Grade 8 Revision Sheet.

The setting sun and the rolling world

The Setting Sun and the Rolling World is a short story that takes place in Zimbabwe, a
country in Africa around the year 1967. The story begins in a field with one of the main
characters, a farmer named Old Musoni thinking, and noticing an airplane in the sky.
His thoughts are interrupted when his 20 year old son Nhamo approaches. Throughout
the story father and son share their opinions with one another through dialogue
(talking). Nhamo lets his father knows that his mind is made up about his decision to
leave the family farm in Zimbabwe, he tells his father that he has his education now,
and that while he is young he wants to go out into the world on his own. Old Musoni
lets his son know that he thinks this decision is a bad one, that he would like him to
stay on the farm, and that his decision will most likely lead to failure, injury, or
homelessness due to the fact that there are dangerous people out there who will take
advantage of Nhamo. These differences in opinion help build conflict into the plot of
the story.

Old Musoni reveals through his thoughts that he understands why his son Nhamo
wants to leave home, their farm is failing and most of the family is gone. Nhamo reveals
through his thoughts that he thinks his home is a place with no future, and that the old,
traditional and stuck way of thinking practiced by his father and other people in their
area is precisely what he wants to get away from the most. He thinks their beliefs in
magic, spirituality, and tribal stories are worthless and outdated. He believes that a
man makes his own luck, and way in the world, and that it is up to the individual to
decide what happens to their life not a charm, spell or prayer. The story ends with Old
Musoni giving his son his blessing and letting him know that Nhamo will always have a
home to return to Zimbabwe, and that everything he has will always be his son’s as
well. As Nhamo leaves for good we get the feeling that things will continue to get
worse for Old Musoni, as he ages his land will continue to be difficult to farm and bad
things will continue to happen to people like him who are unwilling to evolve and move
on from the old traditional ways.

The setting / in Zimbabwe

Main Characters / Old Musoni and Nhamo

What does young Nhamo plan to do?
leave home
become a farmer
fly an airplane

Why does Nhamo want to leave his family?

He believes he does too much work
He believes he doesn't receive enough food
He wants to start a new life
All of the above

What worries old Musoni the most?

his son will get hurt in the real world
his will die
his son has no desire to work

Why does Old Musoni want him to stay?

For his work, protection, and because he is afraid that they will lose their bond.
He doesn't want him to stay.
For his knowledge

How does the father support his family?

he is a farmer
he works in a factory
he is a teacher

12. Which is true of both Musoni and Nhamo in “The Setting Sun and the Rolling World”?
A. Each tells a string of lies.
B. Both freely speak their minds.
C. Each says only what the other wants to hear.
D. Neither says everything that he is thinking and feeling.

Nhamo wants to leave his family because he hates them. ( False)

The place , time and circumstances of a story describe the setting .( true )
 Hanging fire by /Audre lorde

Hanging fire is a lyric poem told by a 14 year old girl facing the anxieties and
insecurities that attend a young person’s coming of age

The girl is a teenager speaking to herself who knows really that she has become
fourteen , having no good skin color and a boy who doesn’t understand her thoughts
and feelings .Then she glances at her knees whose color is ashy . She also thinks
about her mother who neglects her by sitting all the time in her bedroom with the
door closed .

It is clear that this girl is in the dilemma of ……………

*Being alone

*The immaturity of her lover

*The neglect of her mother

The state of inferiority / being lower than others in rank

In the second stanza , she says that she is learning to dance to appear in the party
that will be held in her small room . She is afraid that she may die before that day and
people who may come to celebrate her party would be mourning her death. She feels
sad that she is alone

In the third stanza, she thinks about herself saying that no one looks at her . She says
that she doesn’t have a dress for the party. There is nobody around her to guide her.
Her mother is always in her room. She hopes she can excel in love.

As the girl is 14 years old , she is entering a new phase in her life but nobody tries to
understand her even her lover is still immature.

My skin has betrayed me. a good idiom . She worries about her looks and what may
others say or think of her.

The poet is sad as she narrates in every stanza that none is there to lead her to the
right path not even her mother

The major central themes in the poem / The adolescence , coming of age and the
death .
In each stanza, we see the words, “momma’s in the bedroom with the door
closed” What other theme is also repeated in each stanza?
celebration
wonderment
longevity
uneasiness

What creates suspense in stanza two ?

the truth will be revealed if the speaker dies
The speaker having to learn to dance
The speaker having to learn to dance
the speaker saying that nobody stops to think about his/her side of it.

