Travelin (9th)

In “Traveling,” what happens when the bus stops in Washington?

• A Jewish boy knocks down a black man.

• Passengers argue over seats near the front of the bus.

• Black people who are seated at the front move to the back of the bus.

• The narrator moves to the back of the bus to protest segregation.

Why does the bus driver in “Traveling” tell the narrator’s mother and sister to move?

• They are supposed to be sitting in the back part of the bus.

• They are sitting in the part of the bus reserved for black people.

• They are occupying a seat needed by a black woman carrying a baby.

• They are supposed to give up a seat to a white man who is standing.

What happens when the narrator in “Traveling” offers her seat to a young black woman who is holding a baby?

• The woman turns down the seat but lets the narrator hold her baby.

• The woman is too proud to accept the seat offered by the narrator.

• The woman accepts the seat, but a white man makes her get back up.

• The woman gladly accepts and sits in the seat with her baby.

Part A What is one of the most important messages of “Traveling”?

• Children are born innocent, and it is innocence that saves them.

• It takes courage to stand against prejudice, but it is the right thing to do.

• Even though we think there has been progress, society has failed to end segregation.

• No matter how close children and mothers are, there are stories that mothers never tell.

Part A In “Traveling,” the narrator and her mother both refuse to participate in prejudice against people of other races. How does the narrator’s daughter show that she also sees people of other races as equals?

• She has a child with an African American man.

• She attends school at South Medical College of Virginia.

• She refuses to move to the whites-only section of the bus.

• She tells the white man he should give his seat to the sleeping child.

What is the most important structure that the author of “Traveling” uses to organize her story?

• order of importance, beginning with the most important details

• comparison and contrast, demonstrating differences between events

• chronological, from events of long ago to events of later time periods

• spatial, from events occurring close by to those occurring much farther away

Which sentence from “Traveling” includes a clue that the time period has shifted?

• The driver sighed, said, You can’t sit here, ma’am. It’s for them, waving over his shoulder at the Negroes, among whom they were now sitting. Move, please.

• About fifteen years later, in 1943, in early summer, I rode the bus for about three days from New York to Miami Beach, where my husband in sweaty fatigues, along with hundreds of other boys, was trudging up and down the streets and beaches to prepare themselves for war.

• I looked around and noticed that I was in the last white row. The press of travelers had made it impossible for her to move farther back.

• A white man was standing right beside her, but on the other side of the invisible absolute racial border.

Part A The author’s point of view changes over the course of “Traveling.” What is the point of view at the end of the story?

• She writes from the point of view of a young woman on her own for the first time.

• She writes from the point of view of a child listening to a story told by family members.

• She writes from the point of view of an outsider hearing a story about a family’s history.

• She writes from the point of view of an elderly woman recalling stories and experiences.

Read this excerpt from “Traveling.” Which words are dialogue that is spoken by the characters? Choose two options.

Of course, she couldn’t accept my seat. Her sleeping child hung mercilessly from her neck. She shifted a little to balance the burden. She whispered to herself, Oh, I just don’t know. So I said, Well, at least give me the baby.

• Of course, she couldn’t accept my seat.

• Her sleeping child hung mercilessly from her neck.

• She whispered to herself

• Oh, I just don’t know.

• Well, at least give me the baby.

Part A Which words best describe the narrator of “Traveling”?

• cautious and hesitant

• brave and unwavering

• angry and hot-tempered

• humorous and quick thinking