“Amigo Brothers” pre-reading Listen & follow along to short story Tuesday January 12th, 2016 Today’s Agenda: Check Affix & Root HW “Amigo Brothers” pre-reading Listen & follow along to short story Homework: Quiz on Friday 1/15/16

Amigo Brothers by Piri Thomas How reliable are friendships when competition is involved? Have you ever competed against a friend?

“Amigo Brothers” This story is about two friends (amigos in Spanish), Antonio and Felix, living on the Lower East Side of New York City. Like many young people from the Lower East Side, the two have turned to Golden Gloves boxing, hoping to build better lives for themselves. The Golden Gloves tournament marks an amateur boxer’s entry into the world of big-time, professional boxing.

Amigo Brothers Introducing the Story Felix and Antonio are set to fight each other in the division boxing finals. The winner will go to the Golden Gloves Championship Tournament. Who will win? Could they both lose? Can their lifelong friendship stand this test?

2014 Golden Glove Tournament: a real event Ft. Lauderdale, Florida The two-man team at the 2014 Florida Golden Gloves tournament, Davon Hamilton and Israel Johnson, returned with a first and a third place finish in their divisions.

Amigo Brothers Literary Skills Focus: Forms of Prose: Short Story In “Amigo Brothers,” each boy struggles with both an external conflict and an internal conflict: competing against each other in a boxing match external trying to do his best without hurting or losing his best friend internal 6

Amigo Brothers Reading Skills Focus: Comparing and Contrasting A comparison points out similarities between things; a contrast points out differences. similarities differences comparison contrast

Amigo Brothers Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer Find It in Your Reading Piri Thomas uses vivid verbs—colorful action words—to help you picture the action clearly. They fooled around with a few jabs at the air, slapped skin, and then took off, running lightly along the dirty East River’s edge. “Amigo Brothers” from Stories from El Barrio by Piri Thomas. Copyright © 1978 by Piri Thomas. Reproduced by permission of the author. Look for other vivid verbs as you listen and read the story. [End of Section]

How does the setting of the story affects the plot? Setting place: Lower East Side of New York City tenement: cheap apartments How does the setting of the story affects the plot?

Both boys are members of the Boy’s Club of New York Founded in 1876 to get inner-city boys off the streets of the Lower East Side and into a place where they would be safe, learn better manners, and engage in more productive activities. Today, BCNY serves nearly 4,000 boys. Its membership is 44% Latino, 38 % African-American, 14 % Asian, and 4% Caucasian, 75 % of the members are at or below the poverty line.

Build Background Boxing matches are made up of three-minute rounds. Fighters have one minute to rest between rounds.

If neither fighter is knocked out, judges decide the winner Build Background A knockout occurs when a fighter goes down for the count and can’t get up. If neither fighter is knocked out, judges decide the winner

Build Background Psyching up: mentally prepare for fight Canvas: floor of boxing ring Uppercut: upward swing Left hook: swing at a 90 degree angle Toe to toe slugfest: both opponents throw heavy blows

What words let you know that the characters are Puerto Rican? Antonio (Tony) Cruz, Felix Vargas (Spanish names) bro: friend panin: pal cheverote: the greatest hermano: brother suavecito: cool sabe: you know salsa: Latin American dance Loisaida: Lower East Side Mucho corazon: a lot of heart

Amigo Brothers Vocabulary pensively adv.: thoughtfully torrent n.: flood; rush superimposed v.: place one thing over another unbridled: adj.: unstoppable improvised v.: performed without preparation dispelled v.: driven away frenzied adj.: wild; out of control

Amigo Brothers Vocabulary The word bouts is often used to describe boxing matches or periods of illness. Both boxers had won many bouts. After two bouts of the flu, she went to the doctor.

Amigo Brothers Vocabulary Pensively is another way to say thoughtfully, or with much thought. Tony scratched his nose pensively.

Amigo Brothers Vocabulary Torrent means “flood” or “rush.” Torrent is often used to describe a force of nature or feelings. Felix let loose a torrent of blows Superimposed means to place one thing over another. Antonio superimposed himself on the movie screen.

Amigo Brothers Vocabulary Frenzied is another way to say out of control wild frantic overactive hysterical

Amigo Brothers Meet the Writer Pair Thomas (1928-) grew up in a rough neighborhood in New York City, where he failed to escape the lure of drugs and crime. As a result, Thomas spent time in prison, where he discovered that he could write. Later, he published an autobiography called Down These Mean Streets. For many years, Thomas has worked to help drug addicts give up their addictions

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