Why the Sky Is Far Away - Comprehension Test

The initial problem, or conflict, introduced at the beginning of the story was (page 66)

• that people didn't throw their garbage into the proper bins for recycling.
• that people were ignoring their duties and wasting too much time.
• that people were making too much noise with their festivities and bothering the sky.
• that people were taking more of the sky than they could possibly eat.

What adjective would best characterize, or describe, the Oba's reaction to the sky's warning? (page 67)

• careless
• terrified
• excited
• hungry

By the fifth day of Oba's festival (page 69), there was rejoicing in every home and on every street. What could be another word that expresses the idea of rejoicing?

• garbage
• food
• celebration
• weariness

Which of these is NOT a phrase that gives the reader a clue about Adese's character? (page 70)

• She could barely move when she wore all the weighty coral necklaces her husband had bought her, but she still craved more necklaces.
• She had eleven children of her own, but she felt her house was empty.
• And most of all, Adese loved to eat.
• On the very last night of the celebration, Adese and her husband were invited to the Oba's palace.

Adese made the terrible mistake of taking a piece of sky because she (page 73)

• wanted to disobey the Oba's demands.
• wanted to prove to everyone that the sky is edible.
• wanted to relive her wonderful experience at the Oba's festival.
• wanted to gather all of her family together, and her neighbors as well.

How did the sky punish the Oba and his people?

• The sky left them and moved far away.
• The sky caused great thunderstorms to flood the land.
• The sky caused destructive lightning to strike the land.
• The sky told the Oba that he must bury all the leftovers in the land under the garbage bin.

The reader can tell that this folktale is partially an attempt to explain

• why things in the sky seem so far away from people on the ground.
• why lightning strikes so quickly.
• why there are long periods of time without rain.
• why thunder is so loud.

What theme could be inferred by the reader about human behavior after reading "Why the Sky Is Far Away"?

• Dancing too much can lead to greed and forgetfulness.
• People should appreciate the gifts of nature and not waste them.
• Children should do as their mothers instruct.
• People should keep their celebrations to a minimum to prevent problems.

How would life be different today if Adese had not been so tempted to eat a piece of the sky?

• People would not have to work so hard in constructing homes and businesses.
• People would not have to plant crops and harvest them.
• People would be able to have festivals without having to worry about rules and warnings.
• People would be be able to sleep longer and more peacefully.

What phrase helps the reader understand what peering means on page 76?

• slept very well that night
• sailed upward, far out of reach
• straining to see if the sky had really left them
• uncovered the heads of men and women