Question
The Lavender Envelope
Thirteen-year-old Carla kept her eyes glued to the ground as she walked home from school. The street had a few palm trees as decoration, but there wasn’t much else to look at besides concrete and cars. On some days, Los Angeles felt a world away from her mother’s native El Salvador that she had only heard about in stories. She dreamed of seeing a volcano or a Mayan temple like her mother had while growing up.
Carla made her way up to the fourth-floor apartment where she lived. Her mother sat at the kitchen table counting out a pile of cash. Mrs. Reyes smiled at her daughter and pointed to a platter of pupusas. Carla scurried over to grab two of the delicious cornmeal flatbreads and sat across from her mother at the kitchen table.
“Was it a good day at the restaurant?” Carla asked.
“Oh yes!” Mrs. Reyes gestured to the money, half of which she tucked away in a clean white envelope.
Carla was used to seeing those envelopes. Six days a week, her mother worked breakfast and lunch shifts as a waitress. Carla had probed her mother many times about what the saved money was for, but Mrs. Reyes just offered an enigmatic smile and shrugged.
***
One Year Later
The satin pink invitation was encased in matching tissue paper, and it was the most elegant object Carla had ever touched. Calligraphy in golden ink breezed across the page, announcing the quinceañera of Elisabeth, one of her best friends. Elisabeth lived in a house nearby, and her parents owned the restaurant where Carla’s mom was a waitress. Carla was not envious that she would never have a gala celebration for her 15th birthday, complete with a ruffled designer dress and a waltz to dance with her father. Instead, she was happy for Elisabeth.
“Mama, the invitation for Elisabeth’s quinceañera came today—look how beautiful it is!”
Mrs. Reyes examined the card, turning it over in her hands and running her fingers over the satin backing. Then, she returned it to her daughter and announced, “I’m going to be taking on a dinner shift at work.”
“You mean instead of breakfast and lunch, you’ll work lunch and dinner?” Carla asked.
“No, I’ll be working all three shifts,” Mrs. Reyes answered.
“But Mama, that’s too much! You already work six days a week—maybe I can get a part-time job.”
The mother’s smile instantly faded. “No, I want you to focus on your studies so you can get a scholarship to college.”
Mrs. Reyes retreated to her bedroom, and Carla knew the conversation was over.
***
One Month Before Carla’s 15th Birthday
Mrs. Reyes padded into the apartment at 10 pm after a 16-hour day at the café. She had begun working seven days a week, usually all three shifts, and she was exhausted. She made a beeline for the top drawer of the kitchen counter, grabbing a white envelope and inserting a wad of cash.
“I made tea and scrambled eggs for you, Mama,” said Carla.
“Thank you,” Mrs. Reyes said, accepting the plate from her daughter and sighing profoundly as she sat down in a wooden chair.
“Mama, I’m worried about you. I’m going to be 15 next month. Maybe now you’ll let me get a job?”
“If you get a job, I want you to save for your college education, not to help me pay the bills,” her mother snapped, biting into the eggs.
Carla thought of all the white envelopes that filled the apartment and how her mother hadn’t seemed to borrow money from any of them. Why did she continue to work such grueling hours when she had more than enough cash to pay the bills?
The next day, Mrs. Reyes had a rare afternoon off from work and was home when the mail arrived. Smiling secretly, she took the lace-woven lavender envelope to Carla’s bedroom. Carla took the envelope, its fancy design and feminine colors revealing that it was probably a quinceañera invitation. As she opened the envelope, she wracked her brain for which of her friends had a birthday coming up. Carla’s throat went dry and her eyes watered as she read the flowing pastel words on the satin-backed invitation:
Valentina Reyes cordially invites you to celebrate the quinceañera of her daughter, Carla.
Questions
How does the theme recur throughout the text?
Carla is repeatedly shown to be jealous of her peers.
Mrs. Reyes is repeatedly shown sacrificing for her daughter.
