Name: ____________________________________
I Beat the Odds
By: Michael Oher, with Don Yaeger
Foreword
(Material given at the front of the book to explain or introduce it to the reader.)
Reflect on what you read in the foreward. We know that Michael Oher is a famous
football player. Make two predictions: What do you think led him to this success?
1) ______________________________________________________________________________________________
2) ______________________________________________________________________________________________
Prologue
(Sets the story up and gives background details that may be left out, but needed for
the story; an introductory chapter)
1. Michael Oher gives us several statistics in the prologue. Pick the one that
surprised you the most: _____________________________________________________________________
Why did this surprise you? _________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
2. Many times when a true story is made into a movie, facts are embellished
(exaggerated) to make the story more interesting. In the prologue, Oher already
gives us an example. What was this example?: ____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
3. Oher states that he felt like something special was planned for his life since he
was fortunate “to make it out.” What does Oher feel like he was meant to do? ________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
4. What did Oher mean when he said people from the ghetto would have a struggle
when mainstreaming into society? _________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
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Vocabulary for Foreward & Prologue:
*Awe (pg. ix) - an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc.,
*Guardians (pg. ix)- a person who guards or protects (such as a minor)
*Overkill (pg. x)- an excess of what is required or suitable
*Floored (pg. xi)- to overwhelm; defeat
*Version (pg. xii)- a particular form or variant of something
*Glamorizes (pg. xii)- to glorify or romanticize
*Cubicle (pg. xiv) - a small space or compartment partitioned off
*Complexion (pg. xv)- natural color, texture, & appearance of the skin, particularly the face
*Relentless (pg. xv)- unyieldingly severe, strict, or harsh
*Sensationalist (pg. xvii)- subject matter language or style producing thrilling impressions.
*Potential (pg. xvii)- capable of being or becoming
*Mentor (pg. xviii)- a wise and trusted counselor or teacher; sponsor/supporter
*Advocates (pg. xx)-a person who speaks/writes/pleads on behalf of another
*Intimidating (pg. xx)- to make timid; fill with fear
*Gestures (pg. xxi)- the use of movements to express thought, emotion, etc.
Chapter 1
Begging and Bumming: Life in Hurt Village
*Scrounge (pg.3)- to gather together by foraging; seek out
*Consistent (pg. 5)- constantly adhering to the same principles, course, form
*Generation (pg. 6)- entire body of individuals born & living at about same time
*Discrimination (pg. 7) - treatment or consideration of a person or thing based on the
group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on merit .
*Protests (pg.7)- an expression or declaration of objection, disapproval,
or dissent, often in opposition to something a person is powerless to prevent or avoid.
*Integrated (pg. 8)- organized or structured so that units function cooperatively
*Hygiene (pg. 8) a condition or practice conducive to the preservation of health
*Curfew (pg. 8)- an order establishing a specific time in the evening after which certain
regulations apply
*Deconcentrate (pg.9)- to reduce the power or control
*Eliminate (pg.9)- to remove or get rid of
*Alternative (pg. 9)- a possible or remaining course or choice
*Risk (pg. 10)- exposure to the chance of injury or loss
*Chronically (pg. 12)- constant; habitual; inveterate
*At-risk (pg. 13)- vulnerable, especially to abuse or delinquency
1. Oher learned early on that there were two groups of people…which group did he
usually belong to growing up and how does this affect him in his present life? _______
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
2. Describe some positive and negative memories that Oher has from this time. ______
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_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
3. Describe how Hurt Village originated, changed and why it was ultimately torn
down. _________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
4. Oher states that he didn’t really mind living in cramped vehicles with his family.
What reason does he give for that? ________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
5. What did Oher mean when he said “you got to hold on to your identity?” ___________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
6. Why is the title of the book, I Beat the Odds, appropriate? ____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
Chapter 2
Life at Home
Vocabulary
Symbol (pg. 17)- a letter, figure, or other mark or a combination of letters
Toting (pg. 19)- the practice of taking home food from an employer by a
person engaged in domestic service.
Variety (pg. 19)- a number of different types of things
Bond (pg. 20) something that binds a person or persons to a certain circumstance or line
of behavior:
Ghetto (pg. 20)- a section of a city, especially a thickly populated slum area,
inhabited predominantly by membersof an ethnic or other minority group,
Joyrides (pg. 23)- a pleasure ride in an automobile
Evicted (pg. 23)- to expel (a person, especially a tenant) from land, a
building, etc., by legal process
Duplex (pg. 24)- an apartment with rooms on two connected floors.
1. Why did Oher and his siblings often find themselves wandering around and
locked out of their home? ___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
2. Oher mentions several undesirable circumstances that he and his siblings had to
endure in this chapter. Which one is the most difficult for you to imagine having to
go through? __________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
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3. Picture the duplex that Oher describes in your mind. Compare (in your mind) to
your house / apartment and neighborhood. Try to picture yourself in his situation.
Chapter 3
The Day They Took Me Away
Neglected (pg. 29)- to pay no attention or too little attention to
Snooping (pg. 29)- to prowl or pry; go about in a sneaking
Promoted (pg. 30)- to put ahead to the next higher stage or grade of a course or
series of classes or job.
