"An Indian Father's Plea" Reading and Comprehension Questions

1. 1. Which of the following inferences is best supported by the passage below (paragraph 2)?

At the age of 5, he has already been through quite an education compared with his peers in Western society. As his first introduction into this world, he was bonded to his mother and to the Mother Earth in a traditional native childbirth ceremony. And he has been continuously cared for by his mother, father, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and extended tribal family since this ceremony.

• Wind-Wolf’s parents prefer to educate him at home.

• Wind-Wolf has received more education than his peers at this early age.

• Wind-Wolf lives with his extended family and learns from them.

• Wind-Wolf’s father believes the Indian education system is superior to the West.

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9-10.RI.1.D

2. 2. What is the author’s reason for the statement (paragraph 10), “It takes time to adjust to a new cultural system and learn new things.”

• He informs the teacher about Wind-Wolf’s mathematical abilities.

• He excuses his son from the Western school setting.

• He offers an explanation for his son’s behavior in school.

• He acknowledges that his son’s behavior is not acceptable in Western schools.

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3. Which of the following statements best demonstrates the father’s belief that the Western school does not appreciate his culture?

• “You wanted to call him Wind, insisting that Wolf somehow must be his middle name.”

• “He is the only Indian child in your class, and he is well-aware of this fact.”

• “Millions of dollars have been appropriated by Congress and are being spent each year for "Indian Education.'”'

• “He has seven different tribal systems flowing through his blood; he is even part white.”

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4. The following sentence, “He is caught between two worlds, torn by two distinct cultural systems,”

(paragraph 14) mainly shows that _______.

• Wind-Wolf fails to see the differences between Native culture and Western culture.

• Both Indian and Western culture influence Wind-Wolf and he struggles to belong in each world.

• Wind-Wolf rejects Western culture when he refuses to go to school.

• Wind-Wolf feels pressure to identify with his Indian culture from his father.

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5. What is most likely the main message the author is trying to communicate in paragraphs 2 and 3?

At the age of 5, he has already been through quite an education compared with his peers in Western society. As his first introduction into this world, he was bonded to his mother and to the Mother Earth in a traditional native childbirth ceremony. And he has been continuously cared for by his mother, father, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and extended tribal family since this ceremony.

From his mother's warm and loving arms, Wind-Wolf was placed in a secure and specially designed Indian baby basket. His father and the medicine elders conducted another ceremony with him that served to bond him with the essence of his genetic father, the Great Spirit, the Grandfather Sun, and the Grandmother Moon. This was all done in order to introduce him properly into the new and natural world, not the world of artificiality, and to protect his sensitive and delicate soul. It is our people's way of showing the newborn respect, ensuring that he starts his life on the path of spirituality.

• Wind-Wolf needs to be in his mother’s arms constantly.

  .

• Wind-Wolf had more educational experiences than his peers at the age of five.

• The traditions, ceremonies, and care Wind-Wolf received by the age of five, served to introduce him to the spiritual world and demonstrate respect for the young child.

• His extended family showed great care to the young Wind-Wolf

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

• “He was bonded to his mother and to the Mother Earth in a traditional native childbirth ceremony.”

• “It is our people's way of showing the newborn respect, ensuring that he starts his life on the path of spirituality.”

• “At the age of 5, he has already been through quite an education compared with his peers in Western society.”

• “From his mother's warm and loving arms, Wind-Wolf was placed in a secure and specially designed Indian baby basket.”

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7. What is most likely a theme in “A Father’s Plea”?

• Assimilation equals survival.

• Cultural difference does not mean cultural disadvantage.

• Assume the best of others.

• Embrace the culture and heritage of your people.

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9-10.RL.1.D

8. Which passage from the text best supports the correct answer to Question 7?

• “So I realize he may be slow in grasping the methods and tools that you are now using in your classroom, ones quite familiar to his white peers, but I hope you will be patient with him. It takes time to adjust to a new cultural system and learn new things.”

• “Now he refuses to sing his native songs, play with his Indian artifacts, learn his language, or participate in his sacred ceremonies. When I ask him to go to an urban powwow or help me with a sacred sweat-lodge ritual, he says no because "that's weird" and he doesn't want his friends at school to think he doesn't believe in God.”

• “If you ask him how many months there are in a year, he will probably tell you 13. He will respond this way not because he doesn't know how to count properly, but because he has been taught by our traditional people that there are 13 full moons in a year according to the native tribal calendar.”

  
  

• “My son, Wind-Wolf, is not an empty glass coming into your class to be filled. He is a full basket coming into a different environment and society with something special to share. Please let him share his knowledge, heritage, and culture with you and his peers.”

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9. Which meaning of foray most closely matches its meaning in the following passage (paragraph 13)?

So you see, all of these influences together make him somewhat shy and quiet—and perhaps "slow" according to your standards. But if Wind-Wolf was not prepared for his first tentative foray into your world, neither were you appreciative of his culture. On the first day of class, you had difficulty with his name. You wanted to call him Wind, insisting that Wolf somehow must be his middle name. The students in the class laughed at him, causing further embarrassment.

• verb | to escape to

• verb | to go on an excursion

• verb | to refuse

• verb | to assume

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10. Match each vocabulary word with its corresponding synonym.

SYNONYM- A word that means the same or is similar in meaning to another word.

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• abstract

• complex

• appropriate

• set aside

• contemporary

• Unnaturalness

• regalia

• current

• artificiality

• distinctive clothing

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9-10.RL.1.B