Carla is repeatedly put into dangerous situations.
Mrs. Reyes is repeatedly shown to be homesick for El Salvador.
How does Carla react when Elisabeth shows off her quinceañera invitation?
She becomes resentful and jealous.
She is inspired to become a designer.
She changes her own priorities in life.
She reacts in a supportive way.
Which statement best describes the theme of the story?
Jealously returning to harm the one who holds onto it
Family members putting aside their own happiness to support each other
A wronged party seeking revenge and finding it unsatisfying
A prideful person becoming overconfident and failing because of it
How does the following line of dialogue reveal something new about Carla?
“Mama, I’m worried about you. I’m going to be 15 next month. Maybe now you’ll let me get a job?”
Carla feels that her mother is not giving her enough of an allowance to spend.
Carla intends to move out of the house when she is able to get a job.
Carla is willing to sacrifice to help her mother.
Carla is worried that she won’t have a quinceañera unless she pays for it herself.
Please answer all questions
Thirteen-year-old Carla kept her eyes glued to the ground as she walked home from school. The street had a few palm trees as decoration, but there wasn’t much else to look at besides concrete and cars. On some days, Los Angeles felt a world away from her mother’s native El Salvador that she had only heard about in stories. She dreamed of seeing a volcano or a Mayan temple like her mother had while growing up.
Carla made her way up to the fourth-floor apartment where she lived. Her mother sat at the kitchen table counting out a pile of cash. Mrs. Reyes smiled at her daughter and pointed to a platter of pupusas. Carla scurried over to grab two of the delicious cornmeal flatbreads and sat across from her mother at the kitchen table.
“Was it a good day at the restaurant?” Carla asked.
“Oh yes!” Mrs. Reyes gestured to the money, half of which she tucked away in a clean white envelope.
Carla was used to seeing those envelopes. Six days a week, her mother worked breakfast and lunch shifts as a waitress. Carla had probed her mother many times about what the saved money was for, but Mrs. Reyes just offered an enigmatic smile and shrugged.
***
One Year Later
The satin pink invitation was encased in matching tissue paper, and it was the most elegant object Carla had ever touched. Calligraphy in golden ink breezed across the page, announcing the quinceañera of Elisabeth, one of her best friends. Elisabeth lived in a house nearby, and her parents owned the restaurant where Carla’s mom was a waitress. Carla was not envious that she would never have a gala celebration for her 15th birthday, complete with a ruffled designer dress and a waltz to dance with her father. Instead, she was happy for Elisabeth.
“Mama, the invitation for Elisabeth’s quinceañera came today—look how beautiful it is!”
Mrs. Reyes examined the card, turning it over in her hands and running her fingers over the satin backing. Then, she returned it to her daughter and announced, “I’m going to be taking on a dinner shift at work.”
“You mean instead of breakfast and lunch, you’ll work lunch and dinner?” Carla asked.
“No, I’ll be working all three shifts,” Mrs. Reyes answered.
“But Mama, that’s too much! You already work six days a week—maybe I can get a part-time job.”
The mother’s smile instantly faded. “No, I want you to focus on your studies so you can get a scholarship to college.”
Mrs. Reyes retreated to her bedroom, and Carla knew the conversation was over.
***
One Month Before Carla’s 15th Birthday
Mrs. Reyes padded into the apartment at 10 pm after a 16-hour day at the café. She had begun working seven days a week, usually all three shifts, and she was exhausted. She made a beeline for the top drawer of the kitchen counter, grabbing a white envelope and inserting a wad of cash.
“I made tea and scrambled eggs for you, Mama,” said Carla.
“Thank you,” Mrs. Reyes said, accepting the plate from her daughter and sighing profoundly as she sat down in a wooden chair.
“Mama, I’m worried about you. I’m going to be 15 next month. Maybe now you’ll let me get a job?”
“If you get a job, I want you to save for your college education, not to help me pay the bills,” her mother snapped, biting into the eggs.
