IMPORTANT: Comprehension questions will be in chronological order as you read through the story. Page numbers are approximate, and will vary with different editions of the book.
Section 1: Chapters 1-3
Vocabulary
- blunt: having a thick edge or point, not sharp; saying or expressing something in a very direct way that may upset some people
- kilometer: a unit of length equal to 1,000 meters
- reassure: to make someone feel less afraid, upset, or doubtful
- retort: to answer an argument by a counter argument; to answer back sharply
- tap: a plug for a hole; a device consisting or a spout and valve attached to the end of a pipe to control the flow of a fluid, a faucet
- term: a word or phrase that has an exact meaning; the length of time during which a person has an official or political office
Vocabulary Sentences
- While driving around Ireland, we saw a sign indicating that the historic church was 30 kilometers away.
- The President of the United States decided to campaign for a second term in office.
- The school teacher smiled and reassured the students that there would be no pop quiz this week.
- Jan seemed to frequently have a retort when her mother asked her to wash the dishes.
- The tap water left a bad taste in my mouth.
Comprehension Questions
- Granny says the hospital is too far away and they don’t have money to pay a doctor. (pg. 1)
- Naledi and Tiro walk to the village with empty buckets to buy water every day. (pg. 2)
- The children try to avoid looking at the place of graves on their way to the village. (pg. 2)
- Naledi plans to walk to Johannesburg to ask their mother for helpg. (pg. 2)
- The walk to Johannesburg is 300 kilometers. (pg. 2)
- Naledi and Tiro want to avoid the police because they didn’t have a pass. (pg. 8)
- Naledi and Tiro could have been shot by the farmer if he had caught them taking the orange. (pg. 11)
- A boy from the farm takes the children to a shed to sleep in and also gives them some food. (pg. 14)
- Naledi and Tiro bury the orange peels in the dirt in order to hide the fact that they have eaten oranges. (pg. 14)
- The boys give Naledi and Tiro a little pap to eat. (pg.14)
- “Sala sentle” means stay well, and “Tsamaya settle” means go well. Both are expressions of farewell in the Tswana language. (pg. 77)
Section 2: Chapters 4-7
Vocabulary
- heave: to lift, pull, or throw something with effort; to breathe in and out in a slow or loud way
- inconvenient: causing trouble or problems; not convenient
- lorry: a large, heavy motor vehicle for transporting goods or troops; a truck
- pavement: the hard surface of a road, driveway, etc.
- steer: an ox less than four years old; to be moved or guided in a particular direction or along a particular course
- windscreen: a screen that protects against the wind; British term for windshield
Vocabulary Sentences
- Marty heaved a sigh of relief after reading the acceptance letter from the university.
- It was inconvenient for Amy to take her sister to school, since she was already late for her dental appointment.
- Mia’s feet burned as she ran across the hot pavement.
- The lorry broke down in the middle of the road and caused a huge traffic jam.
- The dirty windscreen made it difficult to see the road clearly.
Comprehension Questions
- Naledi and Tiro have their first ride in a truck on the second day of their journey. (pg. 19)
- As the children get closer to Joannesburg, the land is no longer flat but has mountains with steep rocks and crags. (pg. 19-20)
- The children hope to find their Mma in Parktown. (pg. 20)
- Mma works so far from home so that she can pay to send them to school. (pg. 20)
- The children act oddly because their father worked in a mine, got a coughing sickness, and then died there. (pg. 22)
- The truck driver gives them money and shows them where to catch the bus. (pg. 23)
- The children make the mistake of trying to get on a bus that is only for white people. (pg. 25-26)
- The children have not thought about their little sister all day because so much had happened all day. (pg. 28)
- Mma can’t leave for home immediately because she needs to stay with Belinda so Madam and the Master can go to a dinner party. (pg. 30-32)
- Naledi notices Mama uses tin plates and mugs for them to use, instead of the glistening plates and delicate glasses. (pg. 32-33)
- The Madam says the children can’t spend the night in Parktown because the police won’t like it. (pg. 33)
Section 3: Chapters 8-11
Vocabulary
- carriage: a large vehicle with four wheels that is pulled by a horse and also carries people; a separate section of a train
- dustbin: a can for trash or garbage
- freedom: the quality or state of being free; liberation from slavery or restraint from the power of another
- hurl: to throw something with force; to say or should an insult in a loud and forceful way
- rubbish: things that are no longer useful or wanted and have been thrown out; words or ideas that are foolish or untrue; something that is worthless, unimportant, or of poor quality
- surge: to move very quickly and suddenly in a particular direction
Vocabulary Sentences
- Ivan loved to hurl snowballs at his big brother.
