Unit Test Review

Read the excerpts from The Land. "He ride good's he look, Mister Edward?" "He's a fine riding horse, all right," said my daddy, "but he needs training. I figure he gets that training, he could be the best around." "Yes, suh," said Willie Thomas, stroking the stallion's forehead. "He sure got a good look to him, I know that!" "Now, Willie," said my daddy, "I expect you to take mighty good care of this horse. I'm depending on Ghost Wind to win me more than a few races by the coming year, and I want him in the best condition possible." *** It wasn't until the next day I saw Mitchell again. "You get a whippin' for ridin' that stallion?" he asked as I made my way through the woods toward the creek. I shook my head. "No. Just can't ride Ghost Wind anymore." Mitchell glanced sideways at me, almost as if he felt bad about my predicament. "That bad as a whippin'?" "Worse." Based on their reactions in these excerpts, how are Paul's and his father's viewpoints similar?

Both Paul and his father value horses as an important part of their lives.

Read the excerpt from The Land. I looked down at Mitchell and stopped, knowing that despite our understanding, he was itching for a fight with me. Now, I don't know what possessed me in that moment to say the next thing I did. Maybe I was feeling guilty that because I was my daddy's son, I could ride Ghost Wind. Maybe it was that, but it wasn't out of fear I said what I said. I no longer was afraid of Mitchell. "You want to ride him?" I asked. Mitchell took a step backward. It was obvious he hadn't expected me to say that. "You know I can't ride him," he said. "Your white daddy'd kill me." "You want to ride him?" I asked again. Mitchell looked at the stallion, then at me. "So, what if I do?" "You figure you can ride Ghost Wind, then get on. Just bring him back to the stable when you're finished so I can rub him down." How do Paul's and Mitchell's reactions in this excerpt compare?

Both boys are surprised that Paul gives Ghost Wind to Mitchell.

Read the excerpt from The Land, Part 1. At first I just tried to stay out of Mitchell's way, but that didn't solve the problem. So I went to my sister, Cassie, about Mitchell. Now, my sister was a beautiful girl and I knew even Mitchell had eyes for her. But Cassie was not only beautiful, she was tough, smart, and just a bit cocky. She was six years older than I was and pretty much like a mother hen when it came to me; I knew she'd take my part. "Cassie, you know 'bout Mitchell?" I asked her. Which character is being directly characterized in this excerpt?

Cassie

Read the excerpt from The Land. I didn't figure that was what was best for us though, and neither did Robert. The next night after that trip, I spent the night in my daddy's house, as I sometimes did. While Robert and I were waiting for sleep, Robert said to me, "Our daddy talk to you about sending us off to school?" "Yeah," I replied, and we both were silent. "Well," said Robert as the moonlight slipped over us, "I don't want to go. I don't want to go off to any Savannah school without you." What does this dialogue reveal about Robert?

He feels close and connected to his brother Paul.

Read the excerpt from The Land. "As I recall," said my daddy, "it was Mitchell who near to crippled Ghost Wind." "That was a long time ago. Mitchell's learned a lot about horses since then." My daddy thought on that. "I suppose," he agreed. "How old is that boy now?" "He just turned sixteen first part of the year." "Sixteen and he can't ride, can he?" "That's because you don't let him." What does this dialogue reveal about Paul?

He is learning to stand up to his father.

Which excerpt from The Land contains descriptive narration?

I put him through paces, first a trot followed by a gallop before slowing him down and taking him back to the cool of a shade tree.

Read this excerpt from The Land. Eventually there came the time on a late summer afternoon just before my twelfth birthday when folks came to visit and it was my mama, not my daddy, who ordered me to the kitchen. Robert was now expected to stay at my daddy's table, and no amount of protest on his part changed that. My mama set a lone plate for me on the sideboard in the kitchen. That was truly the first time I felt unwanted in my daddy's family. My daddy hadn't even bothered to tell me himself not to sit at his table. He had left that to my mama, and I resented not only him for it, but her too. What is the best reason why this excerpt is important to the story?

It addresses the major theme dealing with inequality.

