WorksheetsNikki Grimes' Poem 'Jabari Unmasked'
Total questions: 8
Worksheet time: 11mins
Which stanza from Paul Laurence Dunbar's poem is used in 'Jabari Unmasked'?
The first stanza of 'Sympathy'
The second stanza of 'We Wear the Mask'
The first stanza of 'We Wear the Mask'
The last stanza of 'Dreams'
What does the speaker in the poem 'Jabari Unmasked' imply by using the word 'guile'?
To express admiration for cleverness
To show the necessity of being clever
To criticize the use of deceitful tactics
To highlight the importance of honesty
According to the poem, what does the mask hide besides fears?
Smiles and laughter
Intelligence and kindness
Cheeks and skin
Character and promise
What is the speaker's attitude towards the act of wearing a mask as described in the poem?
They find it empowering
They are indifferent to it
They despise it
They consider it a necessity
What should we do with our dreams according to the text?
Leave them behind and move on
Share them with the world despite the unfairness
Shrink our own hearts
Regret them
What is the meaning of the word "myriad" as used in the text?
A type of flower
A single, important event
A countable number
A countless or great number
According to the text, how should we respond to ignorance?
With anger
By ignoring it as best as we can
By shrinking our hearts
With regret
What should we "freshen" with "ferocious lines of potent poetry," as suggested by the author?
Our dreams
Our anger
Our mouth
Our ignorance
What does the author suggest is the nature of emotions felt, as described in the text?
Simple and straightforward
Subtle and complex
Overwhelming and uncontrollable
Unimportant and dismissible
What do these lines reveal about the speaker?
we’d shrink our own hearts
down to nothing, and that we
would regret. Better to let our anger go, and smile
The speaker is worried they will always have to wear a mask.
The speaker feels lucky that they have experienced the judgement from society.
The speaker doesn’t want society’s judgements to change them into a hateful person, so they choose to stay positive.
The speaker is angry about being judged.
Which of the following best identifies a theme of the poem Jabari Unmasked?
People of color often hide their identity due to the negative expectations of
society.
Children are often shamed for characteristics that make them unique or stand
out.
Society often judges a person’s worth and promise by the color of their skin.
People often don’t contribute their ideas because they’re too afraid to speak up.
What does the phrase “our color works to camouflage our / character and promise —at least, in certain eyes” mean as it is used in the poem (Lines 15-16)?
The speaker and their peers wear dark colors in hopes of blending him.
People judge the speaker, and people like them, because of the color of their skin.
The kids hide their capabilities out of fear of what others will think of them.
People don’t expect as much from the kids because of their young age.
Which statement best identifies the poem's main theme?
People of color may feel that they have no outlet to express their emotions.
People of color may feel forced to hide their true selves in a judgmental world.
People of color may hide their true selves out of fear of disappointing others.
People of color may remain silent out of fear of speaking up for themselves.
Which of these is an example of imagery in "Jabari Unmasked?"
May disguise our fears, but also hides/ our kind and tender hearts
And should we leave those dreams bleeding on the road/ we'd shrink out own hearts down to nothing
Who's guess that some of us are geeks and/ nerds and poets too?
Is such unfairness what the world is filled with?
The people in "We wear the mask" use a masquerade to:
Tell a lie
Torture their friends
Disguise their pain
Pretend to be wise
Why is it important that the mask "hides cheeks and shades eyes" instead of the nose, teeth, ears, etc?
They are randomly chosen by the author
Those are his favorite parts of the face
These parts are important for making expressions of emotion.
Those are the only parts of the face that masks cover