- Jade was thrilled to find her lost earring after mistakenly sweeping it into the dustbin.
- William thought his essay was rubbish since he did not get the top grade in the class.
- The American flag is a beautiful symbol of freedom.
- Lola felt a surge of excitement and fear as she waited in line for the giant roller coaster.
Comprehension Questions
- The children become separated from Grace when they are pushed out by a crowd of people getting off the train. (pg. 36)
- There is a pass raid by the police and people begin running away from the police. (pg. 37)
- The children go to the man’s house and his son runs to take the pass to him. (pg. 39-40)
- The boy threatens to burn the pass one day. (pg. 40)
- Jonas and Paul are curious about where Naledi and Tiro are from because they have never been anywhere except Johannesburg. (pg. 43)
- Grace’s older brother Dumi was picked up by the police in 1976, when students were marching and the place was on fire. (pg. 44)
- Grace called the student demonstration a “time of fire.” (pg. 45)
- The police began shooting and killing whoever was in their way. (pg. 46)
- Dumi was studying in another country and he was planning to come back in order to fight for freedom. (pg. 46-48)
- Naledi and Tiro hope to see the orange farm where they had spent the night. (pg. 51)
- Mma becomes quiet and is thinking about how to respond to Naledi’s question about the student demonstration in Soweto. (pg. 52)
Section 4: Chapters 12-15
Vocabulary
- anxious: causing or showing fear or nervousness
- banknote: a promissory note issued by a bank payable to bearer on demand without interest and acceptable as money
- cluster: a group of similar things or people positioned or occurring closely together; to be or come into a cluster or close group; congregate
- corridor: a long passage in a building from which doors lead into rooms
- queue: a line or sequence of people or vehicles awaiting their turn to be attended to or to proceed
- vague: not clearly expressed; stated in indefinite terms
- veranda: a roofed platform along the outside of a house, level with the ground floor; a porch
Vocabulary Sentences
- Omar began to feel anxious about the spelling test since he had not taken much time to study for it.
- Ellie enjoyed sitting on the veranda with her grandmother, just chatting and sipping ice tea.
- George gave his mother a vague response when she asked how his day at school went.
- A cluster of homes had been severely damaged by the horrific storm.
- Jill walked down the long hospital corridor before meeting her new baby sister.
Comprehension Questions
- Naledi assumes her mother has borrowed money when she sees the banknotes in her hand. (pg. 56)
- When Mma and Naledi arrive at the hospital, they see people sitting and lying around the buildings, and a queue of patients lined up to see a woman at the desk. (pg. 58)
- Naledi realizes that there are even more people waiting for help inside the hospital. (pg. 59)
- Mma and the young mother think their babies need more milk. (pg. 60)
- Mma and Naledi share their food with the young mother. (pg. 63)
- Naledi witnesses the young mother sobbing because her baby had died. (pg. 63)
- Naledi encourages her mother by linking arms with her, letting her know that at least they have each other. (pg. 64)
- In normal circumstances, a visit from Mma was filled with hugs, presents, and Mma helping Nono and listening to the children’s stories. (pg. 66-67)
- Mma has to return to the city as soon as Dineo is home from the hospital because she is losing pay. (pg. 70)
- Naledi can’t imagine Grace crying, and also remembers that Grace has to look after her younger brothers and the house by herself most of the time. (pg. 71)
- Naledi realizes that all her school lessons have been about how to be a good servant, but she wants to become a doctor. (pg. 72)