The Lions of Little Rock
Kristin Levine
Name:________________
Block:___
Chapters 11-15
(p.52-75)
Directions: Use the context – or the words surrounding the underlined word – to try to
determine its meaning. Then, look the word up in a dictionary and compare your definition to
the dictionary definition.
1. “What are you doing?” I asked. “Looking for a talisman.” “A what?” “A talisman. A good
luck charm.” (p.54)
I think talisman means ______________________________________________________.
The dictionary says a talisman is ______________________________________________.
2. The rock crusher was an old abandoned quarry. The open mine sometimes filled with
rainwater, making a small pond, but mostly it was just hills and trees and lots of rocks.
(p.56)
I think quarry means ______________________________________________________.
The dictionary says a quarry is ______________________________________________.
3. I’d done it. I’d spoken aloud in class at school. But I didn’t feel powerful. I didn’t feel
triumphant. I felt like I was getting the flu. (p.67)
I think triumphant means ____________________________________________________.
The dictionary says triumphant means _________________________________________.
4. …[I]f I said I hadn’t done the presentation, that I’d chickened out, she’d console me and tell
me that it was okay, and I could not handle that now, because everything was definitely not
okay. (p.69)
I think console means _______________________________________________________.
The dictionary says console means _____________________________________________.
5. “She lied to Marlee and everyone else at school. That’s not what I call the behavior of a nice
girl. Marlee’s probably feeling betrayed and---“ (p.71)
I think betrayed means ______________________________________________________.
The dictionary says betrayed means ____________________________________________.
The Lions of Little Rock
Kristin Levine
Name:________________
Block:___
Questions: Read each of the questions below. Answer each question in complete sentences
with correct grammar and spelling to the best of your ability. Make sure that you support your
answers with evidence from the novel.
1. Answer BOTH questions:
a. How has Liz taught Marlee to relax?
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b. How do you help yourself relax when you are nervous?
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2. Why does Liz give Marlee a talisman?
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3. Symbolism – A symbol is something (an object, place, or person) that stands for something
else. Authors often use symbols to communicate a deeper meaning. Answer BOTH
questions:
a. What do you think the feather symbolizes to Marlee?
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________________________________________________________________________
b. Crows and crow feathers sometimes symbolize omens or bad luck. What omen(s) might
the author be foreshadowing for Marlee? (predict)
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4. What solution has been found for closing schools?
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5. Why does Marlee compare classes to lions?
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The Lions of Little Rock
Kristin Levine
Name:________________
Block:___
6. Answer BOTH questions:
a. Why does Marlee ride the horse?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
b. What does this event reveal about how she is changing?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
7. Why type of figurative language is used in this sentence, "I was a balloon that had been
blown into a cactus"? (p.65) ___________________________________________________
8. What type of figurative language is used in this sentence, "...he looked up at me with shining
eyes, as if I'd given him a diamond"? (p.66) ______________________________________
9. Why does Marlee choose Jimmy instead of JT during her presentation?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
10. Mood – the general feeling in a novel (or in part of a novel, like a chapter). Some examples
of mood words are anxious, fearful, sad, light-hearted, serious, or suspenseful. An author
usually conveys various mood throughout a novel or chapter.
a. Describe the mood at the beginning of chapter 13. Cite one passage from the text that
the author uses to create this mood.
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b. Describe the mood at the end of chapter 13. Cite one passage from the text that the
author uses to create this mood.
________________________________________________________________________
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11. What is "passing"?
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The Lions of Little Rock
Kristin Levine
Name:________________
Block:___
12. What happens when someone is caught trying to "pass" according to Betty Jean?
__________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________
13. What does Daddy mean when he says "She (Liz) was your friend. Now she's someone else"?
(p.73)
__________________________________________________________________________
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Analyzing Primary Sources A primary source is a firsthand testimony or piece of evidence
from an event. Primary sources can be letters, newspaper articles, images, songs, or artifacts.
Primary sources are particularly valuable because they offer firsthand accounts of a particular
period. Read the following excerpts from Chief Justice Earl Warren's majority opinion in Brown
v. Board of Education, a landmark unanimous Supreme Court decision that led to the integration
of schools.
1. What is the purpose of Chief Justice Warren's opinion? Why did he write it?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. According to Chief Justice Warren, is education a right or a privilege? Explain.
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__________________________________________________________________________
The Lions of Little Rock
Kristin Levine
Name:________________
Block:___
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
3. What does the phrase "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal" mean?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
4. Write a paragraph summarizing this landmark decision. Include a topic sentence where you
introduce the case. Add 2 or more sentences with relevant facts, details, or quotes from the
decision. Conclude with a sentence describing the importance of this decision.
_____________________________________________________________________________
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