Chapter 23

Holes

Trailblazers · 4th–6th

Copywork

Trout often showed up at night school but never paid attention. He talked in class and was disrespectful of the students around him.

Read the passage aloud. What does the word but do to the first sentence?

Discussion

Narration Tell back what the narrator says about Green Lake long ago, about Miss Katherine and her classes, and about what happens between Trout and Miss Katherine after class.

1. The chapter describes a lake that sparkled “like a giant emerald,” then a boat that “spewed ugly black smoke.” Why might the author set those two pictures side by side?Author's choice

2. Miss Katherine answers Trout with “No, thank you” and then “Yes, I know.” What do those short answers tell you about her?Character

3. Many men in her night class had little schooling, which did not bother Miss Katherine. What makes Trout different?Inference

4. Most everyone in town expected Miss Katherine to marry Trout. Was she right to refuse his invitation, or was it a risk?Moral reasoning

5. “But all they ever got was an education.” What do you hear in that short sentence?Tone

Make a Connection Tell about a time someone said no politely and firmly to someone who was used to getting a yes. How did it go?

Vocabulary

Crossword

1

2	3	4		5	6

				7



			8

Across

Across 1. Careful listening or watching.
Across 2. Rude; showing no respect.
Across 7. To boast about yourself.
Across 8. A lack of good sense.

Down

Down 3. Not able to be cured.
Down 4. To treat food so that it keeps.
Down 5. Wonderful; amazing.
Down 6. To cause pain or trouble to.
Down 8. Shot out in a stream.

The words in the chapter

attention Trout often showed up at night school but never paid attention.
disrespectful was disrespectful of the students around him
fabulous for her fabulous spiced peaches
preserve preserve them in jars
incurable He had an incurable foot fungus.

afflict would afflict the famous ballplayer Clyde Livingston
brag Trout would brag
stupidity He seemed to be proud of his stupidity.
spewed spewed ugly black smoke over the beautiful lake

Critical thinking

1. Using two pieces of evidence, explain how the people of Green Lake seem to see Miss Katherine.

2. The narrator says Trout’s foot fungus would one day trouble Clyde Livingston too. Using two pieces of evidence, explain how the narrator wants us to see Trout’s smell.

3. Trout points his finger at Miss Katherine when she turns him down. Using two pieces of evidence, explain why he reacts so strongly.