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Week 4 8th grade ELA Packet
MONDAY
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Part 1 The Story of Prometheus: How Fire Was Given to Men
from Old Greek StoriesJames Baldwin
In those old, old times, there lived two brothers who were not like other men, nor yet
like those Mighty Ones who lived upon the mountain top. They were the sons of one of
those Titans who had fought against Jupiter and been sent in chains to the strong
prison-house of the Lower World.
The name of the elder of these brothers was Prometheus, or Forethought; for he was
always thinking of the future and making things ready for what might happen
tomorrow, or next week, or next year, or it may be in a hundred years to come. The
younger was called Epimetheus, or Afterthought; for he was always so busy thinking of
yesterday, or last year, or a hundred years ago, that he had no care at all for what might
come to pass after a while.
For some cause Jupiter had not sent these brothers to prison with the rest of the Titans.
Prometheus did not care to live amid the clouds on the mountain top. He was too busy
for that. While the Mighty Folk were spending their time in idleness, drinking nectar and
eating ambrosia, he was intent upon plans for making the world wiser and better than it
had ever been before.He went out amongst men to live with them and help them; for his heart was filled
with sadness when he found that they were no longer happy as they had been during the golden days
when Saturn was king. Ah, how very poor and wretched they were! He
found them living in caves and in holes of the earth, shivering with the cold because
there was no fire, dying of starvation, hunted by wild beasts and by one another--the
most miserable of all living creatures.
“If they only had fire,” said Prometheus to himself, “they could at least warm
themselves and cook their food; and after a while they could learn to make tools and
build themselves houses. Without fire, they are worse off than the beasts.” Then he went boldly to Jupiter
and begged him to give fire to men, so that they might have a little comfort through the long, dreary
months of winter.
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Jupiter (Roman) is the same as Zeus (Greek).
Saturn (Roman) is the same as Cronus (Greek)“Not a spark will I give,” said Jupiter. “No, indeed! Why, if men had fire they might
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become strong and wise like ourselves, and after a while they would drive us out of our
kingdom. Let them shiver with cold, and let them live like the beasts. It is best for them
to be poor and ignorant, so that we Mighty Ones may thrive and be happy.”
Prometheus made no answer; but he had set his heart on helping mankind, and he did
not give up. He turned away, and left Jupiter and his mighty company forever.
As he was walking by the shore of the sea he found a reed, or, as some say, a tall stalk of
fennel, growing; and when he had broken it off he saw that its hollow center was filled
with a dry, soft pith which would burn slowly and keep on fire a long time. He took the
long stalk in his hands, and started with it towards the dwelling of the sun in the far
east.
“Mankind shall have fire in spite of the tyrant who sits on the mountaintop,” he said.
He reached the place of the sun in the early morning just as the glowing, golden orb was
rising from the earth and beginning his daily journey through the sky. He touched the
end of the long reed to the flames, and the dry pith caught on fire and burned slowly.
Then he turned and hastened back to his own land, carrying with him the precious spark
hidden in the hollow center of the plant.
He called some of the shivering men from their caves and built a fire for them, and
showed them how to warm themselves by it and how to build other fires from the coals.
Soon there was a cheerful blaze in every rude home in the land, and men and women
gathered round it and were warm and happy, and thankful to Prometheus for the
wonderful gift which he had brought to them from the sun.
It was not long until they learned to cook their food and so to eat like men instead of
like beasts. They began at once to leave off their wild and savage habits; and instead of
lurking in the dark places of the world, they came out into the open air and the bright
sunlight, and were glad because life had been given to them.
After that, Prometheus taught them, little by little, a thousand things. He showed them
how to build houses of wood and stone, and how to tame sheep and cattle and make
them useful, and how to plow and sow and reap, and how to protect themselves from
the storms of winter and the beasts of the woods. Then he showed them how to dig in
the earth for copper and iron, and how to melt the ore, and how to hammer it into
shape and fashion from it the tools and weapons which they needed in peace and war;and when he saw how happy the world was becoming he cried out: “A new Golden Age shall come, brighter and better by far than the old!”____________________________________________________
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pith: soft, spongy tissue inside a plant
dwelling: home, place to live or stay
plow and sow and reap: farm
Reading Comprehension Question : Part 1
Myths are traditional stories that explain how and why things exist and work. What does this myth explain? Cite TWO pieces of textual evidence to explain your evidence.
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MondayDirections: Read Part 2 of The Story of Prometheus and fill out the Summary Template on page 7.
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Part 2 The Story of Prometheus: How Diseases and Cares Came
Things might have gone on very happily indeed, and the Golden Age might really have
come again, had it not been for Jupiter. But one day, when he chanced to look down
upon the earth, he saw the fires burning, and the people living in houses, and the flocks
feeding on the hills, and the grain ripening in the fields, and this made him very angry.
“Who has done all this?” he asked.
And someone answered, “Prometheus!”
“What! that young Titan!” he cried. “Well, I will punish him in a way that will make him
wish I had shut him up in the prison-house with his kinsfolk. But as for those puny 7 men,
let them keep their fire. I will make them ten times more miserable than they were
before they had it.”
Of course it would be easy enough to deal with Prometheus at any time, and so Jupiter
was in no great haste about it. He made up his mind to distress mankind first; and he
thought of a plan for doing it in a very strange, roundabout way.
In the first place, he ordered his blacksmith Vulcan, whose forge was in the crater of a
burning mountain, to take a lump of clay which he gave him, and mold it into the form
of a woman. Vulcan did as he was bidden;and when he had finished the image, he
carried it up to Jupiter, who was sitting among the clouds with all the Mighty Folk
around him. It was nothing but a mere lifeless body, but the great blacksmith had given
it a form more perfect than that of any statue that has ever been made.
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kinsfolk: relatives puny: weak blacksmith: a person who makes objects out of metal forge: open fire oven for making objects that require heat to be formed, like metal bidden: told
“Come now!” said Jupiter, “let us all give some goodly gift to this woman;” and he began
by giving her life.
Then the others came in their turn, each with a gift for the marvelous creature. One
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gave her beauty; and another a pleasant voice; and another good manners; and another
a kind heart; and another skill in many arts; and, lastly, someone gave her curiosity.
Then they called her Pandora, which means the all-gifted, because she had received
gifts from them all.
Pandora was so beautiful and so wondrously gifted that no one could help loving her.
When the Mighty Folk had admired her for a time, they gave her to Mercury, the light-
footed; and he led her down the mountain side to the place where Prometheus and his
brother were living and toiling for the good of mankind. He met Epimetheus first, and
said to him:
“Epimetheus, here is a beautiful woman, whom Jupiter has sent to you to be your wife.”
