Mastery Charter School- Lenfest Campus
LENFEST CAMPUS
STUDENTS ENTERING 9 TH GRADE
Of Mice and Men ~ John Steinbeck
Mastery Charter School- Lenfest Campus
Summer
2013
LENFEST CAMPUS
2014 SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT: STUDENTS ENTERING 9 TH GRADE
REQUIRED READING ASSIGNMENT:
Students entering the 9th grade are expected to read one required book: Of Mice and Men, written by John
Steinbeck. Bring your OWN copy to Literature class on the first day. There will be a test on the novel during the
first week of class.
To help you prepare for the test, you need to:
o Annotate-As-You-Go: Keep track of important information about characters and events by
recording notes in the margin. Use the annotation code below for your annotations. Each page
should have 3 annotations. Your novel will be checked and graded in the first week of school.
Note: Ms. McCrary does not accept just codes for annotations. There must be writing in the
margins or you will receive a 0.
Summer Reading Annotation Codes
Code
O
?
!
CF
*
=

Use it when you…
Find a word that you can’t figure out based on context clues – circle
it!

Follow up by…
Look up the word and record the
definition

Are confused or don’t understand something you’ve read

Ask a question

Gained important insight into a character

Jot down what you learned.

Encountered an important development in the conflict

Briefly restate it.

Encountered a very important or interesting passage

Jot down why it’s important.

Make a connection or are reminded of something else you’ve read,
scene, or experienced.

Write down the connection.
REQUIRED WRITING ASSIGNMENT:
Students must answer the comprehension and reflection questions concerning Of Mice and Men. All
comprehension questions must be answered in 2-4 academic sentences, and all reflection questions must be
answered in a 5-8 sentence paragraphs. These responses should be submitted in a spiral or marble notebook
and handed in on the first full day of school.
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Mastery Charter School- Lenfest Campus
Summer
2013
Of Mice and Men Questions
Chapter One (pp. 1-17)
1. Name the town where Lennie and George last worked.
2. What is the name of the town where Lennie and George have come to work?
3. Write a description of George (p.2)
4. Write a description of Lennie (p.2)
5. Describe the incident that caused Lennie and George to leave their last place of work.
6. Describe Lennie and George's dream for the future.
7. State the two main reasons why George didn't want Lennie to have a mouse.
8. The author John Steinbeck compares Lennie to two different animals. Name these animals and state the
author's reason for the similes.
9. Why do you think the author uses animals to describe Lennie. Explain your answer.
10. In your own words, describe the relationship between George and Lennie. Do you think George treated
him very well? Explain.
11. Why do you think George stayed with Lennie and looked after him?
Chapter Two (PP.18-41):
1. Who is Candy (the Swamper)? Explain.
2. Who is Slim? Explain.
3. Who is Curley? Explain.
4. What are Lennie and George's last names? Why is Lennie's last name ironic?
5. Name the three lies which George told his new boss? Explain.
6. What was the main reason why Curley didn't like Lennie?
7. Why did Curley say he wore a glove on his left hand?
8. What was in his glove?
9. How long have Curley and his new wife been married?
10. Who is she supposedly having an affair with?
11. Write a description of Slim. (p.37)
12. Who is Carlson?
13. What were the two main reasons why Carlson wanted Candy's dog to be put to sleep?
14. Foreshadowing plays an important part in this chapter. What do you think is going to happen between
Curley and Lennie? What about Candy's dog?
Chapter Three (PP.42-76)
1. What type of relationship is developing between Slim and George?
2. What secret does George tell Slim?
3. In what way is Lennie like a kid rather then an adult? Give an example. (pp.47-48)
4. Who is Crooks? b) How did he get his name? (p.55)
5. Who shoots Candy's dog?
6. What did Slim tell him to take with him, besides a gun? Why? (p.53)
7. There is symbolism in Candy's dog being shot. Tell how this incident is symbolic of Candy's own life on the
ranch.
8. State what the atmosphere is like in the bunk house just before the gun shot rang out in the air.
9. Who is old Susy?
10. Who is Aunt Clara? (pp. 57-58)
11. How much do Susy and Clara charge?
12. How much money has Candy saved?
13. How did Curley hurt his hand?
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Mastery Charter School- Lenfest Campus
Summer
2013
14. What story did he promise to tell about his injury?
15. Explain the scene where Lennie and Curley fought. Tell what or who started the fight, what happened,
who stopped it, etc.
16. Why did Curley agree to lie about the fight and the injury?
Chapter Four (pp.73-91)
1. Describe Crooks’s cabin. (pp.73-74)
2. Why didn't Candy go into town with the rest of the men?
3. Why didn't Lennie want to go?
4. Why do you think Crooks wasn't invited into town?
5. What did Crooks mean when he said to Lennie:"You got no right coming into my room".
6. Why do you think Lennie walked into Crooks bunk, even though the other men at the ranch never went
near there?
7. Why did Lennie get mad at Crooks?
8. Why do you think Crooks teased Lennie?
9. What does Crooks say will happen to Lennie if George doesn't come back? (p.79)
10. How did Curley's wife know that Lennie was the one who broke Curley's hand? (p.87)
11. What threat did she make to Crooks?
12. Name four of the animals which Candy states they are going to have someday on the farm. (p.84)
13. What is symbolic about Crooks at the end of the scene changing his mind about working on Lennie and
George's farm? (p.91)
Chapters Five and Six:
1. Explain how and why Lennie's dog died? (p.93 and p.95)
2. Where were George and the men while Lennie was in the barn?
3. Explain the scene were Lennie killed Curley's wife. Tell why and how he did it, etc. (pp.99-100)
4. Why did she marry Curley, if she didn't love him? Explain your answer.
5. Who found Curley's wife and how did he initially react?
6. Why did George tell Candy not bring the others into the barn until he was far away? (p.104)
7. Besides the dog and Curley's wife, what else died that day in the barn? Explain your
1. answer. (p.103)
8. Explain the scene where George shoots Lennie. Tell in detail and include how he did
2. it.
9. What do you think happened to George? Candy? Their dreams?
Whole-Novel Reflection Questions
(Write a 5-8 sentence paragraph for each)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What is Steinbeck’s overall message?
Are any characters representative of a wider issue in society?
Ultimately, is there anything redeeming or uplifting about the ending?
Do you find the book realistic, pessimistic or both?
What did you enjoy about reading Of Mice and Men? What didn’t you enjoy?
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