My Great Grandmother’s Gourd

How did the villagers react when the blue pump first worked?

• They were silent and watchful.

• They laughed and chattered with excitement.

• They were confused about how to use it.

• They immediately started arguing over who would use it first.

What was the narrator's initial belief about the new pump's impact on their work?

• It would make their work harder.

• It would make their work less.

• It would only provide water for drinking.

• It would replace the need for the baobab tree entirely.

Why was the grandmother sad after the new pump was installed?

• She missed the old well and the hard work it required.

• She was worried about the pump breaking down.

• She felt that no one was working together to prepare the trees for the rains anymore.

• She thought the new pump was too noisy.

What was the grandmother doing when the narrator found her at this point in the story?

• She was sitting under the baobab tree, watching the girls.

• She was dancing with the other women.

• She was bent over her hoe, preparing the baobab tree.

• She was pumping water from the new well.

Why did Grandmother continue working on her tree even when others might laugh at her?

• She wanted to prove them wrong.

• She believed her work was important.

• She didn't hear what they were saying.

• She enjoyed being alone.

What was the purpose of digging a "large necklace" around the base of the baobab tree?

• To decorate the tree for a festival.

• To make it easier to climb the tree.

• To collect rainwater for the tree.

• To find hidden treasures.

What major problem did the villagers face during the dry season?

• A sandstorm destroyed their homes.

• Their crops withered from lack of sun.

• The village water pump broke down.

• They ran out of food supplies.

How did the villagers get water after the pump broke?

• A & B

• A. They used camels to pull water from the old well.

• B. They collected water from Grandmother's baobab tree.

• C. They waited for the next rainy season.