Name______________________________________
English Language Arts 10
All students must read Life of Pi by Yann Martel
The son of a zookeeper, Pi Patel has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal
behavior and a fervent love of stories. When Pi is sixteen, his family emigrates
from India to North America aboard a Japanese cargo ship, along with their zoo
animals bound for new homes.
The ship sinks. Pi finds himself alone in a lifeboat, his only companions a hyena,
an orangutan, a wounded zebra, and Richard Parker, a 450-pound Bengal tiger.
Soon the tiger has dispatched all but Pi, whose fear, knowledge, and cunning allow
him to coexist with Richard Parker for 227 days while lost at sea. When they
finally reach the coast of Mexico, Richard Parker flees to the jungle, never to be
seen again. The Japanese authorities who interrogate Pi refuse to believe his story
and press him to tell them "the truth." After hours of coercion, Pi tells a second
story, a story much less fantastical, much more conventional--but is it more true?
1. Read the assigned book: Life of Pi by Yann Martel
2. Preparation (On-Level): In order to be prepared for a reading test you are encouraged to complete the
comprehension questions below and to bring a copy to class as a resource throughout the first unit. Assignments
must be submitted on Google Classroom (class code jfuqbsd) by August 28th. Students sign up for Google
Classroom at the end of 9th grade; if you missed this sign-up and cannot successfully log-in, please do not hesitate
to email [email protected] for assistance.
3. Reading Focus: Students should read Life of Pi with this focus in mind: Pi experiences many traumatic
events during his journey. What are the various ways that he copes with these challenging situations?
How does “belief” impact his personal life and the way he relates his personal story?
4. Tests: There will be one multiple choice reading comprehension test on the required novel, Life of Pi, as well as
one writing assessment (this may or may not be a project based writing assessment).
5. Extra Credit: Students may choose to read a book from the choice list below and complete the accompanying
assignment for extra credit. Extra credit is determined on a teacher by teacher basis.
6. Required Supplies: The materials needed for literature class (on the first day) are: 2” binder, 5 dividers, loose
leaf paper, writing implements, highlighters and copious amounts of sticky notes.
Life of Pi Comprehension Questions
Author’s Note
Who do you think is writing the author’s note? Is this part of the fiction of Life of Pi, or separate from the story?
PART ONE
Chapter 1
What does the sloth symbolize to Pi?
Chapter 2
Why do you think the author interrupts the story with this chapter?
Chapter 3
Why is Pi named after the Piscine Molitor?
Chapter 4
Pi states that the common believe that animals in the zoos are unhappy is “nonsense” (16). What response does
he give to prove the contrary?
Chapter 5
What was Pi’s plan for his first day at school Petit Seminaire?
Chapter 6
Why do you think Pi has “a reserve of food to last the siege of Leningrad”?
Chapter 7
What is the difference between atheists and agnostics? Why does Pi feel that atheists have faith? Why does he
dislike agnostics?
Chapter 8
What does “Animalus anthropomorphicus” mean? And why is it so dangerous?
Chapter 9
Explain why Pi’s father was a good zookeeper.
Chapter 10
In Pi’s opinion, why did zoo animals seek to escape?
Chapter 11
What point did Pi try to illustrate with the story of the leopard?
Chapter 12
How was tension and suspense created in this chapter?
Chapter 13
Why is a super-alpha male? What is the difference between an alpha and a beta? Why is this important to a lion
trainer? Explain.
Chapter 14
Which animals do lion trainers choose to have in their performance? Why?
Chapter 15
What were the different religious artifacts found in Pi’s home? What does this suggest about his character?
Chapter 16
What did Pi mean when he said, “But we should not cling! A plague upon fundamentalists and literalists”?
Chapter 17
This chapter dealt with the essence of Christianity. What do you think Pi appreciated the most about eh
Christian faith?
Chapter 18
What new religion did Pi discover? What did he compare it to?
Chapter 19
What did Pi like about the Islam religion? Why?
Chapter 20
Recount Pi’s meeting with God.
Chapter 21
How did this chapter make you feel? Explain.
