herself and was uninteresting.
6.) Why does Melinda go to Jerry after the fight with her mother?
6.) Melinda goes to Jerry after the incident because Jerry is the only one who doesn't want something from her. When Melinda says “Another man in the world who had nothing to do with me” p 104 she is saying that Jerry never wanted or took anything from her and he is just a normal friend.
7.) Why does Melinda stop skating after the ice show?
7.) Melinda stops skating after the show because because she sees her mother with Jerry and she realizes that she wont get any attention there. “Under the show spotlight she twirled inside the box of Jerry’s arms. I quit skating after that.” (p 98) Her mom no longer paid attention to her so she stopped.
8.) Why does Melinda decide not to go to the Girl Scout breakfast with Jerry?
8.) Melinda does not go to the breakfast because she pretends like Jerry is her father but realizes that he will never be her real father. “One Saturday there was a father/daughter breakfast sponsored by my girl scout troop.” “I’d forgotten” (p 99) she didn't care to go at all because it Jerry and not her father.
9.) When her mother yells at her after their return from Disneyland, why does Melinda remain silent?
9.) Melinda remains silent because if she talks back her mom will keep yelling and also she wonders why she didn't talk and self reflects on the situation when Melinda says “She still was yelling when I walked out the door.” (p 104) This shows she was just waiting for her mom to let it all out.
10.) At the end of the story, why does Melinda skate with Jerry even though she thinks of him as “just another man in the world, who had nothing to do with me”? (p 104)
10. when she says “just another man in the world, who had nothing to do with me” (p 104) she means that she has no one else to go but Jerry and Jerry has never wanted anything from her and he is all she has right now.
Vocabulary in Context:
1.) Maternal (p. 92)
Quote: "Other mothers got maternal, pulling me close to their soft, aproned bellies."
Definition: The definition of maternal is Motherly, parental figure
Synonym: Protective
Sentence: My mother was maternal when I broke my arm.
2.) Luxuriously (p. 95)
Quote: "He crossed one leg over the other, smoking luxuriously."
Definition: The definition of luxuriously is fancy or high end
Synonym: Magnificent
Sentence: He was living luxuriously in his new house.
3.) Glamorous (p. 97)
Quote: "He had short bristly hair and a glamorous smile."
Definition: The definition of glamorous is beautiful
Synonym: Attractive, pretty
Sentence: The dolphin was glamorous in the water.
4.) Glinted (p. 98)
Quote: "She glinted along the ice, shifting her weight from leg to bent leg."
Definition: The definition of glinted is reflections of light
Synonym: Shine
Sentence: The car mirror glinted due to the sun.
5.) Approximated (p. 100)
Quote: "She had already stopped telling Jerry the things she wanted because he tried to get them for her and he made mistakes he approximated."
Definition: The definition of approximate is close but not exact
Synonym: estimate
Sentence: He had a approximate guess of where the plane was going to land.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when Melinda’s mother does or says something that is helpful to Melinda or Hurtful to Melinda. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
Mom is helpful
Mom is helpful when she provides financial support alone for the child page 97
Mom is helpful she is supportive of her ice skating page 95
Mom is helpful she allows Melinda to see her father for the first time page 93
Mom is helpful she doesn't say anything about Melinda’s father to her allowing Melinda to form her own opinions page 92
Mom is helpful she encourages Melinda to have talent and skills page 93
Mom is hurtful
Mom is hurtful when she encourages her to lie page 102-103
Mom is hurtful when she yells at her and says she is just ordinary page 103
Mom is hurtful when she starts to ignore Melinda because she has Jerry to love now page 98
Mom is hurtful when she yells at Melinda to go with Jerry to the father daughter breakfast page 99
Mom is hurtful when she makes Melinda feel bad about taking the little gift her dad got her when she pays the rent and for her school page 97
1.) Why does Melinda cooperate with her mother’s plan to get her father to buy the television?
1.) Melinda cooperates with her mothers plan because she doesn't want her mother to get mad at her because she is stuck with her mom not dad. when she says “It seems I was on the verge of losing two things I badly wanted.” (p 102) she has to choose between her father or mother and since she has to be with her mother she had to do what her mother wanted.
2.) Why does Melinda’s mother make getting the television the goal of their second visit with Melinda’s father?
2.) Melinda's mother wants to get a television from the second visit because she feels that her ex husband should at least help her by giving her a television. “I pay for your school and your books and your skates and your lessons, and I pay the rent.” (p 97) she wants the father to contribute in some way.
3.) Why is Melinda nervous before she goes down to talk to her father, while her mother is having fun getting her ready?
