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Copywork
About This Passage
Kate DiCamillo gives us a small standoff: a woman insisting she is never wrong, pressed nose-to-nose against the very thing she is wrong about. The author lets the irony do its work without commenting. Eugenia and Mercy stare at each other as equals — which is exactly what Eugenia would deny.
'I am not wrong,' Eugenia shouted. 'I am never wrong. I know a pig when I see one.' Eugenia scowled. She pressed her nose against the windowpane. Mercy stared at Eugenia. Eugenia stared at Mercy.
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Tell the chapter in your own words. What is the most surprising line, and why does it surprise you?
Discussion Questions
- Eugenia says, 'I am never wrong.' Look at chapter 5, where she didn't even put her teeth in before calling the fire department. Look at chapter 6, where she calls Mercy a monster and then a feelingless pig. Is Eugenia wrong about a lot? Why does she insist she is never wrong?
- Baby finally disagrees with Eugenia OUT LOUD in this chapter. She has been quietly disagreeing for two chapters. Why does Baby pick this moment — about hurting Mercy's feelings — to speak up?
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Vocabulary Builder
Item 1
made an angry, displeased face by pulling the eyebrows together
Item 2
a single sheet of glass set in a window frame
Item 3
a closed hand, often raised to make a forceful point
+ 6 more vocabulary words in the complete study guide
Critical Thinking
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