Here’s the correct answer key and explanation for each question based on the story “All Capone Does My Sheets” by Sandra Cisneros:
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1. Why did the Flanagan family move to Alcatraz?
✔ Correct Answer: c. Because Mr. Flanagan was offered a really great job there.
*Explanation:* In the story, the family moves because Mr. Flanagan gets a job as a prison guard at Alcatraz — a prestigious position at the time, even if it meant living on an island with strict rules.
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2. Why did the warden forbid Moose to talk about Al Capone?
✔ Correct Answer: b. He didn’t want the kids to know that the prisoners were real people.
*Explanation:* The warden wants to maintain the image of Alcatraz as a dangerous, impersonal prison. Talking about Capone humanizes the inmates, which could make the kids (and their parents) feel less secure or more curious — something the warden wants to avoid.
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3. Natalie turns ten every year on her birthday because...
✔ Correct Answer: d. she is mentally disabled.
*Explanation:* Natalie has developmental challenges and doesn’t understand the concept of aging. She believes she’s always ten years old — this is a poignant detail showing her innocence and the family’s loving patience.
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4. Moose was given the responsibility of watching his sister because...
✔ Correct Answer: d. both A and B
*(a. Mrs. Kelly thought it would be good for him to take on responsibility
b. Natalie had to work in the afternoons and there was no one else to watch her)*
*Explanation:* Both reasons are true. Mrs. Kelly (the warden’s wife) sees it as a growth opportunity for Moose, and since Natalie works in the laundry room during the day, someone must supervise her — and Moose is the only available sibling.
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5. Natalie was sent home from the Father P. Matthew School because...
✔ Correct Answer: c. they discovered she was not really ten years old.
*Explanation:* The school realized Natalie’s mental age didn’t match her chronological age — she wasn’t learning at the level expected for a 10-year-old, so they asked her to leave. This reflects the lack of support for children with special needs at the time.
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6. The kids who live on Alcatraz get in trouble when...
✔ Correct Answer: a. the warden found them inside the lighthouse painting baseballs.
*Explanation:* The kids sneak into the restricted lighthouse area to paint baseballs with messages for Al Capone — a direct violation of prison rules. The warden catches them and punishes them for trespassing.
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7. When Rocky wouldn’t stop crying on the boat, ...
✔ Correct Answer: d. All Capone’s mother calmed him.
*Explanation:* In a surprising twist, Al Capone’s mother (who visits him on the island) gently comforts Rocky, the baby, when he won’t stop crying — showing a tender, unexpected side of the infamous gangster’s family.
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✔ Final Answer Key:
1.
c
2.
b
3.
d
4.
d
5.
c
6.
a
7.
d
Let me know if you’d like a summary of the story or deeper analysis!
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of al capone does my shirts worksheet.
