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by Mildred D. TaylorVocabularycloak – n. a disguise, something that covers or conceals blissfully - adv. with great happiness or joy ambled ** - v. walked easily, without hurrying scurried – v. ran quickly, scampered, hurried delved – v. searched, dug deep and looked for plunge – v. to dive or rush, to throw suddenly taunt – v. tease, mock, jeer resounded ** - v. made a loud, echoing sound, reverberated haggle ** - v. to argue or negotiate the terms of a deal venomously ** - adv. full of spite and hatred, maliciously curtly – adv. rudely and with few words forbade – v. prohibited, absolutely wouldn’t allow listlessly – adv. lifeless, indifferent because of loss or illness reluctantly – adv. unwillingly, involuntarily skirting ** - v. narrowly avoiding, barely avoiding elude – v. to escape by quickness or cleverness fume – v. to show anger woefully ** - adv. with great sadness and grief, regretfully GUIDING QUESTIONS 1. What do you learn from the fact that Mama is concerned about Christopher-John having eaten the rest of the cornbread? 2. From the conversation between Big Ma and Mama on page 31, give two to four (2-4) things that you learn about the family. 3. What is Cassie’s attitude towards the trees as seen on pages 31- 32? 4. Provide support for your answer to #3 if you have not already done so in your response. (How can you tell that Cassie feels this way?) 5. Think of some non-human object(s) that has (have) meant a lot to you. Can you understand Cassie’s attitude / experience or are you having some difficulty relating to her experience? 6. When the kids are playing in the forest and the white men come, Stacey pushes his siblings on the ground and they all hide. The narrator says, “We knew to be silent.” What does this tell you about the relationship between the white men and the family? 7. *** Evaluate the arrangement that Mr. Andersen offered the family, an unspecified number of trees, one that he determines is worth the sum of $65. 8. Where does Mama send Stacey on their golden mare, Lady? 9.** Examine the following sentence. “Those trees that remained standing were like defeated warriors mourning their fallen dead.” 10. At this time, it was very uncommon for black children to confront white men so openly. For what reason(s) do you think that the kids wage such a strong fight against the lumbermen? 11. What is the father, David, willing to do to make the men leave? What is the outcome? 12. Does it surprise you that David knows about the singing trees? MS. SCOTT’S FAVORITES Hyper-Thinking Questions 13. ** When Mr. Andersen is trying to persuade Mama and Big Ma to give permission to cut the trees, he says, “You know, David might not always be able to work so good. He could possibly have… an accident.” What do you infer he may really be saying, especially having paused before the words “an accident”? 14. *** On page 39 of the story, it reads, “One thing you can’t seem to understand, Andersen,” Papa said, “is that a black man’s always gotta be ready to die. And it don’t make me any difference if I die today or tomorrow. Just as long as I die right.” Interpret this passage. (Explain what you think Papa meant.) 15. ***What do you think will be necessary to encourage or enable the trees to once again sing? Create or suggest a remedy for the disheartening situation that exists at the end of the story. |
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