Me?

#1

read the passage.

excerpt from cry, the beloved country by alan paton

and kumalo clapped his hands in astonishment, and said, au! au you speak zulu, so that the small boy laughed with still greater pleasure, and kumalo clapped his hands again, and made many exclamations. the door opened and his wife came in, and he said to the small boy, this is my wife, and he said to his wife in zulu, this is the son of the man. the small boy stood up and made a bow to kumalo’s wife, and she stood and looked at him with fear and sorrow. but he said to her, you have a nice house here, and he laughed. she said to her husband in zulu, i am overcome…

part a

which theme is revealed when kumalo teaches james jarvis’s grandson zulu?

forgiveness, unity, and hope are yet possible. (correct)

the loss of traditional values can be stopped and reversed.

every generation repeats the sins of the one before.

one person can eradicate racism and inequality.

part b

which statement best explains how the theme in part a develops in this excerpt?

the boy’s respectful treatment of kumalo and his wife highlights the great power of the individual to affect society-wide change.

it’s suggested that the friendship between kumalo and the boy is only possible because the boy is too young to know what kumalo’s son did to his father.

the ease with which the boy learns zulu, along with his enthusiasm for the language and his respect for his elders, indicates that restoring or resurrecting the traditional way of life is possible.

despite their differences in age and background, kumalo and the boy are shown finding common ground and enjoying one another’s company as they learn to speak the same language. (correct)

#2
read the passage.

excerpt from cry, the beloved country by alan paton

cry, the beloved country, for the unborn child that’s the inheritor of our fear. let him not love the earth too deeply. let him not laugh too gladly when the water runs through his fingers, nor stand too silence when the setting sun makes red the veld with fire. let him not be too moved when the birds of his land are singing. nor give too much of his heart to a mountain or a valley. for fear will rob him if he gives too much.

how does the language in this excerpt affect the reader’s understanding of the novel’s setting?

the description captures the great beauty of south africa, while also suggesting the suffering and desperation that characterizes the country at the time this novel is set. (correct)

the description captures the sense that south africa has turned a corner and is headed in a better direction, while also suggesting that some small problems still remain to be solved.

the description captures the unique love for their children that the south african people feel, while also suggesting that those children will not love their country as their parents do.

the description captures the essential happiness of most south african people, while also suggesting that some small portion of the population is gripped by fear.

#3
read the passage.

excerpt from cry, the beloved country by alan paton

in the deserted harbor, there is yet water that laps against the quays. in the dark and silent forest there is a leaf that falls. behind the polished paneling the white ant eats away the wood. nothing is ever quiet, except for fools.

which statement best explains the meaning the imagery in this excerpt conveys?

it conveys the idea that just because one cannot see decay or destruction occurring, that does not mean it isn’t happening. (correct)

it develops the theme that a city never stops growing or evolving; as long as people work together and stay strong, this too will pass.

it communicates the theme that injustice multiples and grows over time, no matter what individuals try to do to stop it.

it expresses the idea that while the problems facing south africa seem insurmountable, they are actually quite small and can be solved easily if people simply pay attention.

#4
how does the dawn that kumalo sees at the end of the novel affect the mood of the text?

it creates a deeply somber mood that reflects the sense of loss that kumalo feels over absalom's death.

it creates a cynical mood by contrasting the beauty of the landscape with the ugliness of south african society.

it ends the novel on a subdued yet optimistic or hopeful note. ( correct)

it ends the novel on a playful or lighthearted note.