"A Matter of Prejudice"

PART A: How is Madame Carambeau characterized in the beginning of the story?

• Wealthy and highly skilled

• Snobby and opinionated

• Nurturing and supportive

• Concerned with correctness

PART B: Which paragraph from the text provides the best support for the answer to Part A?

• Paragraph 1

• Paragraph 4

• Paragraph 6

• Paragraph 7

PART A: Why does the little girl make such an impression on Madame Carambeau?

• Madame Carambeau realizes that the girl had horrible parents

• Madame Carambeau believes that the child’s health was more important than her background

• Madame Carambeau realizes that she had been too hard on her own son

• Madame Carambeau was afraid of the child’s parents thinking she was the reason the little girl was sick

PART B: Which of the following quotations best illustrates Madame Carambeau’s change of heart as described in Part A?

• “Her arms and her lap were at once adjusted so as to become the most comfortable of resting places.” (Paragraph 14)

• “The child was perfectly content to lie still and prattle a little in that language which madame thought hideous.” (Paragraph 15

• “When the little girl slept Madame Carambeau arose, and treading carefully and deliberately, entered her room” (Paragraph 16)

• “Madame, in all her varied experience with the sick, had never before nursed so objectionable a character as an American child.” (Paragraph 30)

PART A: What effect did Madame Carambeau’s overall attitude have on her son, Henri?

• Henri married an American woman to spite his mother.

• Henri made sure to never be as close-minded as his mother.

• Henri distanced himself and his family from French culture and traditions.

• Henri refused to have contact with his mother for ten years.

PART B: Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

• “They all drove back together to eat Christmas dinner in the old house by the river.” (Paragraph 50)

• “He was going back again to the home where he was born, after a banishment of ten long years.” (Paragraph 51)

• “…in a French, however, that must have been trying to old madame to listen to.” (Paragraph 53)

• “It - it was Henri who would not permit it.” (Paragraph 54)

PART B: Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

• “They all drove back together to eat Christmas dinner in the old house by the river.” (Paragraph 50)

• “He was going back again to the home where he was born, after a banishment of ten long years.” (Paragraph 51)

• “…in a French, however, that must have been trying to old madame to listen to.” (Paragraph 53)

• “It - it was Henri who would not permit it.” (Paragraph 54)

Which ideas from the story best present the contrasting point of view of Madame Carambeau and her daughter?

• Madame Carambeau accepts all people, while her daughter is insistent on associating with people of her own social class.

• Madame Carambeau loves children of all backgrounds, while her daughter embraces children of French descent only.

• Madame Carambeau thinks less of people who are not like her, while her daughter does not consider differences when deciding with whom she will interact.

• Madame Carambeau will only help children of wealthy families like her own, while her daughter seeks to help the poor.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

How is Madame Carambeau most affected by the absence of the little girl?

• She feels like she doesn’t have anyone to make her feel normal.

• She feels alone and misses the girl, but this absence makes her begin to reflect on her prejudices.

• She feels more fearful about the fact that the girl’s parents are unfit to take care of her.

• She feels anger about the fact that she no longer has anyone to nurse back to health.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

What is the theme of the passage?

• Often, prejudiced people don’t realize they are prejudiced.

• Prejudice is often based in misunderstanding and stubbornness.

• Children are the best common ground for people with differences

• Family bonds are stronger than disagreements over culture.