Authorities (pg. 30)- persons having the legal power to make & enforce law
Busybodies (pg. 30)- a person who pries into or meddles in the affairs of others
Endangerment (pg. 31)- to expose to danger; imperil
Drastic (pg. 32)- acting with force or violence;
1. We know from the first two chapters that the Oher family had it pretty rough…
Knowing that moving to foster care would at least mean regular meals and a roof
over their heads, why did they fight so hard to avoid going? ____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
2. What did Michael Oher mean when he said, “it was us versus them”? _______________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
3. Why did Oher say that he felt like a failure? ____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
Chapter 4
Life in the System
Revamp (pg. 39) - to renovate, redo, or revise
Accreditation (pg. 40)-to certify (a school, college, or the like) as meeting all
formal official requirements of academic excellence, curriculum, facilities, etc
Burgundy (pg. 40)- a grayish red-brown to dark blackish-purple color
Encountered (pg. 41)- to come upon or meet with, especially unexpectedly
Saggy (pg. 41)- bending or hanging down too much: not firm
Transport (pg. 45)- to carry (someone or something) from one place to another
Custody (pg. 47)- the right of determining the residence, protection, care, &
education of a minor child or children, especially in a divorce or separation
Awarded (pg. 47)- something awarded, as a payment or medal
1. What was meant by “sometimes things must hit rock bottom before they can get
better?” _______________________________________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
2. Contrast life at Velma “Twin” Jones’ house and what the Oher family was used to.
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
3. What did Michael Oher mean when he said, “I have never lived with that kind of
structure before?” ___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
4. As much as Oher loved being with his entire family at the supervised visits, he was
always very quiet during them and cried afterwards. Ms. Spivey, the social worker,
revealed that she was always upset too. Compare AND contrast the difference
between the reasons for their emotions. __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
5. What does “aging out of the system” mean? ____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
Chapter 5
Running Back
Permit (p. 52) – a written order granting special permission to do something
Normative (p. 54) – based on what is considered to be the usual or correct way of
doing something
Biological (p. 54) – connected by direct genetic relationship rather than by adoption
or marriage
Temporary (p. 54) – lasting, existing, serving, or effective for a certain time only
Habitual (p. 55)- commonly used, followed, observed, etc., as by a
particular person; customary:
1. On p. 51, the term “runner” is used. What does it mean in this context? _____________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Michael and Carlos didn’t have it so bad with Velma. Oher agrees with the
researchers’ reason on why he continued to “run” back to his mother. What was this
reason? _______________________________________________________________________________________
Can you relate to Oher’s reason for continuing to run? __________________________________
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Why or why not? _________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
Chapter 6
Escape from St. Joseph’s
Techniques (p. 61)- the body of specialized procedures and methods used in
any specific field
Repressed (p. 61)- having feelings or desires that are not allowed to be expressed
Pent-up (p. 62)- confined; restrained; not vented or expressed; curbed
Institution (p.64)- a public or private place for the care or confinement of
inmates, especially mental patients or other persons with physical or mental
disabilities
Dehumanizing (p. 64) - to deprive of human qualities, personality, or spirit
Legitimate (p. 65)- not spurious or unjustified; genuine
Mechanism (p. 69)- a way of acting, thinking, or behaving that helps or protects a
person in a specified way
Ripple-effect (p. 70)- a spreading effect or series of consequences caused by
a single action or event.
1. Before you begin reading this chapter, make an inference. Based on what you’ve
read and the title of the chapter, what can you infer about Oher’s next placement?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Ms. Spivey and other DCS caseworkers were trying to get to the bottom of Oher’s
repressed sadness. What signals was Oher giving off that let them know he needed
help and, which ultimately landed him in St. Joseph? ____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
3. What does the “cycle of poverty” mean to you? ________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
Chapter 7
“Home Again”
Thrived (p. 81)- to prosper; be fortunate or successful
Uprooted (p.81)- to displace, as from a home
Typical (p. 83)- characteristic or distinctive
1. On p. 76, Oher’s teacher used the term, “Can’t never could and ain’t never would.”
What does that mean? _____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. How was life different once Oher returned home for good? __________________________
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_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
3. What taught Oher some responsibility and enabled him to legitimately (not by
stealing…) feed himself? ____________________________________________________________________
How did this make him feel? ____________________________________________________ pg. # _____
4. Oher had a good year at Ida B Wells school, but what problem was he having?
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
5. Give evidence as to how Oher was like some students at Manassas High, but also
very different. ________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
Make 2 predictions as to the struggles Oher will have to face before his fairy tale comes true:
1. ______________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________________________________________
---------------------------------------------------------------------Find an example of each element of non-fiction:
1. Organization - _____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
2. Word Choice –_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
3. Imagery – __________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
4. Point of View – ____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
5. Author’s Purpose: Authors can have more than one purpose. Pick an example of each:
-Persuade: ____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
- Inform: ______________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
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- Why is it unlikely that you will find an example of entertain? _________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
You will have to identify examples of non-fiction elements, text structures &
features from passages on each test over the novel.
Find an example of the following text structures anywhere in the foreword – CH 7.
*Compare/Contrast: ________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
How is this a good example? ________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
*Order/Sequence: ___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
How is this a good example? ________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
*Problem/Solution: _________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
How is this a good example? ________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
*Description: ________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
How is this a good example? ________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
*Cause / Effect: ______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________ pg. # _____
How is this a good example? ________________________________________________________________
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_________________________________________________________________________________________________
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