Chapter2-Characterization

							Chapter2-Characterization
Part A: Literary Response & Analysis
Multiple Choice (9 pts each): Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. ____ 1. A character in a story is — a. an unusual person b. a symbol c. anyone who plays a part in the story d. the person who tells the story, the narrator

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2. A character’s traits are revealed by that person’s — a. friends, family, and teachers b. appearance only c. appearance, words, actions, and thoughts d. actions toward other characters only

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3. When character traits are not clearly stated, readers can figure them out by — a. making inferences by “reading between the lines” b. meeting the character in person c. knowing the author’s other works as well d. paying close attention to the setting

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4. Writers can describe their characters through — a. only direct characterization b. both direct and indirect characterization c. only indirect characterization d. neither direct nor indirect characterization

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5. In direct characterization, writers — a. make readers infer the traits through hints in the story b. suggest the character’s most important traits c. tell you what the character is like d. make readers guess what the characters look like

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6. Direct characterization can best be described by the slogan — a. “show and tell” c. “keep it secret” b. “tell, but don’t show” d. “less is more”

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7. All of the following are methods writers use to create indirect characterization except — a. directly telling you about a character’s personality b. describing the character’s appearance c. showing how other characters react to this character d. describing the character’s thoughts and feelings

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8. Listening to a character’s speech can help you — a. learn to speak more clearly yourself b. use direct characterization c. see how other characters feel about the person d. figure out what a character is like

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9. Today, indirect methods of characterization are more popular among writers because they allow readers to — a. write their own characterizations about the character b. make their own observations and conclusions about the character c. know all the character’s traits right away d. learn all the facts about a character

____ 10. Understanding characters helps readers do all of the following except — a. read more quickly c. appreciate the author’s craft b. understand the story d. enjoy the story

Part B: Reading Application
Mercury and the Woodman by Aesop A poor Woodman was cutting down a tree near the edge of a deep pool in the forest. It was late in the day and the Woodman was tired. He had been working since sunrise and his strokes were not so sure as they had been early that morning. Thus it happened that the axe slipped and flew out of his hands into the pool. The Woodman was in despair. The axe was all he possessed with which to make a living, and he had not enough money to buy a new one. As he stood wringing his hands and weeping, the god Mercury suddenly appeared and asked what the trouble was. The Woodman told what had happened, and straightaway the kind Mercury dived into the pool. When he came up again, he held a wonderful golden axe. “Is this your axe?” Mercury asked the Woodman. “No,” answered the virtuous Woodman, “that is not my axe.” Mercury laid the golden axe on the bank and sprang back into the pool. This time he brought up an axe with a silver handle, but the Woodman declared again that his axe was just an ordinary one with a wooden handle. Mercury dived down for a third time, and when he came up again he had the very axe that had been lost. The poor Woodman was very glad that his axe had been found and he could not thank the kind god enough. Mercury was greatly pleased with the Woodman’s honesty. “I admire your honesty,” he said, “and as a reward you may have all three axes, the gold and the silver as well as your own.” The happy Woodman returned to his home with his treasures, and soon the story of his good fortune was known to everyone in the village. Now there were several Woodmen in the village who believed they could easily win the same good fortune. They hurried into the woods, one here, one there, and hiding their axes in the bushes, pretended they had lost them. Then they wept and wailed, and called on Mercury to help them. And indeed, Mercury did appear, first to this one, and then to that one. To each one he showed the axe of gold, and each one eagerly claimed it to be the one he had lost. But Mercury did not give them the golden axe. Oh no! Instead he gave them each a hard whack over the head with it and sent them home. And when they returned the next day to look for their own axes, they were no longer to be found. Honesty is the best policy. Vocabulary Skills (9 pts. each): Each of the underlined words below has also been underlined in the selection. Re-read those passages in which the underlined words appear, and then use context clues and your prior knowledge to help you select an answer. On the line provided, write the letter of the word or words that best completes each sentence. ____ 11. The Woodman is in despair when he ____ his axe. a. loses c. regains b. uses d. grips

____ 12. Wringing one’s hands is a sign of — a. cheer b. joy

c. distress d. cleanliness

____ 13. To dive straightaway is to dive — a. gradually b. obediently

c. immediately d. unwillingly

____ 14. The Woodman was virtuous because he was — a. poor c. sneaky b. clever d. honest

____ 15. The other Woodmen wailed to pretend they were — a. angry c. trapped b. sorrowful d. content

Comprehension (9 pts. each): On the line provided, write the letter of the best answer to each of the following items. ____ 16. Which of the following events happens first in the story? a. The Woodman loses his axe. b. Others hear about the Woodman’s problem. c. Mercury appears to the Woodman. d. The Woodman works all day.

____ 17. The Woodman becomes frantic about his axe because it — a. is broken c. is made of gold b. belongs to the god Mercury d. is the only one he has

____ 18. Mercury brings up different axes from the water because — a. there are many axes at the bottom of the pool b. he wants to test the Woodman’s honesty c. the Woodman is confused about which axe is his d. he wants to show that plain axes are the best

____ 19. The other Woodmen hide their axes in an attempt to — a. show their sympathy for the first Woodman b. prove that they are also honest c. receive a valuable axe from Mercury d. show that they are poor

____ 20. At the end of the story, the other Woodmen cannot find their axes because — a. Mercury has punished the Woodmen b. they forget where they have put them c. the axes are in the pool d. the first Woodman has taken them

Short Answer 21. Making Inferences (10 pts): In this tale, why does the author have Mercury give the Woodman all the axes? From the following options, choose the one you think is the best response to this question. On the lines provided, write the letter of the answer you chose, and briefly defend your choice. Use at least one example from the selection to support your ideas. A B C D To teach readers about gods and their powers To show people that honesty is its own reward To suggest that hardworking people are honest To describe how one man outwits a god

_________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 22. Understanding Motivation (10 pts): What motivated the other Woodmen to pretend to lose their axes? Write a paragraph explaining their motivation. How does understanding their motivation help you understand what kind of characters they are? _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________

Chapter2-Characterization Answer Section
MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. C C A B C B A D B A A C C D B D D B C A

SHORT ANSWER 21. B. Students’ responses will vary. A sample response follows: Aesop makes readers aware that others (such as Mercury) might have complicated reasons that we cannot fully understand, so honesty is always the best policy. In addition, the truthful Woodman wins in the end when Mercury gives him all the axes, showing that honesty brings rewards. In contrast, the dishonest Woodmen think they are being clever when they attempt to trick Mercury, but Mercury knows better. 22. Students’ responses will vary. A sample response follows: The other Woodmen were motivated by greed and arrogance. They greedily wanted to get Mercury to give them golden axes, as he had to the first Woodman. They are also motivated by conceit, because they believe they are more intelligent than Mercury and so will be able to trick him. Of course, they are mistaken and suffer greatly for their presumption. The Woodmen’s actions reveal that they are devious and overconfident.