The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora

1. Why does the Zamora family close their restaurant each Sunday?

A) so Abuela can rest

B) so the Zamoras can dine together

C) so the family can clean the restaurant

D) so Abuela can change the menu

2. Who is the head chef at La Cocina de la Isla? (short answer)

3. What do customers feel like when they dine at La Cocina de la Isla?

A) royalty

B) patrons

C) celebrities

D) family

4. At the end of Chapter 2, how does Abuela greet Wilfrido Pipo in La Cocina?

A) with joy

B) with coolness

C) with embarrassment

D) with surprise

5. While talking with Carmen in the mailroom, what does Arturo learn about her?

A) She likes cats.

B) She plays guitar.

C) She likes poetry.

D) She likes cooking.

6. Why does Arturo tell his friends he isn’t interested in Carmen “like that”?

A) He thinks she is family.

B) He thinks she reads too much.

C) He thinks she is returning to Spain soon.

D) He thinks she is too tall.

7. Who has put in a bid to buy the empty lot next to La Cocina de la Isla?

A) Frank Sanchez

B) Wilfrido Pipo

C) Mop’s father

D) Bicycle Bill

8. Why does Cari believe the Zamoras will win the bidding for the empty lot?

A) Their restaurant makes the most money.

B) Their restaurant donates to local politicians.

C) Their restaurant makes people feel like part of a community.

D) Their restaurant makes food for the neighborhood schools.

9. José Martí is a famous Cuban who Arturo’s abuelo (grandfather) and Carmen admire. What is his profession?

A) chef

B) businessman

C) poet

D) farmer

10. Wilfrido Pipo’s 3-D model of Main Street includes every shop and business except which business? (short answer)

11. When Carmen is with Arturo at the canal, what similarity does she draw between their mothers?

A) They both connected food with kindness.

B) They both liked to travel.

C) They both wanted to be famous chefs.

D) They both were born in Spain.

12. What circumstance involving Arturo’s grandmother prevents him from telling Abuela what he learned at Pipo’s party? (short answer)

13. What does Arturo tell his friends while they are jumping in the bounce house?

A) Wilfrido Pipo is running for mayor.

B) Wilfrido Pipo is opening a new Cuban restaurant.

C) Wilfrido Pipo is draining the canal.

D) Wifrido Pipo is planning to build a high-rise.

14. What does Arturo learn about José Martí while reading Abuelo’s letters?

A) Martí wrote about cooking.

B) Martí wrote about his childhood.

C) Martí wrote about love.

D) Martí wrote about travel.

15. Where did Abuela and Abuelo meet each other?

A) in a restaurant

B) in a taxicab

C) in a laundromat

D) in school

16. While sitting in La Cocina’s dining room, what does Arturo overhear customers talking enthusiastically about? (short answer)

17. Who has plans for Canal Grove that involve “gentrification”?

A) Wilfrido Pipo

B) Cari

C) Frank Sanchez

D) Mop’s father

18. What do the Zamora’s agree to do at their family meeting in Chapter 12?

A) close La Cocina every Saturday

B) buy a new dishwasher for La Cocina

C) provide more parking for La Cocina customers

D) provide outstanding service for their customers

19. How old is La Cocina de la Isla

A) almost 10 years old

B) almost 20 years old

C) almost 50 years old

D) almost 100 years old

20. Why does Wilfrido Pipo hold a festival in the empty parking lot?

A) to raise money for his new restaurant

B) to raise awareness about climate change

C) to raise community support for his high-rise project

D) to raise awareness about the value of shopping locally

21. How did Abuelo show that he loved Abuela for the first time?

A) He sang her a song.

B) He wrote her a poem.

C) He gave her his grandmother’s ring.

D) He sent her roses.

22. Vanessa leads a student organization called the Green Teens. What is the organization’s goal? (short answer)

23. Which slogan is on the sign Carmen holds up at Pipo’s festival?

A) Family is Community—Community is Family

B) All for One—One for All

C) Be the Unity in Community

D) Family is Forever

24. How does Arturo feel after he tells Carmen he likes her?

A) heartbroken

B) happy

C) proud

D) courageous

25. Whose words about freedom does Arturo quote when he storms the stage at the end of Chapter 16?

A) Bicycle Bill’s

B) Carmen’s

C) José Martí’s

D) Patrick Henry’s

26. Where does Arturo end up after he confronts Wilfrido on the stage?

A) in Bren’s bounce house

B) in a holding cell

C) in La Cocina’s coat room

D) in La Cocina’s kitchen

27. What does Arturo do the night after Abuela dies?

A) He visits the canal.

B) He waters the floribunda bush.

C) He writes a poem for Carmen.

D) He writes about his life.

28. When the Zamoras gather together the morning after Abuela’s death, what does Cari say they should focus on rather than saving La Cocina? (short answer)

29. How does Cari surprise Arturo after she announces they will serve a dinner to honor Abuela?

A) She asks him to give a speech about Abuela.

B) She says he will help her cook.

C) She says only close family members are invited.

D) She says it will be the last dinner they serve at La Cocina.

30. Who donates much of the food for Abuela’s memorial dinner?

A) The Canal Grove supermarket

B) Wilfrido Pipo

C) local farmers

D) other neighborhood restaurants

31. When Arturo was younger, what did he and Abuela do together at her apartment on Saturday nights? (short answer)

32. Who brings a flowering floribunda to La Cocina the night of the memorial dinner?

A) Carmen

B) Cari

C) Arturo

D) Wilfrido Pipo

33. Why does everyone congratulate Arturo as they leave the memorial dinner?

A) He gave a beautiful speech.

B) He is wearing a nice suit.

C) He worked hard washing dishes.

D) He helped cook the dinner. 

34. At the public forum in city hall, what does Wilfrido promise his development project will do for Canal Grove?

A) strengthen community ties

B) attract investors and money

C) honor the community’s Cuban heritage

D) improve the canals and parks

35. Who is sitting inside the fountain outside city hall, eating cake?

A) Claudio

B) Wilfrido Pipo

C) Bren

D) Bicycle Bill

36. How does Arturo find the courage to speak at the public forum?

A) Vanessa’s speech inspires him.

B) Carmen kisses him.

C) He feels energized after eating cake.

D) Claudio says he believes in him.

37. Where did Abuela hold the celebration for Bicycle Bill’s 30th wedding anniversary?

A) La Cocina

B) a local farm

C) the courtyard of her apartment building

D) the empty lot next to La Cocina

38. What does Arturo read for the city council? (short answer)

39. After the public forum, why is Arturo no longer afraid of change?

A) He knows he is capable of speaking up for himself and his family.

B) He knows he can stop change.

C) He knows change is good.

D) He knows his family will always protect him from change.

40. Where do Arturo, Cari, and Carmen spread the ashes of Abuela and Abuelo?

A) around the floribunda bush

B) the apartment building courtyard

C) the empty lot

D) the canal