Dynamic Duo

Dynamic Duo
By Melissa DeRosa and Amanda DeRosa

We are Melissa and Amanda, and we’re 13-year-old mirror-image twins. Imagine your reflection in the mirror being real. That’s us. Often, even the internal organs of mirror-image twins are in reversed positions. It’s a very rare kind of identical twins. Although we don’t have inverted organs, Melissa has a bigger tonsil on the right and Amanda on the left, our teeth grew in the same order but on opposite sides of our mouths, our hair whirls grew in opposite directions, and our parents report that they can walk into our rooms any hour of the night and find us sleeping in the same position, only
mirrored.

Like many twins, we can feel each other’s pain. It might sound weird, but it’s true. When we went for our first shots as babies, one of us got a shot, and the other one jerked her leg and cried at the same time. Melissa fell off a swing and sprained her ankle in second grade, and Amanda started limping on the way back to class. At summer camp, Amanda hit her left thumb with a hammer and went to the nurse for ice. A few minutes later, Melissa arrived at the nurse’s office asking for ice because she hit her left thumb with a hammer. The nurse said, “I just gave you ice!” Melissa didn’t know what she was talking about.

In conversation, we finish each other’s sentences. If one of us is thinking something, the other one blabs it out. We used twin language briefly as toddlers. That’s when a set of twins use special words that they invented and only they understand.

We keep in touch with other twins, and they’ve also had some weird experiences. One time, twins we know went shopping and came out of the mall with the same outfit, unaware of what the other one was buying. This same set of twins exchanged birthday cards and gifts, only to find that they’d picked the same card and used the same wrapping paper. Another time, a twin we know went to call her sister, and instead of getting a dial tone, she got her sister who was calling her at the same time. These twins also planned to surprise each other with lunch at work, but missed each other because each sister was on her way to surprise the other one.

Though we do have many connections, we also have some interesting differences. Amanda is better at math, while Melissa is better at writing essays. One of us is more creative, and the other is neater. We take turns being bossy, shy, and messy. Our parents say it’s like a marriage; we have to take turns being the boss so we can live together without killing each other.

There are all kinds of twin mysteries that scientists, psychologists, and researchers are still trying to figure out. It’s a unique connection, and we surprise ourselves sometimes, too!

1

Which statement is supported by the selection?

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Based on paragraph 3, what is "twin language?"

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What are main ideas of paragraph 2 and 4?

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As used in paragraph 5, what does the word connections mean?

1

In paragraph 5, what did the parents’ figurative language describe?

1

What do the authors suggest in the last paragraph?

1

Which statement is supported by the selection?

Based on paragraph 3, what is "twin language?"

What are main ideas of paragraph 2 and 4?

As used in paragraph 5, what does the word connections mean?

In paragraph 5, what did the parents’ figurative language describe?

What do the authors suggest in the last paragraph?

Why is the twin relationship referred to as a “unique connection” in the selection?