Starting from Scratch
When we pulled in the gravel driveway, Grandpa Joe was weeding his garden. He stood up, brushed off his knees, and greeted us with wide-open arms. In his muddy work gloves, rumpled jeans, and lime-green garden shoes, he looked nothing like the refined grandfather I remembered. The ultraprofessional bank president who loved numbers had retired and let his
hair run wild. I hadn’t seen him since he sold his house in the suburbs, and I wasn’t expecting him to look so different.
After the hugs and kisses, Grandpa couldn’t wait to show off his garden. Mom reminded him that she was just dropping me off and that she had to get back for Jessica’s recital, but Grandpa went on pointing out his almost-ripe tomatoes, complaining about the rabbits eating his lettuce, and lauding homegrown produce. The man who had been preoccupied
for decades with interest rates now cared only about organic gardening.
It worried Mom, the idea of Grandpa alone in that old cottage in the middle of nowhere. That was the real reason I was there. So I could report back.
Once Mom was gone, Grandpa turned to me and said, “Now, Anthony, if I remember correctly, you like pasta with pesto sauce.” I eagerly nodded. It was true. The grocery store by our house had the best pesto sauce. “That’s perfect!” Grandpa said. “We’ll make some. Just look how my basil is coming up.”
We broke off some basil, pulled up some garlic, and then drove 15 miles to the nearest co-op grocer, where Grandpa bought parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and olive oil. I spotted some ready-made pesto sauce but didn’t mention it.
“Do we need pasta?” I asked.
“No,” Grandpa replied proudly. “I make my own now.”
On the drive home Grandpa asked, “What’s the point of having a nonno if he never makes you a big home-cooked meal?”
Nonno—Italian for “grandpa.” I had never called him that. Even though he often talked about how his parents had come to the United States from Italy, I had never really thought of him as particularly Italian.
“My parents made everything from scratch, like in the old country,” he said. “But I never seemed to have the time to cook when I was working full-time. Fortunately, your mom liked sauce from a jar when she was a kid.” He winked at me.
Grandpa had printouts of recipes he had pulled from the Internet. First he mixed eggs and flour into dough, and then he cranked the dough through a pasta maker over and over until
he thought it was perfect. Then we got started on the pesto. While he cleaned the basil leaves, I grated the parmesan. It wore out my wrist, but when I was finally done, I had a beautiful pile of cheese. Then Grandpa showed me how to dice the garlic cloves. He put all the ingredients in a blender that looked like it hadn’t been touched in decades, poured in some olive oil, and let it grind away. When it was finished, it wasn’t all smooth and creamy like the stuff from the grocery store. But I figured brown and clumpy must be more authentically Italian. Then Grandpa dropped his homemade pasta into boiling water.
When everything was ready, he proudly served me a heaping helping. I twirled up a forkful while he watched. I stuck it in my mouth and . . . it was just awful. The garlic overpowered my senses, and I thought I might choke. The pasta was gooey— actually, gluey.
“So,” Grandpa said, his eyes sparkling, “what do you think?”
Before answering, I thought about our day. The garden, the shopping trip, the prep work, the embarrassing stories he shared about Mom that I stored away for later use. “I . . . I . . . love it, Nonno!” I said.
Then his face broke into a smile so warm that I was sure I hadn’t told him a lie.
1. Which words define the word lauding as it is used in paragraph 2 of the story?
Select TWO correct answers.
A. Sharing
B. Praising
C. Describing
D. Gathering
E. Advocating
2. Record your answer in the space provided.
The author uses ________ -person point of view in this story.
3. This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B. Part A
What is the main message the author conveys in the story?
A.Cultural traditions should be passed on between generations.
B. Exploring new activities may lead to greater happiness.
C. The process of creating may be more meaningful than the result.
D. Practice is often the key to achieving excellence in a new skill.
Part B
Which sentence from the story best supports the answer to Part A?
