Novel Test – Home Child (Chp. 1-9)
Name: ______
1. Read the following excerpt from, Home Child, and answer the questions below.
“After supper, boy,” Sadie’s father said, “I’ll show you how to
get the stock settled for the night. Be one of your chores.”
“Good gracious, Thomas!” Grandma protested. “That boy has
sailed across the Atlantic from England, and spent days in a train
crossing half of Canada. He’s exhausted. Let him have one night to
rest before you get him working.”
Sadie’s father angrily puffed up his cheeks, then blew out a
long breath. “One night, then, but be up early in the morning. Lot of
work to be done.”
Again Sadie saw a look pass between Arthur and her grandmother and this time Sadie noticed the tiny white spark flare again in the centre of Arthur’s blue eyes, partly erasing the emptiness from the boy’s face.
a. What can the reader infer about the connection between Grandma and Arthur? (3 pts)
______
b. What can the reader infer about the relationship between Mr. Wilson and his mother, Grandma? (3 pts)
______
2. Who is the main character of, Home Child? Explain your answer. (4 pts) ______
3. Determine the type of leads that are provided below. (1pt / each)
a. “Some of the money’s missing.” Mrs. Wilson turned from the cupboard, holding the jam pot that she used for keeping the egg and butter money.
Type of lead: ______
b. Sadie hurried to put butter and bread on the table. She would not cry, she told herself sternly, but felt a tear slide down a slap-reddened cheek.
Type of lead: ______
4. Read the following excerpt from, Home Child, and write a connection or reaction to each one. Use the back of the page if necessary. Remember to provide explanations for any statements that you make. (3 pts / each)
a. “My father says Home Children are trash,” Edith said. Ice blue
eyes swept over Arthur. “Pulled from the gutters. He says you have
to keep an eye on them else they’ll steal you blind or,” she paused,
then continued, “kill you while you sleep.”
Sadie glanced at Arthur. His face wore its now familiar locked
away look. Where did he go when he got that look? Obviously,
somewhere words wouldn’t hurt him? She wouldn’t mind knowing
a place like that. But it bothered her that Arthur went away from
them more and more often. What if some day he didn’t come back?
______
b. “Doesn’t he talk funny?” Edith leaned over and dug her elbow
into Sadie’s side.
Sadie had become so used to Arthur’s way of speaking that she
had forgotten how strange it had sounded at first. Edith continued
staring at her, eyes expectant, and Sadie suddenly knew why. If she
laughed at Arthur with the rest of the class, Edith would be her
friend; would welcome her into the small circle of older girls that
huddled together in the playground. If she didn’t laugh, no one in
the whole school would talk to her. Sadie would be on her own.
Sadie’s stomach tightened. After a long moment, she forced a
small, choked giggle from between stiff lips and Edith sat back in
her seat smiling happily at her. Sadie thought she was going to be
sick.
______
c. Sadie stole a look at her mother, quickly dried her hands and ran up the stairs. In Grandma Wilson’s bedroom, she glanced at the stovepipe hole, then quickly looked away. She hadn’t listened there since the evening she’d heard Mama’s secret – a secret that now left her miserable and uncomfortable when around her mother. Mostly, she feared meeting Mama’s eyes, frightened that Mama would find the knowledge of the secret there. Yet other times she found herself intently studying her mother, trying to see this new Mama who was an orphan. It was so confusing.
______
5. Identify 3 cultural differences between the book setting and present day. Explain each one fully. (3 pts / each)
a.______
b.______
c.______
6. Make 2 predictions about what you think may happen in the book, Home Child. Explain the reasons for your predictions. (3 pts / each)
a.______
b.______
7. Provide an explanation of the meaning of any 7 of the terms below (2 pts / each):
~ a flat ~ pinafore
~ eugenics ~ stook
~ pauper ~ thresher
~ liniment ~ reciter
~ sow ~ tardiness
a. ______
b. ______
c. ______
d. ______
e. ______
f. ______
g. ______
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Bonus Question: ( 4 Points)
What are the names (first and last) of all the people who live in Sadie’s house, when Sadie begins school in the fall?
______
Novel Test – Home Child (modified) (Chp. 1-9)
Name: ______
1. Match the following terms with their meanings. (5 pts)
A. stook ____ lateness
B. liniment ____ bundle of grain in a field
C. tardiness ____ ointment for sore muscles
D. sow ____ lesson book
E. reciter ____ female pig
2. Read the following passage from, Home Child. Tell how you think Arthur feels, when he hears Edith talking about Home Children. (5 pts)
“My father says Home Children are trash,” Edith said. Ice blue
eyes swept over Arthur. “Pulled from the gutters. He says you have
to keep an eye on them else they’ll steal you blind or,” she paused,
then continued, “kill you while you sleep.”
______
3. Do you think Arthur stole the money from Mrs. Wilson’s jam jar? Why or why not? (2 pts)
______
4. Do you think Sadie and Arthur will become friends? Why or why not?
(2 pts)
______
5. What is one thing you would NOT like about living in 1914, like Sadie’s family?
(2 pts)
______
6. What is one thing that you WOULD like about living in 1914, like Sadie’s family?
(2 pts)
______
7. Who do you think is the main character of the novel, Home Child? Remember to think about the title of the book. (2 pts)
______