Unit 2 Assessment Growing

​Unit 2 Assessment
Growing
By Jacob Henderson


Nate Brown leaned on his pointed stick to scan the fields. Far as the eye could see, potato fields stretched out: rows and rows of potato plants, representing hours and hours of work for him. His mother kept a small pumpkin patch, but the family depended on the potato for their own sustenance and for income. Nate sighed and bent down to coax another spud from the stony ground. Dusk was falling and soon the girls would be calling him in for supper.

​The boy sighed deeply. Somewhere beyond these stingy New Hampshire fields, his brother Eben was marching gloriously with his regiment, defending the colonies against the British. That was work for a man! Nate closed his eyes and imagined himself with a musket in his calloused hands. It was the second year of the war, and he was no closer to the fighting.

“Nate!” A voice floated from the house, recalling the boy from his daydream. He trudged toward the house, pausing to wash his hands at the pump and to remove his grimy boots before entering.

​Around the table sat his sisters, Olive and Mary, along with his mother and father. A brief grace and a prayer for Eben were followed by the heaping of plates and the scraping of cutlery. There was little meat, but plenty of potatoes.

Father said, “Your cousin Abe has joined the militia—guess they finally thought he was old enough to be of use.” He took a deep drink from his mug, ignoring Nate’s open-mouthed stare.

​While the girls helped Mother clear away the dishes, Nate stomped off to the pump to fill a bucket with water. The autumn sky was growing dark, and the high noises of the cicadas filled the air. A barn owl hooted. But there were other sounds drifting from beyond: the clink of metal, the tramp of boots, the hoarse voices of men limping from miles of steady marching. All of Nate’s senses were alert now while the overflowing water bucket sat abandoned by the pump.

​Then a few soldiers came into view, straggling through the thicket and emerging on the far side of the pumpkin patch. As they halted, waiting for the rest of the troops to catch up, the one who seemed to be the leader held up his hand in a gesture of greeting. He advanced toward the house, and Nate could see the lines of fatigue crossing his brow and the silver hair around his deeply tanned face. 

“Boy,” the soldier said, “My men need food and shelter for the night. Whereabout would your Ma and Pa be?”

Wordlessly, Nate gestured toward the house, where Mother had lit a lantern against the falling darkness.

​“Then maybe you could get your Pa to speak with me,” the man said quietly, as if remembering discarded manners.

Father limped out of the doorway, leaning heavily on his cane. He had never completely recovered his balance after the accident several years before. The two men exchanged a glance of understanding, and then Father said, “You are all welcome to bed down in the barn. My daughters will give it a good sweeping and fix up some pallets for you.”

​ “They haven’t eaten, Father,” Nate said hurriedly, staring over the field where perhaps a dozen men waited for their commander’s orders. “I’ll go to the root cellar and get some potatoes, and I’ll roast them quick—and there’s plenty of water,” he added, turning again to the soldier. “Please tell the men to help themselves from the pump with this ladle.”

He dashed inside and hollered to the women, who began rustling around the kitchen in preparation for feeding the troops. There was a buzz of excitement in the low-ceilinged room as Olive and Mary helped Mother reset the table with clean dishes.

​ Down in the root cellar, Nate picked over the potatoes, careful to select the best of their stores. Strangely, he found himself smiling: there was, after all, a way to help the American cause—by feeding the hungry troops, by offering hospitality to the weary soldiers.

As he lugged the heavy basket of potatoes up the steps, Nate became aware of the strength in his arms, of muscles that had been developing through the months of farm labor. He was growing, and someday soon he would be ready to do a man’s job. But right now, he realized he had an important job of his own.

Multiple Choice

Read each question and answer choices carefully and choose the BEST answer choice for each question

1. Nate feels frustrated that he can’t join his brother. Which of the following sentences from the story BEST supports this statement?

• Nate sighed and bent down to coax another spud from the stony ground.

• It was the second year of the war, and he was no closer to the fighting.

• He trudged toward the house, pausing to wash his hands at the pump and to remove his grimy boots before entering.

