Where the Corn Grows Ripe by Dorothy Rhoads

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Questions, Answers and Vocabulary

Forward
1. What does the Maya Indian folktale state that man was created out of? (pg 9-10)
2. Is that tale true? Why or why not? (Bible Genesis 1)
3. What do Mayas call their cornfield? (pg 10)
4. What was a religious rite? (pg 10)
5. What is a bush? (pg 11)
6. Why were priests created? (pg 11-12)
7. What significant advancements in math and science did the Maya discover? (pg 21)
Chapter 1: The Family
8. What did great-grandmother constantly scold Tigre about? (pg 17)
9. What does Tigre mean? (pg 17)
10. Describe Tigres home. (pg 16)
11. Where did Dionisio come from? (pg 17)
12. Who is Concha? (pg 17)
13. How old was Tigre? (pg 19)
14. Why was Tigres mother and father lienient with the chores? (pg 20)
15. Describe calabaza. (pg 20)
16. Describe masa. (pg 20)
Chapter 2: The Milpa
17. Where were Tigre, Father, and Dog traveling? (pg 21)
18. Why was the cycle of clearing land and growing milpa so important? (pg 21-22)
19. Why did Father tell Tigre that his land contained rich earth? (pg 22-23)
20. What fascinated Tigre? (pg 23)
21. Why do you think they fascinated Tigre? (pg 23)
22. What did Tigre see as he dug in the dirt? (Pg 23)
23. What did it mean? (pg23)
24. What is curva? (pg 23)
25. What did Tigre wish for as he spied a grey hornets nest and used his sling shot to hit it? (pg 24)
26. Why did clearing new land bring less work than using old fields? (pg 26)
27. At the end of the day, how much had Tigre and his Father cleared? (pg 26)
Chapter 3: Trouble
28. What was outside of the door to Tigres house that let him know the family had visitors? (pg 28)
29. What was the trouble in this chapter? (pg 29)
30. What was Tigre now to do? (pg 30)
31. What did Tigre take with him and for whom?
Chapter 4: The Journey
32. What was at the entrance of Tigres village to protect it? (pg 33)
33. Describe the shadows and trees as Tigre imagined them to be. (pg 34)
34. Once Tigre reached the medicine mans home, what did the medicine man take with him? (pg
35)
35. What happened when Tigre and the medicine man made it home? (pg 36)
36. What did the medicine man do to determine that Father had offended the corn gods? (pg 37)
37. Who will make the milpa? (pg 37)
Chapter 5: Bushing Milpa
38. How did Tigre keep up with his school work? (pg 38-39)
39. Why was it such a big deal for Tigre to keep up with his studies? (pg 38)
40. After a while, what did Tigre come to enjoy and take pride in? (pg 39)
41. What changed the size of the cornfield? (pg 39-40)
42. After the last tree was cut, what were the words he shared at home? (pg 41)

Where the Corn Grows Ripe by Dorothy Rhoads

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Questions, Answers and Vocabulary

