PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Which one is a synonym for feisty in this sentence from Soto's essay?
In the evenings, we would drink Kool-Aid and throw a slipper at our feisty dog at least a hundred times before we went inside…
a. energetic
b. lazy
c. unfriendly
d. independent
Which of the following means the opposite of renegade?
a. humorous
b. loyal
c. serious
d. scarce
When the authors of “Talk” say the bather’s eyes were “bulging,” what do they
mean?
a. His eyes were swelling
b. His eyes were watering.
c. He was squinting.
d. His eyes were closed.
What kind of behavior might be expected from someone with a renegade attitude?
a. scrupulous
b. disloyal
c. excitable
d. solemn
Which of the following adjectives best describes a feisty dog?
a. sleepy
b. alert
c. energetic
d. hostile
Which of the following best defines refrain?
a. make decisions immediately
b. do something very quickly
c. a humorous phrase
d. hold back from doing something
After things begin talking, what event finally prompts the farmer in “Talk” to run away?
a. The stone says, “Hey, take that thing off me!”
b. The palm tree says, “Put that branch down!”
c. The dog says, “It wasn’t the cow who spoke to you.”
d. The palm branch says, “Man, put me down softly!”
Which of the following best defines the figure of speech called hyperbole?
a. overstatement for effect
b. understatement for effect
c. implied metaphor
d. multiple layers of symbolism
In “Talk,” what does each man think when he first hears the story that the farmer tells.
a. He thinks the farmer is lying.
b. He thinks it is a frightening event.
c. He thinks he better leave for the village.
d. He thinks that it is not important.
What happens after the chief sends the men away in “Talk”?
a. The men run off and begin sharing the stories with other people.
b. The chief worries that the normal order of nature is changing.
c. The stool tells the chief that the story is fantastic.
d. The villagers gather round and demand that the chief do something.
A central truth or message of “Talk” is that
a. People don’t worry much about other people’s problems.
b. No one likes to hear stories of talking animals.
c. Chiefs do not have all the answers.
d. People feel better when others share their anxiety.