A concern that the speaker in “Hanging Fire” repeats in each stanza relates to……
dying soon
needing help
feeling happy
wanting space

In “Hanging Fire” what is the effect of the speaker's repetition of the same phrase at
the end of each stanza?
It shows that the speaker is not dependent on his or her mother.
It suggests a good relationship with his or her mother.
It reveals the mother's need to better understand her child.
It emphasizes the speaker's need for the mother's guidance.

In lines 19–21 of “Hanging Fire,” when the speaker says “there is nothing I want to
do and too much that has to be done”, the poet is utilizing
a simile
an ironic contrast
a metaphor
personification

In “Hanging Fire,” what does the poet imply by repeating and momma’s in the
bedroom / with the door closed at the end of each stanza?
The speaker thinks her mother is lonely.
The speaker wants to open the door and surprise her mother.
The speaker feels isolated from her mother and is lonely .
The speaker is proud that she can take care of herself without her mother.

Why does the narrator begin to doubt his memories in “Translating Grandfather’s
House”?
because they are too good to be true
because he is too embarrassed of his past
because he doesn’t remember them clearly
because his teacher doesn’t think they are real

Translating grandfather’s house

Here we are talking about a teacher who asked his student to draw a picture of a
relative home. The student drew a picture his grandfather’s house which was
surrounded by lemon and mango trees. When he showed the picture to his teacher , he
was surprised by his teacher’s reaction. As the teacher didn’t believe him . He thought
that he took the drawing from a film he watched or from his life experiences. This
frustrated the boy and caused him to doubt his memory. Wasn’t it strong enough to
remember the house he saw when he was young? He told his teacher that his drawing
is real and he can ask his mom and make sure of his speech . He also remembered
Oscar Jartin who fell of the roof of his grandfather’s house. This story made him be sure
of his memories. Remembering that story means that he still remembers some details
about his grandfather’s house. At the end of the poem , the student decided to draw
another picture that reflects the current environment of New York city. The student
took A+ on the second drawing .

In “Translating Grandfather’s House,” what scene does the narrator draw in his first sketch?
a ranch with horses in their stables
an apartment building in New York City
an old stone house surrounded by trees and land
a classroom crowded with students, desks, and books

What is the subject of the speaker’s first drawing?

To draw a picture of a relative home .

What is the teacher’s reaction?

She didn’t believe that it was his drawing and she said to the student it may be taken
from a movie

The medicine bag

The Medicine Bag is a heartwarming story that explores the importance of cultural
heritage and the bond between generations. The story begins with Martin eagerly
anticipating the arrival of his grandfather, Joe Iron Shell. Martin greatly admires his
grandfather, who is a respected elder in the Lakota Sioux community and a link to their
rich heritage. At the beginning of the story , Martin used to tell his friends stories
about his grandfather . These stories appealed to him later . His grandfather
came a long way to give the medicine bag to Martin. He came walking with the
dogs around him .He showed Martin what to put in it and what to do once it’s in
his possession.

The medicine bag has the most significant rite of passage to me because passing
down tradition is very important in my opinion. In the story the grandfather came
to town to give his grandson the medicine bag. The medicine bag has special
items which protects its holder .He is giving the medicine bag to Martin because
it’s tradition to pass it down to the oldest male child. In the story Martin’s
grandfather said that once he knows it’s time that he is getting ready to die is
when he must pass along the medicine bag. When Martin had to learn what to put
in it, his grandfather told him that he needs to replace the sage that is in it now
and he needs to put iron in it. In the story Martin was talking to his grandfather
about why he is getting the medicine bag instead of his father and his grandfather
said “My son”,“ He went one after clearing his throat, ”had no sons, only one
daughter, your mother. So the medicine bag must be passed on to you.”
At the end of the story , Martin took the bag and accepted his family’s heritage.

In the "Medicine Bag," how does Grandpa arrive at the narrator's home?
He is driving an old, dusty-covered car
He is riding in the back of an old pickup truck
He is traveling to the narrator's home in a cop car
He is walking down the street with dogs following him
Why does Grandpa say he has arrived for a surprise visit with the family?
He wants to see where his only existing family lives, and he wants to give Martin the
medicine bag.
He feels that death is near , and he wants to be buried where his only existing family
lives.
He wants to teach his grandchildren lessons that will help them respect the old ways.
He wants to see his family in person to discuss the resentment he has felt.

