Chapter 15 Questions
Vocabulary
Chapter 16 Questions
Figurative Language
Aha! Moments
100
Why Atticus goes down to the courthouse the night before the trial
What is, Atticus goes to the courthouse the night before the trial to position himself outside the jail where Tom Robinson is being held. Atticus wants to protect Tom in case a mob appears and to prevent any trouble?
100
Based on the context clues given, what is a good definition for the capitalized word, and what context clues helped you determine this meaning.

"It had been a PLACID week. I had minded Aunty; Jem had outgrown the treehouse, but helped Dill and me construct a new rope ladder for it; Dill had hit upon a foolproof plan to make Boo Radley come out at no cost to ourselves."
What is "calm and peaceful" - the description of the activities don't contain any sense of upheaval or fighting like normally would have been present?
100
Aunt Alexandra said children that do this are a disgrace to the family.
What is "slip out at night"?
100
The type of figurative language used here: "I thought he would have a fine surprise, but his face killed my joy."

And, what is the author's purpose?
What is hyperbole? And, what is the author wants us to understand how quickly Atticus face changed and showed his disapproval of Scout?
100
"He said X Billups...They kept at it till he wrote X on a sheet of paper and held it up for everybody to see. They asked him where he got his name and he said that's the way his folks signed him up when he was born."

The underlying meaning of this section of text.
What is "that his parents couldn't read or write - they signed X because that's all they knew how to do"?
200
What Mr.Cunningham's mob wants the night before the trial
What is, the mob wants Tom Robinson dead; they want him to be punished because they believe the rumors that he raped Mayella Ewell?
200
Based on the context clues given, what is a good definition for the capitalized word, and what context clues helped you determine this meaning.

"Go home, Jem," he said. "Take Scout and Dill home." We were accustomed to prompt, if not always cheerful ACQUIESCENCE to Atticus's instructions, but from the way he stood Jem was not thinking of budging."
What is "accepting something without protest" and it gives a counter-example, we usually do this, but it is clear from his posture that Jem is doing something different this time?
200
When the wagonload of "unusually stern-faced citizens" appeared before Miss Maudie's, this is what the interchange between the two groups consisted of.
What is the quoting of Scripture?
200
"Judge Taylor was on the bench, looking like a sleepy old shark, his pilot fish writing rapidly below in front of him."

The two types of figurative language used and what is being compared.
What is "simile" (looking like a sleepy old shark) and a "metaphor" (his pilot fish was writing--comparing the court stenographer to a pilot fish)?
200
"Yeah, but Atticus claims to defend him. That's what I don't like about it."

Explain the depth of this piece of dialogue.
What is "the townspeople are mad at Atticus because he intends to give Tom Robinson a fair trial--they don't think that it's right that he's taking Tom's side over a white man's word"?
300
How the mob standing outside the jailhouse gets broken up
What is, it was broken up after Scout’s awkward, one-sided conversation with Mr. Cunningham. Scout recognized Mr. Cunningham, but she was oblivious to the situation, and did not understand what was happening. It took the innocence of a child to break the mob up?
300
Based on the context clues given, what is a good definition for the capitalized word, and what context clues helped you determine this meaning.

Walking toward the office, Dill and I fell into step behind Atticus and Jem. Dill was ENCUMBERED by the chair, and his pace was slower.
What is "burdened or hindered from movement" and it talks about how his pace was slower than everyone else because of the chair?
300
Judge Taylor's one interesting habit
What is "he would put a long dry cigar in his mouth and munch it up slowly"?
300
"I saw Atticus standing in the yard with another knot of men."

The type of figurative language and its purpose.
What is "metaphor" and what is "the idea that this group of men was standing in such close proximity to one another that it was like they were tied in a knot"?
300
"I was very tired, and was drifting into sleep when the memory of Atticus calmly folding his newspaper and pushing his hat back became Atticus standing in the middle of an empty street, pushing up his glasses."

Name the two events that are referenced and the aha! moment that Scout had.
What are "the incident with shooting the mad dog and the arrival of the men at the jail"? What is "the idea that just like the mad dog wasn't doing what it was expected to do, these men also weren't doing what they were expected to do, but they were both VERY dangerous"?
400
The reason Heck Tate is not in town to be Atticus's backup.
What is that the mob had called him off on a "snipe hunt"?
400
Based on the context clues given, what is a good definition for the capitalized word, and what context clues helped you determine this meaning.

We asked Miss Maudie to ELUCIDATE: she said Miss Stephanie seemed to know so much about the case she might as well be called on to testify.
What is "to give further information or clarify" and this is seen in what follows because she gives them more information about what she is talking about?
400
The reason Dolphus Raymond doesn't associate with the whites.
What is "he has a colored woman and a bunch of mixed children; he is not accepted by the white community for this, but also for his drunkenness"?
400
"Do you really want to move there, Scout?" Bam, bam, bam, and the checkerboard was swept clean of my men."

Types of figurative language and the author's purpose.
What are "onomatopoeia" and "hyperbole"? And, what is to show how quickly (and loudly) Atticus could retaliate if needed"?
400
"Four Negroes rose and gave us their front row seats."

Explain the aha! moment here (even if the kids don't realize it).
What is "the blacks respect Atticus for what he is doing for Tom--this level of respect also extends to his kids"?
500
Why Atticus massages Jem’s hair at the end of this chapter
What is, Scout mentions that a hair massage was Atticus’s only gesture of affection. Atticus massaged Jem’s hair at the end of the chapter because he was grateful that Jem had come to the courthouse, bringing Scout and Dill. Because of them coming, trouble was prevented, and no violence occurred?
500
Based on the context clues given, what is a good definition for the capitalized word, and what context clues helped you determine this meaning.

...we could always catch her mood by the way she stood. She was now standing arms AKIMBO, her shoulders drooping a little, her head cocked to one side, her glasses winking in the sunlight. We knew she wore a grin of uttermost wickedness."
What is "hands on hips (with attitude)" and it just gives the mental image of her standing there with this attitude staring right back at them?
500
What Miss Maudie told Miss Stephanie that she better watch out for if she went down to the courthouse.
What is "that they don't hand you a subpoena (summons to testify)"?
500
"Dill asked if I'd like to have a poke at Boo Radley."

The type of figurative language and its purpose.
What is "hyperbole" - he doesn't really mean that they will "poke" Boo, just that they'll try to get at him or make contact with him. The purpose is to remind the reader that Boo Radley is still a mystery to the kids, but also to remind us that in light of all the "big" stuff that's going on, they're still just kids?
500
"It was a gala occasion."

The aha! moment identified by this text.
What is "the people of Maycomb County considered Tom Robinson's trial to be an item worthy of attention/attraction, but they didn't really take it seriously, it was more like a party atmosphere"?
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