3.) Melinda is nervous because she doesn't want to lose the connection they have by saying if you love me you would buy me a T.V.. when the mom says “See if you could get him to buy a TV” (p 101) the mom is using Melinda to get what she wants and getting revenge.
4.) Why does Melinda think for a “wild moment” of asking for a candy bar, but then tell her father she is saving for the television? (p. 102)
4.) Melinda tells her father about the television instead of the candy because she realizes her mom would get mad at her and at the end of the day its her mom she lives with. “But I didn't because I knew it would end.” (p 102) she doesn't want to ruin the relationship with her mother so she has to do what she says.
5.) Why does Melinda’s mother yell at her and call her “ordinary” after they get back from Disneyland? (p. 103)
5.) Melinda mother tells Melinda she is ordinary because she was not talking after the incident with the television to anyone. When her mother says “you didn't say one word the whole time you were there.” (p 103) she is saying that she was ordinary after the incident with the TV and wasn't acting like herself and was uninteresting.
6.) Why does Melinda go to Jerry after the fight with her mother?
6.) Melinda goes to Jerry after the incident because Jerry is the only one who doesn't want something from her. When Melinda says “Another man in the world who had nothing to do with me” p 104 she is saying that Jerry never wanted or took anything from her and he is just a normal friend.
7.) Why does Melinda stop skating after the ice show?
7.) Melinda stops skating after the show because because she sees her mother with Jerry and she realizes that she wont get any attention there. “Under the show spotlight she twirled inside the box of Jerry’s arms. I quit skating after that.” (p 98) Her mom no longer paid attention to her so she stopped.
8.) Why does Melinda decide not to go to the Girl Scout breakfast with Jerry?
8.) Melinda does not go to the breakfast because she pretends like Jerry is her father but realizes that he will never be her real father. “One Saturday there was a father/daughter breakfast sponsored by my girl scout troop.” “I’d forgotten” (p 99) she didn't care to go at all because it Jerry and not her father.
9.) When her mother yells at her after their return from Disneyland, why does Melinda remain silent?
9.) Melinda remains silent because if she talks back her mom will keep yelling and also she wonders why she didn't talk and self reflects on the situation when Melinda says “She still was yelling when I walked out the door.” (p 104) This shows she was just waiting for her mom to let it all out.
10.) At the end of the story, why does Melinda skate with Jerry even though she thinks of him as “just another man in the world, who had nothing to do with me”? (p 104)
10. when she says “just another man in the world, who had nothing to do with me” (p 104) she means that she has no one else to go but Jerry and Jerry has never wanted anything from her and he is all she has right now.
Vocabulary in Context:
1.) Maternal (p. 92)
Quote: "Other mothers got maternal, pulling me close to their soft, aproned bellies."
Definition: The definition of maternal is Motherly, parental figure
Synonym: Protective
Sentence: My mother was maternal when I broke my arm.
2.) Luxuriously (p. 95)
Quote: "He crossed one leg over the other, smoking luxuriously."
Definition: The definition of luxuriously is fancy or high end
Synonym: Magnificent
Sentence: He was living luxuriously in his new house.
3.) Glamorous (p. 97)
Quote: "He had short bristly hair and a glamorous smile."
Definition: The definition of glamorous is beautiful
Synonym: Attractive, pretty
Sentence: The dolphin was glamorous in the water.
4.) Glinted (p. 98)
Quote: "She glinted along the ice, shifting her weight from leg to bent leg."
Definition: The definition of glinted is reflections of light
Synonym: Shine
Sentence: The car mirror glinted due to the sun.
5.) Approximated (p. 100)
Quote: "She had already stopped telling Jerry the things she wanted because he tried to get them for her and he made mistakes he approximated."
Definition: The definition of approximate is close but not exact
Synonym: estimate
Sentence: He had a approximate guess of where the plane was going to land.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when Melinda’s mother does or says something that is helpful to Melinda or Hurtful to Melinda. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
Mom is helpful
Mom is helpful when she provides financial support alone for the child page 97
Mom is helpful she is supportive of her ice skating page 95
Mom is helpful she allows Melinda to see her father for the first time page 93
Mom is helpful she doesn't say anything about Melinda’s father to her allowing Melinda to form her own opinions page 92
Mom is helpful she encourages Melinda to have talent and skills page 93
Mom is hurtful
Mom is hurtful when she encourages her to lie page 102-103
Mom is hurtful when she yells at her and says she is just ordinary page 103
Mom is hurtful when she starts to ignore Melinda because she has Jerry to love now page 98
Mom is hurtful when she yells at Melinda to go with Jerry to the father daughter breakfast page 99
Mom is hurtful when she makes Melinda feel bad about taking the little gift her dad got her when she pays the rent and for her school page 97