Prometheus had often warned his brother to beware of any gift that Jupiter might send,
for he knew that the mighty tyrant could not be trusted; but when Epimetheus saw
Pandora, how lovely and wise she was, he forgot all warnings, and took her home to live
with him and be his wife.
Pandora was very happy in her new home; and even Prometheus, when he saw her, was
pleased with her loveliness. She had brought with her a golden casket, which Jupiter
had given her at parting, and which he had told her held many precious things; but wise
Athena, the queen of the air, had warned her never, never to open it, nor look at the things inside.
“They must be jewels,” she said to herself; and then she thought of how they would add
to her beauty if only she could wear them. “Why did Jupiter give them to me if I should
never use them, nor so much as look at them?” she asked.
The more she thought about the golden casket, the more curious she was to see what
was in it; and every day she took it down from its shelf and felt of the lid, and tried to
peer inside of it without opening it.
“Why should I care for what Athena told me?” she said at last. “She is not beautiful, and
jewels would be of no use to her. I think that I will look at them, at any rate. Athena will
never know. Nobody else will ever know.”
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casket: a small box for holding valuable objects
She opened the lid a very little, just to peep inside. All at once there was a whirring,
rustling sound, and before she could shut it down again, out flew ten thousand strange
creatures with death-like faces and gaunt and dreadful forms, such as nobody in all the
world had ever seen. They fluttered for a little while about the room, and then flew
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away to find dwelling-places wherever there were homes of men. They were diseases
and cares; for up to that time mankind had not had any kind of sickness, nor felt any
troubles of mind, nor worried about what the morrow might bring forth.
These creatures flew into every house, and, without anyone seeing them, nestled down
in the bosoms of men and women and children, and put an end to all their joy; and ever
since that day they have been flitting and creeping, unseen and unheard, over all the
land, bringing pain and sorrow and death into every household.
If Pandora had not shut down the lid so quickly, things would have gone much worse.
But she closed it just in time to keep the last of the evil creatures from getting out. The
name of this creature was Foreboding, and although he was almost half out of the
casket, Pandora pushed him back and shut the lid so tight that he could never escape. If
he had gone out into the world, men would have known from childhood just what
troubles were going to come to them every day of their lives, and they would never
have had any joy or hope so long as they lived.
And this was the way in which Jupiter sought to make mankind more miserable than
they had been before Prometheus had befriended them.
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gaunt: skinny from starving
Foreboding: feeling something bad is going to happen
MondaySummary Template
Use this template to write a summary of a literary text.
Write the text title and author.
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SOMEBODY WANTED BUT SO THEN
Who are the characters? Which characters are the main characters?
What do the main character(s) want to accomplish?
What conflict or problem do the main character(s) encounter?
What did the main character(s) do in response to the problem?
How did the conflict resolve itself?
Write a summary of the text including the details above.
TuesdayRead the excerpt from the text and answer the comprehension questions.
“While the Mighty Folk were spending their
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time in idleness, drinking nectar and eating ambrosia, [Prometheus] was intent upon plans for making the world wiser and better than it had ever been before.”
1. Who are the Mighty Folk? How would you describe them? What other sentences in the text reveal similar details about the Mighty Folk?
2. Who is Prometheus? How is connected to the Mighty Folk? How would you describe Prometheus? What other sentences in the text reveal similar details about Prometheus?
3. What other sentences in the text reveal what Prometheus wants and what Jupiter wants?”
Tuesday
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This sentence means….._____________________________________________________________________________________
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Tuesday
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1. I noticed …….,which means...
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2. I knew……,so I…
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Answer the question below.
To understand this sentence I had to…
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Wednesday
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Sentence Frames: Verbals
Sentence frames can help you improve your writing. Complete the following sentence frames. Then revise your written summary of “The Story of Prometheus” to use at least one of your completed sentences.
The focus of these sentence frames is on verbals. A verbal is formed from a verb, but it doesn’t act as the verb in a sentence. There are three different types of verbals: infinitives, gerunds, and participles.
● Infinitives are formed by adding “to” in front of a verb. For example,“He went out amongst men to live with them and [to] help them .” The underlined phrase describes what Prometheus does when he joins the humans.
● Gerunds are formed by adding “ing” to the end of a verb that acts as a noun (e.g., person, place, thing, or idea). For example, “Prometheus made no answer; but he had set his heart on helping mankind, and he did not give up.” The underlined phrase provides information about what Prometheus was determined to do.
● Participles are verbs that act as adjectives in a sentence. For example, (1) “Finished with the image, Vulcan carried it up to Jupiter, who was sitting among the clouds with all the Mighty Folk around him.” (2) “Thinking of yesterday , Epimetheus was called Afterthought.”
Use infinitives (to + verb) to complete the following sentence frames.
1. Promethus wants__________________________________________________________.
However Jupiter refuses _____________________________________________________ to
humankind.
2. Jupiter wants/ doesn’t want
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3. Athena tells Pandora not __________________________________________________________________________.
Use gerunds (verb + ing) to complete the following sentence frames.
1. Jupiter is angry with Prometheus for______________________________________________________ to the humans.
2. Instead of _____________________________________________, Pandora becomes curious and opens the golden casket, releasing pain, worry, and death into the world.
Use participles (verb + ed, verb + ing, or to + verb) to complete the following sentence frames.
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1. ______________________________________________________________, Prometheus sneaks fire to humankind.
2. Pandora, __________________________________________________, opens the golden casket and releases pain, worry, and death in the world.
Thursday: Read Text 1 and answer the questionsText 1:
“Travel” by Robert Louis Stevenson
[1] I should like to rise and go
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Where the golden apples grow;—
Where below another sky Parrot
islands anchored lie, [5]
And, watched by cockatoos and goats,
Lonely Crusoes building boats;—
Where in sunshine reaching out Eastern cities, miles about,
Are with mosque and minaret [10]
Among sandy gardens set,
And the rich goods from near and far
Hang for sale in the bazaar ,—
Where the Great Wall round China goes,
And on one side the desert blows, [15]
And with bell and voice and drum
Cities on the other hum;—
Where are forests, hot as fire,
Wide as England, tall as a spire,
Full of apes and cocoa-nuts
[20] And the negro hunters’ huts;—
Where the knotty crocodile Lies
and blinks in the Nile,
And the red flamingo flies
Hunting fish before his eyes;— [25]
Where in jungles, near and far,
Man-devouring tigers are,
Lying close and giving ear
Lest the hunt be drawing near,
Or a comer-by be seen [30]
Swinging in a palanquin ;—
Where among the desert sands
Some deserted city stands,
All its children, sweep and prince,
Grown to manhood ages since, [35]
Not a foot in street or house,
Not a stir of child or mouse,
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And when kindly falls the night,
In all the town no spark of light.
