What happens in house of the scorpion chapter 9

“Chapter 9 – The Secret Passage

Matt continues his education via distant learning. He continues to have bad dreams about the dead man in the poppy fields. Matt met Maria’s dog Furball for the first time and did not like the dog because Matt was a clone and he was treated like an animal, just like Furball.

Matt begins to explore the house. He secretly listens to Felicia (Benito, Steven, and Tom’s mother) play the piano in the afternoons. He discovers she is a drunk. To avoid being caught listening, he hides in a closet where he discovers a secret passage. Over a few weeks, he explores the passage and eventually witnesses Mr. Alcaran’s father refusing his chemotherapy treatment and the Doctor giving a drug to Felicia. Tam Lin catches Matt playing the piano and discovers Matt’s talent for music. Matt is an eager learner, wanting to excel so people would love him and forget that he was a clone.

1. How does Matt study? Is he a good student?
2. What is the significance of being a “photograph?”
3. What did Matt dream?
4. Why didn’t Matt like “Furball?”
5. Who is Felicia?
6. What did Matt discover?
7. What did Matt witness in the Secret passage?
8. What did the Doctor give to Felicia?
9. What talent did Matt discover he had?
10. What motivated Matt to learn?”