Vocabulary
What is an "onlooker"?
a person watching something
What is the main problem in this story?
The Ant fell into the river, and starts to sink.
What does "lay claim" mean?
to say something belongs to you or is because of you
What superhuman feat does John Henry do in the story?
He outdrills a machine in a contest.
What does "spirit" mean?
the way someone is; the qualities that make someone who they are
What is the meaning of "grief"?
Deep sadness
How did the Dove save the Ant?
She dropped a branch near the Ant.
What does it mean to be in a state of "despair"?
To have no hope.
What was John Henry's job after he was freed from slavery?
He worked as a steel-driver for the C&O Railroad.
What is John Henry's background?
He was born into slavery in the 1840s but was freed after the Civil War.
What is the meaning of "condition"?
the state of being, or the situation someone or something is in
What is the young man in the story trying to do?
To trap the Dove, using food as bait.
What does "commotion" mean?
great activity, usually noisy
How is the steel-driving work described in the reading?
"The work was dangerous and back-breaking." paragraph 3, p. 18
Why is it hard to say how John Henry died?
People tell different stories about John Henry.
What is a "cave-in"?
The collapsing or crumbling in of a cave or tunnel.
Why is the Ant so excited at the end of the fable?
She was able to save the Dove from danger.
What does it mean when something is "steam-powered"?
It is powered by steam, instead of gas or electricity.
What was the problem when building the C&O railroad through West Virginia?
Right in the path was the Big Bend Mountain.
How did the Ant try to help the Dove?
She scrambled onto the man’s hand, and bit the man hard on the hand.
What is a "hatchling"?
Something has just hatched or come out of its egg, usually a bird, fish or reptile.
What lesson does the story teach?
Little friends may prove to be great friends.
What is the meaning of "invention"?
a new way of doing something or a new machine to do something
What lesson can we learn from John Henry’s story?
Human strength and spirit can achieve great things, even against machines.
What did Ant’s friends say when the Ant said it is going to thank the Dove?
“Why worry about that? You will never be able to thank her."