Question
[143] My father had accompanied the deportees as far as the ghetto's gate. They first
had been herded through the main synagogue, where they were thoroughly searched to
make sure they were not carrying away gold, silver, or any other valuables. There had
been incidents of hysteria and harsh blows.
[144] "When will it be our turn?" I asked my father.
[145] "The day after tomorrow. Unless...things work out. A miracle, perhaps..."
[146] Where were the people being taken? Did anyone know yet? No, the secret was
well kept.
[147] Night had fallen. That evening, we went to bed early. My father said:
[148] "Sleep peacefully, children. Nothing will happen until the day after tomorrow,
Tuesday."
[149] Monday went by like a small summer cloud, like a dream in the first hours of
dawn.
[150] Intent on preparing our backpacks, on baking breads and cakes, we no longer
thought about anything. The verdict had been delivered.
[151] That evening, our mother made us go to bed early. To conserve our strength, she
said.
[152] It was to be the last night spent in our house.
[153] I was up at dawn. I wanted to have time to pray before leaving.
[154] My father had risen before all of us, to seek information in town. He returned
around eight o'clock. Good news: we were not leaving town today; we were only moving
to the small ghetto. That is where we were to wait for the last transport. We would be
the last to leave.
[155] At nine o'clock, the previous Sunday's scenes were repeated. Policemen wielding
clubs were shouting:
[156] "All Jews outside!"
[157] We were ready. I went out first. I did not want to look at my parents' faces. I did not
want to break into tears. We remained sitting in the middle of the street, like the others
two days earlier. The same hellish sun. The same thirst. Only there was no one left to
bring us water.
[158] I looked at my house in which I had spent years seeking my God, fasting to hasten
the coming of the Messiah, imagining what my life would be like later. Yet I felt little
sadness. My mind was empty.
© Houston ISD Curriculum 2024-2025 5
[159] "Get up! Roll call!"
[160] We stood. We were counted. We sat down. We got up again. Over and over. We
waited impatiently to be taken away. What were they waiting for? Finally, the order
came:
[161] "Forward! March!"
[162] My father was crying. It was the first time I saw him cry. I had never thought it
possible. As for my mother, she was walking, her face a mask, without a word, deep in
thought. I looked at my little sister, Tzipora, her blond hair neatly combed, her red coat
over her arm: a little girl of seven. On her back a bag too heavy for her. She was
clenching her teeth; she already knew it was useless to complain. Here and there, the
police were lashing out with their clubs: "Faster!" I had no strength left. The journey had
just begun and I already felt so weak...
[163] "Faster! Faster! Move, you lazy good-for-nothings!" the Hungarian police were
screaming.
[164] That was when I began to hate them, and my hatred remains our only link today.
They were our first oppressors. They were the first faces of hell and death.
[165] They ordered us to run. We began to run. Who would have thought that we were
so strong? From behind their windows, from behind their shutters, our fellow citizens
watched as we passed.
What can the reader conclude about the narrator’s emotions as he leaves his
home?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
What quotations from the excerpt best show the emotional toll of the
deportation on the narrator's family?
A. I wanted to have time to pray before leaving. (Paragraph 153)
B. My father was crying. It was the first time I saw him cry. (Paragraph 162)
C. We waited impatiently to be taken away. (Paragraph 160)
D. Monday went by like a small summer cloud, like a dream in the first hours of
dawn. (Paragraph 149)
had been herded through the main synagogue, where they were thoroughly searched to
make sure they were not carrying away gold, silver, or any other valuables. There had
been incidents of hysteria and harsh blows.
[144] "When will it be our turn?" I asked my father.
[145] "The day after tomorrow. Unless...things work out. A miracle, perhaps..."
[146] Where were the people being taken? Did anyone know yet? No, the secret was
well kept.
[147] Night had fallen. That evening, we went to bed early. My father said:
[148] "Sleep peacefully, children. Nothing will happen until the day after tomorrow,
Tuesday."
[149] Monday went by like a small summer cloud, like a dream in the first hours of
dawn.
[150] Intent on preparing our backpacks, on baking breads and cakes, we no longer
thought about anything. The verdict had been delivered.
[151] That evening, our mother made us go to bed early. To conserve our strength, she
said.
[152] It was to be the last night spent in our house.
[153] I was up at dawn. I wanted to have time to pray before leaving.
[154] My father had risen before all of us, to seek information in town. He returned
around eight o'clock. Good news: we were not leaving town today; we were only moving
to the small ghetto. That is where we were to wait for the last transport. We would be
the last to leave.
[155] At nine o'clock, the previous Sunday's scenes were repeated. Policemen wielding
clubs were shouting:
[156] "All Jews outside!"
[157] We were ready. I went out first. I did not want to look at my parents' faces. I did not
want to break into tears. We remained sitting in the middle of the street, like the others
two days earlier. The same hellish sun. The same thirst. Only there was no one left to
bring us water.
[158] I looked at my house in which I had spent years seeking my God, fasting to hasten
the coming of the Messiah, imagining what my life would be like later. Yet I felt little
sadness. My mind was empty.