There I’ll come when I’m a man [40]
With a camel caravan;
Light a fire in the gloom
Of some dusty dining-room;
See the pictures on the walls,
Heroes, fights and festivals;
[45] And in a corner find the toys
Of the old Egyptian boys.
1. The word that best describes the tone of this poem is:
a. Troubled
b. Whimsical
c. Longing
d. Confident
2. Which of the following statements best describes the structure of this poem?
a. The narrator reflects upon the adventures of his life, then conveys his regret for not
accomplishing more.
b. The narrator lists sites of adventure spots so that he can remember them once he is an old man.
c. The narrator weaves a ridiculous adventure story so that he can tell it to his future children.
d. The narrator describes numerous places he’d like to travel, then imagines himself as a man
who has travelled there
3. What is the speaker’s point of view, and how does this affect the meaning of the poem?
a. The speaker is an adult remembering his childhood, which makes him nostalgic for a time
when he thought travel was possible.
b. The speaker is an adult thinking about his childhood dream to travel, which makes him
compare his childish fantasies to the present reality.
c. The speaker is a child who is unaware of the world around him, making his ideas about travel
appear misguided and foolish.
d. The speaker is a child with an active imagination, making his storybook fantasies of travel
destinations appear exaggerated and exciting.
4. Which of the following lines most clearly reveals the identity of the speaker?
a. “Where the Great Wall round China goes / And on one side the desert blows” (lines 13-14)
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b. “Where in jungles, near and far, / Man-devouring tigers are” (lines 25-26)
c. “There I’ll come when I’m a man / With a camel caravan” (lines 39-40)
d. “See the pictures on the walls, / Heroes, fights and festivals;” (lines 43-44)
Friday : Read Text Two and Answer the Writing Prompt
Text 2: Excerpt from “Treasure Island” by Robert Louis Stevenson
(1) He was plainly blind, for he tapped before him with a stick, and wore a great green shade over
his eyes and nose; and he was hunched, as if with age or weakness, and wore a huge old tattered sea-
cloak with a hood, that made him appear positively deformed. I never saw in my life a more
dreadful-looking figure. He stopped a little from the inn, and, raising his voice in an odd sing-song,
addressed the air in front of him:
(2) “Will any kind friend inform a poor blind man, who has lost the precious sight of his eyes in the
gracious defence of his native country, England, and God bless King George! – where or in what
part of this country he may now be?”
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(3) “You are at the ‘Admiral Benbow,’ Black Hill Cove, my good man,” said I.
(4) “I hear a voice,” said he – “a young voice. Will you give me your hand, my kind young friend, and
lead me in?”
(5) I held out my hand, and the horrible, soft-spoken, eyeless creature gripped it in a moment like a
vice. I was so much startled that I struggled to withdraw; but the blind man pulled me close up to
him with a single action of his arm.
(6) “Now, boy,” he said, “take me in to the captain.”
(7) “Sir,” said I, “upon my word I dare not.”
(8) “Oh,” he sneered, “that’s it! Take me in straight, or I’ll break your arm.”
(9) And he gave it, as he spoke, a wrench that made me cry out.
(10) “Sir,” said I, “it is for yourself I mean. The captain is not what he used to be. He sits with a
drawn cutlass. Another gentleman-“
(11) “Come, now, march,” interrupted he; and I never heard a voice so cruel, and cold, and ugly as
that blind man’s. It cowed me more than the pain; and I began to obey him at once, walking straight
in at the door and towards the parlour, where our sick old buccaneer was sitting, dazed with rum.
The blind man clung close to me, holding me in one iron fist, and leaning almost more of his weight
on me than I could carry. “Lead me straight up to him, and when I’m in view, cry out, ‘Here’s a friend for
you, Bill.’ If you don’t, I’ll do this;” and with that he gave me a twitch that I thought would have made
me faint. Between this and that, I was so utterly terrified of the blind beggar that I forgot my terror of the
captain, and as I opened the parlour door, cried out the words he had ordered in a trembling voice.
(12) The poor captain raised his eyes, and at one look the rum went out of him, and left him staring
sober. The expression of his face was not so much of terror as of mortal sickness. He made a
movement to rise, but I do not believe he had enough force left in his body.
(13) “Now, Bill, sit where you are,” said the beggar. “If I can’t see, I can hear a finger stirring.
Business is business. Hold out your right hand. Boy, take his right hand by the wrist, and bring it
near to my right.”
(14) We both obeyed him to the letter, and I saw him pass something from the hollow of the hand
that held his stick into the palm of the captain’s, which closed upon it instantly.
(15) “And now that’s done,” said the blind man; and at the words he suddenly left hold of me, and,
with incredible accuracy and nimbleness, skipped out of the parlour and into the road, where, as I
still stood motionless, I could hear his stick go tap-tap-tapping into the distance.
(16) It was some time before either I or the captain seemed to gather our senses; but at length, and
about at the same moment, I released his wrist, which I was still holding, and he drew in his hand
and looked sharply into the palm.
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(17) “Ten o’clock!’ he cried. “Six hours. We’ll do them yet”; and he sprang to his feet.
(18) Even as he did so, he reeled, put his hand to his throat, stood swaying for a moment, and then,
with a peculiar sound, fell from his whole height face foremost to the floor.
(19) I ran to him at once, calling to my mother. But haste was all in vain. The captain had been
struck dead by thundering apoplexy.
Writing Prompt
Think about how the tone in the poem “Travel” differs from the tone in the passage from Treasure
Island. Write an essay that explains the differences in the tone between the poem and the passage. Be sure
to include specific examples from both texts to support your response. FOUR PARAGRAPHS
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8th gradeELA
PacketWeek 5
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DO NOW Moviemakers have started releasing live-action remakes of animated films. The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast are two examples.
What do you think?
Live-action remakes are more entertaining than the cartoon classics.
Do you agree or disagree? (circle one)
Directions: Read the article, Live Action Remakes and answer the questions below.
Guess what's about to get real, movie fans? Your old animated favorites! That is, if they haven't already. Like the Fairy Godmother waving her magic wand over a pumpkin, movie studios have been bringing new life to old animated favorites. They've changed them—bibbidi-bobbidi-booyah!—into live-action blockbusters. Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book, and Dumbo are just some of the live-action remakes released since 2010. Actors have also stepped into Cinderella's glass slippers, Dora the Explorer's sneakers, and Aladdin's curly-toed kicks. And according to Hollywood buzz, we can expect the reboots to keep on comin'.
