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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What kind of food did the author's pet ducks take to in the winter, according to her narrative in "A Mother's Work"?

2. What does the author say "A gift creates" in "The Gift of Strawberries" (38)?

3. For how long does the author say the commodity economy has been here on Turtle Island in "The Gift of Strawberries"?

4. What does "Sha-note" mean in the author's people's language (21)?

5. Who was Hazel's husband?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does witch hazel symbolize in the narrative?

2. What are some of the significant aspects of the Potawatomi language that the author points out in “Learning the Grammar of Animacy”?

3. What is one of the significant morals of the Skywoman story?

4. How does the author describe sweetgrass in relation to gifts?

5. What do wild strawberries symbolize for the author?

6. What gift did the author bestow on Hazel in "Witch Hazel"?

7. How does the author discern between a gift and a commodity?

8. How did the author go about making maple syrup with her daughters?

9. Who is described collecting pecans in “The Council of Pecans”? What is the importance of this story?

10. What is the narrative dedicated to in "A Mother's Work"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the author's depiction of Lionel. Why did the author have preconceived prejudice against Lionel before meeting him? How did her feelings about Lionel change? Why did they change?

Essay Topic 2

How is motherhood treated as a theme in Braiding Sweetgrass? What symbols and metaphors relate or connect to this theme? How has motherhood influenced the author in her examination of nature and her traditional heritage?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the tenets of the Honorable Harvest. How were these principles misinterpreted by white settlers in the New World? What is the scientific basis of the Honorable Harvest? How can we apply these tenets to our lives in contemporary society?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 925 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample