Describe the relationship between Greg and Maura

They have been rivals since they were five years old.

How does Greg view Maura?

Greg views Maura as a copycat because she likes to copy what he does.

How has Maura copied Greg’s ideas? Can you give me some examples?

Sure. Greg’s first business outside his home was a lemonade stand. After his lemonade business took off, Maura also started her own lemonade business right across the street. Because her lemonade was cheaper, Greg lost half of his customers.

How did that make Greg feel?

He was outraged.

So what did Greg do?

He challenged Maura to come up with an idea of her own, rather than just copy his.

What business idea did Maura come up with then?

She went door to door selling pot holders, and she made a lot of money from it.

How did this make Greg view her differently?

He realized that Maura was smart and she would be a tough competitor in the future.

In chapter seven, we have another new character, Mr. Z. Who is he?

Mr Z is Greg and Maura’s home room teacher as well as their math teacher.

What’s Mr. Z’s greatest passion in life?

Mr Z’s greatest passion is math. He lives math. He breaths,eats, sleeps and dreams math.

Why does Mr Z love math so much?

Because he believes math is the source of all that is beautiful, good, and true.

How does Mr Z live math? Can you give me some examples?

Well, he wakes up at 6:15 every morning and he has an appointment at the barber shop every third Thursday at 4:15. He lets numbers control his daily life.

Why do Greg and Maura have a big argument in class one day?

Because Greg believes Maura stole his comic book idea.

What accident happens as they are in a heated argument?

Maura accidentally punches Greg’s nose, and his nose starts bleeding.

What’s Mr Z’s reaction when he sees blood?

He feels woozy.

Is Greg angry at Maura?

No, in fact he starts thinking about what Maura says about him as a money grubber and thinks whether what she says is right. And while he’s at the nurse’s office, he gets a chance to look at Maura’s comic book. To his surprise, the writing and the drawing are actually quite good. And unlike Greg, who prints out his comic books, Maura actually draws every book by hand and putting them together one at a time.

Is Maura going to be Greg’s serious competitor?

No, because she does not know how to mass produce her books.

Thanks for helping out with the Q&A

Anytime

重點單字

notice: 注意

existence: 存在

Big Wheel: 給兒童騎的車

driveway: 車道

over and over: 一再重複

lemonade stand: 檸檬汁攤位

helplessly: 無助地

come up with: 想到

creative idea: 有創意的點子

imitate: 模仿

method: 方法

door to door: 挨家挨戶

furious: 憤怒的

original: 原創的

pot holder: 隔熱布墊

prove someone wrong: 證明某人是錯的

take something lying down: 逆來順受

eccentric: 古怪的

character: 人物

be passionate about: 對..很熱情

storage: 儲藏室

every aspect of daily life: 日常生活的每一部份

a sense of humor: 幽默感

geometry: 幾何學

frictionless: 沒摩擦的

oasis: 樂土

order: 秩序

rip: 撕破

bleed: 流血

woozy: 頭暈的

accompany someone: 陪伴某人

clutch: 緊抓著

admit: 承認

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