So, what’s the big attraction to going live-action? For studios, it’s mostly about the math. Ticket prices have gone up. And the Internet and TV have a lot to offer. So it takes something special to get people off the couch and into the megaplex. But with live-action remakes, studios have stumbled upon a winning formula. It starts with stories audiences love and characters who seem like old friends. Throw in a few A-listers. Add some of modern technology’s jaw-dropping special effects. And ka-ching—it all equals box office gold. The Disney live-action remakes of Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and Alice in Wonderland packed in moviegoers. Each film brought in more than a billion bucks worldwide. Meanwhile, Disney’s other live-action movies like A Wrinkle in Time and Tomorrowland scored points for originality but were lucky if they broke even.
It's partly the power of good ol' nostalgia that makes the formula so profitable. Plenty of adults who spent their childhoods waltzing around the living room in Belle ball gowns bought tix to 2017's Beauty and the Beast. And people who grew up watching Pokémon cartoons were charged up to catch (get it? catch?) Detective Pikachu. Of course, the parents among them likely took their kiddos to the theater. (Hello, next-gen fans!) Treating golden oldies to a modern makeover also gives studios a chance to make them more inclusive. Diversity plays a starring role in Disney's latest remakes. So more kids are seeing characters on the big screen who look like them. In Aladdin, Egyptian-Canadian actor Mena Massoud plays the lovable hero. African American actor Will Smith is the movie's wisecracking Genie. And, as just about everybody and their pet crustacean knows: African American singer and actress Halle Bailey landed the part of Ariel in The Little Mermaid. Some moviemakers also see these do-overs as an opportunity to crank up the girl power.
The producer of Aladdin, for example, said Jasmine isn't just along for the magic carpet ride in the remake. She's a strong character who speaks up and takes a stand. Likewise, the new Mulan doesn't have a fast-talking dragon as her sidekick. But she's a master of kicks, and
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her sword fighting skills are just as impressive. Like the original film, the live-action Mulan tells the story of a young woman who takes her father's place in the Chinese Imperial Army. But this version aims to be more culturally respectful. Any list of live-action remakes has gotta include 2019 blockbuster The Lion King, right? Well…it's complicated! The footage was created by artists with computers. There were no cameras filming actors or animals. So technically, it isn't live-action. However, it all looks so real that some people believe the word animation feels just plain wrong. What do you think? Whatever your take on The Lion King debate, live-action remakes are part of the "Circle of Life" in movies today. And for lots of moviegoers, they offer "A Whole New World" that looks fresh yet feels familiar and fun.
Guess what's about to get real, movie fans? Your old animated favorites! That is, if they haven't already. Like the Fairy Godmother waving her magic wand over a pumpkin, movie studios have been bringing new life to old animated favorites. They've changed them—bibbidi-bobbidi-booyah!—into live-action blockbusters. Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book, and Dumbo are just some of the live-action remakes released since 2010. Actors have also stepped into Cinderella's glass slippers, Dora the Explorer's sneakers, and Aladdin's curly-toed kicks. And according to Hollywood buzz, we can expect the reboots to keep on comin'.
So what's the big attraction to going live-action? For studios, it's mostly about the math. Ticket prices have gone up. And the Internet and TV have a lot to offer. So it takes something special to get people off the couch and into the megaplex. But with live-action remakes, studios have stumbled upon a winning formula. It starts with stories audiences love and characters who seem like old friends. Throw in a few A-listers. Add some of modern technology's jaw-dropping special effects. And ka-ching—it all equals box office gold. The Disney live-action remakes of Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and Alice in Wonderland packed in moviegoers. Each film brought in more than a billion bucks worldwide.
Meanwhile, Disney's other liveaction movies like A Wrinkle in Time and Tomorrowland scored points for originality but were lucky if they broke even. It's partly the power of good ol' nostalgia that makes the formula so profitable. Plenty of adults who spent their childhoods waltzing around the living room in Belle ball gowns bought tix to 2017's Beauty and the Beast. And people who grew up watching Pokémon cartoons were charged up to catch (get it? catch?) Detective Pikachu. Of course, the parents among them likely took their kiddos to the theater. (Hello, next-gen fans!) Treating golden oldies to a modern makeover also gives studios a chance to make them more inclusive. Diversity plays a starring role in Disney's latest remakes. So more kids are seeing characters on the big screen who look like them.
In Aladdin, Egyptian-Canadian actor Mena Massoud plays the lovable hero. African American actor Will Smith is the movie's wisecracking Genie. And, as just about everybody and their pet crustacean knows: African American singer and actress Halle Bailey landed the part of Ariel in The Little Mermaid. Some moviemakers also see these do-overs as an opportunity to crank up the girl power. The producer of Aladdin, for example, said Jasmine isn't just along for the magic carpet ride in the remake. She's a strong character who speaks up and takes a stand. Likewise, the new Mulan doesn't have a fast-talking dragon as her sidekick. But she's a master of kicks, and her sword fighting skills are just as impressive. Like the original film, the live-action Mulan tells the story of a young woman who takes her father's place in the Chinese Imperial Army. But
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this version aims to be more culturally respectful. Any list of live-action remakes has gotta include 2019 blockbuster The Lion King, right? Well…it's complicated! The footage was created by artists with computers. There were no cameras filming actors or animals. So technically, it isn't live-action. However, it all looks so real that some people believe the word animation feels just plain wrong. What do you think? Whatever your take on The Lion King debate, live-action remakes are part of the "Circle of Life" in movies today. And for lots of moviegoers, they offer "A Whole New World" that looks fresh yet feels familiar and fun.
diversity (noun) the state of having people who are different races or who have differentcultures in a group or organizationinclusive (adjective) open to everyone: not limited to certain peoplenostalgia (noun) pleasure and sadness that is caused by remembering something from the past and wishing that you could experience it again
Dictionary
1. What is this Article mainly about? a. While the blockbuster remake of the film The Lion King cannot be considered live
action because the footage was created by artists with computers, its images do appear lifelike.
b. Not all live-action films are popular with audiences as was seen in Disney's recent films A Wrinkle in Time and Tomorrowland, both of which were lucky to break even at the box office.
c. Live-action films such as Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin were both popular because they made adult viewers remember watching them in their animated forms as children.
d. Studios have been making live-action remakes of older animated films but with greater diversity and stronger female characters than ever before.
2. Which information is not in the Article? a. Parents who enjoyed animated films as kids are introducing a new generation to
beloved characters of the past by bringing their own children to the new live-action remakes.
b. Live-action movies have proven popular among audiences around the world, as films such as A Wrinkle in Time and Tomorrowland have clearly demonstrated.
c. Jasmine, who speaks her mind and makes a stand in the hit Disney film Aladdin, is representative of the stronger female characters in the new live-action remakes.
d. One of the reasons for the popularity of the recent live-action films is that these movies show a greater degree of diversity than earlier animated films.