© Houston ISD Curriculum 2024-2025 5
[159] "Get up! Roll call!"
[160] We stood. We were counted. We sat down. We got up again. Over and over. We
waited impatiently to be taken away. What were they waiting for? Finally, the order
came:
[161] "Forward! March!"
[162] My father was crying. It was the first time I saw him cry. I had never thought it
possible. As for my mother, she was walking, her face a mask, without a word, deep in
thought. I looked at my little sister, Tzipora, her blond hair neatly combed, her red coat
over her arm: a little girl of seven. On her back a bag too heavy for her. She was
clenching her teeth; she already knew it was useless to complain. Here and there, the
police were lashing out with their clubs: "Faster!" I had no strength left. The journey had
just begun and I already felt so weak...
[163] "Faster! Faster! Move, you lazy good-for-nothings!" the Hungarian police were
screaming.
[164] That was when I began to hate them, and my hatred remains our only link today.
They were our first oppressors. They were the first faces of hell and death.
[165] They ordered us to run. We began to run. Who would have thought that we were
so strong? From behind their windows, from behind their shutters, our fellow citizens
watched as we passed.
What can the reader conclude about the narrator’s emotions as he leaves his
home?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
What quotations from the excerpt best show the emotional toll of the
deportation on the narrator's family?
A. I wanted to have time to pray before leaving. (Paragraph 153)
B. My father was crying. It was the first time I saw him cry. (Paragraph 162)
C. We waited impatiently to be taken away. (Paragraph 160)
D. Monday went by like a small summer cloud, like a dream in the first hours of
dawn. (Paragraph 149)
Answers
GPT-4o mini
### Conclusion about the narrator’s emotions as he leaves his home:
As the narrator leaves his home, he experiences a confusing mix of detachment and weakness. Despite the gravity of the situation, he feels an unsettling emptiness, evidenced by his lack of sadness about leaving the house where he spent so much time. His emotions seem suppressed, and he focuses on the immediate tasks at hand, like preparing his bag, rather than confronting the enormity of what is happening. His observation that he felt "little sadness" and that his "mind was empty" indicates a deep emotional toll that manifests as numbness in the face of fear and uncertainty.
---
### Quotations that best show the emotional toll of the deportation on the narrator's family:
**A. I wanted to have time to pray before leaving. (Paragraph 153)**
This quote reflects the narrator's desire for spiritual comfort in a time of distress, illustrating the emotional weight of impending separation and uncertainty.
**B. My father was crying. It was the first time I saw him cry. (Paragraph 162)**
This poignant moment highlights the deep emotional impact of the situation on the father, showcasing vulnerability and the heavy burden of despair that the family is experiencing.
**C. We waited impatiently to be taken away. (Paragraph 160)**
This quote demonstrates the anxiety and anticipation of the unknown; the family's impatience is a direct result of the tension and fear surrounding their deportation.
**D. Monday went by like a small summer cloud, like a dream in the first hours of dawn. (Paragraph 149)**
This imagery evokes a sense of fleeting joy or normalcy before the encroaching reality of their deportation, underlining the emotional transition from familiarity to fear and the surreal quality of their situation.
Overall, all of these quotations capture different facets of the emotional toll that the deportation is having on the narrator and his family. However, **B** is particularly powerful as it marks the visible manifestation of despair in the family, reflecting a profound sense of loss and helplessness.
As the narrator leaves his home, he experiences a confusing mix of detachment and weakness. Despite the gravity of the situation, he feels an unsettling emptiness, evidenced by his lack of sadness about leaving the house where he spent so much time. His emotions seem suppressed, and he focuses on the immediate tasks at hand, like preparing his bag, rather than confronting the enormity of what is happening. His observation that he felt "little sadness" and that his "mind was empty" indicates a deep emotional toll that manifests as numbness in the face of fear and uncertainty.
---
### Quotations that best show the emotional toll of the deportation on the narrator's family:
**A. I wanted to have time to pray before leaving. (Paragraph 153)**
This quote reflects the narrator's desire for spiritual comfort in a time of distress, illustrating the emotional weight of impending separation and uncertainty.
**B. My father was crying. It was the first time I saw him cry. (Paragraph 162)**
This poignant moment highlights the deep emotional impact of the situation on the father, showcasing vulnerability and the heavy burden of despair that the family is experiencing.
**C. We waited impatiently to be taken away. (Paragraph 160)**
This quote demonstrates the anxiety and anticipation of the unknown; the family's impatience is a direct result of the tension and fear surrounding their deportation.
**D. Monday went by like a small summer cloud, like a dream in the first hours of dawn. (Paragraph 149)**
This imagery evokes a sense of fleeting joy or normalcy before the encroaching reality of their deportation, underlining the emotional transition from familiarity to fear and the surreal quality of their situation.
Overall, all of these quotations capture different facets of the emotional toll that the deportation is having on the narrator and his family. However, **B** is particularly powerful as it marks the visible manifestation of despair in the family, reflecting a profound sense of loss and helplessness.