Two Old Women

Multiple Choice and Long Answer Questions create ideal opportunities for whole-book review, unit exam, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. How does the narrator describe stories?

A) As lessons

B) As lectures

C) As gifts

D) As rewards

2. Based on the story’s plot, what can the reader infer about Sa’?

A) She is often lonely.

B) She has a strong personality.

C) She is not resilient.

D) She has had a hard life.

3. Which of the following is the greatest concern in the story?

A) The cold

B) Starvation

C) Climate change

D) Tribal attacks

4. What is the attitude of the Chief toward age?

A) Allowances must be made for the survival of the tribe.

B) He does not like the elderly because they complain often.

C) The elderly are better off alone.

D) Hunters are the most important.

5. How are Sa’ and Ch’idzigyaak described before the tribe abandons them?

A) Delicate and infirm

B) Whiny and weak

C) Ailing and feeble

D) Impatient and sullen

6. What best summarizes why Ozhii Nelii abandons her mother?

A) She needs to contribute to the tribe’s survival.

B) She does not want to abandon her husband.

C) She believes her mother deserves to be abandoned.

D) She is concerned for the safety of her and her son.

7. When do the women begin to have bad thoughts about their circumstances?

A) When they remember their families

B) When they are alone

C) When they are low on food

D) When they are not busy

8. How does the relationship between Sa’ and Ch’idzigyaak change by the text’s conclusion?

A) They become friends.

B) They learn to work together.

C) They begin to tolerate one another.

D) They become stronger.

9. What does Sa’ teach Ch’idzigyaak?

A) Bravery

B) Perseverance

C) Stamina

D) Loyalty

10. Why is Sa’s reaction different from Ch’idzigyaak’s when the tribe relocates them?

A) Sa’ does not feel a connection to the tribe.

B) Sa’ is rarely afraid of anything.

C) Sa’ has been rejected by a tribe before.

D) Sa’ does not wish to join the tribe again.

11. What do Sa’ and Ch’idzigyaak’s own experiences with their abandoned grandparents reveal about their tribes?

A) The tribes do not value women who contribute to them.

B) The tribal people will not stand up for those who are aged.

C) Their tribe does not value life as much as they should.

D) It is customary to leave the elderly when they are burdensome.

12. How does Sa’ exhibit The Importance of Physical and Mental Health in the story?

A) She is willing to push through her circumstances even when they feel hopeless.

B) She continues to learn new skills even as she grows older.

C) She does not dwell on her loneliness or become a victim of her past.

D) She believes she is superior to the tribal leaders.

13. What lesson can be learned by the tribe after the survival of the two women?

A) Obstacles can be overcome with friends.

B) Older women have better survival skills.

C) Alaskan cultures are full of resilience.

D) Age does not make someone less valuable.

14. How does the reader’s view of the Chief change during the novel?

A) It is revealed that he is very close to the women he abandoned.

B) Once he was seen as cold but is later revealed to be caring.

C) He values the well-being of his tribe over benevolence.

D) His traditional values have caused him to behave harshly.

15. Why is moderation of supplies important to the women?

A) They run the risk of being found or killed for having too much.

B) They waste valuable resources by taking more than they need.

C) They need to preserve their strength for winter.

D) If they have more than they need, they may become sluggish.

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating text details to support your response.

1. Do you think Ch’idzigyaak would have survived without Sa’? Why or why not?

2. How does the change in lifestyle impact Ch’idzigyaak and Sa’ physically and mentally?