3. Which two words are the closest synonyms? Only some of these words are used in the Article.
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a. waltz and stumbleb. profitable and elaborate c. originality and automation d. attraction and appeal
4. The reader can tell from the Article that __________.
a. the animated movie Aladdin was not popular among viewers because it did not show Jasmine as a strong, independent young woman.
b. Disney's original animated film Mulan did not always show Chinese culture in a good way
c. the onscreen images seen in The Lion King are actually a skillful combination of computer animation and live-action sequences
d. more people saw the remade movie Aladdin than saw either Beauty and the Beast or Alice in Wonderland
5. The Article states:
So what's the big attraction to going live-action? For studios, it's mostly about the math. Ticket prices have gone up. And the Internet and TV have a lot to offer. So it takes something special to get people off the couch and into the megaplex. But with live-action remakes, studios have stumbled upon a winning formula. It starts with stories audiences love and characters who seem like old friends. Throw in a few A-listers. Add some of modern technology's jaw-dropping special effects. And ka-ching—it all equals box office gold.
Why did the author include this passage? a. To suggest that studios do not want to spend as much money on the remakes of classic
films as they did on the originals b. To show ways in which today's remakes of older animated films are different from the
original versions of those films c. To point out the main reason why studios have chosen to produce remakes of some
popular animated films of the past d. To explain why the original animated versions of popular Hollywood blockbusters
remain popular to this day
Question 7 Which passage from the Article best supports the idea that a movie's popularity can be increased when moviegoers can identify with characters in the film?
a. Like the Fairy Godmother waving her magic wand over a pumpkin, movie studios have been bringing new life to old animated favorites. They've changed them—bibbidi-
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bobbidi-booyah!—into live-action blockbusters. Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book, and Dumbo are just some of the live-action remakes released since 2010. Actors have also stepped into Cinderella's glass slippers, Dora the Explorer's sneakers, and Aladdin's curly-toed kicks.
b. Some moviemakers also see these do-overs as an opportunity to crank up the girl power. The producer of Aladdin, for example, said Jasmine isn't just along for the magic carpet ride in the remake. She's a strong character who speaks up and takes a stand. Likewise, the new Mulan doesn't have a fast-talking dragon as her sidekick. But she's a master of kicks, and her sword fighting skills are just as impressive.
c. Treating golden oldies to a modern makeover also gives studios a chance to make them more inclusive. Diversity plays a starring role in Disney's latest remakes. So more kids are seeing characters on the big screen who look like them. In Aladdin, Egyptian-Canadian actor Mena Massoud plays the lovable hero. African American actor Will Smith is the movie's wisecracking Genie. And, as just about everybody and their pet crustacean knows: African American singer and actress Halle Bailey landed the part of Ariel in The Little Mermaid.
d. It's partly the power of good ol' nostalgia that makes the formula so profitable. Plenty of adults who spent their childhoods waltzing around the living room in Belle ball gowns bought tix to 2017's Beauty and the Beast. And people who grew up watching Pokémon cartoons were charged up to catch (get it? catch?) Detective Pikachu. Of course, the parents among them likely took their kiddos to the theater. (Hello, next-gen fans!)
6. Look at this passage from the Article: Any list of live-action remakes has gotta include 2019 blockbuster The Lion King, right? Well…it's complicated! The footage was created by artists with computers. There were no cameras filming actors or animals. So technically, it isn't live-action. However, it all looks so real that some people believe the word animation feels just plain wrong. What do you think? Whatever your take on The Lion King debate, live-action remakes are part of the "Circle of Life" in movies today.
In this passage, the word debate means __________.a. a series of books, movies, etc. that contain the same characters b. something that people work together on as a team c. a discussion in which people express different opinions d. something that fails in an embarrassing way
President Obama's Remarks on Trayvon Martin RulingBy President Barack Obama 2013
On the evening of February 26, 2012, Trayvon Martin, a 17-year old African American boy from Florida, was fatally shot by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer. Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder but was found “not guilty” in July of
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2013. The following text contains the formal remarks of President Barack Obama after the trial. As you read, take notes on how President Obama addresses the various reactions to the ruling in his speech.
I wanted to come out here, first of all, to tell you that Jay1 is prepared for all your questions and is very much looking forward to the session. The second thing is I want to let you know that over the next couple of weeks, there's going to obviously be a whole range of issues — immigration, economics, et cetera — we'll try to arrange a fuller press conference to address your questions.
The reason I actually wanted to come out today is not to take questions, but to speak to an issue that obviously has gotten a lot of attention over the course of the last week — the issue of the Trayvon Martin ruling. I gave a preliminary statement right after the ruling on Sunday. But watching the debate over the course of the last week, I thought it might be useful for me to expand on my thoughts a little bit.
First of all, I want to make sure that, once again, I send my thoughts and prayers, as well as Michelle's, to the family of Trayvon Martin, and to remark on the incredible grace and dignity with which they've dealt with the entire situation. I can only imagine what they're going through, and it's remarkable how they've handled it.
The second thing I want to say is to reiterate what I said on Sunday, which is there's going to be a lot of arguments about the legal issues in the case — I'll let all the legal analysts and talking heads address those issues. The judge conducted the trial in a professional manner. The prosecution and the defense made their arguments. The juries were properly instructed that in a case such as this reasonable doubt was relevant, and they rendered a verdict. And once the jury has spoken, that's how our system works. But I did want to just talk a little bit about context and how people have responded to it and how people are feeling
You know, when Trayvon Martin was first shot I said that this could have been my son. Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago. And when you think about why, in the African American community at least, there's a lot of pain around what happened here, I think it's important to recognize that the African American community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences and a history that doesn't go away.
There are very few African American men in this country who haven't had the experience of being followed when they were shopping in a department store. That includes me. There are very few African American men who haven't had the experience of walking across the street and hearing the locks click on the doors of cars. That happens to me — at least before I was a senator. There are very few African Americans who haven't had the experience of getting on an elevator and a woman clutching her purse nervously and holding her breath until she had a chance to get off. That happens often.
And I don't want to exaggerate this, but those sets of experiences inform how the African American community interprets what happened one night in Florida. And it's inescapable for people to bring those experiences to bear. The African American community is also knowledgeable that there is a history of racial disparities in the application of our criminal laws — everything from the death penalty to enforcement of our drug laws. And that ends up having an impact in terms of how people interpret the case.
