BE a Language Artist 8th Grade

Bimester 2 Unit 3

Name Date

Listening
You are going to listen to a story about a student trying to figure out what to write about for an assignment. You
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will only hear the story twice. Before listening, read the questions below. Listen to the story and then circle the
correct answers.
Part I

An Origin Story

In Gabriel’s World Literature class, he and his classmates had just finished studying origin myths from around
the world. They had read about Australian Aboriginal notions of the Dreamtime. They had studied Boshongo
ideas about an earth born from the agony of Bumba, the First Ancestor. They had also examined Huron stories
of The Woman Who Fell From the Sky and generated life on earth, including the food we harvest and the forces
of good and evil. These stories were often stories of conflict, agony and fury. Just as often, the stories were about
commendable things like enlightenment, new life, making amends and self-sacrifice. The complexity of all of the
ways that people have had of explaining where life comes from and why had had a big impression on Gabriel. He
had devoured the stories and the ideas in these stories, impressed by the ways the world of these origin myths
was so different from and similar to his own.

For the unit’s final project, Gabriel had to write an origin story of his own. He wondered what he would write
about. In his story, would life come from a dreadful event? Would his story focus on unrequited love? Would he
try to explain the rhythms of nature or concentrate on nature’s capriciousness? Would he focus on the origins of
knowledge? How would he explain evil and good? Would he have ferocious monsters with terrifying claws and
jaws? Would the first people be haughty heroines and heroes or would they be humble peacemakers? Would he
endow his human and animal characters with special powers?

Gabriel had so many ideas swirling around in his head that he decided to write them all down and work on his
project more tomorrow. He still had a week and a half to write his story. Hopefully, he would be able to create an
origin story worthy of all of the wonderful stories he’d studied so far…

1
 1 What has Gabriel been studying in his literature class?



2 The passage mentions that Gabriel’s class has studied myths about
a) how the Greek gods defeated the Titans
b) how good and evil came from a woman who fell from the sky
c) how trees began to change color
d) how the jungle came to be filled with animals and plants
Part I

3 Gabriel
a) enjoyed the unit on origin myths
b) disliked the unit on origin myths
c) felt indifferent about the unit on origin myths
d) thought the unit on origin myths was a waste of time since we now have science

4 For the unit project, Gabriel and his classmates must

a) perform one of the origin myths on stage
b) go to a museum about origin myths
c) research more origin myths and write a paper
d) write their own origin myths

5 Gabriel does not consider one of the following topics when working on his final project
a) love
b) nature
c) ghosts
d) monsters

6 Gabriel decides
a) to finish his project that night because he feels so inspired
b) to finish his project that night because the project is due the next day
c) to call his friend for more ideas
d) to write down his ideas and continue working the next day

2
Multiple Choice
The following questions are based on the myths in your unit. Choose the correct answer A,
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B, C or D according to the texts.

7 In “The Origin of the Seasons,” some parts of the 13 In “Echo and Narcissus,” Echo is cursed
earth have seasons because a) because distracts Zeus’ wife Hera while Zeus
a) the gods enjoy different climates cheats with other women
b) the god of the underworld needs a yearly break b) because Aphrodite does not like the sound of her

Part II
from his wife voice
c) the goddess of agriculture/harvest spends part of c) because another nymph feels that Echo is
the year apart from her beloved daughter competing with her
d) humans need a rest from warm weather d) because she insults a god

8 In “The Origins of the Seasons,” Zeus allows 14 Narcissus falls in love with
Persephone to return to Demeter because a) Echo
a) Demeter’s grief stops the plants from growing b) a wood nymph
and humans have nothing to eat c) a reflection of himself
b) Persephone begs Zeus to rescue her d) a statue of a goddess
c) Demeter puts a baby into a fire to make him
immortal 15 In the race against Hippomenes,
d) Hades did not ask Zeus’ permission to steal a) Atalanta wins the race even though she is
Persephone distracted
b) Atalanta loses the race because she is distracted
9 In “Prometheus,” before humans had fire, they c) Atalanta wins the race because she stays focused
a) ate only seafood and lived underwater d) Atalanta loses the race because Hippomenes
b) ate only raw food and lived in caves runs faster than she
c) fought constantly over food
d) lived peacefully with other animals 16 Atalanta and Hippomenes
a) offend a goddess and are transformed into lions
10 In “Prometheus,” Zeus b) live together happily after their race
a) compliments Prometheus for giving humans fire c) marry but later fight and divorce
b) worked with Prometheus to bring fire to humans d) conquer Olympus
c) destroyed humans when he realized they had fire
d) punished Prometheus by torturing him 17 In “The Twelve Tasks of Heracles,” the source of
Heracles’ problems is
11 Orpheus was a) his strength
a) an extremely fast runner b) his conflict with his father
b) the musician of the underworld c) his wife
c) an exceptional musician d) the goddess Hera
d) a ruler
18 Who gives/assigns Heracles the 12 tasks?
12 Orpheus a) Hera
a) brought his mother back to earth from the b) King Eurystheus
underworld c) Cerberus
b) tried to save his sister from marrying Hades d) the queen of the Amazon warrior women
c) impressed Zeus with his beautiful music
d) went to the underworld to save Eurydice but lost
her again

