In the selection below, a young girl named Anastasia Krupnik has a surprise for her mother. Read the story to learn about the surprise. Then answer the questions that follow.
Anastasia
by Lois Lowry

"Mom!" shouted Anastasia as she clattered up the back steps and into the kitchen
after school. "Guess what Meredith Halberg gave me! Just what I've been wanting!
And it didn't cost anything!"

Mrs. Krupnik put a casserole into the oven, closed the oven door, and adjusted the
temperature. She turned around. "Let me think," she said. "Chicken pox?"

Anastasia made a face. It was terrible, having a mother who always made jokes.
"Ha ha, very funny," she said. "I said it was something I'd been wanting. Anyway, I
had chicken pox years ago."

"Well," said her mother, "I can't think of anything else that doesn't cost anything."

Anastasia was so excited she was almost jumping up and down. "You'll never guess! Wait, I'll show you. They're on the back porch. They're probably getting cold. I'll bring them in."

"Hold it," her mother said. She looked suspicious. "What do you mean, they're getting cold? It's not something alive, is it?"

But Anastasia had already gone, banging the door behind her. In a minute she was back, holding a wooden box with a wire mesh cover over it. A rustling sound came from the inside of the box.

Her mother retreated instantly, behind the kitchen table. "No!" she said. "I've told you and told you that I can't stand -"

Anastasia wasn't listening. Her mother was so boring sometimes. She undid the latch and lifted the cover of the box.

"Gerbils!" she announced with delight.

Her mother backed away until she was against the refrigerator. She picked up a wooden spoon and held it like a weapon. "GET THOSE THINGS OUT OF MY KITCHEN IMMEDIATELY!" she bellowed.

"But, Mom, look how cute they are -"

"I SAID, OUT OF MY KITCHEN!"

Grouchily, Anastasia covered the box again. She took it to the back hall.

"Mom," she said when she returned, "you can open your eyes now. They're in the back hall."

Her mother sat down and took some deep breaths. She looked around warily. "Anastasia," she said, "you know I can't stand rodents."

"Mom, they're sweet, furry little -"

"Rodents." Her mother shuddered.