8
Post-reading Questions:
1. Ben entertains the idea of going back to the city. Why?
2. Ben believes that animals are able to judge humans based on their actions not who their parents are.
Why is Ben so concerned about what people think about him?
3. In this chapter, Ben begins to consider why Joe and his father burned things. He thinks that it might have something
to do with feeling powerful. What do you think? What are some ways you feel powerful? What does it mean
to be powerful?
4. What does Joe tell Ben in chapter 11? How does it make Ben feel?
5. Joe compares he and Ben to the animals that were “saved.” He says that if the horses win, they’ll be worth a fortune.
He continues to imply that he and Ben are worthless. How does he compare himself and Ben to the horses?
6. Like what does Ben end the chapter feeling?
7. How does the chapter end? What do you think Ben will choose to do?
Activities:
1. The Seattle Times is filled with stories about people who overcome obstacles and succeed, regardless of their “breeding”
and life experiences. Find an article about one such person and read it. Write a poem that inspires hope and
encourages young adults to “keep on keepin’ on” using the person in the article as inspiration.
2. Ben is confused about Joe – is he a ghost or an actual person. As a group, discuss some other explanations for
Joe’s presence. After listening to your classmates and discussing it, who do you think Joe is?
CHAPTER 12: A MEETING AT THE TRACK
EALRS
Reading:
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2
Writing:
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5
Communication:
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3
Pre-reading Questions:
1. In the previous chapter, Ben feels that he has never been supported. What would you say to him that proves otherwise?
2. If you were to select five critical events that have occurred in this story thus far, what would they be?
3. Does the information from the previous chapter and the title of chapter 12 provide you with any foreshadowing?
If so, what?
Post-reading Questions:
1. What happened in this chapter?
2. What did being at the race do for Ben at the beginning of the chapter? And at the end? How can we go from being
happy, excited and feeling like we belong to being sad, depressed and feeling out of place? Have you ever felt that way?
How did you get out of that mood?
3. What happened that inspired fear in Ben?
4. Why do you think Ben waited to respond to Mr. Brennan?
Activities:
1. Find a descriptive paragraph in this chapter, one that paints a picture using words. Think about the first time you saw
or experienced something new and exciting. Write a paragraph that “paints a picture” for your readers.
2. Skim The Seattle Times for a picture. Without reading the associated article, write a description of the picture and
hypothesize what you think the article will be about. Then, read the article and rate the benefit of the photograph
to the paragraph. Did it get you interested in reading the article? Why or why not? Does the photograph correctly
depict the main idea of the story? Why or why not?
