When they shop for groceries at the cheap store, Anna is shy because people often stare.
She listens to all the voices – to the woman with pink hair at the cash register, to the tattooed men who put cans on the shelves. But she only understands some of their words. Dollars. Peas. Meatballs.
A few people talk the way she does, the good plain German rolling off their tongues as sweetly as sugar. Others chatter together, their words as spicy as the hottest chilis, or as slow and rich as dark molasses.
To Anna’s ears, it is as though a thousand crickets are all singing a different song.
Comprehension Questions
1. What is Anna's native language?
A. French
B. English
C. German
2. Why does Anna feel shy when she goes to the grocery store?
A. People often stare at her
B. She is embarrassed to speak German to strangers
C. She doesn't know how to read the new food labels
A. People often stare at her
B. She is embarrassed to speak German to strangers
C. She doesn't know how to read the new food labels
Your Thoughts
3. Did you like this excerpt? Why or why not?
Vocabulary
4. List any vocabulary words below.