Near the end of "The Medicine Bag," Grandpa gives Martin the medicine bag
and says, "You need not wear it." What do these words show most clearly
about Grandpa's thinking.
Grandpa knows that the medicine bag has power even if Martin does not wear it
Grandpa realizes that the medicine bag will be more meaningful at a later times
Grandpa feels sad that Martin does not want to wear the medicine bag
Grandpa understands that Martin is uncomfortable about his heritage

Which sentence shows the use of passive voice?

Becky gave her mother a gift
The book was read by the teacher
Robert set out on his voyage to Spain
It is important that we care for our next generation

At the beginning of the story what feelings does Martin have about grandpa?
he doesn't know how his friends will react to grandpa
he is hurtful to his friends
he doesn't tell his friends his grandfather belongs to the Lakota tribe

Part A: Before Grandpa comes to visit, how does the narrator feel about
talking to his friends about his Lakota grandfather?
He makes fun of how Grandpa dresses and where he lives
He becomes angry when the other children make fun of Grandpa's heritage
He likes the fact that his stories about Grandpa appeal to the other kids
He never reveals to his friends that Grandpa is a Lakota

Part B: Which quotation from Medicine Bag best supports the answer to Part
A?
He was my great-grandfather, and he didn't live in a tipi; he lived all by himself on the
Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota
Our friends, who had always lived in the city and only knew about Indians from
movies and TV, were impressed by our stories
He taught me Lakota chant to sing while I played the drum with a leather-covered
stick
We never showed our friends Grandpa's picture

What is the medicine bag a symbol for?

respect for grandpa and his Lakota heritage
wanting to please his friends
of the hard time that the Lakota people went through.

Fill in the spaces using the words in the table:

Obligations Horizon Beaming Psychological

Patronized Frail Straggled Awakenings
Wearily Fatigue Sheepishly

1- …………………means disrespected

2- ………………. means mental

3- ……………… means in an embarrassed way .

4- …………………means debts to someone due to past promises or favors

5- …………………means the act of getting up from sleep

6- …………means the distant line where the sky appears to meet the surface of the earth

7- …………………means weak

8- …………………means physical or mental exhaustion

9-…………………means in a tired way

10- …………………means smiling broadly

Fill in the spaces using the words in the table:

Obligations Horizon Beaming Psychological

Patronized Frail Straggled Awakenings
Wearily Fatigue Sheepishly

1- Patronized means disrespected

2- Psychological means mental

3- Sheepishly means in an embarrassed way .

4- Obligations means debts to someone due to past promises or favors

5- Awakenings means the act of getting up from sleep

6- Horizon means the distant line where the sky appears to meet the surface of the
earth

7- Frail means weak

8- Fatigue means physical or mental exhaustion

9- Wearily means in a tired way

10- Beaming means smiling broadly

A lyric poem creates a single vivid impression of an object , person or moment in time

A narrative poem tells a story and includes the main elements of a short story –
characters , setting , conflict and plot

What are the types of verb moods?

Indicative mood / states facts or opinions

Example : He is the best professor at university .

Imperative mood / gives a command or request

Example : don’t go out / stay at home .

Interrogative mood / asks a question

Example : where are your books?

*She runs quickly. What type is the verb mood?

A) Indicative B) interrogative C) imperative

*When is the party ? What type is the verb mood?

A) Indicative B) interrogative C) imperative

*Although, however, despite are used to show …………

A) Contrast B) time order C) effect

*Also, equally, likewise are used to show ………………

A) Compare B) time order C) effect

Change the sentence into passive

The pharos built the pyramids. The pyramids were built by the pharos.

Chinese invented paper. Paper was invented by Chinese.

They are playing videogames . Videogames are being played by them

*She wrote a letter. The word wrote is ……………..

a) an action verb b) a linking verb c) a helping verb

*He became a doctor . The word became is…………………

a) an action verb b) a linking verb c) a helping verb

*He bought an expensive car. The word expensive is …………………

a) a verb b) an adverb c)an adjective

*Bloodhounds have an excellent sense of smell. The compound noun is ……..

a) excellent b) sense c) bloodhounds

*Africa has 54 countries . Africa is a ……………

a) common noun b) proper noun c) countable noun

*The first woman from the US who went to space was Sally Ride. Sally Ride is …..

a) a common noun b) a proper noun c) an uncountable noun

*Indicate the collective noun in these words

a) crowd b) man c) singer

a) herd b) cows c) elephants

*Please put the flour and salt on the table. Flour is a/ an …………..

a) countable noun b) uncountable noun

*We went to the park. The pronoun in the sentence is ………………

a) went b) we c) park

Alex, did you do the dishes? The antecedent of the pronoun you is ………………

a) do b) dishes c) Alex