3
 Reading Comprehension
Answer the following questions with complete sentences. Use proper grammar and
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spelling.

19 At the beginning of the story, what did the oracle tell Atalanta about what would happen if
she married? Did the oracle’s prediction come true? If so, explain how the prediction came
true. If not, explain why the prediction did not come true.

Part III








20 Why was Persephone forced to stay with Hades for seven months every year? What seasons
of the year does this period of time represent?







21 Why didn’t Zeus want humans to have fire? Base your answer on the myth of Prometheus.







22 Discuss two of Heracles tasks. What did he have to do? How did he achieve his goals?








4
Vocabulary
Match each vocabulary word with its definition or synonym.
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23 avoid a) live

24 toiled b) lack of food/when there is little or no food

Part IV
25 bothered c) the season when food is gathered

26 seek forgiveness d) when someone does not want to do something

27 wailing e) extreme pain

28 swiftness f) modesty

29 famine g) inform

30 oracle h) to chat or talk a lot

31 agony i) delay

32 astonishment j) worked hard

33 forbidden k) climbed up

34 put a spell l) crying and screaming/crying while screaming

35 dwell m) quickness

36 talkative n) messenger of the gods

37 enlighten o) surprise

38 harvest p) prohibited, not allowed

39 humility q) keep away from, evade, prevent

40 unwilling r) control someone’s actions, bewitch them

41 detain s) ask pardon

42 ascended t) annoyed, upset

5
 Essay
Answer the following essay question. Make sure you reflect on the stories as well as your
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personal project journals to support your essay. The essay rubric will be used to grade your
essay, carefully look over it before starting your essay.

43 Pick one of the myths you read for this unit. Discuss three ways that the world is currently
different from the world portrayed in the myth. Discuss one way that the current world is
similar to the world depicted/shown in the myth. In your opinion, what messages (discuss
Part V

at least two) does the myth you chose have for the current world?
































6
 Category 4 - Above Standards 3 - Meets Standards 2 - Approaching 1 - Below Standards
Standards

The position The position A position statement There is no position

statement provides statement provides a is present, but does statement.
a clear, strong clear statement of the not make the author's
Position Statement statement of the author's position on position clear.
author's position on the topic.
the topic.

All of the examples Most of the examples At least one of Examples are NOT
are specific, relevant are specific, relevant the examples is relevant AND/OR are
and explanations and explanations relevant and has not explained.
Evidence and
are given that show are given that show an explanation that
Examples
how each piece of how each piece of shows how that piece
evidence supports the evidence supports the of evidence supports
author's position. author's position. the author's position.

A variety of thoughtful Transitions show how Some transitions The transitions

transitions are used. ideas are connected, work well, but some between ideas
They clearly show how but there is little connections between are unclear OR
Transitions ideas are connected. variety. ideas are fuzzy. nonexistent.

No errors in grammar 1-2 errors in grammar 3-4 errors in grammar More than 4 errors
or spelling that or spelling that or spelling that in grammar or
distract the reader distract the reader distract the reader spelling that distract
Grammar & Spelling from the content. from the content. from the content. the reader from the
content.

No errors in 1-2 errors in 3-4 errors in More than 4 errors

capitalization or capitalization or capitalization and/ in capitalization and/
punctuation, so the punctuation, but the or punctuation that or punctuation that
Capitalization &
essay is exceptionally essay is still easy to catch the reader's catch the reader's
Punctuation
easy to read. read. attention and interrupt attention and interrupt
the flow. the flow.