PLEASE HELPP! Reading guide: The Lonely Death of George Bell
Use grammatically correct, complete sentences to respond to the following prompts.
1. Explain the main idea from paragraph 1.
2. What was the first indication that something was wrong with George?
3. Why did the author use the word "sobering" to describe the reality that George Bell had
died alone in his apartment?
4. Explain why the following sentences are heart breaking:
"George Bell-a simple name, two syllables, the minimum. There were no obvious
answers as to who he was or what shape his life had taken. What worries weighed on
him. Whom he loved and who loved him."
5.
Paraphrase: " (Death) closes doors but also opens them."
6. What is the first thing the reader learns about George's personal life?
7. What is the first obstacle that the police face upon finding George dead?
8. What is the purpose of agencies like the Queens County
9. Why do the investigators who go through George's apartment see "human existence that
few others did?"
10. Explain the condition of Mr. Bell's apartment.
11. What are the investigators specifically looking for?
12. What odd things were found in the apartment that investigators associated with Mr. Bell
being a hoarder?
13. The investigators talk about how their jobs have changed the way they think about life.
Explain what they have learned. (Mr. Rodriguez and Mr. Plaza)
14. How do the investigators piece together George Bell's life?
15. What surprising detail emerged from the investigation of documents in his apartment?
16. Why does it take so long to take George Bell's body to the crematorium?
17. Why do the investigators attempt to find George Bell's living relatives?
18. When the investigators contact George Bell's friends, what do they find out about him?
19. What happens to George Bell's money?
20. Explain how Mr. Higginbotham felt about inheriting the money from George Bell.
21. Explain why you think George Bell cut himself off from society towards the end of his life.
22. Explain how you feel about the details of his private life being made so public.