Carla thought of all the white envelopes that filled the apartment and how her mother hadn’t seemed to borrow money from any of them. Why did she continue to work such grueling hours when she had more than enough cash to pay the bills?
The next day, Mrs. Reyes had a rare afternoon off from work and was home when the mail arrived. Smiling secretly, she took the lace-woven lavender envelope to Carla’s bedroom. Carla took the envelope, its fancy design and feminine colors revealing that it was probably a quinceañera invitation. As she opened the envelope, she wracked her brain for which of her friends had a birthday coming up. Carla’s throat went dry and her eyes watered as she read the flowing pastel words on the satin-backed invitation:
Valentina Reyes cordially invites you to celebrate the quinceañera of her daughter, Carla.
Questions
How does the theme recur throughout the text?
Carla is repeatedly shown to be jealous of her peers.
Mrs. Reyes is repeatedly shown sacrificing for her daughter.
Carla is repeatedly put into dangerous situations.
Mrs. Reyes is repeatedly shown to be homesick for El Salvador.
How does Carla react when Elisabeth shows off her quinceañera invitation?
She becomes resentful and jealous.
She is inspired to become a designer.
She changes her own priorities in life.
She reacts in a supportive way.
Which statement best describes the theme of the story?
Jealously returning to harm the one who holds onto it
Family members putting aside their own happiness to support each other
A wronged party seeking revenge and finding it unsatisfying
A prideful person becoming overconfident and failing because of it
How does the following line of dialogue reveal something new about Carla?
“Mama, I’m worried about you. I’m going to be 15 next month. Maybe now you’ll let me get a job?”
Carla feels that her mother is not giving her enough of an allowance to spend.
Carla intends to move out of the house when she is able to get a job.
Carla is willing to sacrifice to help her mother.
Carla is worried that she won’t have a quinceañera unless she pays for it herself.
Please answer all questions
Answers
GPT-4o mini
1. **How does the theme recur throughout the text?**
- **Mrs. Reyes is repeatedly shown sacrificing for her daughter.** Throughout the text, Mrs. Reyes works long hours and takes on extra shifts to save money for something significant for Carla. This showcases her dedication and sacrifices for her daughter's future.
2. **How does Carla react when Elisabeth shows off her quinceañera invitation?**
- **She reacts in a supportive way.** Carla expresses her happiness for Elisabeth and admires the invitation without showing jealousy over her own situation.
3. **Which statement best describes the theme of the story?**
- **Family members putting aside their own happiness to support each other.** The story revolves around the sacrifices made by Mrs. Reyes for Carla's future, and Carla’s willingness to support her mother, highlighting the theme of familial support and sacrifice.
4. **How does the following line of dialogue reveal something new about Carla?**
- **Carla is willing to sacrifice to help her mother.** This line illustrates Carla’s concern for her mother’s well-being and her willingness to take on a job in order to ease her mother’s burden, indicating her maturity and sense of responsibility.
- **Mrs. Reyes is repeatedly shown sacrificing for her daughter.** Throughout the text, Mrs. Reyes works long hours and takes on extra shifts to save money for something significant for Carla. This showcases her dedication and sacrifices for her daughter's future.
2. **How does Carla react when Elisabeth shows off her quinceañera invitation?**
- **She reacts in a supportive way.** Carla expresses her happiness for Elisabeth and admires the invitation without showing jealousy over her own situation.
3. **Which statement best describes the theme of the story?**
- **Family members putting aside their own happiness to support each other.** The story revolves around the sacrifices made by Mrs. Reyes for Carla's future, and Carla’s willingness to support her mother, highlighting the theme of familial support and sacrifice.
4. **How does the following line of dialogue reveal something new about Carla?**
- **Carla is willing to sacrifice to help her mother.** This line illustrates Carla’s concern for her mother’s well-being and her willingness to take on a job in order to ease her mother’s burden, indicating her maturity and sense of responsibility.