The House of the Scorpion Final Exam Review

Who promises to save Matt from the Big House, and how does Matt respond to this?

After being kept like a wild animal in squalor at the Big House, Maria and Celia peer through a window and tell Matt that they will find a way to rescue him. Matt doesn't say anything to them, but he feels that their presence in his life is too good to be true.

What does Matt say about the talk with the 5 legged horse?

After hearing Raul's talk about the dangers of individuality, Matt suggests that the border patrol put a computer chip in the horse's head to make it saw off its own extra leg.

What happened at El Patron's wake?

At El Patron's wake, everyone sat around the casket and had a glass of special wine that was made the year El Patron was born. The wine was poisoned and everyone died except for Donald, who was warned by Tam Lin not to drink it.

Why does Celia choose to tell Matt about her past?

Celia chooses to tell Matt about her past because she thinks that if Matt just understands the full story, he might not keep getting into so much trouble all the time.

Why do the Keepers call Matt an aristocrat?

Chacho tells Matt that all the Keepers call Matt an aristocrat because he is always thinking, and that is a luxury not generally wasted on poor people like orphans.

Why did El Patron decide to keep Celia?

El Patron decided to keep Celia when she was turned into the Farm Patrol by the coyote because he heard that she could cook, and he was in need of a cook at the time.

Why did El Patron orchestrate such a drastic event for his wake?

El Patron had orchestrated the situation where everyone close to him would die at his wake because he wanted to be surrounded by his dragon hoard even in his death, and that hoard included the people in his mind.

What does Maria give Matt for El Patron's birthday?

For El Patron's birthday, Maria presents Matt with a box full of taffy that she has made for him with her own hands.

Why atrocity lies in Tam Lin's past?

In the past, Tam Lin set off a bomb that was meant to kill the Prime Minister as part of a rebellion. Instead, the bomb killed 20 children.

Why was Maria able to forgive Matt after the birthday party?

Maria says that she was able to forgive Matt when she read about St. Francis who once brought a wolf to church. St. Francis simply explained to the wolf how to behave, and he did so proving that worship was available for all people.

Why does Matt sometimes fake his cough?

Matt gets in the habit of faking his coughing condition so that he can see Celia and Maria get worried; this proves to himself that someone in the world truly cares for him.

Why does Matt strike up a friendship with Chacho and Fidelito?

Matt is drawn to Chacho and Fidelito from all the other boys because they are the two there being sent to the same Plankton Factory in San Luis as he is.

What causes Matt to finally admit something wrong about himself to Jorge?

Matt is finally pushed to the point of confessing something to Jorge when Jorge threatens to beat Fidelito for defending Matt.

Why is Matt so sure that El Patron will never use him for spare parts like other clones are?

Matt is sure that he will not be used like other clones are for spare parts because El Patron has left his brain in tact and has invested a lot of money in his education. He knows El Patron would not invest money in something he plans to kill.

What does Matt notice about the nightly attacks on his character?

Matt notices that every night that the boys are allowed to hurl insults at him, it gets easier to bear and the insults start hurting less and less.

How does Rosa treat Matt once the doctor leaves?

Once the doctor leaves to care for El Patron, Rosa takes the bed out of Matt's room, barricades the door, and places sawdust on the floor for his excrement saying that is what dirty beasts get.

What does Steven tell his siblings about Matt?

Steven tells his siblings that Matt is a clone, but he is different from the other clones that they have seen because his mind has been kept in tact because El Patron wanted his clone to grow up like a real boy.

What did the coyote do to Celia?

The coyote that Celia had hoped would smuggle her into the US where she could have freedom ended up turning her over to the Farm Patrol instead.

Why has there been no word from Opium since El Patron died?

There has been no word from Opium since El Patron died because it was all programmed to go down into lockdown, and nobody has been able to change the command.

What happens when Matt tries to meet Maria in the Lotus Garden?

When Matt arranges to meet Maria in the Lotus Garden, one of them sets of an alarm and people come out and say that Matt killed Maria's cat. Matt tries to deny this, but nobody believes him, and even he can see that the evidence is stacked against him.

What does Celia tell Matt about the children at the Big House?

When Matt asks Celia about the children at the Big House, she tells him that they are spoiled brats who get away with far too much, are not at all intelligent, and treat people badly thinking it is their right to do so.

What is Fidelito doing in the cemetery when Matt finds him?

When Matt finds Fidelito in the cemetery in San Luis, Fidelito is participating on part of a Day of the Dead celebration.

What does Tam Lin praise Matt's teacher for?

When Matt gets frustrated at his teacher for teaching the same lesson every day, Matt gets angry and yells at her. Tam Lin praises the teacher for getting Matt to talk.

How does Matt feel now that he is with the border patrol?

When Matt is finally away from Opium and with the border patrol, he feels that he has been spending his whole life crossing a desert to get to this oasis in his life.

How did Furball really die?

While in the secret passage, Maria and Matt hear Felicia admit to Tom that she is the one who killed Furball because she wanted to punish Matt for the way he treated Tom at the birthday party.