Mrs. Smith said that Carmen had other talents: a crisp alto voice and a good ear to catch the melody. “How would you like to join our school chorus, the Stars and Stripes?” she asked. At first, Carmen was a little scared to sing—in English!—in front of everyone. But she felt lucky to have been picked to sing her favorite American song with the chorus.

Carmen especially liked the last line: “The land of the free and the home of the brave.”

Freedom. That’s why Carmen’s family had come to live in the United States, her father always said.

Now that she understood the words, whenever she sang “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Carmen felt proud of becoming an American.

“Carmen Gonzalez,” said Mrs. Smith after Carmen’s first performance with the Stars and Stripes. “What a fine American citizen you will make!”

Carmen feels homesick for Cuba because everyone understands her easily there. What events in the story help her feel less sad about her new home? Use examples from the story to support your answer.