• Wordlessly, Nate gestured toward the house, where Mother had lit a lantern against the falling darkness.

Multiple Choice

2. This question has two parts. Answer Part A, and then answer Part B. 

Part A Which of the following sentences BEST states an important theme about human behavior as described in “Growing”?

• There are many ways to serve a cause.

• There is danger and sorrow in wartime.

• There are family duties for each person.

• There are many things in life that are unfair.

Multiple Select

Part B Select TWO pieces of evidence from “Growing” that support the answer to Part A.

• A. But right now, he realized he had an important job of his own.

• “Your cousin Abe has joined the militia—guess they finally thought he was old enough to be of use.”

• “Please tell the men to help themselves from the pump with this ladle.”

• Strangely, he found himself smiling: there was, after all, a way to help the American cause—by feeding the hungry troops, by offering hospitality to the weary soldiers.

Multiple Choice

3. The setting of the story is a New Hampshire farm far away from the scenes of battle. How does the setting help to shape Nate’s feelings?

• It makes him feel that he is alone.

• It makes him feel that his family is safe.

• It makes him feel that he is not useful.

• It makes him feel that his region is not patriotic.

Multiple Choice

4. The appearance of the tired commander makes a vivid impression on Nate. Which of the following sentences from the story BEST supports this statement?

• As they halted, waiting for the rest of the troops to catch up, the one who seemed to be the leader held up his hand in a gesture of greeting.

• He advanced toward the house, and Nate could see the lines of fatigue crossing his brow and the silver hair around his deeply tanned face.

• “Boy,” the soldier said, “My men need food and shelter for the night.”

• “Then maybe you could get your Pa to speak with me,” the man said quietly, as if remembering discarded manners.

Multiple Choice

 5. What lesson does Nate learn in this story?

• Listen to your family and never complain.

• Never be jealous of what other people can accomplish.

• Soldiers are just like ordinary people.

• Everyone can contribute something in his or her own way.

Open Ended

6. Father has been injured and cannot participate in combat. How does this situation affect Father’s meeting with the troop commander?  Support your answer with details from the text.

Multiple Choice

7.    Nate and his family play a role in the fight for American Independence. Which evidence from the text supports Nate’s family’s role in the war?

• Nate gathered the best potatoes from the root cellar for the soldiers to cook and eat. His sisters cleaned out their barn and made pallets for them to sleep on that night. The soldiers were allowed to get plenty of water from their pump.

• Nate’s father just stared at the troop commander from his porch. Nate was unable to speak when the soldiers arrived. He felt like he didn’t have any strength to do anything.

• Nate sighed and barely tried to get another spud from the ground. His sisters cringed at the thought of cleaning out the barn for the soldiers. Nate’s family did not feel comfortable with the soldiers around them.

Multiple Choice

8.  What conflict does Nate face at the beginning of the story? What events in the plot cause Nate to change and grow? Which answer choice describes the conflict and how it is resolved while explaining how Nate changes as a result of the events?

• Nate saw that his mother’s pumpkin patch was small. He knew his family depended on potatoes for money and survival, but he got tired eating potatoes all the time. He wanted to help his mom grow a larger pumpkin patch. He worked hard to get the stony ground ready and kept the plants well watered from their pump. He knew that hard work would pay off.

• Nate was frustrated because he wasn’t old enough like his brother and cousin, Abe to help in the war efforts. When some soldiers come to his family’s farm for food and a place to sleep he jumped to action, by telling his family about the soldiers. Mother and his sisters began preparing a meal for them while Nate went to their root cellar and picked their best potatoes for roasting. His sisters prepared the barn for them to lodge in. Nate, realized that he was helping with the war effort by providing for the needs of these soldiers and that this was an important job for him to do.

• Nate worked in his mother’s potato garden. He knew a war was going on, but he didn’t care. He didn’t want to help in the war efforts. When soldiers came to his family’s farm for food and rest, he wanted his father to tell them to go away instead of helping them. He felt that the war was a waste of time.

Open Ended

9. Summarize in your own words how Nate feels up until the point when he meets the commander. Use details from the story to support your answer.