Question
“The Girl Behind the Smile” Most students knew Lani as the girl who always had a joke. She laughed loud, gave big hugs, and never looked stressed. But in the back of English class, when no one was watching, her smile faded. Her life at home was anything but simple. Her parents fought, bills piled up, and sometimes she skipped dinner so her little brother could eat. She had learned how to perform—how to give the world a version of herself that looked okay, even when she wasn’t. It wasn’t lying, not exactly. It was just... necessary. Her classmates thought they knew her. But the truth was, they only saw the facade. To survive, she had to be two people: the one they expected and the one she really was. Part 4: Comprehension Questions Directions: Answer the following in complete sentences.
1. How is Lani described by her classmates? Click or tap here to enter text.
2. What challenges is Lani facing at home? Click or tap here to enter text.
3. What does it mean when the narrator says, “She had to be two people”? Click or tap here to enter text.
4. What is the tone of the passage — hopeful, bitter, tense, or calm? Provide evidence. Click or tap here to enter text.
5. How does the author use the word “facade” to develop the theme? Click or tap here to enter text.
1. How is Lani described by her classmates? Click or tap here to enter text.
2. What challenges is Lani facing at home? Click or tap here to enter text.
3. What does it mean when the narrator says, “She had to be two people”? Click or tap here to enter text.
4. What is the tone of the passage — hopeful, bitter, tense, or calm? Provide evidence. Click or tap here to enter text.
5. How does the author use the word “facade” to develop the theme? Click or tap here to enter text.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
1. Lani is described by her classmates as the girl who always has a joke, laughs loudly, gives big hugs, and never appears stressed. They see her as someone cheerful and outgoing.
2. Lani is facing multiple challenges at home, including her parents fighting, accumulating bills, and the burden of sometimes skipping dinner so that her little brother can eat. These issues create a difficult and unstable family environment for her.
3. When the narrator says, “She had to be two people,” it means that Lani feels the need to show a different version of herself to the world—one that is happy and carefree—while hiding her true feelings and struggles. This duality reflects her internal conflict between how she presents herself and her real emotions and experiences.
4. The tone of the passage is bitter, as evidenced by the contrast between Lani's outward persona and her inner struggles. The portrayal of her life as a performance, along with phrases like “her smile faded” and “life at home was anything but simple,” conveys a sense of sadness and disappointment.
5. The author uses the word “facade” to illustrate the theme of vulnerability versus outward appearances. The facade represents Lani’s attempt to shield her true self from others, highlighting the pressure to conform to social expectations while dealing with significant personal challenges. This emphasizes the idea that people often hide their true feelings behind a mask to cope with their circumstances.
2. Lani is facing multiple challenges at home, including her parents fighting, accumulating bills, and the burden of sometimes skipping dinner so that her little brother can eat. These issues create a difficult and unstable family environment for her.
3. When the narrator says, “She had to be two people,” it means that Lani feels the need to show a different version of herself to the world—one that is happy and carefree—while hiding her true feelings and struggles. This duality reflects her internal conflict between how she presents herself and her real emotions and experiences.
4. The tone of the passage is bitter, as evidenced by the contrast between Lani's outward persona and her inner struggles. The portrayal of her life as a performance, along with phrases like “her smile faded” and “life at home was anything but simple,” conveys a sense of sadness and disappointment.
5. The author uses the word “facade” to illustrate the theme of vulnerability versus outward appearances. The facade represents Lani’s attempt to shield her true self from others, highlighting the pressure to conform to social expectations while dealing with significant personal challenges. This emphasizes the idea that people often hide their true feelings behind a mask to cope with their circumstances.