Chapter 1 The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

What is the main idea of chapter one?

Answer explanation

William 's family is a poor family living in Malawi Africa where he is raised with stories and a culture of magic, witches, and witch doctors.

who were the Sing'anga in the story?

• They were the witch dancers that cured sickness

• They were the people who dressed for a ceremony

• They were the story tellers in the town

• They were the witch doctors that cast spells and cured illness

What was the major profession in Malawi?

Answer explanation

Farming

How did William, the author, describe his poverty?

Answer explanation

They had no electricity, TV, real doctors, education (school),and few cars. and their houses were made of mud and grass.

Why did the people that lived in Malawi resort to using witch doctors?

Answer explanation

They could not afford real doctors

Why did the people in the village William lived believe in magic and folktales to explain many things?

• They wanted to scare the children

• They were uneducated and did not know anything else

• They thought it was funny

• They wanted to be in control

Why did the Gule Wamkulu (magical dancers) scare William the most?

• They wore scary outfits and burned down houses

• When they danced they shook the Earth and caused the people of the village to die

• They were spirits of their dead ancestors that looked for boys to take back to the graveyard

• They were always terrorizing children with their evil chants

Why did the boys with the big sack make the comment, " He looks pathetic," when they saw William, and what did they give him?

Answer explanation

He was playing in a mud puddle and looked poor and sad so they gave him some gumballs.

What was William afraid would happen to him when he heard the trader who lost the bag was going to see the the Sing'anga ?

Answer explanation

The Sing'anga would kidnap him and shrink him into a worm

What was William's father's reaction when William said he ate the gum, and, what did his father do?

Answer explanation

His father told William not to worry then went to the trader and explained the situation.