Chapter 22
What did Pi mean when he stated, “’possibly a f-f-failing of oxygenation of the b-b-brain,’ and, to the very end,
lack imagination and miss the better story”?
Chapter 23
What was Pi asked to do? Do you feel this is fair? Explain.
Chapter 24
How did Ravi bring light and humor to Pi’s dilemma?
Chapter 25
How did Pi cope with the attitudes of other faith believers from the religious institutions?
Chapter 26
How did Pi argue his mother’s passport analogy?
Chapter 27
Why was Santosh not able to understand his son’s interest in religions?
Chapter 28
By the end of this chapter, how many religions was Pi practicing? Does this seem strange to you? Explain.
Chapter 29
In Pi’s opinion, why do people move? What were his family’s problems?
Chapter 30
What do we learn from the author’s meeting with Mr. Patel?
Chapter 31
How does Martel create tension before Pi’s meeting with Mr. Kumar?
Chapter 32
What did the story of the dogs and dolphins suggest about animal-human relationships?
Chapter 33
What was bothering Pi?
Chapter 34
What did Santosh do with the zoo and all the animals? Provide specific facts and information.
Chapter 35
How are future events foreshadowed in this chapter?
Chapter 36
What do you think is the significance of Pi’s statement, “this story has a happy ending”? Why does Martel
inform the reader of this now?
PART TWO
Chapter 37
How does Martel immediately create tension at the beginning of this chapter?
Chapter 38
How many days was the ship out at sea before it sank? Describe the events leading up to the ship’s “death.”
Chapter 39
Who was next to join Pi on his lifeboat?
Chapter 40
After Richard Parker’s arrival and Pi’s quick departure from the lifeboat, what made Pi return to the lifeboat?
Chapter 41
What surprises does Pi discover on the lifeboat? In Pi’s opinion, why did the sailors throw him into the lifeboat?
Chapter 42
What “stupid” mistake did Pi make?
Chapter 43
List the key points that Pi offers about the Hyena’s appearance and habits.
Chapter 44
Why did the sounds that Pi heard affect him so much? Do you believe sounds are sometimes as scary as seeing
something frightening? Explain.
Chapter 45
How can we tell that Pi is becoming more desperate?
Chapter 46
What difference is seen between Pi and the animals at the end of this chapter?
Chapter 47
Who did Pi suddenly realize was also on the lifeboat? How did he feel?
Chapter 48
Explain how Richard Parker got his name.
Chapter 49
What did Pi finally become concerned with? Why did it take him this long to worry about it?
Chapter 50
In point form, provide an accurate description of the lifeboat.
Chapter 51
How many days of food and water rations did Pi have? Why was this important to him to know?
Chapter 52
Pi made a complete list of the items on the lifeboat. If you could have only five of these items, what five items
would you choose? Please rank them in order of importance to you.
Chapter 53
How did Pi prevent his death?
Chapter 54
How many plans did Pi make to rid himself of Richard Parker? Which plan did Pi choose to use?
Chapter 55
What did Pi realize was wrong with his plan?
Chapter 56
In Pi’s opinion, what is life’s only true opponent? Why?
Chapter 57
What was the name of the sound Richard Parker made? What does it mean? What did Pi then decide to do, and
how was he going to do it?
Chapter 58
From his readings, what did Pi realize he must build? Why was this necessary?
Chapter 59
What addition did Pi add to his raft?
Chapter 60
How did Pi demonstrate his faith in this chapter?
Chapter 61
What did Pi mean when he stated, “But in point of fact the explanation lies elsewhere. It is simple and brutal: A
person can get used to anything, even killing”?
Chapter 62
What was Pi able to do for Richard Parker?
Chapter 64
How has Mother Nature made things difficult for Pi? Explain.
Chapter 65
What route did Pi travel while he was at sea?
Chapter 66
What ominous statement did Pi make at the end of this chapter?
Chapter 67
How has Pi become more “savage-like”?
Chapter 68
Describe the difference in Richard Parker and Pi’s sleep patterns.
