Desiree-s-baby (Text dependent) Text-Dependent Questions

Directions: For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences.

What is the author’s most likely purpose for introducing the story through Madame Valmonde’s point of view?

Which of the following statements best states what the estate, L’Abri, symbolizes?

It represents the antebellum South, valuing tradition and maintenance of the past.

It represents the power and wealth of the upper class.

It symbolizes a class hierarchy, particularly the white upper class, established through difference in race and wealth.

It symbolizes the heights of Southern society and foreshadows a fall from the upper class.

How does the narrator’s description of L’Abri, from Madame Valmonde’s point of view, develop the mood of the text?

The picture painted by Madame Valmonde contributes to the overall somber mood.

Madame Valmonde utilizes intimidating and gloomy imagery, heightening the tension in the story.

Madame Valmonde describes L’Abri as lacking a feminine care, contradicting the joyous mood of the newly made parents.

Madame Valmonde describes L’Abri as intimidating, glorifying the power of the South.

PART A: What does the word “imperious” mean as used in paragraph 17?

Commanding or dominant

Unreasonably demanding

Self-righteous

Intimidating

PART B: Which of the following phrases supports the answer to Part A?

“disfigured by frowns”

“he hasn't punished one of them--not one of them--since baby is born”

“Young Aubigny's rule was a strict one”

“the very spirit of Satan seemed suddenly to take hold of him”

How does Désirée come to the conclusion that her baby may be bi- or multi-racial?

She notices similarities between her baby and a child of mixed race who fans her baby.

Her mother reminds her that her parentage is questionable.

Her husband declares that Désirée is not white, implying that their baby is not either.

She concludes this when she discovers the letter in the back of her desk, from Armand’s mother.

Compare and contrast Désirée’s and Armand’s reaction to the baby’s racial status and the consequences of these reactions.

How does the revelation at the end of the story contribute to the story’s theme?

Passage: mrs. smith’s sixth-grade class filed onto the grassy field behind the middle school after lunch. as she exited the building, chelsea looked around for her closest friend, brittany. she spotted her by the swings, talking to their classmate brian. 2 “brian thinks he’s the fastest person in mrs. smith’s class,” brittany told her when she had joined them. it was obvious that brittany didn’t agree with brian. 3 “i guarantee i can beat anyone in this class to a race,” brian said, tugging on the scarlet baseball cap that he wore each and every day. “in fact, i bet i can run faster than the seventh, eighth, and even ninth graders, too! ” 4chelsea rolled her eyes, but wasn’t astonished by his declaration. brian was typically overconfident; he was always challenging other students and expecting to win. according to brian, he was so talented that he could hit more home runs than children on the baseball team and even could repeatedly make more baskets than the boys and girls on the basketball team. 5 “who dares to challenge me? ” brian shouted, directing his question to every student on the playground. the students looked around, but no one volunteered. 6 “i’ll race you,” chelsea said, breaking the awkward silence. she knew she wasn’t the fastest person on the playground, but if she possessed the determination necessary to win, perhaps she could complete the race first. 7 “first person around the field wins,” said brian, stretching his legs and jumping up and down to ready himself for the race. 8they approached the starting line, and brittany counted to three. 9 “see you at the finish line! ” brian exclaimed and left chelsea in the dust. 10brian soon disappeared around the first turn. chelsea took a deep breath and continued to run at a quick pace. the sun was warm and she soon grew tired, but she didn’t stop. ahead, brian approached the finish line and as he began to celebrate, she watched him trip over a small mound of dirt and fall to the ground. 11as chelsea reached the finish line, she noticed that brian was still seated on the ground, rubbing his injured knee. instead of running past him and winning the race, chelsea stooped down to him stand. he leaned on her shoulder, and they completed the race together. 12 “you could've won,” brian said as their friends came out to congratulate them. 13chelsea smiled. “friends are more important than winning,” she said. 14brian smiled at her. “my thoughts exactly,” he said question: which action in the story advance the plot the most? a) when chelsea accepts brian's challenge to race him b) when chelsea rolled her eyes at irritation at brian's pride c) when chelsea reached the finish line and brian finish the race d) when brittany told chelsea that brian thinks he's the fastest in the class