"The Scholarship Jacket"

The scholarship jacket is so important to the narrator because

• she is not a good enough athlete to get a sports jacket.

• she does not like how she looks and the jacket will distract from her appearance.

• she wants revenge on all of the students who’ve said she isn’t smart.

• earning the jacket is her only opportunity to get recognition for her hard work.

Mr. Boone can be described as

• fair

• unjust

• humourous

• organized

Why does the principal lie to Martha about the $15?

• To raise extra money for the school

• To encourage her to work harder for the jacket

• To hide the real reason she would not receive the jacket

• To embarrass her because her family is poor

PART A: Which of the following best identifies a major theme of “The Scholarship Jacket”?

• One should respect the wisdom of elders when solving problems.

• It is best to focus on one’s education without worrying about recognition.

• Being an American means acting with respect for hard work and justice.

• It is difficult but important to stand up for what is fair and right.

PART B: Which quote from the text best supports your answer to PART A (question 5)?

• “My father was a farm laborer who couldn’t earn enough money to feed eight children, so when I was six, I was given to my grandparents to raise.” (paragraph 2)

• “I had been a straight A student since the first grade and this last year had looked forward very much to owning that jacket.” (paragraph 2)

• “Then if you pay for it Martha, it’s not a scholarship jacket, is it? Tell your principal I will not pay fifteen dollars.” (paragraph 19)

• “It was more than just being valedictorian and giving a little thank you speech for the jacket on graduation night. It represented eight years of hard work and expectation.” (paragraph 15)

How would you best characterize Mr. Schmidt?

• fair

• unjust

• organized

• unorganized

Which piece of textual evidence best illustrates the principal’s guilt?  

• “I cried on the walk home from the bus stop.”

• “There’s been a change in policy this year regarding the scholarship jacket.”

• “He still avoided looking in my eyes.”

• “He still avoided looking in my eyes.”

Throughout the story, Martha could best be described as

• polite and happy.

• clever and unaware.

• smart and sneaky.

• hardworking and honest.

Why was the principal upset when Martha refused to pay the $15?

• he wanted her to receive the jacket that she earned

• he wanted to be able to enforce the new policy so the jackets would not cost the school as much

• he did not want to have to explain to Mr. Schmidt why Martha did not receive the jacket

• he wanted to give the jacket to Joann

Grandpa can best be described as

• cheap

• silent

• grumpy

• wise