Native American Short Stories Study Guide – P3 & P6

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### Part I: Matching

Characters:

* The Earth on Turtle’s Back: The Muskrat, The Woman, The Husband (The Chief), The Turtle, The Swans

* A Red Girl’s Reasoning: Christie, Joe, Charlie, Mrs. Stuart, Captain Logan

* Train Time: Major Miles, Eneas, Eneas’s grandfather, Eneas’s grandmother

* The Soft-Hearted Sioux: the narrator, father, medicine man, pale face, mother, grandma

* The Man to Send Rain Clouds: Father Paul, Leon, Ken, Teofilo, Louise, Theresa

* Crow’s Son: Thomas, Cook, Sergeant

* Borders: Narrator, Mother, Laetitia, the border guards, Mel

Descriptions (Matching Clues):

This character is the only successful one to reach the bottom of the ocean → *The Muskrat**

This character has “Great” in front of their name → *The Chief (Husband)**

This character had a dream about the Great Tree being uprooted → *The Woman**

This character ran away from her husband for months after an argument → *Christie**

This character is not Native American but heavily studied their culture → *Charlie**

This character calls his sister-in-law a “good little girl” → *Joe**

When this character tries to find their spouse, their companion is a dog → *Captain Logan**

This character defends her culture to her husband → *Christie**

This woman initially asks Christie about her Native heritage → *Mrs. Stuart**

This character has a “savior complex” → *Major Miles**

This character has rheumatism and cannot provide for himself → *Eneas's grandfather**

This character wants the narrator to become a warrior → *Narrator's father**

This character died after trying to get his cow back from the narrator → *Pale face (white man)**

This character has to provide for his family → *Narrator (Soft-Hearted Sioux)**

These two characters found Teofilo's body → *Leon and Ken**

This character ignored his religion to give holy water → *Father Paul**

This character is Leon's wife → *Louise**

This character gets Leon to ask Father Paul for holy water → *Theresa**

This character was upset that they did not know Teofilo didn't have Last Rites or a funeral Mass → *Father Paul**

This character moves to Salt Lake City at the beginning of the story → *Laetitia**

These characters insist on being American or Canadian → *Border guards**

This character is persistent in identifying with her culture → *Mother (Borders)**

This character and her boyfriend broke up and he took the brochures → *Laetitia**

This character works at the duty-free shop and helps the mother and son → *Mel**

This character had a deep connection to his late grandfather → *Thomas (Crow's Son)**

This character was devoted to the Navy → *Thomas**

This character is extremely aggressive and directs racist ideas → *Sergeant**

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### Part II: Multiple Choice

1. Why is Father Paul so apprehensive about giving Teofilo holy water?

* A) Teofilo was a murderer and is not worthy of it

* B) Giving him water went against Catholic ideals ✅

* C) Teofilo wished for no holy water before his passing

* D) It was Father Paul’s last vial of holy water

2. Where was Teofilo found?

* A) In his house

* B) At the circle square

* C) Under a cottonwood tree ✅

* D) Under the bridge

3. Which character kills a white person after stealing his cow?

* A) Medicine man

* B) Narrator ✅

* C) Narrator’s father

* D) Narrator’s grandmother

4. Why did Eneas not want to be sent away?

* A) He does not like school

* B) He does not want to leave his grandparents ✅

* C) He is scared of Major Miles

* D) He does not get along with others

5. What did Major Miles do for Eneas?

* A) Buy him groceries

* B) Send him to the school against his wishes ✅

* C) Help him cut wood

* D) All of the above

6. The narrator was married (The Soft-Hearted Sioux).

* A) True

* B) False ✅

7. Why did Major Miles yell "Want to get killed?" at the older boy?

* A) He was fighting Eneas

* B) He was standing in the middle of the train tracks ✅

* C) He slipped and fell on the tracks

8. Which character is Catholic?

* A) Ken

* B) Louise

* C) Theresa

* D) Paul ✅

9. Why are the characters in ‘Borders’ going to America?

* A) For a funeral

* B) To visit Laetitia, the daughter ✅

* C) To pursue education

* D) For a family vacation

10. How does Charlie react to Christie’s parents' non-Catholic marriage?

* A) He says it's okay and accepts her culture

* B) He insists that they get remarried “properly” ✅

* C) He rages and insults her and her culture

* D) He suggests they get married the way her parents did

11. Why does Christie leave?

* A) She’s homesick

* B) She feels disrespected by Charlie ✅

* C) She runs away with Joe

* D) Charlie cheated on her

12. Which characters brought the woman down from the sky?

* A) The two swans ✅

* B) The turtle

* C) The chief

* D) The birds

13. What did Charlie do the morning after his fight with Christine?

* A) He went to smoke with Joe

* B) He goes to apologize to her

* C) He goes on a long walk ✅

* D) He stays in bed with his thoughts

14. What animal did the man steal to feed his dad?

* A) Chicken

* B) Dog

* C) Cow ✅

* D) Ox

15. Who was dead before the story even begins?

* A) Father Paul

* B) Theresa

* C) Grandfather

* D) Teofilo ✅

16. What did the Chief do after his wife told him her dream about the tree?

* A) Told her it was only a dream

* B) Told her she was delusional

* C) Burned down the tree

* D) Had the tree uprooted ✅

17. What characteristic does the son in ‘Borders’ admire about his mother?

* A) Compassion

* B) Pride ✅

* C) Responsibility

* D) Honesty

18. How many nights do the mother and son stay between the border?

* A) 4 nights

* B) 2 nights

* C) 3 nights ✅

* D) 1 night

19. What Native tribe was the mother from?

* A) Navajo

* B) Blackfoot ✅

* C) Sioux

* D) Cherokee

20. What city did Laetitia move to?

* A) Atlanta

* B) Bowie

* C) Salt Lake City ✅

* D) Seattle

21. How many children did Major Miles gather at the train station?

* A) 30

* B) 15

* C) 25 ✅

* D) 17

22. At what age did Thomas join the Navy?

* A) 21

* B) 19

* C) 16

* D) 18 ✅

23. Young Thomas is assisted by this character before he gets sent off to prison:

* A) Sergeant James

* B) Officer Cook ✅

* C) His wife

* D) His stepfather

24. Who says "Now let me hear you say real loud, 'I'm the camp idiot, sir!'"

* A) Thomas

* B) Sergeant ✅

* C) Cook

* D) John

25. Who does Major Miles compare his job to when gathering the children?

* A) An animal trainer

* B) A conductor

* C) A parent

* D) A zookeeper ✅

26. Who mocks the narrator's religion?

* A) Narrator's father

* B) Narrator's mother

* C) Pale face ✅

* D) Medicine man

27. What races does the Sergeant refer to Thomas as being?

* A) Asian

* B) Mexican

* C) Black

* D) Both B & C ✅

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