The Memory of Things

Reading Check and Short Answer Questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

PART 1

Reading Check

1. What comment does Manny make to Kyle about the terrorist attacks?

2. What does the girl say when Kyle asks her name?

3. What object has Kyle’s mother changed her mind about acquiring following the terrorist attacks?

4. According to Kyle’s research, what is fugue amnesia?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Summarize Kyle’s meeting with the girl. How does he find her? What do the two say in their initial encounter?

2. Why is Kyle particularly concerned about his father? What does he learn about the location of his parents?

3. Kyle hears a barrage of information on the news. What is the reason for this confusion? How does it make him feel?

4. Describe the dynamics and relationships in Kyle’s family. What are some of the underlying sources of tension?

Paired Resource

“Koan”

• This encyclopedia entry shares information on the form of Zen Buddhist riddles.
• This information connects with the themes The Ephemerality of Life and The Function and Complexity of Memory.
• How does a koan function as both a mental and philosophical exercise? Upon what aspect of koans does Kyle reflect in the immediate aftermath of 9/11?