Unit 1B - Heroes (part 2)

Read the excerpt from "Why the Sun Is Brighter Than the Moon.”

In the distant past, the Philippines was populated by a race of fairies who were unaffected by unpredictable weather. They minded neither sweltering heat nor freezing cold. They did not divide the day by hours of light and darkness. In fact, they lived in a constant dim twilight and never gave it any thought.

The details in this excerpt show that the setting is characterized by

• moderate temperatures.

• constant darkness.

• moderate sunlight.

• constant dusk.

Read the excerpt from "Pecos Bill.”

"Everybody in Texas has fleas and howls at the moon, so that ain't no excuse," snapped his brother. "You can walk upright and talk, so why don’t you stop this tomfoolery and become a cowboy like the rest of us?"

Based on the clues in the excerpt, what does tomfoolery mean?

• animal noise

• sibling rivalry

• silly behavior

• angry outburst

Which excerpt from "The Catch” appeals to readers’ sense of hearing to help them imagine a scene?

• His legs and thigh muscles ached as he trudged through the final swampland.

• He tried to thrust off Rohan’s shoulders to push himself over in as though they were in a game of leap frog.

• Just then, an old elf released a great eagle from its shackles, a signal for the race to start. When it squawked to freedom, the race began.

• The gentle foothills ended quickly, and the runners made a steep scramble to the top of a cliff, followed by a daylong run up across uneven terrain of hard, coarse-grained rock.

Read the excerpts from "Why the Sun Is Brighter Than the Moon.”

Two of these fairies were sisters named Araw and Buwan. Araw was the younger sister, as beautiful as she was kind and honest. Her older sister, on the other hand, was selfish, jealous, and mean. These qualities distorted her appearance.

***

Their mother watched what was happening and was saddened to see what her first-born child was becoming. She prayed to God that he would help Buwan learn kindness.

Which statement best describes the message of this fable?

• Forgiveness is divine.

• Beauty is as beauty does.

• Blood is thicker than water.

• Envy is a poisonous emotion.

The fable "Why the Sun Is Brighter Than the Moon” is important to its culture because it reveals

• how others should be treated.

• warnings about behaviors to avoid.

• which traits make someone a hero.

• warnings about war and destruction.

What is the most likely reason why the fable "Why the Sun Is Brighter Than the Moon” was written?

• to show the consequences of having great beauty

• to show the consequences of being jealous

• to warn people to be careful of what they wish for

• to warn people that sisters can become enemies

What is one reason why "Why the Sun Is Brighter Than the Moon” is considered a fable?

• It reflects a historical event.

• It occurs in a character’s imagination.

• It describes a character’s everyday life.

• It includes fictional, or made-up, elements.

Read the excerpt from "Pecos Bill.”

Pecos Bill even rode a tornado once, if you can believe it. That tornado was truly awe-inspiring, roaring loud and turning the sky black and green. He grabbed it, shoved it to the ground, and straddled it! The tornado was doggone mad. Whipping and whirling, it tried to throw him off, but Bill jest rode along nice and calm until finally he tamed it.

The setting in this excerpt makes the folktale seem

• quiet.

• mysterious.

• serious.

• wild.

Read the excerpt from "Pecos Bill.”

And he and Widow-Maker had themselves some rootin’-tootin’ crazy adventures. Once, there was a terrible drought that made all of Texas bone dry. So Pecos Bill rode Widow-Maker to California, lassoed a cloud, and pulled it home. It rained so much that it created the Gulf of Mexico.

Which element of a folktale is included in this excerpt?

• the state of being passed down orally through generations

• different versions, depending on the storyteller

• a person who has an exaggerated ability

• a clever person who plays a trick on another