A. Even though he often talked about how his parents had come to the United States from Italy, I had never really thought of him as particularly Italian. (paragraph 9)
B. “Fortunately, your mom liked sauce from a jar when she was a kid.” (paragraph 10)
C. First he mixed eggs and flour into dough, and then he cranked the dough through a pasta maker over and over until he thought it was perfect. (paragraph 11)
D. Before answering, I thought about our day. (paragraph 14)
4. Determine whether each detail should be included in a summary of the story or do not include in a summary of the story.
Select ONE correct answer in each row.
* Grandpa decides to make pasta with pesto sauce for Anthony.
* Grandpa says that when Anthony’s mom was a kid, she liked pesto sauce from a jar.
* Anthony and Grandpa spend the day gathering ingredients and preparing the pesto and the pasta.
* Anthony tells Grandpa that he loves the pasta with pesto sauce, even though it tastes awful.
5. Read the statement carefully. Then record your answer in the box provided.
Explain how Anthony’s behavior in paragraphs 12 through 14 affects the resolution of the plot. Support your answer with evidence from the story.
6. Read the story “Starting from Scratch.” Based on the information in the story, write a response to the following:
Explain how Anthony’s interactions with Grandpa help to develop a theme about how sharing experiences may lead to greater understanding between people.
Write a well-organized informational essay that uses specific evidence from the story to support your answer.
Remember to —
• clearly state your controlling idea
• organize your writing
• develop your ideas in detail
• use evidence from the selection in your response
• use correct spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar
Manage your time carefully so that you can —
• review the selection
• plan your response
• write your response
• revise and edit your response
1. The words that define the word "lauding" as it is used in paragraph 2 of the story are B. Praising and E. Advocating.
2. The author uses first-person point of view in this story.
3 The main message the author conveys in the story is C. The process of creating may be more meaningful than the result. The sentence from the story that best supports the answer is D. Before answering, I thought about our day.
4. Grandpa decides to make pasta with pesto sauce for Anthony. (Include)
Grandpa says that when Anthony’s mom was a kid, she liked pesto sauce from a jar. (Do not include)
Anthony and Grandpa spend the day gathering ingredients and preparing the pesto and the pasta. (Include)
Anthony tells Grandpa that he loves the pasta with pesto sauce, even though it tastes awful. (Include)
5. Anthony's behavior in paragraphs 12 through 14 shows how he values his relationship with his grandfather more than his own taste buds. He tells his grandfather that he loves the pasta with pesto sauce, even though it tastes terrible, because he recognizes the effort and care that his grandfather put into making it for him. This behavior helps to resolve the conflict between Anthony's mother and grandfather, as Anthony is able to report back to his mother that his grandfather is doing well and is capable of taking care of himself in his old cottage.
6. In “Starting from Scratch,” Anthony’s interactions with his grandfather help to develop a theme about how sharing experiences may lead to greater understanding between people. Throughout the story, Anthony and his grandfather bond over the process of making homemade pasta with pesto sauce. Initially, Anthony is hesitant about spending time with his grandfather, as he doesn't know him very well and is unsure what to expect. However, as they work together in the garden, go shopping for ingredients, and prepare the meal, Anthony begins to see his grandfather in a different light. He learns about his grandfather's passion for organic gardening and his family's Italian heritage, and begins to appreciate the effort that goes into making a home-cooked meal from scratch.
By sharing this experience with his grandfather, Anthony gains a deeper understanding of his grandfather's personality and interests. He also develops a stronger connection to his Italian heritage, which is something that he had never really thought about before. Through their shared experience, Anthony and his grandfather are able to bridge the gap between generations and create a bond based on mutual respect and understanding. This theme is supported by the details in the story, such as the descriptions of the garden, the shopping trip, and the preparation of the pasta and pesto. Overall, the story emphasizes the importance of taking the time to share experiences with others in order to develop deeper connections and understanding.