AMIGO BROTHERS - Textual Questions

Read And Respond

1. What is special about the friendship between Antonio and Felix?
          Antonio Cruz and Felix Vargas were both 17. They were so together in friendship that they felt like brothers. They had known each other from childhood. They grew up in the same building on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

2. How did they work to achieve their dream?

         They both had a dream – becoming a light-weight champion of the world. Whenever they got a chance they exercised, sometimes at the Boy’s Club and sometimes at the gym. They would run every day morning, wearing sweat shirts and short towels around their necks. They had a collection of Fight magazines. They also kept the torn tickets of all the boxing matches they had gone to see. They also had some clippings of their own.

3. What was the wall rising between them?

            They both had a dream – becoming a light-weight champion of the world. They both practised hard. They were told that they were to meet each other in the division finals scheduled for the 7th of August. That was 2 weeks away. The winner would represent the Boy’s Club in the Golden Gloves Championship Tournament. Th&’flieaftS’ ofriy on* of -them would go to the Tournament. This was the wall rising between them.

4. Felix decides to go to Aunt Lucy. Why?

           Both Felix and Antonio have come to know that they have to fight an elimination bout and only the winner would go to take part in the Golden Gloves Championship Tournament. So farthey have been running together and working out together. Now they have to have a plan of their own to defeat his rival in the bout. So they thought it was better that they separated. That is why Felix decides to go to Aunt Lucy.

5. Compare the thoughts and feelings of amigo brothers on the eve of their fight
          The evening before the big fight, Antonio made his way to the roof of his building. He tried not to think of Felix. He thought he had made up his mind. He would knock out Felix early and quickly so that he does not get hurt by a long fight. Felix decided to watch a movie in an effort to keep Antonio’s face away from his mind and fists. The film was The Champion’, acted by Kirk Douglas. The champion was getting beaten. Felix got a shock. He imagined himself in the ring, blasting Antonio against the ropes.

6. Both Antonio and Felix wanted to win in the first round. What might be the reason?

          Both Antonio and Felix wanted to win in the first round because they both wanted to win, and, at the same time they did not want to hurt each other by extending the fight into three full rounds.

7. The amigo brothers were popular as boxers. How do you know?

         They were popular as boxers. We know that from the fact that large posters about the fight were plastered all over the walls. The fight created great interest in the neighbourhood. Both the boys were liked and respected and each had his own loyal fans.

8. Do you think that the amigo brothers fought Fiercely in the first and second rounds? What makes you think so?

           Yes, I do. The amigo brothers fought fiercely in the first and second rounds. In the first round we see Antonio countering the attack of Felix with three lefts that snapped Felix’s head back, sending a mild shock coursing through him. Again we see Antonio crashing two lefts to Felix’s head which made his right ear ring. In the second round we see neither fighter giving an inch. We see Antonio getting a short right on his chin, turning his legs to jelly. We see Felix grunting like a bull throwing wild punches at Antonio from every direction. So both were trying to win by hitting the other as hard as they could.

9. Who, do you think, will win in the end?

          Both will win. Neither of them fell to the canvas and the referee and the two trainers had to pry Felix and Antonio apart. In fact their friendship won.

9. Who, do you think, will win in the end?
          Both will win. Neither of them fell to the canvas and the referee and the two trainers had to pry Felix and Antonio apart. In fact their friendship won.