Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Part 1, Chapters 1-6

Reading Check

1. In what year and in what city does the novel open?

2. At what kind of organization does Ari’s mother want him to volunteer?

3. How many older siblings does Ari have?

4. What device did both Ari and Dante both grow up without?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why is the first section titled “The Different Rules of Summer”? What does it refer to?

2. What are some reasons why Ari is initially drawn to Dante?

Paired Resource

“Benjamin Alire Sáenz Has Something to Say About Love”

• In this brief video from El Paso Inc., the author reads an excerpt from Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World that discusses the meaning and nature of love.
• Connects to the theme of The Mystery of Love
• In the opening section of the novel, where do you see the kind of love the author talks about in this clip? How does Part 1 set the stage for characters to experience an expansive sort of love?

Part 1, Chapters 7-12