The All-American Slurp
by Lensey Namioka
Making Connections
Quick answers
1. Choose the correct answer.
a. The narrator's family was uncomfortable about eating celery because
i. they hadn't seen celery before. [ ]
ii. they hadn't eaten raw celery before. [✓]
iii. they had never eaten celery without a dip. [ ]
b. The narrator's family was embarrassed because
i. they had eaten raw celery and
skipped the dinner. [ ]
ii. they had eaten raw celery and taken their
chairs to the dining table. [ ]
iii. they had pulled the strings off celery stalks
and taken their chairs to the dining table. [✓]
c. What did the narrator feel was similar about an American meal and a Chinese meal?
i. The mothers are not sure about how much food to prepare. [✓]
ii. Vegetables are boiled before cooking. [ ]
iii. Salad is an important part of the meal. [ ]
Reference to context
2. "Suddenly I realized that there was dead silence except for our zipping."
a. What were the narrator and her family 'zipping'?
= The narrator and her family were 'zipping' the strings out of their celery.
b. Why were they 'zipping' it?
= They were 'zipping' it because the long string, ran through the length of the stalk of the celery, got caught in their teeth.
c. What does the expression 'dead silence' mean?
= The expression 'dead silence' means pin-drop-silence. Everyone present there were staring at them as they were busily pulled the strings off their celery.
3. "Mrs. Gleason announced that dinner was served and invited us to the dining table."
a. What did the narrator and her family find strange when they reached the dining table?
= The narrator and her family found it strange that there were no chairs around the dining table and all the other guests just stood there.
b. How did the other guests behave when they were called for dinner?
= The other guests just stood there around the dinner table.
c. How did the narrator's family react when they found out what kind of dinner it was?
= The narrator's family moved back very fast to the sofa as if they were chased by enemy soldiers. They were very ashamed for the rest of the evening to go back to the dining table. The narrator ate a bit of potato salad on her plate very slowly.
Read, reflect and write
4. What did the narrator's family have trouble learning when they arrive in America?
= When Lensey Namioka moved with her parents from China to the United States of America, they noticed many differences in the habits and culture of the two countries. They had a hard time with American table manners. They were not comfortable with milk or milk products. The Americans surplus their milkshakes.
5. How did the narrator's family eat their vegetables in China and why?
= In China, they never ate celery or any other kind of vegetable in its raw form. They always had to disinfect the vegetables in boiling water first.
6. Do you think the narrator and her family enjoyed the dinner at the Gleason's house? Give reasons for your answer.
= I don't think the narrator and her family enjoyed the dinner at the Gleason's house. First of all they all became uncomfortable after watching the raw celery in their relish tray. They did not like the sour cream as they were not even ready to drink milk. Then the long strings of the celery got caught in their teeth.
They were confused of the buffet dinner. They carried over some dining chairs to the table and sat down. All these activities of them were much embarrassing for themselves. It was nearly impossible for them to enjoy the dinner.
7. How did the narrator feel as she got on to the bus the morning after the dinner? Why did she relax after Meg spoke to her?
= The narrator was not sure about how Meg would feel after the strange scenes of her family had made of themselves last evening.
The narrator relaxed after she spoke to her as she was just the same as usual and the only reference she made to the party was whether the narrator and her family got enough to eat the previous night or not.
She also reminded that the narrator did not eat much. Meg also complained that her mother never tries to figure out how much food to prepare. She just puts everything on the table and hopes for the best.
8. If you were Meg, what would you have done to make the narrator's family more comfortable that evening?
= If I were Meg, I would have always accompanied them. I would have told my mother to arrange other food for them than the celery as they were feeling uncomfortable to eat it. I would have also arranged chairs around the dinner table to make them comfortable and enjoy the dinner. After all they are the guests and we should try our best to please them anyhow.
About the Author:
Lensey Namioka (b. 1929) was born in China. As a young girl, she came to the United States of America. She is best known for her adventurous Samurai stories. She is also known for her Yang Family series. The series deals with the humorous experiences of a Chinese family who moved to America.