How to succinctly and effectively
answer questions about reading
1
A
stands for answer the question.
Before we answer the question, we must
RESTATE the question that is asked…

For example, What are two examples of
figurative language in the short story “Fish
Cheeks” by Amy Tan?
2



To restate the question we use the same
words in the question to form a sentence.
Example What are two examples of figurative
language in the short story “Fish Cheeks” by Amy
Tan?
In “Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan, two
examples of figurative language
are…
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 After
restating- we must add our
answer.
 In
“Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan, two
examples of figurative language
are simile and hyperbole.
4
 After
we answer the question, we
must CITE our answer by finding a
DIRECT QUOTE from the story to
show support/proof.
 You
MUST put quotation marks
around your proof because you
are borrowing words from the
author that are not your own.
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A


C
In “Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan, two examples of
figurative language are simile and hyperbole.
“He was not Chinese, but as white
as Mary in the manger. For
Christmas I prayed for this blondhaired boy, Robert, and a slim new
American nose.”
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


Expanding your answer is a SIMPLE and DIRECT ONE
sentence CONNECTION to your answer.
Avoid the what and answer the WHY or HOW.
Do NOT introduce any new information in your
conclusion statement.

Do not make your explanation more than one sentence!

Keep it simple! Stay on the main topic!

This is where you dig deep.
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A
C


E

In “Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan, two examples of figurative
language are simile and hyperbole.
“He was not Chinese, but as white as Mary in the
manger. For Christmas I prayed for this blond-haired
boy, Robert, and a slim new American nose.”
Considering that the biblical Mary was
probably not a Cinderella lookalike, and
that Santa Clause traditionally delivers
toys, not noses, makes for a humorous
comparison to how young Amy would
rather be American than Chinese.
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Write your answer in paragraph form!@!




In “Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan, two examples of figurative language the author uses are simile and
hyperbole.
“He was not Chinese, but as white as Mary in the manger. For Christmas I prayed for this blond-haired
boy, Robert, and a slim new American nose.”
Considering that the biblical Mary was probably not a Cinderella lookalike, and that Santa Clause
doesn’t traditionally deliver noses explains how young Amy would rather be American than Chinese.
In “Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan, two examples of figurative language the
author uses to describe a school-girl crush are simile and
hyperbole. “He was not Chinese, but as white as Mary in the manger.
For Christmas I prayed for this blond-haired boy, Robert, and a slim new
American nose.” Considering that the biblical Mary was probably not a
Cinderella lookalike, and that Santa Clause traditionally delivers toys –
not noses - offers a humorous spin on how young Amy would rather be
American than Chinese.
Notice that the POLISHED version is slightly
different. Less dust, more shine!
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 There
will be one question on your
test that will ask one question about
BOTH stories, this is called a
crossover question.
 Crossover
questions will still use
ACE, just in a different way.
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Option #1
Answer/restate the
prompt

Prove- story 1

Prove – story 2

Explain/Extend- tie
both stories together
with one sentence.
Option #2
Answer story 1 then
prove story 1


Answer story 2 then
prove story 2
Explain/Extend- tie
both stories together
with one sentence.
11
 How
did both Hans and
Sophie Scholl and Miep
Gies stand up for what
they believed in?
12
Restate Prompt & Answer the question…

Hans and Sophie Scholl stood up for what
they believed in by forming the White
Rose freedom organization and
passing out leaflets that opposed
Hitler.
13


Hans and Sophie Scholl stood up for what they
believed in by forming a freedom organization
and passing out leaflets that opposed Hitler.
“Working with a few close friends,
Hans and Sophie created the White
Rose - a secret resistance group.
Despite the great risk involved it was
often Hans or Sophie who offered to
carry the leaflets into the city.”
14
 Meip
Gies stood up for what
she believed in by hiding
several Jews in the attic
above her place of work.
15
 Meip
Gies stood up for what she
believed in by hiding Jews like Anne
Frank and her family in the attic
above her place of work.
 “When Otto Frank turned to
her for help, she never
hesitated, would she help, of
course.”
16
Miep Gies and Hans and Sophie
Scholl repeatedly sacrificed their
safety in their courageous efforts to
help Jewish families survive
persecution and capture during the
Holocaust.
17
Hans and Sophie Scholl stood up for what they believed in by
forming freedom organization and passing out leaflets that
opposed Hitler. “Working with a few close friends, Hans and
Sophie created the White Rose – a secret resistance group.
Despite the great risk involved it was often Hans or Sophie
who offered to carry the leaflets into the city.” Meip Gies
stood up for what she believed in by hiding Jews like Anne
Frank and her family in the attic above her place of work.
“When Otto Frank turned to her for help, she never hesitated,
would she help, of course.” Miep Gies and Hans and Sophie
Scholl repeatedly sacrificed their safety in their courageous
efforts to help Jewish families survive persecution and capture
during the Holocaust.
Notice the ACACE color code
18
 How
are Amy Tan’s “Fish
Cheeks” and Maya
Angelou’s “Champion of the
World” similar?
19
Restate and Answer the question…
 Maya
Angelou’s “Champion of the
World” and Amy Tan’s “Fish Cheeks”
are similar in that both grapple
with cultural shame in Anglo
worlds.
20
Maya Angelou’s “Champion of the World” and Amy
Tan’s “Fish Cheeks” are similar in that both grapple
with cultural shame in Anglo worlds.
A

C1

C2
Tan is mortified at what her crush Robert will “think
of our shabby Chinese Christmas” and goes so far as
to wish for a “slim new American nose” to
compliment Robert’s blond hair.
Angelou recounts the anguished triumph of a negro
boxer beating a white contender in segregated
America and admits that it would be detrimental for
“a black man and his family to be caught on a lonely
road on a night when Joe Louis had proved that we
were the strongest people in the world.”
21
Both
stories
mention
E
nationalities which feel
inferior to the white race.
(But what else? Needs more elaboration
based on the answer and cite??? Need to
dig deeper. Hmmm? Tone perhaps…
22
A

C1
C2
E
Maya Angelou’s “Champion of the World” and Amy Tan’s
“Fish Cheeks” are similar in that both grapple with cultural
shame in the Anglo world. Tan is mortified at what her
crush Robert will “think of our shabby Chinese Christmas””
and goes so far as to wish for a “slim new American nose”
to compliment Robert’s blond hair. Angelou recounts the
anguished triumph of a negro boxer beating a white
contender during The Great Depression and
laments that it would be detrimental for “a black man and
his family to be caught on a lonely road on a night when
Joe Louis had proved that we were the strongest people in
the world.” Even though both stories mention
nationalities which feel inferior to the white race,
Angelou’s tone is poignant and Tan’s is comical.
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Keep it short, simple, to the point. 
 3 Score = Shiny (100)
 2 Score = Dusty (80) aka SATISFACTORY
 1 Score = Rusty (60)
 0 Score = Krusty (it’s a zero, not a hero)

 What would these three
polished responses would
earn as scores/grades?
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