Chapter 6: Study
43. Was Tigre able to keep up with his schoolwork? (pg 43)
44. Describe the process of the fallen trees and preparation of the milpa? (pg 42)
45. What did Don Alfonso tell Tigre the reason for the fire on the milpa not burning the live, still
standing, trees? (pg 43)
46. Great-Grandmother gave a reason for everything with gods. Who did Don Alfonso give credit for
saving the living trees? (pg 44)
47. Don Alfonso thought of why Tigre was told all of this information from his Great-Grandmother.
What did he come to think? (pg 44)
48. What was the cause of all of the excitement in this chapter? (pg 44-46)
Chapter 7: Burning Milpa
49. Why did Father and Mother wait before the bush burning? (pg 48-49)
50. Explain the details of the bush burning. (pg 49-50)
51. Describe Tigres appearance when he returned home from burning? (pg 52)
52. How did his Father greet Tigre? (pg 52)
Chapter 8: Anticipation
53. What happened the next day? (pg 53)
54. The men who had not yet burned their fields, looked at Tigre with envy and admiration. What
does this mean? (pg 54)
55. What are Chacs? (pg 54)
56. What two things did Tigre begin but not finish? (pg 55-57)
Chapter 9: The Fiesta
57. What did the cutting of bush do for Tigres character? (pg 58)
58. Describe the events on May 4. (pg 59)
59. Describe Tigres rope compared to the others. (pg 60)
Chapter 10: Planting
60. What day did it rain? (pg 64)
61. How did Tigre plant? (pg 65)
Chapter 11: The Hetz Mek
62. What is the Hetz Mek? (pg 66)
63. What did Tigre receive, why and from whom? (pg 70)
Chapter 12: Drought
64. What is a drought? (pg )
65. Explain the desire of Tigres family.
Chapter 13: Chac Chac
66. Describe the Rain Makers ceremony? (pg 76)
67. What was dionisio chosen to do? (pg 78)
Chapter 14: The Rains Come
68. Who first saw the rain cloud? (pg 80)
69. Describe the village reaction to the rain. (pg 81)
Chapter 15: Harvest
70. Describe the harvest. (pg 83)
71. Who would receive the first ear? (pg 84)
Writing Exercises:

Where the Corn Grows Ripe by Dorothy Rhoads

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Questions, Answers and Vocabulary

Describe how Tigre grew because of the accident. (Describe briefly the accident, what was expected of
Tigre, how his work ethic and character changed.)

Where the Corn Grows Ripe by Dorothy Rhoads

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KEY - Questions, Answers and Vocabulary

Forward
1. What does the Maya Indian folktale state that man was created out of? (pg 9-10)
corn
2. Is that tale true? Why or why not? (Bible Genesis 1)
No. God created all things.
3. What do Mayas call their cornfield? (pg 10)
milpas
4. What was a religious rite? (pg 10)
Making milpa or preparing the land for crops
5. What is a bush? (pg 11)
Fallen trees cut down and then burned to prepare the corn field
6. Why were priests created? (pg 11-12)
To learn the will of gods who gave men weather
7. What significant advancements in math and science did the Maya discover? (pg 21)
The weather studiers began to study stars as lookouts and became astronomers and they
studied. Temples were built to honor gods and continued to study and developed a calendar and
became great mathematicians and had fixed point of zero in reckoning time forecast eclipses and
weather changes.

Chapter 1: The Family

8. What did great-grandmother constantly scold Tigre about? (pg 17)
He only thinks of amusing himself. (Selfish)
9. What does Tigre mean? (pg 17)
It was his pet name (Tigre or Jaguar). He was spirited, mischievous, and curious.
10. Describe Tigres home. (pg 16)
One room with walls made from young trees, the floor of earth or dirt, and roof of thatched
leaves of the guano (palm).
11. Where did Dionisio come from? (pg 17)
It was Tigres baptized name, because he was born on the saints birthday.
12. Who is Concha? (pg 17)
Tigres sister
13. How old was Tigre? (pg 19)
12
14. Why was Tigres mother and father lienient with the chores? (pg 20)
Tigres three older brothers died within one week from fever.
15. Describe calabaza. (pg 20)
Gourd bottle filled with water.
16. Describe masa. (pg 20)
Dough made from boiled ground corn and water, wrapped in a banana leaf for travel.
Chapter 2: The Milpa
17. Where were Tigre, Father, and Dog traveling? (pg 21)
They were going deep into the jungle to hunt.
18. Why was the cycle of clearing land and growing milpa so important? (pg 21-22)
The Maya believed the land belonged to the gods. They would borrow it, not possess or destroy
it. Then, they would return it to grow to be suitable for their generations to come. The land would
grow back fast, due to the alternating sun and rains.
19. Why did Father tell Tigre that his land contained rich earth? (pg 22-23)
Where there are stones there is also humus.
20. What fascinated Tigre? (pg 23)
The old temples.
21. Why do you think they fascinated Tigre? (pg 23)

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KEY - Questions, Answers and Vocabulary

22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.