Now, this isn't to say that the African American community is naive about the fact that African American young men are disproportionately involved in the criminal justice system; that they're disproportionately both victims and perpetrators of violence. It's not to make excuses for that fact —
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although black folks do interpret the reasons for that in a historical context. They understand that some of the violence that takes place in poor black neighborhoods around the country is born out of a very violent past in this country, and that the poverty and dysfunction that we see in those communities can be traced to a very difficult history.
And so the fact that sometimes that's unacknowledged adds to the frustration. And the fact that a lot of African American boys are painted with a broad brush and the excuse is given, well, there are these statistics out there that show that African American boys are more violent — using that as an excuse to then see sons treated differently causes pain.
I think the African American community is also not naive in understanding that, statistically, somebody like Trayvon Martin was statistically more likely to be shot by a peer than he was by somebody else. So folks understand the challenges that exist for African American boys. But they get frustrated, I think, if they feel that there's no context for it and that context is being denied. And that all contributes I think to a sense that if a white male teen was involved in the same kind of scenario, that, from top to bottom, both the outcome and the aftermath might have been different.
Now, the question for me at least, and I think for a lot of folks, is where do we take this? How do we learn some lessons from this and move in a positive direction? I think it's understandable that there have been demonstrations and vigils and protests, and some of that stuff is just going to have to work its way through, as long as it remains nonviolent. If I see any violence, then I will remind folks that that dishonors what happened to Trayvon Martin and his family. But beyond protests or vigils, the question is, are there some concrete things that we might be able to do.
I know that Eric Holder is reviewing what happened down there, but I think it's important for people to have some clear expectations here. Traditionally, these are issues of state and local government, the criminal code. And law enforcement is traditionally done at the state and local levels, not at the federal levels.
That doesn't mean, though, that as a nation we can't do some things that I think would be productive. So let me just give a couple of specifics that I'm still bouncing around with my staff, so we're not rolling out some five-point plan, but some areas where I think all of us could potentially focus.
Number one, precisely because law enforcement is often determined at the state and local level, I think it would be productive for the Justice Department, governors, mayors to work with law enforcement about training at the state and local levels in order to reduce the kind of mistrust in the system that sometimes currently exists.
When I was in Illinois, I passed racial profiling legislation, and it actually did just two simple things. One, it collected data on traffic stops and the race of the person who was stopped. But the other thing was it resourced us training police departments across the state on how to think about potential racial bias and ways to further professionalize what they were doing.
And initially, the police departments across the state were resistant, but actually they came to recognize that if it was done in a fair, straightforward way that it would allow them to do their jobs better and communities would have more confidence in them and, in turn, be more helpful in applying the law. And obviously, law enforcement has got a very tough job.
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So that's one area where I think there are a lot of resources and best practices that could be brought to bear if state and local governments are receptive. And I think a lot of them would be. And let's figure out are there ways for us to push out that kind of training.
Along the same lines, I think it would be useful for us to examine some state and local laws to see if it — if they are designed in such a way that they may encourage the kinds of altercations and confrontations and tragedies that we saw in the Florida case, rather than diffuse potential altercations.
I know that there's been commentary about the fact that the "stand your ground" laws3 in Florida were not used as a defense in the case. On the other hand, if we're sending a message as a society in our communities that someone who is armed potentially has the right to use those firearms even if there's a way for them to exit from a situation, is that really going to be contributing to the kind of peace and security and order that we'd like to see?
And for those who resist that idea that we should think about something like these "stand your ground" laws, I'd just ask people to consider, if Trayvon Martin was of age and armed, could he have stood his ground on that sidewalk? And do we actually think that he would have been justified in shooting Mr. Zimmerman who had followed him in a car because he felt threatened? And if the answer to that question is at least ambiguous, then it seems to me that we might want to examine those kinds of laws.Number three — and this is a long-term project — we need to spend some time in thinking about how do we bolster and reinforce our African American boys. And this is something that Michelle and I talk a lot about. There are a lot of kids out there who need help who are getting a lot of negative reinforcement. And is there more that we can do to give them the sense that their country cares about them and values them and is willing to invest in them?
I'm not naive about the prospects of some grand, new federal program. I'm not sure that that's what we're talking about here. But I do recognize that as President, I've got some convening power, and there are a lot of good programs that are being done across the country on this front. And for us to be able to gather together business leaders and local elected officials and clergy and celebrities and athletes, and figure out how are we doing a better job helping young African American men feel that they're a full part of this society and that they've got pathways and avenues to succeed — I think that would be a pretty good outcome from what was obviously a tragic situation. And we're going to spend some time working on that and thinking about that.
And then, finally, I think it's going to be important for all of us to do some soul-searching. There has been talk about should we convene a conversation on race. I haven't seen that be particularly productive when politicians try to organize conversations. They end up being stilted and politicized, and folks are locked into the positions they already have. On the other hand, in families and churches and workplaces, there's the possibility that people are a little bit more honest, and at least you ask yourself your own questions about, am I wringing as much bias out of myself as I can? Am I judging people as much as I can, based on not the color of their skin, but the content of their character? That would, I think, be an appropriate exercise in the wake of this tragedy.
And let me just leave you with a final thought that, as difficult and challenging as this whole episode has been for a lot of people, I don't want us to lose sight that things are getting better. Each successive generation seems to be making progress in changing attitudes when it comes to race. It doesn't mean we're in a post- racial society. It doesn't mean that racism is eliminated. But when I talk to Malia and Sasha, and I listen to their friends and I see them interact, they're better than we are — they're better than we were — on these issues. And that's true in every community that I've visited all across the country.
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And so we have to be vigilant and we have to work on these issues. And those of us in authority should be doing everything we can to encourage the better angels of our nature, as opposed to using these episodes to heighten divisions. But we should also have confidence that kids these days, I think, have more sense than we did back then, and certainly more than our parents did or our grandparents did; and that along this long, difficult journey, we're becoming a more perfect union — not a perfect union, but a more perfect union.
Thank you, guys!
Text-Dependent Questions Directions: For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences. 1. PART A: What is President Obama's purpose in this speech?
