A Matter of Prejudice

A Matter of Prejudice

Multiple Choice

Read the incomplete summary of the passage.

An elderly French woman, Madame Carambeau, reluctantly allows a party to be thrown in her home for her grandson. During the party, a little girl jumps into Madame Carambeau’s lap, and Madame Carambeau quickly realizes the little girl is ill.

Which sentence can be added to complete the summary?

• The little girl is warm to the touch, and her breathing is labored and irregular.

• Madame Carambeau rocks the little girl and sings her French songs to ease her discomfort.

• The little girl recovers from her illness, and she returns home to her family after some time.

• Madame Carambeau tends to her care and learns an important lesson in the process.

Multiple Choice

1Madame Carambeau wanted it strictly understood that she was not to be disturbed by Gustave’s birthday party. They carried her big rocking-chair from the back gallery that looked out upon the garden where the children were going to play around to the front gallery, which closely faced the green levee bank and the Mississippi coursing almost flush with the top of it.

2The house—an old Spanish one, broad, low, and completely encircled by a wide gallery—was far down in the French quarter of New Orleans. It stood upon a square of ground that was covered thick with a semi-tropical growth of plants and flowers. An impenetrable board fence, edged with a formidable row of iron spikes, shielded the garden from the prying glances of the occasional passerby.

Part A

How does the description of Madame Carambeau’s house in paragraphs 1-2 contribute to the meaning of the passage?

• The description acts as a metaphor for Madame Carambeau’s desire to barricade herself from outsiders.

• The description illustrates the connection Madame Carambeau feels to the city and community of New Orleans.

• The description introduces an ominous tone and creates a sense of unease about the party thrown by Madame Carambeau.

• The description contrasts the lush, natural scenery with the rustic simplicity of Madame Carambeau’s home.

Multiple Choice

How do Madame Carambeau’s interactions with the little girl advance the plot?

• They show that Madame Carambeau’s objections to the party are somewhat justified.

• They illustrate how dissimilar Madame Carambeau is to the rest of her family.

• They expose a softer side of Madame Carambeau in contrast to earlier depictions.

• They reveal that Madame Carambeau is a skilled nurse with extensive medical knowledge.

Multiple Choice

Part A

How does Madame Carambeau change over the course of the passage?

• She begins to question her long-held beliefs

• She gains the respect for which she has been longing.

• She vows to appreciate each day as if it were her last.

• She becomes more comfortable around children.

Multiple Choice

Part B

Which quotation supports the answer in Part A?

• “She moved as if to put the child away from her and scolded her sharply for being boisterous and rude.” (paragraph 11)

• “…she was nevertheless a skillful and accomplished nurse, and a connoisseur in all matters pertaining to health.” (paragraph 13)

• “…impressions that had sunk through the crust of madame’s prejudice and reached her heart.” (paragraph 19)

• “Sometimes she trod the mazes of her garden where the solitude was almost that of a tropical jungle.” (paragraph 20)

Multiple Choice

11Madame was greatly annoyed. She moved as if to put the child away from her and scolded her sharply for being boisterous and rude. The little one, who did not understand French, was not disturbed by the reprimand, and stayed on in madame’s lap. She rested her plump little cheek, that was hot and flushed, against the soft white linen of the old lady’s gown.

12Her cheek was very hot and very flushed. It was dry, too, and so were her hands. The child’s breathing was quick and irregular. Madame was not long in detecting these signs of disturbance.

13Though she was a creature of prejudice, she was nevertheless a skillful and accomplished nurse, and a connoisseur in all matters pertaining to health. She prided herself upon this talent, and never lost an opportunity of exercising it. She would have treated an organ grinder with tender consideration if one had presented himself in the character of an invalid.

14Madame’s manner toward the little one changed immediately. Her arms and her lap were at once adjusted so as to become the most comfortable of resting places. She rocked very gently to and fro. She fanned the child softly with her palm leaf fan and sang “Partant pour la Syrie” in a low and agreeable tone.

15The child was perfectly content to lie still and prattle a little in that language which madame thought hideous. But the brown eyes were soon swimming in drowsiness, and the little body grew heavy with sleep in madame’s clasp.

How does the author build suspense in paragraphs 11-15?

• The author reveals the strained relationship between Madame Carambeau and the little girl.

• The author interrupts the plot with background information about Madame Carambeau’s medical expertise.

• The author uses description to illustrate how annoyed Madame Carambeau is by the children’s presence.

• The author uses contrast to highlight a sudden shift in Madame Carambeau’s demeanor.

Multiple Choice

20She often walked the length of the gallery, looking out across the wide, majestic river. Sometimes she trod the mazes of her garden where the solitude was almost that of a tropical jungle. It was during such moments that the seed began to work in her soul—the seed planted by the innocent and undesigning hands of a little child.

21The first shoot that it sent forth was Doubt. Madame plucked it away once or twice. But it sprouted again, and with it Mistrust and Dissatisfaction. Then from the heart of the seed, and amid the shoots of Doubt and Misgiving, came the flower of Truth.

What is the purpose of the figurative language in paragraphs 20-21?

• It provides a more detailed description of the tropical setting.

• It represents the relief felt by the characters that the little girl overcame her illness.

• It reinforces the closeness between Madame Carambeau and the little girl.

• It represents the transformation in Madame Carambeau’s outlook.

Multiple Choice

How does the passage reflect Madame Carambeau’s cultural experience?

• It celebrates the importance of holding onto one’s heritage.

• It focuses on learning to tolerate differences in others.

  It focuses on learning to tolerate differences in others.

• It draws attention to problems created by language barriers

• It highlights alternatives to modern medical practices.