When Tigre asked his parents or great grandmother questions about them, he only received
vague answers. The buildings had been put up by the old people in the good times.
What did Tigre see as he dug in the dirt? (Pg 23)
He saw a jaguar
What did it mean? (pg23)
Omen the land belong to him.
What is curva? (pg 23)
A short knife with a curved blade
What did Tigre wish for as he spied a grey hornets nest and used his sling shot to hit it? (pg 24)
Owning a gun and going on communial hunts. (He was forbade until he turned 15)
Why did clearing new land bring less work than using old fields? (pg 26)
Weed spring thick in old land and would waste time cutting. Weeds also cause poor soil. Bush
keeps out weeds and enriches the soil. Land gets weary too and needs rest just as men do.
At the end of the day, how much had Tigre and his Father cleared? (pg 26)
At the end of the first day, Tigre and his Father had only cleared a small corner of the large field.

Chapter 3: Trouble
28. What was outside of the door to Tigres house that let him know the family had visitors? (pg 28)
Two guns were leaning against the outside of the house. Tigre did not recognize either.
29. What was the trouble in this chapter? (pg 29)
A downed tree fell across Fathers leg and broke it. The gods were somehow offended.
30. What was Tigre now to do? (pg 30)
Travel to the next village to get the chief who was a bonesetter and medicine man. He would
help his Father.
31. What did Tigre take with him and for whom?
He took wild honey and a hen for the medicine man.
Chapter 4: The Journey
32. What was at the entrance of Tigres village to protect it? (pg 33)
Two wooden crosses (images of Holy Cross, a very ancient Maya santo, and the patron of the
village)
33. Describe the shadows and trees as Tigre imagined them to be. (pg 34)
Branches were clutching fingers
Tree roots were demons to trip him
Vines were snakes
34. Once Tigre reached the medicine mans home, what did the medicine man take with him? (pg
35)
Calabash, masa, medicines, remedies and a divination stone
35. What happened when Tigre and the medicine man made it home? (pg 36)
Great-Grandmother told Tigre to go to sleep and not worry.
36. What did the medicine man do to determine that Father had offended the corn gods? (pg 37)
He looked into his divination stone and made intricate counts with grains of corn to find out the
cause of the accident. He also told Father that recovery would happen when the corn is in tassel.
37. Who will make the milpa? (pg 37)
Tigre
Chapter 5: Bushing Milpa
38. How did Tigre keep up with his school work? (pg 38-39)
After his days work finished in the cornfield, he would travel home to eat dinner. Then return to
the school masters home for the lessons he had missed that day. During the trip to the cornfield
and during lunch break he would repeat the lessons or draw the symbols on rocks or dirt.
39. Why was it such a big deal for Tigre to keep up with his studies? (pg 38)
The government did not like illiterate children and would give heavy fines for such.
40. After a while, what did Tigre come to enjoy and take pride in? (pg 39)
Preparing the milpa. He Looked at his accomplishment as a way to be the sole provider for his
family.

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KEY - Questions, Answers and Vocabulary