A. to give his opinion on the Trayvon Martin case and condemn the jury’s verdict of “not guilty”B. to contextualize the Trayvon Martin case and reconcile people's reactions to the ruling C. to
talk about his own experiences with prejudice and how adversity gave him opportunities to grow D. to contextualize the Trayvon Martin case and condemn the jury’s verdict of “not guilty”
2. PART B: Which of the following quotes best supports the answer to Part A? A. “I send my thoughts and prayers, as well as Michelle's, to the family of Trayvon Martin... I can only imagine what they're going through” (Paragraph 3) B. “The juries were properly instructed that in a case such as this reasonable doubt was relevant, and they rendered a verdict.” (Paragraph 4) C. “it's important to recognize that the African American community is looking at this I ssue
through a set of experiences and a history that doesn't go away.” (Paragraph 5) D. “where do we take this? How do we learn some lessons from this and move in a positive direction?” (Paragraph 11)
3. In paragraph 5, President Obama remarks: “You know, when Trayvon Martin was first shot I said that this could have been my son. Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago.” How does President Obama use rhetoric in this quote to contribute to the overall meaning of his speech?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4, What connection does President Obama draw between step three of his plan (Paragraphs 21-22) and improving the nation?
A. He believes that supporting young African American men will help them feel more included in society and prevent future tragedies. B. He believes that reaching out to African American children will inspire them to improve their communities and seek out more successful career paths.
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C. He believes that the government should create a new program for young African American men in order to boost their confidence. D. He believes that supporting African American leaders will discourage stereotypes against them and all members of the community, especially young men.
5. How does the phrase “a more perfect union” in paragraph 25 contribute to the development of ideas in the speech?
A. The phrase implies that Obama believes that the United States will never be perfect and Americans should recognize the country’s faults. B. The phrase references a similar phrase in the U.S. Constitution, emphasizing the unconstitutional discrimination African Americans have faced and continue to face today. C. The phrase emphasizes Obama’s hope for a better, more united future in the U.S. and the efforts that must be made to reach this. D. The phrase suggests that Obama believes that the country has substantially improved I n the
past few decades and does not require much more improvement.
Discussion Questions
Answer the discussion questions in complete sentences and using textual evidence . Must be at least THREE sentences.
1. Have you seen discrimination around you or experienced it personally? How did you handle it? ( no textual evidence needed but must be three sentences)
2. In paragraph 23, President Obama quoted Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream Speech” in which he said, “I have a dream that my four little children will once day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” What does this quote mean, and why do you think President Obama repeated it at this press conference?
3. What are your opinions on the "stand your ground" law, which allows a person to use deadly force in situations of considerable threat or where great bodily harm is possible?
4. Do you agree with President Obama? Is the world slowly becoming a better place? What role will you play in making the world a better place? Explain your answer.
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5. In the context of this speech, what are the effects of prejudice? Cite evidence from this text, your own experience, and other literature, art, or history in your answer.
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ELA8th grade
Packet week 6
Today you will analyze a passage from Oliver Twist and a passage from A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. As you read these texts, you will gather information and answer questions about the effect of dialogue or events so you can write an essay. Read the passage from Oliver Twist. Then answer the questions.
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from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
1 The room in which the boys were fed, was a large stone hall, with a copper at one end: out of which the master, dressed in an apron for the purpose, and assisted by one or two women, ladled the gruel at meal-times. Of this festive composition each boy had one porringer, and no more—except on occasions of great public rejoicing, when he had two ounces and a quarter of bread besides. The bowls never wanted washing. The boys polished them with their spoons till they shone again; and when they had performed this operation (which never took very long, the spoons being nearly as large as the bowls), they would sit staring at the copper, with such eager eyes, as if they could have devoured the very bricks of which it was composed, employing themselves, meanwhile, in sucking their fingers most assiduously, with the view of catching up any stray splashes of gruel that might have been cast thereon. Boys have generally excellent appetites. Oliver Twist and his companions suffered the tortures of slow starvation for three months: at last they got so voracious and wild with hunger, that one boy, who was tall for his age, and hadn’t been used to that sort of thing (for his father had kept a small cookshop), hinted darkly to his companions, that unless he had another basin of gruel per diem, he was afraid he might some night happen to eat the boy who slept next to him, who happened to be a weakly youth of tender age. He had a wild hungry eye; and they implicitly believed him. A council was held; lots were cast who should walk up to the master after supper that evening, and ask for more; and it fell to Oliver Twist.
2 The evening arrived; the boys took their places. The master, in his cook’s uniform, stationed himself at the copper; his pauper assistants ranged themselves behind him; the gruel was served out; and a long grace was said over the short commons. The gruel disappeared; the boys whispered to each other, and winked at Oliver; while his next neighbours nudged him. Child as he was, he was desperate with hunger, and reckless with misery. He rose from the table, and advancing to the master, basin and spoon in hand, said: somewhat alarmed at his own temerity:
3 “Please, sir, I want some more.” 4 The master was a fat, healthy man; but he turned very pale. He gazed in stupefied astonishment
on the small rebel for some seconds, and then clung for support to the copper. The assistants were paralysed with wonder; the boys with fear.
5 “What!” said the master at length, in a faint voice. 6 “Please, sir,” replied Oliver, “I want some more.”
7 The master aimed a blow at Oliver’s head with the ladle; pinioned him in his arms; and shrieked aloud for the beadle.
8 The board were sitting in solemn conclave, when Mr. Bumble rushed into the room in great excitement, and addressing the gentleman in the high chair, said,
9 “Mr. Limbkins, I beg your pardon, sir! Oliver Twist has asked for more!”10 There was a general start. Horror was depicted on every countenance. 11 “For more!” said Mr. Limbkins. “Compose yourself, Bumble, and answer me distinctly. Do I
understand that he asked for more, after he had eaten the supper allotted by the dietary?” 12 “He did, sir,” replied Bumble. 13 “That boy will be hung,” said the gentleman in the white waistcoat. “I know that boy will be
hung.”
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14 Nobody controverted the prophetic gentleman’s opinion. An animated discussion took place. Oliver was ordered into instant confinement, and a bill was next morning pasted on the outside of the gate, offering a reward of five pounds to anybody who would take Oliver Twist off the hands of the parish. In other words, five pounds and Oliver Twist were offered to any man or woman who wanted an apprentice to any trade, business, or calling.
15 “I never was more convinced of anything in my life,” said the gentleman in the white waistcoat, as he knocked at the gate and read the bill next morning: “I never was more convinced of anything in my life, than I am that boy will come to be hung.”
16 As I purpose to show in the sequel whether the white-waist-coated gentleman was right or not, I should perhaps mar the interest of this narrative (supposing it to possess any at all), if I ventured to hint just yet, whether the life of Oliver Twist had this violent termination or no.
OLIVER TWIST, CHAPTER II: TREATS OF OLIVER TWIST'S GROWTH, EDUCATION, AND BOARD—Public Domain
1. Part A How does the word festive in paragraph 1 affect the meaning of the paragraph?
A. by adding sarcasm to show the poor quality of the meal being served
B. by creating imagery of the elaborate meal that is about to be served
C. by providing a description of a special celebration
D. by comparing an elaborate holiday meal with a typical meal
Part B Which phrase from paragraph 1 supports the answer to Part A?