Read this student draft about The Land, Part 2In part 2 of The Land by Mildred D. Taylor, Paul covers for Mitchell by taking the blame for Mitchell's mistake. This brings the two together. Paul explains, "Mitchell nodded, and that was as close as Mitchell Thomas came to thanking me and as close as I came to accepting his thanks. But after that, things began to change between Mitchell and me." What is the best concluding sentence for this draft?

Mitchell's gratitude helps his and Paul's friendship grow.

Read the student draft about The Land, Part 4. In part 4 of The Land by Mildred D. Taylor, Paul, Mitchell, and Paul's father go to East Texas. Paul successfully rides a horse to win a wager for his father, but he is upset by how his father treats him. He voices his frustration when he says, "Well, you didn't tell that man from Alabama anything about you being my daddy, just that I was 'your boy'! Figure that says more than anything else!" What is the best concluding sentence for this draft?

Paul can no longer accept the hypocrisy of his father's actions.

Read the student draft about The Land, Part 3. In part 3 of The Land by Mildred D. Taylor, Paul learns that he will study carpentry in the fall, while Robert will attend a boys' school. Paul is concerned that these plans will threaten his closeness to his brother. He says, "We knew, too, our daddy figured sending us off to school was what was best; still I couldn't help but feel something was being wedged between Robert and me." What is the best concluding sentence for this draft?

Paul fears that his father's plans suggest a future without his brother.

Read the excerpts from The Land. "He ride good's he look, Mister Edward?" "He's a fine riding horse, all right," said my daddy, "but he needs training. I figure he gets that training, he could be the best around." "Yes, suh," said Willie Thomas, stroking the stallion's forehead. "He sure got a good look to him, I know that!" "Now, Willie," said my daddy, "I expect you to take mighty good care of this horse. I'm depending on Ghost Wind to win me more than a few races by the coming year, and I want him in the best condition possible." *** It wasn't until the next day I saw Mitchell again. "You get a whippin' for ridin' that stallion?" he asked as I made my way through the woods toward the creek. I shook my head. "No. Just can't ride Ghost Wind anymore." Mitchell glanced sideways at me, almost as if he felt bad about my predicament. "That bad as a whippin'?" "Worse." Based on their reactions in these excerpts, how does Paul's viewpoint of the horses differ from his father's viewpoint?

Paul feels an emotional connection to Ghost Wind, while his father mostly values Ghost Wind as a possession.

How is Paul and Mitchell's conflict with the injured stallion resolved in The Land, Part 2?

Paul takes the blame, and he is prohibited from riding the horse again.

Read the excerpt from The Land, Part 4. You could get thrown, you could get run over; in either case possibly get yourself seriously hurt. No, I'm not about to let you ride any horses except the ones we brought here." "Well, I still say I've got a right to decide what I ride and for who. I'm not your slave anymore." I remember my daddy got real quiet. If I just hadn't added that last bit, maybe he would have taken the time to talk more to me. Now his mind closed. "Makes no difference about that. I'm still your daddy, and you're still a boy with a boy's judgment. I say no about a thing, then it's finished." Based on this excerpt, which is a reasonable prediction?

Paul will ride Sutcliffe's horses in the future.

Read the excerpt from The Land. Now, my sister was a beautiful girl and I knew even Mitchell had eyes for her. But Cassie was not only beautiful, she was tough, smart, and just a bit cocky. She was six years older than I was and pretty much like a mother hen when it came to me; I knew she'd take my part. "Cassie, you know 'bout Mitchell?" I asked her. "Course I know about Mitchell," she answered. "Why're you letting him beat up on you?" "I'm not letting him!" I exclaimed in outrage. "You thinking I'm liking him beating up on me?" "Well, if you're not, you'd better make him stop." "Well, I'm trying." "Well, you'd better try harder." Based on Paul's description of Cassie, what is the most likely reason she tells him to handle Mitchell himself?

She wants him to grow to be smart and tough like she is.

Read this excerpt from The Land. Robert's grandma on his mama's side always hated the fact that my daddy allowed Cassie and me to sit at his table and enjoy the life she felt was owed only to her daughter's children. When the daughter died, her mother was there in my daddy's house. Of course, I was only a baby at the time, but later I grew to know her hatred. She had stayed on in my daddy's house and took over running it. I remember she was always hard on my mama, and on Cassie and me. When my daddy was away during mealtime, she would send Cassie and me from the table. When that happened, Robert always went with me, and she couldn't make him come back. Worse than that, she would sometimes say cruel things to us. "They're like mites," she said once. "You get them in your bed, and you don't ever get rid of them." What is the best way to summarize how the author uses theme in the excerpt?

