What is the snake in the dresser drawer?

One of the braids her mother cut off.

An actual snake that came off the Plains.

Her grandmother's braid, as a rememberance.

The whip that a white teacher used on her mother.

Why is the snake in the drawer?

Her mother keeps it to remind herself of who she used to be.

She believes her grandmother's spirit watches out for her.

To remind herself of what she overcame.

What complaint does Power's mother make about the statue of the Indian man at the Historical Society?

It only shows the White side of events.

It shows things that never happened.

She thinks the statues capture part of their spirits.

It doesn't belong in the history museum, because it still happens.

How does the statue contrast with the dress exhibit at the Art Institute?

It's treated with respect, along with recognized artists like Picasso.

It's just as racist because none of the mannequins have heads.

The information on the side downplays what the Native women designed.

It's just as one-sided, because it doesn't show White designers.

What is unique about Power's relationship to the buckskin dress?

Her mother made it as an alternative exhibit.

When she grows up, she gets to wear it.

How does her mother feel seeing the dress there?

She wishes the family would have kept it.

She's happy for this connection back to her family.

It brings up bad memories from her past.

In what ways does her mother identify with the buffalo?

Neither of them belong in the city.

Neither of them look like they belong in Chicago.

Both of them were deeply respected before they came here.

What is the effect of her mother's complaints to the Historical Society?

The museum takes the racist exhibit down.

She gets banned from the museum.

They add more information on the side so that at least the description is fair.

They add another exhibit that shows the Native perspective.

What does the final paragraph tell you about the relationship between the writer and her mother and their relationship with the city?

In spite of their differences, home is wherever they both are.

They will never both feel at home in the city, although they love each other.

Their differences are too big, and eventually will drive them apart.

Susan Power resents her mom now, for being so much stronger.

How did Power's mother influence her as a writer? (2)

She learned to love stories and connect with the past.

She learned that stubborn words can change injustice.

She only talks about things that make her angry.

She only talks about the past because she doesn't like modern times.

Why does Power say she isn't a traditional storyteller?

She doesn't have the same kind of audience.

Traditional storytellers can't make a living.

She doesn't like even listening to old storytellers.

How do the dual influences of her childhood show up in her writing?

She talks about Native themes in English words.

She writes her people's myths in books.

She has Dakota and Christian religious beliefs in her stories.

Her stories are set on the reservation and show modern American Indian life.

Why did the author's mom leave the reservation?

She left to take a job in Chicago

There was a war in the reservation

1.Which of the following selections most closely summarizes the mother’s reaction to the mummy exhibit (paragraphs 17-18)?When Mom is down, we go to see the mummies at the Field Museum of Natural History. The Egyptian dead sleep in the basement, most of them still shrouded in their wrappings.“These were people like us,” my mother whispers. She pulls me into her waist. “They had dreams and intrigues and problems with their teeth. They thought their one particular life was of the utmost significance. And now, just look at them.” My mother never fails to brighten. “So what’s the use of worrying too hard or too long? Might as well be cheerful.”

She is frequently sad but finds perspective in the mummy exhibit.

She is not typically sad, but museum exhibits like this cause her sadness.

The exhibit makes her think about her various problems with her teeth.

She wants to learn as much as she can about Egyptian art and history.

3.Which inference about the author is best supported by the following passage (paragraph 6)?I return the dark snake to its nest among my mother’s slips, arranging it so that its thin tail hides beneath the wide mouth sheared by scissors. My mother keeps her promise and lets my hair grow long, but I am only half of her; my thin brown braids will reach the middle of my back, and in maturity will look like tiny garden snakes.

C. She sees long braids of hair as symbols of strength.

A. She is afraid of her mother’s braid, as if it were a snake.

B. She sees the braid as a symbol for the tragedy of her mother’s lost hair.

D. She deeply misses her father.

6. Which passage from the text most strongly supports the answer to Question 5?

D. “‘I am just like you,’ she whispers. ‘I don’t belong here either. We should be in the Dakotas, somewhere a little bit east of the Missouri River.’”