Chapter 69
How was Pi attempting to be rescued? What was the problem?
Chapter 70
What did Pi decide to do on the lifeboat to ensure his rights?
Chapter 71
Summarize the program that Pi developed.
Chapter 72
Explain how Pi attempted to control Richard Parker? How many attempts did it take for him to be successful?
Chapter 73
What did Pi keep during his time out at sea?
Chapter 74
What did Pi do to bring himself comfort at sea? In your opinion, what does this do for a person?
Chapter 75
Why do you think Pi sang to his mother?
Chapter 76
What psychological bullying was Pi playing with Richard Parker? What was Pi’s purpose for doing this?
Chapter 77
How do we see Pi’s desperation in this chapter?
Chapter 78
What lesson did you learn from this chapter?
Chapter 79
Summarize the battle between Richard Parker and the shark.
Chapter 80
How did Pi appear to be more confident?
Chapter 81
How did Pi justify his survival with a Bengal Tiger? What was his proof?
Chapter 82
What became the major threat to Pi’s survival?
Chapter 83
What major event occurred on this day? What did Pi lose? How did he feel?
Chapter 84
Why did Pi decide to inform the reader of all the creatures/animals he saw? Did this have any particular
significance to his fate? Explain.
Chapter 85
How does the description of nature in this chapter differ from the previous chapters? Explain.
Chapter 86
What was ironic about Pi’s statement (“I love you”) to Richard Parker?
Chapter 87
How did Pi try to mentally escape from the lifeboat? Do you think this is dangerous? Why or why not?
Chapter 88
Why do you think Pi put a message in a bottle?
Chapter 89
Comment on Pi’s last few diary entries. How are they different than previous ones?
Chapter 90
Who unexpectedly arrived at the lifeboat? What did Pi discover about this person? What happened to him?
Chapter 91
What disturbing information did Pi reveal?
Chapter 92
What did Pi find in the tree? What was his conclusion?
Chapter 93
Who did Pi turn to in a moment of distress?
Chapter 94
Where did Pi arrive? Who found him? What happened to Richard Parker? How did this make Pi feel?
PART THREE
Chapter 95
Who was asked to visit Pi? What was their purpose?
Chapter 96
What were the men most concerned with?
Chapter 97
If you were one of the two men, would you believe Pi’s story? Why or why not?
Chapter 98
How did the men respond to Pi’s story?
Chapter 99
In Pi’s new story, who were the orang-utan, the zebra, the hyena, and the tiger?
Chapter 100
Do you think Mr. Okamoto believed Pi’s original story? Why or why not?
Choice Novel Extra Credit Opportunity
In addition to the required novel, Life of Pi, students entering tenth grade may choose one of these free-choice
titles. Honors students must complete the honors level assignment in order to receive credit; on-level work is
not accepted for credit at the honors level. Reading the book and completion of the assignment is for extra
credit.
Morpheus Road by D.J. McHale
Marshall Seaver is being haunted. In the first installment of this chillingly
compelling trilogy, Marshall discovers that something beyond our world is
after him. He’s soon convinced that it has something to do with his best
friend, Cooper, who’s been missing for more than a week. Together with
Coop’s beautiful (but aloof) sister, Marsh searches for the truth about what
happened to his friend—and what he uncovers reveals a disastrous
collision between the worlds of the living and the dead. But for Marsh, the
journey is just beginning….
Change Up by John Feinstein
Teen reporters Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson are covering
baseball's World Series, and during the course of an interview with a new
hot pitcher, they discover more than a few contradictions in his life story.
What's he hiding? An embarrassing secret? A possible crime? Let the
investigation begin.
Saving Gracie by Carol Bradley
Saving Gracie chronicles how one little dog is transformed from a
bedraggled animal worn out from bearing puppies into a loving, healthy
member of her new family; and how her owner, Linda Jackson, is changed
from a person who barely tolerated dogs to a woman passionately
determined not only to save Gracie's life, but also to get the word out about
the millions of American puppy mill dogs who need our help.
