Harcourt Journeys:
Story Selection
Copyright © 2011 Kelly Mott
Unit 2: Lesson 9
“Dear Mr. Winston”
Copyright © 2011 Kelly Mott
Turn your Text Book to
page 226.
Copyright © 2011 Kelly Mott
1
2
3
What are some ways that you can
apologize for something other
than writing a letter?
Answer
Copyright © 2011 Kelly Mott
Answer:
 Send a card
 Buy a gift
 Send flowers
 Give a hug
Copyright © 2011 Kelly Mott
Why do you think Cara keeps
saying her parents blame her or
are making her apologize?
Answer
Copyright © 2011 Kelly Mott
Answer:
She doesn’t want to admit that
it was her fault; she’s not really
sorry.
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How does Cara try to convince
Mr. Winston that she had a good
reason for bringing the snake into
the library?
Answer
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Answer:
She says she was trying to find
out what kind of snake it was
by comparing the real snake
with snake pictures.
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4
5
6
Why might there be a rule that
reference books cannot be
removed from the library,
“even for ten minutes”?
Answer
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Answer:
They have to be available
for anyone who needs
them.
Copyright © 2011 Kelly Mott
How does Cara’s tone in the
third paragraph differ from the
first paragraph?
Answer
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Answer:
In the first paragraph, she is still
shifting blame to Mr. Winston. In
the third paragraph, she is saying
something that sounds friendly or
helpful.
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Why do you think the author
chose to mention that the snake
is still loose at this point in the
letter, instead of at the
beginning?
Answer
Copyright © 2011 Kelly Mott
Answer:
To entertain the readers, to
keep things interesting, and to
move the plot forward.
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7
8
9
What evidence does Cara
provide that the snake was not
dangerous?
Answer
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Answer:
The book showed that it was
not a type of deadly snake.
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Who is Cara trying to persuade
and why? Is she convincing?
Answer
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Answer:
Her father, because she knows he will
read the letter and will decide her
punishment.
No, because she doesn’t accept any
blame for what happened.
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Why does Cara mention that
Jake Lambert sold her the
snake?
Answer
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Answer:
She hopes to shift some of the
blame somewhere else.
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10
11
12
Describe the sequence of
events from the time Cara
brings the box into the library
until Mr. Winston faints.
Answer
Copyright © 2011 Kelly Mott
Answer:
1. Cara brings a box into the library.
2. Mr. Winston insists on looking in the
box.
3. He picks up the box, opens it, screams,
and faints.
4. Then the snake slithers out.
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How is Cara’s tone on this page
different from her tone on pp.
228-229?
Answer
Copyright © 2011 Kelly Mott
Answer:
Earlier she said she was truly
sorry, but kept blaming Mr.
Winston for what happened.
Here she mentions things she
knows will upset Mr. Winston.
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From what Cara suggests
about efforts to find the snake,
what is true about snakes
most of the time?
Answer
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Answer:
They are difficult to find; they
can hide in unusual places.
Copyright © 2011 Kelly Mott
13
Sometimes authors will repeat words or
use repetitions, if they want the reader
to pay close attention to those words. Do
you believe Cara when she repeatedly
says, “ I am genuinely sorry”? Why or
why not?
Answer
Copyright © 2011 Kelly Mott
Answers:
No, her letter seems to be
insincere. She is still inquiring
about the snake and doesn’t
seem to care much about Mr.
Winston’s feelings.
Copyright © 2011 Kelly Mott
Projectable 9.3
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Projectable 9.4
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Copyright © 2011 Kelly Mott
How did you do?
Copyright © 2011 Kelly Mott