A .“The room in which the boys were fed, was a large stone hall. . . .”
B. “. . . the master, dressed in an apron for the purpose, and assisted by one or two women . . . ”
C. “. . . each boy had one porringer, and no more. . . .”
D. “. . . except on occasions of great public rejoicing . . .
2. Part A In paragraph 1, why does the author describe the boy who was afraid he might some night
happen to eat the boy who slept next to him?
A. to show how the adults in charge at the institution treated the boys
B. to provide details that develop a major character in the passage
C. to illustrate how the boys are affected by the conditions at the institution
D. to offer an example of the way the boys govern themselves in the passage
Part B Which two phrases offer additional support for the answer to Part A?
A. “. . . suffered the tortures of slow starvation . . .” (paragraph 1)
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B. “. . . one boy, who was tall for his age, and hadn’t been used to that sort of thing . . .”
(paragraph 1)
C. “A council was held; lots were cast. . . .” (paragraph 1)
D. “The master, in his cook’s uniform, stationed himself at the copper. . . .” (paragraph 2) E. “. . .
he was desperate with hunger, and reckless with misery.” (paragraph 2) F “The assistants were
paralysed with wonder. . . .” (paragraph 4)
3. Part A How do the other boys provoke Oliver Twist’s decision to ask for an extra bowl of
gruel?
A. They hint that a weaker boy might be hurt while he is sleeping during the
night.
B. They discourage him from asking and act surprised by his sudden decision
C. They trick him into asking for more by winking and smiling at him.
D. They develop a plan, and he is chosen to carry it out.
Part B Which quotation from the passage from Oliver Twist supports the answer to Part A?
A. “. . . they would sit staring at the copper, with such eager eyes, as if they
could have devoured the very bricks of which it was composed. . . .”
(paragraph 1)
B. “A council was held; lots were cast. . . .” (paragraph 1)
C. “. . . his pauper assistants ranged themselves behind him; the gruel was
served out. . . .” (paragraph 2)
D. “He rose from the table... somewhat alarmed at his own temerity . . .”
(paragraph 2)
Read the passage from A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Then answer the questions.
from A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
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by James Joyce1 The bell rang and then the classes began to file out of the rooms and along the corridors towards
the refectory. He sat looking at the two prints of butter on his plate but could not eat the damp bread. The tablecloth was damp and limp. But he drank off the hot weak tea which the clumsy scullion, girt with a white apron, poured into his cup. He wondered whether the scullion’s apron was damp too or whether all white things were cold and damp. Nasty Roche and Saunn drank cocoa that their people sent them in tins. They said they could not drink the tea; that it was hogwash. Their fathers were magistrates, the fellows said.
2 All the boys seemed to him very strange. They had all fathers and mothers and different clothes and voices. He longed to be at home and lay his head on his mother’s lap. But he could not: and so he longed for the play and study and prayers to be over and to be in bed.
3 He drank another cup of hot tea and Fleming said:4 —What’s up? Have you a pain or what’s up with you? 5 —I don’t know, Stephen said. 6 —Sick in your breadbasket, Fleming said, because your face looks white. It will go away.7 —Oh yes, Stephen said. 8 But he was not sick there. He thought that he was sick in his heart if you could be sick in that
place. Fleming was very decent to ask him. He wanted to cry. He leaned his elbows on the table and shut and opened the flaps of his ears. Then he heard the noise of the refectory every time he opened the flaps of his ears. It made a roar like a train at night. And when he closed the flaps the roar was shut off like a train going into a tunnel. That night at Dalkey the train had roared like that and then, when it went into the tunnel, the roar stopped. He closed his eyes and the train went on, roaring and then stopping; roaring again, stopping. It was nice to hear it roar and stop and then roar out of the tunnel again and then stop.
9 Then the higher line fellows began to come down along the matting in the middle of the refectory, Paddy Rath and Jimmy Magee and the Spaniard who was allowed to smoke cigars and the little Portuguese who wore the woolly cap. And then the lower line tables and the tables of the third line. And every single fellow had a different way of walking.
10 He sat in a corner of the playroom pretending to watch a game of dominoes and once or twice he was able to hear for an instant the little song of the gas. The prefect was at the door with some boys and Simon Moonan was knotting his false sleeves. He was telling them something about Tullabeg.
11 Then he went away from the door and Wells came over to Stephen and said:12 —Tell us, Dedalus, do you kiss your mother before you go to bed?13 Stephen answered: 14 —I do. 15 Wells turned to the other fellows and said: 16 —O, I say, here’s a fellow says he kisses his mother every night before he goes to bed. 17 The other fellows stopped their game and turned round, laughing. Stephen blushed under their
eyes and said: 18 —I do not. 19 —O, I say, here’s a fellow says he doesn’t kiss his mother before he goes to bed.
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20 They all laughed again. Stephen tried to laugh with them. He felt his whole body hot and confused in a moment. What was the right answer to the question? He had given two and still Wells laughed. But Wells must know the right answer for he was in third of grammar.
From A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN by James Joyce—Public Domain
4. Part A In the passage from A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, the narrator says that
Stephen thought he was sick in his heart. How does the phrase sick in his heart impact the
reader’s understanding of Stephen’s character?
A. Stephen has a heart condition that makes him tired and weak.
B. Stephen is sick of being around the other boys because they tease him about his
mother.
C. Stephen’s desire to be at home with his mother is so strong that he is extremely sad
and lonely.
D. Stephen is sick to his stomach because the food in the refectory is of such poor
quality.
Part B How does the phrase sick in his heart contribute to the tone of the entire passage?
A. by creating conflict between Stephen and the other boys to support a tense tone
B. by adding detail to Stephen’s character to support a melancholy tone
C. by illustrating Stephen’s inner thoughts to support a serious tone
D. by describing characters who are suspicious of each other to support an angry tone
5. Part A What can the reader infer about Stephen from his conversation with the other
boys?
A. Stephen is accepted easily by his peers.
B. Stephen is not willing to compromise with his peers.
C. Stephen is not confident when interacting with his peers.
D. Stephen is frightened of his peers.
Part B Which two elements of the passage best provide support for the answer to Part A?
A. the other boys’ thoughts
B. Stephen’s thoughts
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C. the other boys’ appearances
D. Stephen’s appearance
E. the other boys’ comments
F. Stephen’s comments
Writing PromptBoth Charles Dickens and James Joyce incorporate dialogue into their passages. Use evidence you have gathered from both passages to write an essay analyzing how the dialogue in each passage functions to reveal aspects of the characters. You should discuss more than one character from each passage
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