41. What changed the size of the cornfield? (pg 39-40)

Chan Tata (John the Baptist) was born and was named Chan Tata (little father). Tigre extended
the cornfield and prepared more bush to have more corn to provide clothes for Chan Tata.
42. After the last tree was cut, what were the words he shared at home? (pg 41)
Tzoki it is finished
Chapter 6: Study
43. Was Tigre able to keep up with his schoolwork? (pg 43)
Yes, he actually was ahead and enjoyed time with Don alfonso
44. Describe the process of the fallen trees and preparation of the milpa? (pg 42)
The fallen trees dry out from the heat of the sun. Green turns to brown and then grey. The sun
was preparing the milpa for fire.
45. What did Don Alfonso tell Tigre the reason for the fire on the milpa not burning the live, still
standing, trees? (pg 43)
The sap keeps the fire from burning. The fallen trees sap have dried with the suns heat.
46. Great-Grandmother gave a reason for everything with gods. Who did Don Alfonso give credit for
saving the living trees? (pg 44)
He said the good God in His wisdom protects the trees by giving them life-saving sap.
47. Don Alfonso thought of why Tigre was told all of this information from his Great-Grandmother.
What did he come to think? (pg 44)
He believed the boys ancestors were among the great Maya princes and scholars who posses
the highly prized learning and passed it down. But the Spaniards destroyed the wisdom by
burning all of the books of knowledge. But Tigre seemed to still possess that deep desire for
learning.
48. What was the cause of all of the excitement in this chapter? (pg 44-46)
A chicken had been found dead. Great-grandmother believed to be the cause of a vampire bat.
The door to the coop was found open. The next night another chicken was found dead. The
night after, two were dead. Tigre checked the coop each day for holes or cracks he found none.
On the third morning, he went to the coop and found a vampire bat up in a corner of the coop.
The bad was on the inside all along.
Chapter 7: Burning Milpa
49. Why did Father and Mother wait before the bush burning? (pg 48-49)
They were waiting for Tigres Uncle Pedro to help with the bush burning. But he didnt arrive.
50. Explain the details of the bush burning. (pg 49-50)
Tigre prepared by cutting the burning stick from the catzim tree and fraying one end. He
scattered offering of pozole and whistled for the wind gods to help carry the fire from pile to pile of
bush.
51. Describe Tigres appearance when he returned home from burning? (pg 52)
His skin and hair were singed. His clothes were dirty and torn.
52. How did his Father greet Tigre? (pg 52)
He just asked if it was a good burn. Tigre replied Ai, a good burn. Father just nodded with
understanding.
Chapter 8: Anticipation
53. What happened the next day? (pg 53)
It rained (manhache)
54. The men who had not yet burned their fields, looked at Tigre with envy and admiration. What
does this mean? (pg 54)
They were envious (jealous) for they had not yet burned, but had an admiration for him because
he was doing a mans work but only a boy.
55. What are Chacs? (pg 54)
Rain gods
56. What two things did Tigre begin but not finish? (pg 55-57)
Bullfight rope
Elaborate kite

Where the Corn Grows Ripe by Dorothy Rhoads

KEY - Questions, Answers and Vocabulary

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Where the Corn Grows Ripe by Dorothy Rhoads

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KEY - Questions, Answers and Vocabulary

Chapter 9: The Fiesta

57. What did the cutting of bush do for Tigres character? (pg 58)
Doing hard things had exercised and strengthened his will.
58. Describe the events on May 4. (pg 59)
59. Describe Tigres rope compared to the others. (pg 60)
Not the best, but not the worst either.
Chapter 10: Planting
60. What day did it rain? (pg 64)
One night
61. How did Tigre plant? (pg 65)
He dug a hole with the planting stick and dropped seeds then washed and repeated.
Chapter 11: The Hetz Mek
62. What is the Hetz Mek? (pg 66)
Ceremony when a boy at 4 months is given 9 gifts ato carry him through his life and carried
across the hip for the first time.
63. What did Tigre receive, why and from whom? (pg 70)
A gun for he who does a mans work, needs a mans weapon, from his Grandfather.
Chapter 12: Drought
64. What is a drought? (pg )
65. Explain the desire of Tigres family.
To receive forgivness from Chac Chac, the grain gods. They are angry at men and do not send
rain. Great sacrifices are made to receive forgiveness so they can receive rain.
Chapter 13: Chac Chac
66. Describe the Rain Makers ceremony? (pg 76)
67. What was dionisio chosen to do? (pg 78)
Be a frog in the Chac ceremony
Chapter 14: The Rains Come
68. Who first saw the rain cloud? (pg 80)
Tigre (coming from the east)
69. Describe the village reaction to the rain. (pg 81)
Chapter 15: Harvest
70. Describe the harvest. (pg 83)
The harvest was larger than Father had planned. Beans and Squash grew.
71. Who would receive the first ear? (pg 84)
Kunku Chac and to the Balams, then San Diego at the Temple.
Writing Exercises:
Describe how Tigre grew because of the accident. (Describe briefly the accident, what was expected of
Tigre, how his work ethic and character changed.)