The author develops the existing major theme through grandma's actions.

Read this excerpt from The Land. When I was a little boy, being sent off to the kitchen to eat or outside to play didn't bother me, because Robert was always sent off with me. But then as we grew older, Robert was allowed to stay when the visitors came for their socializing, though at first he wouldn't stay without me. Even his grandmother couldn't make him stay. Robert's grandma on his mama's side always hated the fact that my daddy allowed Cassie and me to sit at his table and enjoy the life she felt was owed only to her daughter's children. When the daughter died, her mother was there in my daddy's house. Of course, I was only a baby at the time, but later I grew to know her hatred. She had stayed on in my daddy's house and took over running it. I remember she was always hard on my mama, and on Cassie and me. When my daddy was away during mealtime, she would send Cassie and me from the table. When that happened, Robert always went with me, and she couldn't make him come back. The minor theme in this excerpt is that racism is

avoidable.

Read the excerpt from The Land, Part 2. "Whoa there, Wind," I said softly as I tried to get near the stallion. "It's me, boy. It's Paul." I extended my hand slowly. "Let me take a look at you now. It's all right. It's all right." The stallion pulled back at first. I kept talking, and he finally allowed me to touch him. He whinnied just a bit, and I patted him gingerly, trying to make him know me; then, when he was still, I took a closer look at his leg. Based on this excerpt, which word best describes Paul?

gentle

Read the excerpt from The Land. "Cassie, you know 'bout Mitchell?" I asked her. "Course I know about Mitchell," she answered. "Why're you letting him beat up on you?" "I'm not letting him!" I exclaimed in outrage. "You thinking I'm liking him beating up on me?" "Well, if you're not, you'd better make him stop." "Well, I'm trying." "Well, you'd better try harder." "I've tried fighting back, but he's too strong. Thing is, I don't know how to stop him." This excerpt demonstrates a character vs. self conflict because Paul describes

his personal struggle with how to handle Mitchell.

Read the excerpt from The Land. George lost patience and grasped the handle of Mitchell's axe. "Boy, you better answer!" he demanded, but Mitchell in a dangerous move yanked on the axe. George too yanked on the axe in an attempt to twist it from Mitchell's grasp, but then Hammond intervened, stepping between George and Mitchell. George's hand slipped from the axe, but he still tried to get at Mitchell. What kind of conflict is shown in this excerpt?

physical - character versus character

What is a character's motivation?

the reasons a character acts in a certain way

Read the excerpt from The Land. I loved my daddy. I loved my brothers too. But in the end it was Mitchell Thomas and I who were most like brothers, with a bond that couldn't be broken. The two of us came into Mississippi together by way of East Texas, and that was when we were still boys, long after we had come to our understanding of each other. Seeing that we were a long way from our Georgia home and both of us being strangers here in Mississippi, the two of us depended on each other and became as family. What is the purpose of this narration?

to provide backstory about an important relationship

Read the excerpt from The Land. "Whoa there, Wind," I said softly as I tried to get near the stallion. "It's me, boy. It's Paul." I extended my hand slowly. "Let me take a look at you now. It's all right. It's all right." The stallion pulled back at first. I kept talking, and he finally allowed me to touch him. He whinnied just a bit, and I patted him gingerly, trying to make him know me; then, when he was still, I took a closer look at his leg. There was a bad tear along his right foreleg, and there were scratches from the branches that had ripped along his sleek white coat. The scratches I knew would heal, but I wasn't sure about the leg. The way Ghost Wind had pulled back, I feared a ligament might be torn or even his leg fractured. "He all right?" asked Mitchell, on his feet now. Without looking at him, I shook my head. "Don't know. We got to get him back to the barn." "Your daddy's gonna kill me," he said solemnly, yet with no fear in his voice, just a voice of matter of fact. From their reactions, what are both Paul and Mitchell most concerned with right after the accident?

whether Ghost Wind is injured