Under the Never Sky by Veronica
Since she’d been on the outside, she’d survived an Aether storm, she’d had
a knife held to her throat, and she’d seen men murdered. This was worse.
Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her
chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—known as The Death Shop—
are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy
storms will. She’s been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her.
Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild—a savage—and her
only hope of staying alive.
Cinder by Marissa Myer
A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as
sheltered and fragile—everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he
needs Aria’s help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites
in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive.
Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who
live under the never sky.
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly
plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch,
waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one
girl. . . .
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a
mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s
illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince
Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle,
and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and
betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her
world’s future.
Enchantment by Orson Scott Card
The moment young Ivan stumbled upon a clearing in the dense Carpathian
forest, his life was forever changed. Atop a pedestal encircled by fallen
leaves, the beautiful princess Katerina lay as still as death--while a
malevolent presence stirred in the hidden depths below.
Now, years later, Ivan is compelled to return. He finds the clearing just as
he left it. This time he does not run . . .
Bad Boy by Walter Dean Myers
As a boy, Walter Dean Myers was quick-tempered and physically strong,
always ready for a fight. He also read voraciously-he would check out
books from the library and carry them home, hidden in brown paper bags
in order to avoid other boys' teasing. He aspired to be a writer. But
growing up in a poor family in Harlem, his hope for a successful future
diminished as he came to realize fully the class and racial struggles that
surrounded him. He began to doubt himself and the values that he had
always relied on, attending high school less and less, turning to the streets
and his books for comfort.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next
attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as
soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his
kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves
more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were
candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut--young
Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous
military training.
Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle
Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up
in an artificial community of young soldiers, Ender suffers greatly from
isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an
unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include
loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers,
and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister. Is Ender the
general Earth needs?
On-Level Assignment to Go with Extra-Credit Novel
Read the book you have selected from above and complete ONE of the 12 assignments listed in this
section below. Written assignments should be 1-2 pages, typed and double spaced with an MLA header.
1. Compare and /or contrast one of the major characters to a character in another book that you have read.
2. Write a poem/song that was inspired by the book.
3. Write a prequel and/or sequel to the book (what do you think happened before and after the events in the
book?).
4. Write 3‐5 paragraphs in which you state and then support your opinion of whether this book should (not) be
read by students in your class.
5. Imagine that you have been given the task of conducting a tour of the town in which the book you read is set.
Draw a map and write 3‐4 descriptions of the homes of your characters or the places where important events in
the book took place. Be creative!
6. Imagine that the book you are reading has been challenged by a special interest group. Write a letter
defending the book, using specific evidence from the book to support your ideas.
7. Create a sculpture of a character. Use any combination of soap, wood, clay, sticks, wire, stone, old toy pieces,
or any other object to create your sculpture. Then write an explanation of how this character fits into the book.
8. Design an advertising campaign to promote the sale of the book you read. Include each of the following: a
poster, a radio or TV commercial, a magazine or newspaper ad, a bumper sticker, and a button.
9. Draw a portrait of the main character and write an explanation to accompany your sketch.
10. Create an advice column (Dear Abby) and give the characters in the story advice on how to handle their
problems/dilemmas.
11. As a literary agent, write a letter to the publishing company designed to persuade them to publish this book.
12. You are the reporter. Write a front page news story or a report live from the scene.
o Enjoy reading your books and thinking about what they mean to you.
o You are encouraged to read as many books as you can in addition to the required basic reading.
o This assignment will be collected on the second day of school in August. Reading the book and completion of
the assignment is for extra credit.
o Have a great summer!
Print Full Student Name:___________________________________
For the 2015/2016 school year:
I have read the attached reading list for my student and I am aware that he/she is responsible for reading
one REQUIRED book and optionally one book of his/her choice from the prescribed list, as well as
completing the accompanying assignment.
I am also aware that the materials needed for the first day of ELA class are:
2” binder, dividers, loose leaf paper, writing implements, highlighters and copious amounts of sticky
notes!
Student Signature:_______________________________
Parent Signature:________________________________
This signed form is due to your ELA teacher for a homework grade.
Due date:_______________