Another Time Another Place Vocab and Questions
thumped
- hit heavily with a fist or blunt object; hit (someone or something) heavily, especially with the fist or a blunt implement
affect
- make a difference to; influence; having an effect on; make a difference to
How old was Gilbert at this point?
11, and probably nearing 12 because of Emmy's age.
How old was Gilbert's female neighbor and how much older than Gilbert was she?
13, and she was a year older.
How long did it take to get to the "playground?"
30 minutes
About how long would they have traveled until they would reach the fort?
4 hours
Who proved that time is a dimension like space?
Albert Einstein
Generally speaking, where did Gilbert's father work?
At sea
In what month did they probably find the handcar?
August
What country was Gilbert learning about?
Belgium (Belch 'um)
What message about dimension and faith seem to appear as the story concludes?
Faith , dimensions and time coincide with each other
How do spatial dimensions change?
From a dot to a line, allowing for movement backward, forward, and all around on a surface. Whenever another dimension gets added, then it's up-down, side-to-side, and in-out.
What helped to decide that they would go in the direction Gilbert wanted?
Gilbert let Emmy look toward the sea with the spyglass, and she seemed to understand its attraction.
What happened to Gilbert's father in the country?
He had been stranded or marooned there once or twice before.
What did Gilbert do to get the handcar moving?
He put oil to all the bearings.
What idea came to Gilbert to help them move easier along the tracks?
He used his blanket and their fishing poles to make a sail and let the wind move the handcar along the rails.
At which times of year were Gilbert's father home and away?
He was home during the summer and away at sea during the winter.
What happened to the watch as they reached the fort?
It seemed to malfunction by stopping and starting randomly.
How did Gilbert feel about his father's laughing?
It was like Christmas, his birthday and a day at the beach all rolled into one; thus, making it extremely special.
What did they name the handcar?
Kalamazoo
In what way did Gilbert consider time?
Like space, it's a dimension.
What family's children did Gilbert play with?
Limburgher (Emmy, Neils, Erwin)
Where had they lived before moving to America?
London, England
Who was the postmaster?
Mr. Ossinger
What was different about this year's letter?
Mrs. Curie didn't bring it to Gilbert as she usually had done because it told of Gilbert's father's death at sea.
Who was their housekeeper, and what was known about her history with the family?
Mrs. Curie had cared for Gilbert's father when he was a baby, and she continued to be with the family throughout his life.
Who said something surprising, and what did he say?
Neils spoke of time in a sideways dimension.
What were some items they found in their new "playground" and what seemed to be the most special item?
Old time-tables, a telegraph rig, old denim coveralls and whiskey bottles, a leather-bound journal that fell apart whenever it was touched. The special item was the handcar.
What seemed to appear as they reached the fort?
Other tracks appeared as if they were other time dimensions leading in similar dimensions and with older and younger Gilberts and other children. The sideways dimension of time seemed to have appeared before them.
What subject did Gilbert want to study, and what kept him from studying it?
Physics, but Senor Uriate believed Gilbert needed more math for that.
Who was Gilbert's tutor?
Senor Uriate
How did Gilbert disprove his female friend's comment about not going up?
She came UP to his tree house, and she could go back DOWN, too.
What happened to Gilbert's mother?
She died while giving birth to Gilbert.
What seemed different about Mrs. Curie, and why?
She seemed aged because of the news.
What of his father and grandfather's items did Gilbert gather to bring?
Spyglass, old watch and the rain boots
What 1970s classic film inspired the writer to become a sci-fi writer?
Star Wars
Where were they going to play?
The abandoned switchyard, where trains changed cars and cargo
To where did the tracks lead, and what was it last used as?
The tracks led to an old sea fort that had last been used as a customs inspection point.
How did Gilbert's friends treat him during the first week of that summer?
They didn't know what to do because of the death, so they treated him gingerly and with caution as if he were a delicate piece of china or as if he had the plague.
Why did Mrs. Curie and Senor Uriate not know what to do with Gilbert at this time?
They had no directions from Gilbert's father, who had died at sea
What did Gilbert hate and why?
Time because it was tyrant, especially as the hours seemed to crawl by while his father was working.
In which direction did Emmy want to go?
To the city
In which directions did the tracks go?
To the city and to the sea
In which direction did Gilbert want to go?
To the sea
What thought about dimensions occurred to Gilbert?
What if space moved only in one direction, in two dimensions, like time?"
Explain how the story and Gilbert's mood change in the paragraph before the break on page 99.
While Gilbert had been serious and passionate about studying topics he enjoyed, he especially looked forward to times spent with his father during the summer. The writer described the blue sky as "stupid" and the yellow sun as "awful" to indicate Gilbert's anger and grief.
What statement did Gilbert's father make about time affecting a later event?
While he spoke of a star dying on the other side of the universe having little effect upon the Earth, he used the planting of a seed and the growth of the eventual live oak tree, which took the span of a few hundred years.
tyrant
a cruel and oppressive ruler
breakers
a heavy sea wave that breaks into white foam on the shore or a shoal
spyglass
a small handheld telescope
premonition
a strong feeling that something is about to happen, especially something unpleasant
gale
a very strong wind
sextant
an instrument used to determine the position of a ship or airplane by measuring the positions of the stars and sun
converged
come together from different directions so as eventually to meet
tainted
contaminate or pollute (something)
mimed
convey an impression of (an idea or feeling) by gesture and movement, without using words; mimic
grimy
covered with or characterized by grime
succumbed
fail to resist
compelled
force or oblige (someone) to do something
lavishly
generous and extravagant
retrieved
get or bring (something) back; regain possession of
christened
give (a baby) a Christian name at baptism as a sign of admission to a Christian Church
queasy
slightly nervous or worried; nauseated; feeling sick
rills
small streams
marooned
to abandon or leave someone in a place that is hard to get away from; stranded; leave someone trapped and isolated in an inaccessible place, especially an island
genuine
truly what something is said to be; authentic
