Maya Angelou

What can you infer or guess from the fact that Maya Angelou worked in so many different fields?

• She had enough talent to succeed at lots of things

• She suffered many failures before becoming a successful writer

• She never really enjoyed her work

Why do Maya Angelou's books use dialect?

• To make them easier to read

• To make the characters sound like real people from the rural South

• To give the characters' dialogue a rhythmic quality

Which of these is an opinion about Maya Angelou?

• Some of her books combine autobiography with fiction

• "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" is among her best-known works

• She was the greatest African-American writer of her generation

Maya Angelou's works often deal with oppression. Which of these is an example of oppression?

• A woman doesn't get promoted because of her gender

• A student gets suspended for disrupting class

• A mother has to go to work to support her children

What can you infer from the fact that Maya Angelou moved around a lot as a child and was once even homeless?

• Her parents were abusive

• Her parents did not love her as much as they should have

• Her parents were not able to give her the care she needed

How is "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" different from a traditional autobiography?

• It combines fact with fiction

• It is written in the third person

• It's not related to the author's actual life

As a child, Maya Angelou did not speak for four years after being abused. What was the most likely reason?

• The abuse was deeply traumatic

• The abuse was deeply traumatic

• The abuse interfered with her schoolwork

In "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," what is one reason why Angelou feels trapped?

• She is average

• She is unpopular

• She is female

Maya Angelou spoke at President Clinton's inauguration. What is an inauguration?

• When a new President is sworn into office

• When a President throws a big party

• When a President is forced out of office

What can you infer from the fact that one of Angelou's books was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize?

• Her poetry was the most popular poetry of the 20th century

• Only educated people can appreciate her work

• Her work is popular with critics and scholars as well as with readers