MCAS 2001, 10th Grade English (ELA), Questions 10 to 12

This poem by Mitsuye Yamada contains a lesson. Read the poem carefully and answer the questions that follow.

A Bedtime Story

by Mitsuye Yamada (b. 1923)


     Once upon a time,
     an old Japanese legend
     goes as told
     by Papa,
 5 an old woman traveled through
     many small villages
     seeking refuge
     for the night.
     Each door opened
10 a sliver
     in answer to her knock
     then closed.
     Unable to walk
     any further
15 she wearily climbed a hill
     found a clearing
     and there lay down to rest
     a few moments to catch
     her breath.

20 The village town below
     lay asleep except
     for a few starlike lights.
     Suddenly the clouds opened
     and a full moon came into view
25 over the town.
     The old woman sat up
     turned toward
     the village town
     and in supplication
30 called out
     Thank you people
     of the village,
     If it had not been for your
      kindness
35 in refusing me a bed
     for the night
     these humble eyes would never
     have seen this
     memorable sight.

40 Papa paused, I waited.
     In the comfort of our
     hilltop home in Seattle
     overlooking the valley,
     I shouted
45 "That's the end?''

Yamada, Mitsuye, Camp Notes and Other Writings. Copyright © 1992 Mitsuye Yamada. Reprinted by permission of Rutgers University Press.

Question #10

In line 29, the word supplication most nearly means

A. prayer.

B. humiliation.

C. desperation.

D. anger.

Question #11

The old woman's situation at the end of the story is

A. helpless.

B. ecstatic.

C. frantic.

D. ironic.

Question #12

In the last line, the speaker shouts "That's the end?" because the speaker

A. does not understand the point of the story.

B. had not been paying attention.

C. wants to stay up later.

D. is relieved the story is finished.

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