Unit 2: All American Slurp

Question 1

In “The All-American Slurp,” how does the narrator feel the first time her family eats raw celery?

A. amused
B. embarrassed
C. sad
D. angry

Answer 1

B. embarrassed

Question 2

Which of the following is a detail in “The All-American Slurp” that helps you conclude that Japanese eat celery differently than Americans?

A. The Lins give the Gleasons instructions on how to eat celery.
B. The Gleasons laugh when the Lins eat celery.
C. Everyone stares as the Lins eat celery.
D. The Lins are the only ones who cut their celery into little pieces.

Answer 2

C. Everyone stares as the Lins eat celery.

Question 3

How does Meg make the narrator feel better after the dinner party in “The All- American Slurp”?

A. Meg teases the narrator about the party until they both start to laugh.
B. Meg mentions that her mother doesn’t plan for parties and just hopes for the best.
C. Meg doesn’t mention the party.
D. Meg tells the narrator that her mother and the other guests liked the Lins.

Answer 3

B. Meg mentions that her mother doesn’t plan for parties and just hopes for the best.

Question 4

Why does the narrator of “The All-American Slurp” think her brother is adjusting better to American life than she is?

A. He is making friends easily.
B. He is better at riding a bicycle.
C. He gets better grades in school.
D. He knows how to eat American food.

Answer 4

A. He is making friends easily.

Question 5

In “The All-American Slurp,” why does the narrator explain how each person in the Lin family approaches English?

A. to show how Chinese people learn English
B. to prove that children learn new languages more easily than adults
C. to show the personality of each family member
D. to point out that English is a difficult language to learn

Answer 5

C. to show the personality of each family member

Question 6

How does comparing the problems the Lins and the Gleasons experienced at each others’ homes help reveal the theme of “The All-American Slurp”?

A. The comparison points out the vast differences between two cultures.
B. The comparison shows that the two cultures do not understand each other.
C. The comparison shows that the families will never get along.
D. The comparison shows that the families have certain similarities.

Answer 6

D. The comparison shows that the families have certain similarities.

Question 7

In “The All-American Slurp,” which of the Lins is the first to fit in with American culture?

A. the narrator
B. the narrator’s mother
C. the narrator’s father
D. the narrator’s brother

Answer 7

D. the narrator’s brother

Question 8

What can you conclude about the Lin family based on details in “The All- American Slurp”?

A. They all want to go back to Japan.
B. They all want to fit in to American society.
C. They do not like Americans very much.
D. They will never be comfortable in America.

Answer 8

B. They all want to fit in to American society.

Question 9

Which of the following details from “The All-American Slurp” best expresses the theme of fitting in?

A. The mother buys blue jeans for the narrator.
B. The Lins emigrated to America.
C. Chinese dumplings are called pot-stickers. D. The correct way to eat soup is to slurp it.

Answer 9

A. The mother buys blue jeans for the narrator.

Question 10

Which pair of words best describes the relationship between the narrator and her friend Meg in “The All-American Slurp”?

A. tense and angry
B. easy and relaxed
C. cautious and half-hearted
D. stiff and restrained

Answer 10

B. easy and relaxed

Question 11

In “The All-American Slurp,” what does the narrator discover when she drinks a milkshake with Meg?

A. Japanese people do not like milkshakes.
B. Americans do not know how to drink milkshakes.
C. Americans slurp when drinking milkshakes.
D. American milkshakes are different from Japanese milkshakes.

Answer 11

C. Americans slurp when drinking milkshakes.

Question 12

What does the narrator learn about slurping in “The All-American Slurp”?

A. Slurping is considered bad manners everywhere.
B. Slurping is considered normal behavior in most restaurants.
C. Americans and Chinese both slurp in some situations.
D. Slurping is only considered acceptable in America.

Answer 12

C. Americans and Chinese both slurp in some situations.

Question 13

The narrator in “The All-American Slurp” learns an important lesson about life. In an essay, explain what you think she learns. Support your ideas with details and examples from the story.

Answer 13

The narrator learns how to adapt or fit in to new surroundings, or that she learns that Americans and Japanese are not as different as she first thought. Ideas can be supported with details about how the narrator learns to eat, dress, and socialize.

Question 14

In an essay, evaluate the title of “The All-American Slurp.” Do you think this title reflects the theme of this story? Explain your answer using details from the story.

Answer 14

The title, “The All-American Slurp,” reflects the themes of fitting in and similarities of cultures. Essays should point out that slurp in the title symbolizes how people with differ- ent customs are more alike than they think.

Question 15

What conclusion can you draw about the Lins from this passage in “The All-American Slurp”?

As our family of four sat stiffly in a row, my younger brother and I stole glances at our parents for a clue as to what to do next.

A. The Lins are not welcome at the party.
B. The Lins feel anxious and unsure.
C. The Lins are having a terrible time.
D. The Lins are eager to fit in.

