Bouki Over a Barrel

Why did Bouki ask Lapin to help him pick cotton?

• Cotton bolls started popping out around him like firecrackers on New Year’s Eve.

• Lapin spent the whole summer lollygagging in the shade of a sassafras tree.

• Bouki thought that Lapin was going to trick him.

• He loved nothing better than rum cake himself.

"Lapin shaded his eyes and surveyed the cotton field that glimmered like a snowdrift all the way to the bayou." (Pg.7)

Look at the underlined phrase above. What does the author want the reader to understand about the setting?

• There is snow and ice covering the field.

• The field is full of white cotton.

• The cotton field is shiny.

• The bayou flooded the cotton field.

8. Lapin shaded his eyes and surveyed the cotton field that glimmered like a snowdrift all the way to the bayou. (Pg.7)

10. Part A

What is the meaning of the word surveyed as used in the excerpt?

• plowed

• jumped over

• counted

• looked at

Lapin shaded his eyes and surveyed the cotton field that glimmered like a snowdrift all the way to the bayou. (Pg.7)

Part B

Which detail from the text best supports your answer to Part A?

• …all the way to the bayou.

• …shaded his eyes…

• …like a snowdrift…

• …the cotton field…

 ‘Long about noon, Lapin’s sack was still as empty as a hatched egg. And even though his belly was stuffed fuller than a squirrel’s cheeks, all that cake and all that butter kept dancing through his mind. (Pg. 13)

The author uses non-literal language in this excerpt. What does the author want the reader to understand about Lapin? Choose two. 

• Lapin did not pick much cotton.

• Lapin is dancing in the field.

• Lapin hatched an egg in the cotton field.

• Lapin’s belly is full and poking out.

• Lapin is daydreaming about the cake and butter.

Lapin skedaddled over to the bayou, pulled up the barrels, and had himself a little noontime snack. Well, it was bigger than little. In fact, it was downright humongous.

When he trudged on back to the field, Bouki was sweating over his second sack of cotton. (Pg. 14)

Part A

What is the meaning of the word skedaddled as used in the excerpt?

• skipped

• ate

• sweated

• worked

Lapin skedaddled over to the bayou, pulled up the barrels, and had himself a little noontime snack. Well, it was bigger than little. In fact, it was downright humongous.

When he trudged on back to the field, Bouki was sweating over his second sack of cotton. (Pg. 14)

Part B

How is the word skedaddled being used in the excerpt?

• It is an action Lapin does.

• It is a thing that Lapin has.

• It describes the bayou.

• It is a place by the bayou.

Lapin skedaddled over to the bayou, pulled up the barrels, and had himself a little noontime snack. Well, it was bigger than little. In fact, it was downright humongous.

When he trudged on back to the field, Bouki was sweating over his second sack of cotton. (Pg. 14)

Part C

Which detail from the text is a clue to the meaning of the word skedaddled and supports the answer to Part A?

• …a little noontime snack…

• …pulled up the barrels…

• It was downright humongous.

• …over to the bayou…

What does the author want the reader to understand by using the quote, "Bouki was sweating over his second sack of cotton." ?

• Bouki was hungry, but still had to pick cotton.

• Bouki was working hard and had picked more cotton than Lapin.

• Bouki was angry at Lapin and ready to quit.

• Bouki figured out Lapin's trick and was too hot.

Bouki limped toward the bayou, his mouth watering. "The only thing that kept me going all day," he groaned, "was the thought of all that sweet rum cake and all that cool, creamy butter." (pg 17)

What does the author want the reader to understand about Bouki in the excerpt? Choose two.

• Bouki is angry at Lapin.

• Bouki wants rum cake and butter.

• Bouki needs to go to the doctor.

• Bouki is tired.

• Bouki ate too much.