Oranges by Gary Soto
Three-Level Reading Guide
Gary Soto
Oranges
The first time I walked
With a girl, I was twelve,
Cold, and weighted down
With two oranges in my jacket.
December. Frost cracking
Beneath my steps, my breath
Before me, then gone,
As I walked toward
Her house, the one whose
Porch light burned yellow
Night and day, in any weather.
A dog barked at me, until
She came out pulling
At her gloves, face bright
With rouge. I smiled,
Touched her shoulder, and led
Her down the street, across
A used car lot and a line
Of newly planted trees,
Until we were breathing
Before a drugstore. We
Entered, the tiny bell
Bringing a saleslady
Down a narrow aisle of goods.
I turned to the candies
Tiered like bleachers,
And asked what she wanted Light in her eyes, a smile
Starting at the corners
Of her mouth. I fingered
A nickel in my pocket,
And when she lifted a chocolate
That cost a dime,
I didn’t say anything.
I took the nickel from
My pocket, then an orange,
And set them quietly on
The counter. When I looked up,
The lady’s eyes met mine,
And held them, knowing
Very well what it was all
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About.
Outside,
A few cars hissing past,
Fog hanging like old
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Coats between the trees.
I took my girl’s hand
In mine for two blocks,
Then released it to let
Her unwrap the chocolate.
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I peeled my orange
That was so bright against
The gray of December
That, from some distance,
Someone might have thought
I was making a fire in my hands.
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I.
ON THE LINES: Directions: Check the statements that you believe say what
the author says. Sometimes the exact words are used; at other times, different
words may be used. You should be able to point to one section of text that
informs your response.
___1. There are cars in the poem.
___2. Coats are hanging between trees.
___3. Both characters open something.
___4. The characters hold hands.
___5. It was a colorless day.
___6. He had more than enough money to pay for the candy.
___7. He was unaware of the cost of the candy.
II.
BETWEEN THE LINES: Directions: Check the statements that you feel
represent the text’s implied meaning. You will have to connect text
information to information in other sections of this text, other texts, or your
life and world knowledge.
___8. This is a story of two childhood sweethearts.
___9. He was too embarrassed to deny his girlfriend her choice of candy.
___10. The saleslady was cruel and made a fool out of him.
___11. The poet uses a simile when describing the fog.
___12. The poet uses onomatopoeia to describe the cars.
III.
BEYOND THE LINES: Directions: Check the statements that you agree
with and be ready to support your choice with ideas from the text and your
own knowledge. You will need to think about the issues raised in ways that
are generalized and go beyond this text to other situations in the world.
___13. Our senses are heightened when we are in love.
___14. Sometimes we will not be honest in order to save ourselves from being
embarrassed in front of people we want to impress.
___15. Sometimes ordinary things become extraordinary because of our emotions.
___16. We are willing to sacrifice for those we love.
Your Turn:
Now you will create a poem; in which, you will tell a story of something that happened to
you. Be sure and include good use of imagery, simile, metaphor, & onomatopoeia.