A. “Mom doesn’t always have the heart to greet him.”

B. “‘We honor you,’ she continues, ‘because you are a creature of great endurance and great generosity.’”

C. “Few things can make my mother cry; the buffalo is one of them.”

9. Order these events chronologically as they occur in the text: WHICH HAPPENED FIRST?

The author handles and examines her mother’s braid.

The author recalls the removal of the one-sided Indian statue at the museum.

The author and her mother gaze upon the lights of Lake Shore Drive.

The author and her mother visit the stuffed buffalo.

9. Order these events chronologically as they occur in the text: WHICH HAPPENED SECOND?

The author recalls the removal of the one-sided Indian statue at the museum.

The author and her mother gaze upon the lights of Lake Shore Drive.

The author and her mother visit the stuffed buffalo.

The author handles and examines her mother’s braid.

13. Which meaning of mute most closely matches its meaning in the following passage (paragraph 19)?Before we leave this place, we always visit my great-grandmother’s buckskin dress. We mount the stairs and walk through the museum’s main hall—past the dinosaur bones all strung together, and the stuffed elephants lifting their trunks in a mute trumpet.

C. adjective | characterised by an absence of sound

A. noun | a person lacking the ability to speak

B. noun | a device on a TV, phone or other appliance that turns off the sound

D. adjective | refraining from talking, speechless

14. What made the mother scared on the train to Chicago?

She was afraid of the men carrying guns.

18. What lesson does the mother takes away from the Egyptian mummies in the history museum?

The mother thinks it’s not worth worrying too much - because everyone dies.

The mother thinks the mummies are a sign of death.

The mother thinks everyone should worry about death.

19. What does the author think about her mother’s fears?

She is surprised at her fear, because she sees her mother as strong and brave.

She is embarrassed of her mother's fears, and wants to leave.

She laughs at her mother's fears, because she argues with the guides.

Museum Indians

Authored by Rebecca Remsburg

English

8th Grade

CCSS covered

Used 193+ times

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About

This quiz focuses on the literary analysis of Susan Power's memoir "Museum Indians," targeting 8th grade students studying contemporary Native American literature. The questions assess multiple layers of comprehension, from basic recall of plot details to sophisticated analysis of character development, symbolism, and thematic elements. Students must demonstrate their ability to analyze the complex mother-daughter relationship at the story's center, interpret symbolic objects like the preserved braid and the museum exhibits, and understand how the author uses contrasting museum displays to explore themes of cultural identity and historical representation. The quiz requires students to synthesize information across the entire text, make inferences about character motivations, and understand how personal narrative connects to broader social and cultural issues. Created by Rebecca Remsburg, an English teacher in the US who teaches grade 8. This comprehensive assessment serves multiple instructional purposes, from formative assessment during reading to summative evaluation after completing the text. Teachers can use individual sections as warmup activities focusing on vocabulary development, assign portions as homework to reinforce daily reading, or deploy the entire quiz as a unit assessment. The varied question types—from vocabulary in context to chronological sequencing to thematic analysis—make this an excellent tool for differentiated instruction and comprehensive evaluation of student understanding. This quiz aligns with Common Core standards CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.1 for textual evidence, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.2 for theme analysis, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.3 for character analysis, and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.4 for vocabulary and figurative language, providing teachers with a robust assessment tool that measures multiple reading standards simultaneously.

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35 questions

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MULTIPLE SELECT QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

What does the author's mother do every day?

Cleans

Tells stories

Cooks

Goes to the library

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RI.3.1

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.3.1

CCSS.RI.1.1

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

Which word means "essential?"

integral

petrified

disconcerting

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

Which word means "paralyzed with fear?"

integral

petrified

shrouded

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

Which word means "wrapped?"

integral

petrified

shrouded

intrigues

disconcerting

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

Which word means "secrets?"

integral

petrified

shrouded

intrigues

disconcerting

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RI.6.4

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

Which word means "upsetting?"

integral

petrified

shrouded

intrigues

disconcerting

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

What do the author and her mother always do before leaving the museum?

Visit her great-grandmother's dress.

Pay respect to the little buffalo.

Talk about how the man playing guitar in the painting feels.

Protest the racist statue of the threatening Indian.

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RL.7.1

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