Navigating New Beginnings
Chapter 1
Why didn’t Paloma want to move to England?
She didn’t want to leave her best friend, Eva. She was enjoying school, and everything was starting to go well.
What do we learn about Marta and the relationship between her and Paloma?
Marta never complained about anything. She was a year older than Paloma, and she was much more mature than her. The sisters were very different and had very different friends.
Describe Paloma’s relationship with Daniel.
She had liked Daniel for years, and now he had asked her to work with him on their science project. They had to spend time together, and they often met after school.
Why does Marta think that it would be good for Paloma to leave Eva?
Eva is very arrogant, and she tries to control Paloma. She’s a bad influence on Paloma.
Chapter 2
How did Paloma try to stop the move, and how did her family react to her behavior?
She complained, shouted, and cried, but that didn’t help. Her father was upset, and her mum was angry with her. Even Marta was losing patience with Paloma.
What do we learn about Eva from her phone call with Laia? How does the phone call affect Paloma?
Although she doesn’t like her, Eva is friendly to Laia because she’s getting her tickets to see the Amazons in concert. Paloma feels sad because she won’t be able to see them.
What made Paloma understand that Daniel liked her?
He kissed her and said that he was sorry she was leaving. He wanted to keep in contact.
Chapter 3
Why did Eva give Paloma a gift on the last day of school, and what did Paloma think of it?
Eva gave Paloma a diary and a card. Paloma thought the diary was great but that the card was a little depressing.
How did Paloma’s dad react when David chased Rex round the boxes, and why did Paloma find this surprising?
He laughed. Paloma hadn’t seen her dad laugh like that for a long time. He always seemed to be tense and worried when he was at home.
What facts did Marta tell Paloma about their parents?
They didn’t want to move to England, but there was no other option. They had to move, and it was causing problems in their marriage. They might even get divorced if things didn’t go well in London.
How did the conversation with Marta affect Paloma’s plans?
She had planned to make a big scene at the airport. But after her conversation with Marta, she tried to be strong and positive.
Chapter 4
In what ways was Paloma trying to be less selfish and more positive towards her family?
She talked to Marta more often, and she tried to be more patient with David.
Why did Paloma’s dad decide to bring the family to London, and why had this been a sacrifice for her mum?
He was going to lose his job in the company, but his good English saved him. They offered him a new job in England, and he accepted it immediately. Paloma’s mum had been offered a promotion in the school where she taught, and she couldn’t accept it.
Describe Paloma’s feelings when her dad came and spoke to her one night.
She felt guilty when her dad thanked her for being mature. She was shocked that her mum might leave him and go back to Spain. She was upset at seeing her father cry.
What kind of school was Paloma going to, and why was this good for Paloma?
It was an international school, with students from all over the world and some English kids whose parents traveled a lot. Paloma could study some subjects in Spanish.
Chapter 5
Why did the students work so hard in the 11th year?
They were studying for their A-level exams, which were difficult. No one could get into a British university without good A-level marks.
How had Paloma’s attitude to her new school changed by the end of the morning?
She thought her new classmates weren’t so bad, and it would be nice to know them better. She thought the school was going to be OK.
Chapter 6
Describe Paloma’s feelings and thoughts on the way home from school.
She was feeling ignored, and she was angry because nobody was paying any attention to her. She thought her mother didn’t care about her or how she had survived her first day.
Why was Marta worried about Alexa?
She thought Alexa sounded a little like Eva. She thought that Eva liked to control her friends too much, especially Paloma, and that she was false and manipulated people.
What shows that the relationship between Paloma and Marta was now better?
When Mum called them down for dinner, they had been talking for more than two hours. They had never done that in Spain.
Chapter 7
How did Paloma feel during dinner that night?
She felt that something was wrong. Her parents were being too polite to each other, and she could feel tension in the air.
Why did Daniel think that Eva wasn’t Paloma’s friend?
Eva told Daniel that Paloma had a new boyfriend, that she liked him very much, and that she was too busy to write to him.
What did Paloma think of Alexa, and what worried her?
Paloma liked Alexa, but the other girls in her class didn’t seem to like her, and Paloma didn’t know why.
Why was Marta worried?
It was 11:30 on Saturday night, and Dad wasn’t home yet.
Chapter 8
What was strange about Paloma’s friendship with Alexa?
Several times Paloma invited Alexa to her house or suggested that they do something together at the weekend, but Alexa always said no. Alexa never invited Paloma to her house.
What happened at home that evening, and what did Paloma think was the cause of it?
Mum told David to stop playing his CDs. When David protested, Mum got really angry and told him to go to bed. Paloma thought that Mum was worried about Dad.
What news did the teacher give the class, and what was the class’s reaction?
She was planning to take them all on a field trip at the beginning of the half-term holiday in October. Everyone was very excited.
Chapter 9
What did Alexa tell Paloma about her sister Katie?
Katie was severely mentally handicapped. She was two years older than Alexa, but she acted very strangely sometimes.
Describe what happened when Alexa invited her friend to her house in Valencia.
Her friend was very frightened when she saw Katie and told everyone terrible stories about Alexa’s family.
What was the result of the conversation between Paloma and Alexa?
Paloma invited Alexa to her house the next day after school, and they did their homework together. Alexa had a very nice time and enjoyed meeting her family.
d meeting her family.