Grades – 7-8
Week: 4 - Day 4
Date:________ Start Time:______
INDEX:
End Time:______
Comprehension Score: ____/ 8
Vocabulary Score: ____/14
Grammar Score: ____/23
A. Comprehension – Read the adaptation below.
Adaptation from The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
This novel’s setting is based on the French and Indian War (the 7 Years’ War), when France and Great Britain
battled for control of the North American Colonies. Allied Native American tribes fought for the French against the
British colonists. In this excerpt, the main characters are getting a brief break from the onslaught of war.
Word bank:
nigh: near
perceive: become aware of
indulgence: act of allowing the pleasure of
glistening: shine, glitter
Major Heyward found Colonel Munro’s daughters tending to him. Alice sat upon his knee,
parting the gray hairs on the forehead of the old man with her delicate fingers; and whenever he
affected to frown on her fiddling, calming his assumed anger by pressing her ruby lips fondly on his
wrinkled brow. Cora was seated nigh them, a calm and amused looker-on; regarding the wayward
movements of her more youthful sister with that species of maternal fondness which characterized her
love for Alice. Not only the dangers through which they had passed, but those which still impended
above them, appeared to be momentarily forgotten, in the soothing indulgence of such a family
meeting. It seemed as if they had profited by the short truce, to devote an instant to the purest and
best affection; the daughters forgetting their fears, and the colonel his cares, in the security of the
moment. Of this scene, Duncan, who, in his eagerness to report his arrival, had entered unannounced,
stood many moments an unobserved and a delighted spectator. But the quick and dancing eyes of
Alice soon caught a glimpse of his figure reflected from a glass, and she sprang blushing from her
father’s knee, exclaiming aloud: “Major Heyward!”
“What of the lad?” demanded her father; “I have sent him to crack a little with the Frenchman.
Ha, sir, you are young, and you’re nimble! Away with you, ye baggage; as if there were not troubles
enough for a soldier, without having his camp filled with such prattling girls as yourself!”
Alice laughingly followed her sister, who instantly led the way from an apartment where she
perceived their presence was no longer desirable. Munro, instead of demanding the result of the
young man’s mission, paced the room for a few moments, with his hands behind his back, and his
head inclined toward the floor, like a man lost in thought. At length, he raised his eyes, glistening with
a father’s fondness, and exclaimed:
“They are… excellent girls, Heyward, and such as anyone may boast of.”
“You are not now to learn my opinion of your daughters, Colonel Munro.”
“True, lad, true,” interrupted the impatient old man; “you were about opening your mind more
fully on that matter the day you got in, but I did not think it becoming in an old soldier to be talking of
nuptial blessings and wedding jokes when the enemies of his king were likely to be unbidden guests at
the feast. But I was wrong, Duncan, boy, I was wrong there; and I am now ready to hear what you
have to say.”
Answer the following questions about the adaptation.
1. Why didn’t Major Heyward announce himself when he entered the room?
a) He was embarrassed by what he saw.
b) He was afraid to tell Colonel Munro bad news.
c) He was enjoying the tender moment.
d) He wanted to wait until the girls left.
2. Colonel Munro thinks his daughters are… [Circle one.]
wonderful / too sensitive / rude / untalented
3. Why did the Colonel’s daughters leave the room?
a) They were embarrassed at being watched. b) They could tell the men needed to talk alone.
c) It was time to do their chores.
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d) Their father playfully commanded them to leave.
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Week: 4 - Day 4
Grades – 7-8
INDEX:
4-5. How does Cora feel about her sister Alice? What evidence in the text supports your answer?
6. What does Colonel Munro say he was wrong about?
a) Refusing to let the Major talk of marriage
b) To sit talking with his daughters during war
c) Being too strict with his daughters
d) Ordering his daughters to marry
7-8. CHALLENGE! What can you infer is happening since the author writes, “It seemed as if they had
profited by the short truce… the daughters forgetting their fears, and the colonel his cares…”? What
other evidence in this excerpt backs up your answer?
B. Vocabulary – Each of the following vocabulary words is used incorrectly either by meaning or
part of speech. Circle how it is used incorrectly - “M” for meaning or “P” for part of speech.
1.
M/P
Nina laughed and embellishment her story by adding pirates with cutlasses and hats.
2.
M/P
Kirk devoured across the street to catch the bus so that he wouldn’t be late.
3.
M/P
The horrible injustice made Priscilla shout with indignant before she hired a lawyer.
4.
M/P
After getting lots of presents when he didn’t give any, Cole felt bereaved and guilty.
5.
M/P
A colossally mouse scared my dog because it was so big!
6.
M/P
Fish can die from a plethora of water, so be very careful with your pets.
7.
M/P
Fluffy bunnies and rainbows are the images that come to mind from macabre poetry.
8.
M/P
How dare you presumption that I would drop everything I was doing to go with you!
Now, pick six vocabulary words, and use each one correctly in a sentence of your own.
Sentences must be at least 8 words long. Verbs may change tense.
9.
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Grades – 7-8
Week: 4 - Day 4
INDEX:
(Continued from previous page.)
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
C. Grammar – Parts of Speech – Find all of the parts of speech from the sentence. List the words
next to their corresponding part of speech. If a part of speech is not used in the sentence, write
“none.”
Yesterday, it snowed, but the sun shines today. The weatherman believes his predictions are always
accurate, but they were inaccurate often.
1-3. nouns:
4-8. verb(s):
9-11. adjective(s):
12-15. adverb (s):
16-17. pronoun(s):
18-19. conjunction(s):
Using your knowledge of affixes, change the following words into nouns to match the given
definition.
20. design
one who designs
21. bewilder
condition or result of being bewilder
22. authentic
state or quality of being authentic
23. guardian
status or condition of being a guardian
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