Grade 8 English

“Which Way?”

(Page 89)

A short story by Karleen Bradford

TERMS:

ruefully

vacant

gingerly

benign

pandemonium

gawky

spina-bifida

QUESTIONS:

1. Why does the girl in the story say, "When I get married--if I get married--there’ll be no kids"?

2. What do you think would have caused the girl to choose the long way?

3. What was the girl celebrating as a woman in the “short cut” version of the story?

4. Is there anything ironic about the result of the girl’s life in the version of the story where she decides to take the “short cut”?

5. What profession did the girl obtain as a woman in the “long way” version of the story?

6. What do you think is the message of this story?

 Grade 8 English

"Retelling Rat Island"

(page 78)

(an excerpt from a novel--Annie John--by Jamaica Kincaid)

TERMS:

potion - a drink or liquid dose, as of medicine or poison

remedy - any medicine or treatment that cures, heals, or relieves a disease or tends to restore health

brimming - to be full to the topmost edge

coaxing - to use gentle persuasion, to urge by gentle words or flattery etc.

patois - a form of language differing from the accepted standard, as a local dialect

Questions:

1. What was the reaction of the class to the story that the girl in “Retelling Rat Island” read to them?

2. What is the reason that the girl and her mother are swimming in the ocean? Are there any clues in the girl’s language that reveal what the girl feels about that problem?

3. Why didn’t the girl see her mother going to the rock?

4. What does the girl mean by “the old day’s version?”

5. What are the girl’s reasons for changing the end of her story?

6. What reason does the girl give for the mother’s real reaction to her dream or nightmare?

Grade Eight English

“The Golden Carp”

Terms:

endowed:

chieftain:

admirable:

decree:

lethargy:

arduous:

fantail;

fiery:

antics:

wastrel:

savory:

morsel:

Questions:

1. What characteristics does Ye Syan possess? What kind of person is she?

2. This story is obviously similar to the Cinderella story that we as Canadians know. How is it similar?

3. What parts of the story do you think show aspects of Chinese culture that are different than our culture as Newfoundlanders and Canadians?

4. How does the ending of “The Golden Carp” differ from the end of the Cinderella story and most fairy tales with which we are familiar?