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WorksheetsThe Leap
Total questions: 16
Worksheet time: 8mins
Which of the following describes the narrator's mother?
She struggles to remember her past as a trapeze artist when she loses her vision.
Her past as a trapeze artist helps her move around now that she is blind.
She is blind because of her past experiences as a trapeze artist.
Her past is something she talks about often with her family.
The narrator’s mother was…
a fearless and skilled trapeze artist.
constantly afraid of falling during her act.
distracted from her act by her pregnancy.
never in any real danger as a trapeze artist.
What is the first reason the narrator owes their existence to their mother?
Their mother’s calm decision to save herself.
Their mother’s brave choice to save her partner’s life.
Their mother’s fear that caused her not to make a decision.
Their mother’s anxiety about rescuing people from the collapsing tent.
How does the narrator feel about the sister they never met?
They view the unborn baby as their sister.
They miss the baby as much as their mother does.
They feel regretful that they could never meet.
They feel a distant sense of connection to the baby.
While in the hospital, the narrator’s mother and father…
teach each other, read, and fall in love.
read and write books about life in the circus.
discover a love for travel books and exploration.
read, share stories about love, and plan to travel the world.
What surprising choices does the narrator’s mother make after the circus accident?
She chooses to travel the world and continue her husband’s circus dream.
She remarries and starts a new family in the town where she lost her first family.
She continues to travel with the circus and perform her act alone.
She decides to stay in the town and raise her child by herself.
What does the narrator do when the house catches on fire?
They panic and don’t remember what to do.
They give up and wait for the fire to reach them.
They frantically look for a way out and find more fire.
They calmly do what they practiced in the event of a fire.
What is the third reason the narrator owes their existence to their mother?
Their mother encourages the narrator to jump out of the window and to her.
Their mother uses her trapeze artist skills to rescue the narrator from the fire.
Their mother borrows a ladder from the firefighters to reach the narrator.
Their mother uses a secret passage into the house to avoid the flames.
Which statement best expresses the theme of the short story?
A person’s second love is their truest love.
Time slows down for people when they are in danger.
A person can become courageous when protecting a loved one.
It’s important for a mother to remain courageous and full of love after a tragedy.
Which piece of evidence best reveals the mother’s willingness to risk her life for her child?
“She has kept no sequined costume, no photographs, no feathers or posters from that part of her youth.” ( Paragraph 2)
“I came home to read to my mother, to read out loud, read long into the dark if I must, to read all night.” ( Paragraph 15
“my mother's leap through the ice-dark air toward that thinnest extension, and how she broke the branch falling so that it cracked in her hands” ( Paragraph 23)
“I slowly wondered what would happen if we missed the circle or bounced out of it. Then I wrapped my hands around my mother’s hands.” ( Paragraph 25)
How are the details of the narrator’s mother’s life important to the theme of the text?
They reveal choices the mother made throughout her life that allowed the narrator to live.
They stress the mother’s negative experiences, showing that sometimes life isn’t fair.
They emphasize the mother’s special skills and how she benefited from being unique
They show the obstacles the mother overcame and her ability to remain positive.
How does the title of the short story contribute to its overall theme?
It shows how important it is to be physically fit and able to make leaps.
It stresses how important it is to take risks, even if they lead to bad results.
It foreshadows the great leap that the narrator will have to take in order to survive.
It refers to the physical and emotional risks the narrator’s mother takes.
What is the narrator foreshadowing at the end of paragraph 2?
The fire their mother rescued them from.
The loss of the mother’s first husband and baby.
The event that caused the narrator’s mother to go blind.
The situation that created a conflict between the narrator and their mother.
How are the narrator’s actions during the house fire similar to their mother’s? (Paragraphs 20-25)
They are both calm during the chaos and think through their actions.
They are both certain that the narrator’s father will find the answer.
They both become upset and frustrated due to their fear.
They both use their trapeze skills to escape from the fire.
Which term best identifies how the narrator feels toward their mother?
confused
grateful
inferior
curious
What message about courage does Louise Erdrich express in "The Leap"? Write 4-5 sentences.
