Assignment+Page

Monday, January 16th Read the Preface, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 due Wednesday Create your own page using only your first name. Type out the date that the assignment was given. Type out the questions and your answers on your page.

Questions: Preface 1. What were the Chinese crews working on? 2. Tell me about the Manchus group from China. 3. Who were the "Strangers" and what did they do? 4. Why were many people from China coming to the United States?

Chapter 1 1. Why was Otter able to leave school? What made him so special? 2. Why was Stumpy hit across the palm? 3. Why did Uncle Bucky treat Otter like a "pet?" 4. What was the "work" that mother was talking about? 5. Who was Uncle Foxfire and what was he famous for? 6. Why do you think the village is making a big deal about Otter's father and uncle coming back home?

Chapter 2 1. What happened to the Golden Cat? 2. Why does Otter want to go to the Golden Mountain? 3. Why didn't Otter give Stumpy's mother a bowl of rice? 4. What is the problem so far in this story?

Wednesday, January 20th Read chapter 3 for Friday, January 22nd

Chapter 3 1. Why was the family celebrating and having a banquet? 2. Who is the "Watch?" 3. Why did the group of beggars come in and interrupt the party? 4. What was the uncle's plan to keep the British and opium out of China? 5. Why was father called a clown and Uncle Foxfire called a prophet? 6. Why does Otter want to follow his father and uncle? 7. Why do you think the mother might listen to Uncle Foxfire more than Otter and his father? 8. What do you think is the main idea of this chapter?

Chapter 4 1. What was the main idea of this chapter? 2. What questions do you have from chapter 4?

Chapter 5 1. How does a goldfish turn into a dragon? 2. What happened to the drunken Manchus and Otter?

Monday, January 23rd Read chapters 6, 7 and 8 due Thursday (no school on Wednesday)

Chapter 6 1. What did it mean when mother told Otter that he was, "neither Stranger nor Young?" 2. Describe Otter's birth mom and dad? What were they like? How did they die? 3. Why is it not safe for Otter to remain at home? 4. What does it mean when it says, "Tiny never lived long enough to see ice?" 5. Why does mother want Otter to study father's letters as if his life depended on it? 6. Who do you think the woman is at the end of this chapter? Why is the wind howling, "Don't go, don't go?"

Chapter 7 1. Why did Otter and Brush get into a fight? 2. How did the westerners make the goldfields into wastelands? 3. Where were Shifty, Brush and Otter going? 4. How does Otter think he might find father and his uncle?

Chapter 8 1. Who are the demons that they are talking about in this chapter? 2. What was so useful about this snowplow? 3. How did Sean save Otter? 4. Describe the camp.

Thursday, January 26th Read chapters 9, 10 and 11 due Monday, January 30th

Chapter 9 1. Why did Shrimp speak to them in rhymes? 2. What did it mean when father said, "you hopped out of the soup pot and into the fire?" 3. Describe Otter in this chapter. How is he changing from the beginning of the book? 4. What do you predict will happen next?

Chapter 10 1. What did father mean when he said that, "Victory is 20 centimeters a shift?" 2. What is the point that they are talking about? Why does no one like working at the point? 3. On page 110, it says that uncle was arguing "vehemently," what does this mean? 4. Who is Strobridge and Kilroy? 5. So what half-truths is Uncle Foxfire talking about? 6. Why is Otter so upset at the end of this chapter?

Chapter 11 1. What happened to Shaky? 2. What is a "greenhorn?" 3. Why did father slap Otter's wrist? 4. Explain the ending of this chapter.

Monday, January 30th Read chapters 12, 13 and 14 due Wednesday, February 1st

Chapter 12 1. How can you not like each other but still be an efficient crew? 2. What were the holes for? 3. What was meant when they said, "Fire in the heading?" 4. What was meant when father said to Otter, "Don't be a martyr?" 5. Why did Kilroy call Uncle Foxfire, "John?"

Chapter 13 1. What did Uncle Foxfire mean when he said that Otter looked at the world as black and white but he looked at it in shades of gray? 2. Who is the Tiger? 3. Why is it so important that Otter get some sort of hobby? 4. What are the three rules the cabin chose to live by? 5. Why didn't Uncle Foxfire or father help Otter? 6. Who is Sean? Why did he say, " 'Tis he that's the lucky one?" 7. Explain the last paragraph of this chapter - what did it mean?

Chapter 14 1. What does it mean when Uncle Foxfire referred to all westerners as "equal?" 2. Why did Otter run his arm through the bucket of tea? 3. Why was Otter supposed to stay away from Sean? 4. Why is Otter determined to disobey his father?

Wednesday, February 1st Read chapters 15, 16 and 17 due Friday, February 3rd

Chapter 15 1. Who was Sean fighting and what was the fight about? 2. Why did Kilroy tell the guy that it was ok to fight his son? 3. On page 171 Otters states that he was, "preparing for a tirade," what did he mean? 4. Why did Otter's father say he was sorry to his son?

Chapter 16 1. Why did Otter want to talk to Bright Star about his plan to help Doggy? 2. Why did Bright Star decide that Otter should give Doggy the moon guitar?

Chapter 17 1. What was the irony of Doggy getting frostbite on his fingers? 2. Why did Otter stay to watch?

Friday, February 3rd Read chapters 18, 19 and 20 due Monday, February 6th

Chapter 18 1. What did Uncle Foxfire mean when he said, "We'll make a guest out of you yet?" 2. What do you think caused the explosion? 3. Why wasn't Uncle Foxfire worried about Otter's father?

Chapter 19 1. Why did Uncle Foxfire apologize to Otter? 2. What did father mean when he said, "Don't try to trick the trickster?" 3. Describe how Otter felt by the end of this chapter towards the tiger.

Chapter 20 1. Why do they describe their living/working situation as a battlefield? 2. Why did Otter insist that he and father had quit? 3. Why did Kilroy have to use the whip? What was this a symbol of? 4. Why did father talk Otter into standing up and giving in to Kilroy's demands? 5. Make a prediction as to what will happen next?

Monday, February 6th Read chapters 21, 22 and 23 due Wednesday, February 8th

Chapter 21 1. What does it mean when Uncle Foxfire said, "Anger is a luxury up here?" 2. Why did Uncle Foxfire let Otter say such awful things to him? 3. How can Uncle Foxfire make a promise that he's not sure he can keep?

Chapter 22 1. What did the Tiger symbolize to Otter? 2. Why does everyone cough? 3. Why was Uncle Foxfire willing to take orders from Keg Mouth? 4. Tell me about the ending of this chapter. Now what questions do you have?

Chapter 23 1. Otter once thought of Uncle Foxfire as a legend, what is a legend? 2. Why does Otter admire Uncle Foxfire? Give examples/evidence to support your answer. 3. What is the plan to get off the mountain and go home?

Wednesday, February 8th Read chapters 24, 25 and 26 due Friday, February 10th

Chapter 24 1. Why did Uncle Foxfire and Otter go off into the mountain? 2. Why do you think that Sean followed? 3. What happened to Sean by the end of the chapter? Where is he going?

Chapter 25 1. Otter now considers Uncle Foxfire to be a brave and modest man. Give examples/evidence of this. 2. How has Otters perception of home changed? 3. What does this mean, "The more I learn, the more I realize I need to know?" 4. Why didn't Otter blame Uncle Foxfire for his birth father's death anymore? 5. What is the plan? The new Great Work?

Chapter 26 1. On page 283 Otters states, "He kept his promise," what does this mean? 2. What is the big idea or main idea of this chapter?

Friday, February 10th Read chapters 27, 28, 29, 30 and Afterword due Monday, February 13th