Came the day of the windfall when after five days of endless scuffles in queues and counter-queues in the sun outside the Treasury he had twenty pounds counted into his palms as ex gratia award for the rebel money he had turned in. It was like Christmas for him and for many others like him when the payments began. They called it (since few could manage its proper official name) egg rasher. Which historical fact helps the reader understand the passage best? Nigeria declared independence from the British colonial system on October 1, 1960. |
After the war, the Nigerian government switched the currency from Biafran money to pounds. |
What is the cultural context of the story "Civil Peace" by Chinua Achebe? The narrator of the story is a Bristish colonialist in charge of the Igbo region of Nigeria. |
The story is told from the point of view of an Igbo Nigerian Soldier |
How does Jonathan's life compare to the lives of the camp officials and soldiers? The camp officials are rich, but most of the soldiers are destitute. |
The camp officials and soldiers have money to spare |
Student A reads the following excerpt from "Civil Peace": "At first he went daily, then every other day and finally once a week, to the offices of the Coal Corporation where he used to be a miner, to find out what was what. The only thing he did find out in the end was that that little house of his was even a greater blessing than he had thought. Some of his fellow ex-miners who had nowhere to return at the end of the day's waiting just slept outside the doors of the offices and cooked what meal they could scrounge together in Bournvita tins. As the weeks lengthened and still nobody could say what was what Jonathan discontinued his weekly visits altogether and faced his palm wine bar." After reading the excerpt, Student A writes this: "If I were in Jonathan's shoes, I'd be really afraid that my family's livelihood depends on people buying palm wine." Which type of evidence describes the support in this student's response best? inferred details |
Personal connection |
In Achebe's "Civil Peace," the character Jonathan mentions that one of his sons died during the Nigerian Civil War. What is the historical significance of this background? Millions of civilians died under British colonial rule. |
Millions of civilians died during the Nigerian Civil War |
At first he went daily, then every other day and finally once a week, to the offices of the Coal Corporation where he used to be a miner, to find out what was what. The only thing he did find out in the end was that that little house of his was even a greater blessing than he had thought. Some of his fellow ex-miners who had nowhere to return at the end of the day's waiting just slept outside the doors of the offices and cooked what meal they could scrounge together in Bournvita tins. As the weeks lengthened and still nobody could say what was what Jonathan discontinued his weekly visits altogether and faced his palm wine bar. Why did Jonathan return to the offices of the Coal Corporation? to tell the other ex-miners about his house |
To see if he could get his old job back |
Student B reads the following excerpt from "Civil Peace": "At first he went daily, then every other day and finally once a week, to the offices of the Coal Corporation where he used to be a miner, to find out what was what. The only thing he did find out in the end was that that little house of his was even a greater blessing than he had thought. Some of his fellow ex-miners who had nowhere to return at the end of the day's waiting just slept outside the doors of the offices and cooked what meal they could scrounge together in Bournvita tins. As the weeks lengthened and still nobody could say what was what Jonathan discontinued his weekly visits altogether and faced his palm wine bar." After reading the excerpt, Student B writes this: "Jonathan realizes how lucky he is when he observes some of the ex-miners eating from Bournvita tins and sleeping outside the offices of the Coal Corporation." Which type of evidence describes the support in this student's response best? inferred details |
explicit details |
What is the difference between explicit and inferred details? There is no difference between the two terms. |
The reader infers details that are implied by the text |
Why is Jonathan surprised that his house in Enugu is still intact? His ex-miner friends had told him the house was destroyed. |
A stronger home two blocks away had been reduced to rubble |
How does Achebe create a "new English" with his use of language in "Civil Peace"? He fills his English with Igbo language patterns and rhythm. |
He fills his English with Igbo language patterns and rhythm. |
Student B reads the following excerpt from "Civil Peace": "At first he went daily, then every other day and finally once a week, to the offices of the Coal Corporation where he used to be a miner, to find out what was what. The only thing he did find out in the end was that that little house of his was even a greater blessing than he had thought. Some of his fellow ex-miners who had nowhere to return at the end of the day's waiting just slept outside the doors of the offices and cooked what meal they could scrounge together in Bournvita tins. As the weeks lengthened and still nobody could say what was what Jonathan discontinued his weekly visits altogether and faced his palm wine bar." After reading the excerpt, Student B writes this: "Jonathan realizes that he is not going to get a job or any help from the Coal Corporation and must depend on his own devices to make money." Which type of evidence describes the support in this student's response best? personal connection |
inferred details |
Why is it important to keep in mind while reading "Civil Peace" that Nigeria is a postcolonial nation? It took thirty months of war to achieve independence from the British colonial system. |
It helps the reader to understand British influences on Nigerian culture and language |
What impact has the Nigerian Civil War had on Jonathan's point of view? He feels lucky if his family is alive and has access to the basic necessities of life. |
He feels lucky if his family is alive and has access to the basic necessities of life |
Nigerian storytelling has historically been a(n) __________ tradition. nonexistant |
oral |