Answer 15

B. The Lins feel anxious and unsure.

Question 16

How does Meg help the narrator of “The All-American Slurp” see that Americans and Chinese are not so different?

A. Meg says her mother just hopes for the best when having a dinner party.
B. Meg says Americans eat exactly the same way as Chinese.
C. Meg says that Americans and Chinese eat celery the same way.
D. Meg gives her clothes to the narrator so they will look alike.

Answer 16

A. Meg says her mother just hopes for the best when having a dinner party.

Question 17

In “The All-American Slurp,” the manner in which the narrator’s father learns English characterizes him as

A. easy-going and amusing
B. tense and irritable
C. emotional and unpredictable
D. organized and precise

Answer 17

D. organized and precise

Question 18

In “The All-American Slurp,” why does the narrator go to the ladies’ room at the French restaurant?

A. She doesn’t feel well.
B. She is embarrassed by her family.
C. She wants to spit out the food she has eaten.
D. She is afraid to eat the food that has been served.

Answer 18

B. She is embarrassed by her family.

Question 19

The Lins are startled when the Gleasons mix together different dishes. How do you think the Lins usually eat?

A. They never eat rice with other food.
B. They mix all their food together.
C. They eat one type of food at a time.
D. They never eat together.

Answer 19

C. They eat one type of food at a time.

Question 20

What do the Gleasons have trouble with when they eat Chinese-style in “The All-American Slurp”?

A. unfamiliar etiquette
B. American food
C. sitting on the floor
D. Chinese language

Answer 20

A. unfamiliar etiquette

Question 21

What can you conclude about the narrator from this passage in “The All-American Slurp”?

. . . I understood the message: the Gleasons were not used to Chinese ways and they were just coping the best they could. For some reason I thought of celery strings.

A. She believes that the Gleasons are ignorant and foolish.
B. She feels that Chinese food and customs are superior to those of America.
C. She realizes that the Gleasons will never understand Chinese traditions and
customs.
D. She understands that her family and the Gleasons are similar in some ways.

Answer 21

D. She understands that her family and the Gleasons are similar in some ways.

Question 22

By the end of “The All-American Slurp,” the narrator discovers that

A. slurping is considered bad etiquette throughout the world.
B. slurping is considered normal behavior in most restaurants.
C. Americans and Chinese both slurp, but they find it acceptable at different times.
D. slurping is considered acceptable only in America.

Answer 22

C. Americans and Chinese both slurp, but they find it acceptable at different times.

Question 23

Attheconclusionof“TheAll-AmericanSlurp, ”howhavetheLinsadjustedtolifein America?

A. They give up Chinese customs for American ways.
B. They are comfortable with American ways, but still keep many Chinese customs.
C. They do not know which Chinese customs to follow and which to give up.
D. They do not adjust to American life and are returning to China.

Answer 23

B. They are comfortable with American ways, but still keep many Chinese customs.

Question 24

Which of the following best summarizes “The All-American Slurp”?

A. The narrator makes a new best friend.
B. The narrator’s parents have trouble adjusting to change in a new country.
C. The Lin family encounters challenges as they adapt to their new country.
D. The Gleason family discovers that they have new Chinese neighbors.

Answer 24

C. The Lin family encounters challenges as they adapt to their new country.

Question 25

The theme of “The All-American Slurp” can best be found by comparing

A. the way Mr. and Mrs. Lin learn to speak English.
B. Chinese clothing to American clothing.
C. the brother and sister in the Lin family.
D. the problems the Lins and Gleasons have during dinner at each others’ homes.

Answer 25

D. the problems the Lins and Gleasons have during dinner at each others’ homes.

Question 26

Which of the following best states the theme of “The All-American Slurp”?

A. It is not wise to move to a strange land.
B. Cultures and customs may be different, but people are not so different.
C. No matter where a person travels, good manners are important.
D. Change is an important part of growing up.

Answer 26

B. Cultures and customs may be different, but people are not so different.

Question 27

How does the narrator in “The All-American Slurp” deal with change. What kind of problems does she face? How are these problems solved?

Answer 27

The narrator has to deal with unfamiliar language, learning social customs, and dressing as other Americans do. Problem solving involves adjustment, sharing her own customs with a friend, convincing her parents that she needs to change, and being a good observer of the culture around her.

Question 28

Discuss the similarities between the Lin’s dinner party in “The All-American Slurp” and the Gleason’s dinner party. Tell how these two story events support the theme of the story.

Answer 28

Similarities between the Lin’s dinner party and the Gleasons’ dinner party are that the guests at each party made etiquette mis- takes. The Gleasons do everything “wrong,” according to Chinese custom, just as the Lins thought they did everything “wrong” at the Gleasons’. This supports the theme that people of any culture, who are in new situations, may make mistakes.