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Name: ______

Reading Assessment

They Cage the Animals at Night

By Jennings Michael Burch

Part I: Below is a list of sixteen quotes from the novel and a list of sixteen characters to refresh your memory. The quotes are arranged in chronological order, in the sequence in which they appeared in the novel. Choose ten of the quotes, identify their speakers and write the situation in which you believe they might be spoken. By situation, I mean the time and place in which each of these characters is speaking to Jennings. You will be given some credit for incorrect answers that indicate that you read, as long as you do not repeat yourself.

Names of characters:

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  • Donald Frazier
  • George Burch (alcoholic older brother)
  • Jerome Burch (sick brother)
  • Larry Burch (brother who runs away, returns as an alcoholic)
  • Mark
  • Martha (Frazier’s maid)
  • Mr. Frazier
  • Mrs. Burch
  • Mrs. Carpenter
  • Mrs. Daly
  • Officer Daly
  • Sal
  • Sergeant Meagher (first police officer)
  • Sister Clair (Kind nun)
  • Stacy
  • Walter Burch (hates George)

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Quotes:

  1. “Education is the most important thing you can have…If you have that, it’s yours. Nobody can take it away. You can make a place for yourself, and nobody can hurt you.”
  2. “George’s the breadwinner. Walter’s the brains. You’re the goody-two-shoes…And Gene’s the baby. Where does that leave me?”
  3. “He’ll teach you how to catch a real fish. Like the one he caught.”
  4. “I break my ass for this family, and what do I get for it? Nothing. He comes along, and everybody loves Sal. He didn’t have to carry this place when Mom was down. He didn’t have to feed everybody and pay the bills. He just comes in and laps up everyone’s attention.”
  5. “I don’t understand you kids. I try to do the best I can. I put you where you can continue with your school…this is what I get for it.”
  6. “I want you to go to the park! You can’t just keep staying indoors all the time. I stay in because I have to, but you don’t have to.”
  7. “If anybody hurts you here…you call me, all right?”
  8. “If we didn’t cage them up in one place, we might lose them, they might get hurt or damaged….not everyone would love them and take care of them as you would.”
  9. “In case you have an accident, honey…there’s no penalty for wetting the bed here.”
  10. “Mom’s new husband talked her into putting me into this place. I don’t think he likes me very much.”
  11. “Nobody wants a fat ugly four eyes.”
  12. “Since you’re poor…I’ll let you have the shark for nothing.”
  13. “The problem’s in the system…Unless a guardian files for him, he has to remain in an institution until they process the paperwork and make a ruling.”
  14. “We eat breakfast and dinner around here and that’s all…I can’t afford to be feeding you anytime you feel like eating.”
  15. “You see son, friendship is when your path crosses someone else’s. For however long a time that may be, if you like talking to and being with that person, there’s a joy in that. And when you part company, your sadness will only be as great as the joy you shared.”
  16. “You think all you gots to do is take a boy in ‘n stick him in a spare room, ‘n that’s enough. Well, it’s not! Yous is supposed to see the things he needs.”

1. Quote letter: ______

Who is the speaker? ______

What is the situation? ______

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2. Quote letter: ______

Who is the speaker? ______

What is the situation? ______

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3. Quote letter: ______

Who is the speaker? ______

What is the situation? ______

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4. Quote letter: ______

Who is the speaker? ______

What is the situation? ______

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5. Quote letter: ______

Who is the speaker? ______

What is the situation? ______

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6. Quote letter: ______

Who is the speaker? ______

What is the situation? ______

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7. Quote letter: ______

Who is the speaker? ______

What is the situation? ______

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8. Quote letter: ______

Who is the speaker? ______

What is the situation? ______

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9. Quote letter: ______

Who is the speaker? ______

What is the situation? ______

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10. Quote letter: ______

Who is the speaker? ______

What is the situation? ______

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Name: ______

Part II: Essay. Examine the list of characters closely. Choose from that list one character that influenced Jennings positively and one character that influenced Jennings negatively. Then, write a five paragraph essay with the following:

  1. An introductory paragraph with a clear thesis statement.
  2. One body paragraph that offers insight into a character that affected Jennings negatively. Be sure to give details from the reading to show how and why Jennings was affected negatively by this character.
  3. One body paragraph that offers insight into a character that affected Jennings positively. Be sure to give details from the reading to show how and why Jennings was affected positively by this character.
  4. One paragraph in which you explain how Jennings changed as a result of his experiences with both characters. Be sure to give details from the reading to show how and why Jennings was changed.
  5. A conclusion paragraph that puts closure on your ideas and does not introduce any new ideas.

The rubric below will be used to score your essay:

_____/25: Organization of thought. The writer has followed the proper format of the five

paragraph essay. He or she has provided clear and relevant examples to support

his or her major points.

_____/25: Development of content. In addition to having a clear outline for his or her

ideas, the writer has sequenced them appropriately.

_____/25: Evidence of close reading. From the detail that the writer offers, it is clear that

he or she has read the novel closely enough to recall specific evidence.

_____/25: Grammar, mechanics and formatting under testing conditions. The writer has

made efforts to submit neat work that is legible and as error free as

circumstances allow.