from A Step from Heaven
Uhmma's hands are as old as sand. They have always been old, even
when we were young. In the mornings, they would scratch across our sleeping
faces as she smoothed our foreheads, our cheeks, and told us quietly, Wake
up. Time for school.
1
At work, her hands sewed hundreds of jeans before the lunch bell
sounded and then boxed hundreds more before she left for her night job at
ohnny's Steak House. They knew how to make a medium-rare steak, baked
Dotato on the side, In ten minutes flat for hungry customers always in a hurry.
Uhmma's hands washed our dinner dishes, cleaned the kitchen floor with
a rag, folded load after load of laundry. They could raise hems of second-hand
dresses with stitches so tiny there was barely a line. Even on Sunday they held
a Bible and helped set out doughnuts and coffee after the service. Uhmma's
mands rarely rested.
But sometimes, not often-and not when Uhmma was tired and wanted
only to feel the cool underside of a pillow-but sometimes, her hands would
open. Sitting cross-legged on the carpet, in a sunspot bright as the open sea,
Jhmma unfurled her fingers. Palms up. A flower finally open to the bees.
Joon and I would rush to sit on either side of her. Uhmma held our small
mands in her own and said she could read stories in the lines of our palms.
Look, Young Ju, Uhmma said. Your intelligence line is strong. Someday,
maybe you will become a doctor. Uhmma traced the line with her cat-tongue
nger, tickling my hand as it moved from the heel of my palm up to the base of
ESET
Ahm
ID
This question has two parts. Answer Part A, and then
answer Part B.
Part A
In paragraph 19, what does Uhmma's reaction to
Young Ju best reveal?
1. Uhmma has done a lot for Young ju and hopes
she will remember that.
O2. Uhmma has no regrets in life and wants
Young Ju to understand that.
3. Uhmma has shared special moments with
Young Ju and hopes to continue that.
4. Uhmma has unpleasantness in her past and
wants Young ju to forget about that.
Part B
Which excerpt from paragraph 19 best supports the
correct answer from Part A?
1. "gently slips her hands from mine"
which excerpt from paragraph 19 best supports the correct answer from part A?
