Museum Indians

Which of the following selections best explains the mother’s reaction to the buffalo in the museum?

• She wishes she would not have seen the buffalo.

• It makes her angry at the hunters who caused so many to die off.

• She thinks it shouldn’t be in there, because it offers a very one-sided depiction.

• She relates strongly to the buffalo because of their similar circumstances.

Which passage from the text most strongly supports the answer to the previous question?

• “‘We honor you,’ she continues, ‘because you are a creature of great endurance and great generosity.’”

• “‘I am just like you,’ she whispers. ‘I don’t belong here either. We should be in the Dakotas, somewhere a little bit east of the Missouri River.’”

• “Mom doesn’t always have the heart to greet him.”

• “Few things can make my mother cry; the buffalo is one of them.”

Which inference about the author is best supported by the following passage (paragraph 6)?

I return the dark snake to its nest among my mother’s slips, arranging it so that its thin tail hides beneath the wide mouth sheared by scissors. My mother keeps her promise and lets my hair grow long, but I am only half of her; my thin brown braids will reach the middle of my back, and in maturity will look like tiny garden snakes.

• She is afraid of her mother’s braid, as if it were a snake.

• She deeply misses her father.

• She sees long braids of hair as symbols of strength.

• She sees the braid as a symbol for the tragedy of her mother’s lost hair.

Based on the passage below (paragraphs 11-12), the author’s mother is best described as _____________.

• wasteful with money

• bad-tempered

• clever

• determined

Which of the following selections most closely summarizes the mother’s reaction to the mummy exhibit (paragraphs 17-18)?

• The exhibit makes her think about her various problems with her teeth.

• She wants to learn as much as she can about Egyptian art and history.

• She is frequently sad but finds perspective in the mummy exhibit.

• She is not typically sad, but museum exhibits like this cause her sadness.

Which synonym best replaces the word solemn in the passage below (paragraph 21)?

“Was this her blue period?” I ask my mother. She hushes me unexpectedly, she will not play the game. I come to understand that this is a solemn call, and we stand before the glass case as we would before a grave.

• moody

• serious

• honest

• religious

The author and her mother are different from each other mainly because the author ___________.

prefers to be in Chicago over the country or rural areas

doesn’t understand why her mother gets sad at the museum

has never met any of her mother’s family

wants to visit the Dakotas

• doesn’t understand why her mother gets sad at the museum

• has never met any of her mother’s family

• prefers to be in Chicago over the country or rural areas

• wants to visit the Dakotas