Unit 2: Lesson 10 “Jose! Born to Dance”
Why does the author start the selection with a description of Jose “kicking like a roped steer” when he was born?
Answer: The author is suggesting that even from birth Jose was always in motion.
Does the author’s purpose seem to be to inform, entertain, or to persuade? How can you tell?
Answer: To inform; the author gives biographical information about Jose’s early life.
Why do you think the author begins the biography by telling about events in Jose’s life?
Answer: Reading about Jose’s life when he was young helps the reader understand where Jose came from and what he was like.
Why do you think Jose’s father took his son to so many different cultural events?
Answer: His father, a musician, wanted to introduce Jose to different types of music, dance, and cultural events.
What do you think a mournful song is like What do you think a mournful song is like? What event would have made Jose feel mournful?
When he had to move to Nogales Answers: Filled with sadness or sorrow When he had to move to Nogales
Why did Jose go to a new school?
Answer: His father got permission to work in the United States, so Jose went to school there, too.
What was Jose’s reaction when the other children laughed at him What was Jose’s reaction when the other children laughed at him? What do his reactions tell you about him?
Answer: First he cried. But then he stamped his foot and said he would learn the language better than anyone else. This shows that he is stubborn and also determined to succeed.
Why does the author describe Jose’s dream to paint and draw while working in the factory?
Answer: To help readers understand how important becoming an artist was to Jose. The reader also foreshadows what direction Jose’s life take.
Which of these things do you think would have towered over Jose in New York: tall office buildings, dogs, skyscrapers, cars?
Answer: Tall office buildings Skyscrapers
Are Jose’s feelings about New York when he first arrives the same or different as winter wears on? How do you know?
Answer: At first, he sees New York as a “shimmering” city, but later he sees it as a “jungle of stone.”
What text features tell the reader that Jose felt happy at the dance concert and when he danced at the dance studio for the first time?
Answer: The use of CAPITAL letters in the phrases help show his excitement.
What can you tell about Jose from the information in the first paragraph on page 258?
Answer: He is hard working and very determined.
Why do you think Jose was so nervous on the night of his debut?
It was the first time he had performed for an audience. Answer: It was the first time he had performed for an audience.
Why do you think the author used the sounds from Jose’s childhood to describe his dancing?
Answer: To show how the experiences from his childhood helped to make him a creative dancer.
The author says that Jose studied dance for eleven years The author says that Jose studied dance for eleven years. That’s a really long time. Why so think the author includes this information?