If there were not a century between them, Dr. Martin Luther King and Sojourner Truth would have been speech partners. The stage was set in Akron, Ohio, December 1851. Sojourner Truth, a tall woman standing before a large crowd, spoke eloquently about human rights. She should know. As a freed slave and a woman, she had experienced lack of civil rights, and as an intelligent human being, she knew equality for all was right and she said so! Listen to her by reading "Ain't I a Woman?"

Then answer Questions 1 - 7. Use all your reading skills and also the tips you know about answering questions.

Question 1:

Sojourner Truth says, "I have plowed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me!" as an argument to convince her audience that . . .

Question 2:

If Sojourner Truth lived today, she would most likely support

Question 3:

Sojourner Truth's tone is . . .

Question 4:

After reading this speech, which of the following generalizations can you make? (You might also think about the speech Red Cloud made about his people.)

Question 5:

Authors or speakers use persuasive techniques to convince the audience to join their side. They may want the audience to adopt an opinion or belief, such as equal rights. Sojourner wants her audience to change their attitudes and actions so that all people are treated equally.

One persuasive device sometimes used by authors or speakers is to take the audience's attention away from the issue itself and start attacking a person. This is called name calling.

• Does Sojourner Truth use this persuasive device of name calling when she says: "Then that little man in black there, he says, women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman!" ?
• Explain why this is/or is not an example of name calling. Support your answer with details from the speech.

Type your answer here:

Now score your answer.

Remember a short answer response earns 0, 1, or 2 points. A complete and accurate answer would earn 2 points. Review the criteria in this chart before you score your response.

My short answer response for Question 5 earned a score of   because:

Question 6:

Sojourner Truth comes up with several arguments to persuade her audience that women deserve respect as equal human beings.

Choose two of the arguments Sojourner Truth uses to get her point across in this speech.

• Write a paragraph to analyze the two arguments you have chosen.
• How strong is each argument?
• Are the arguments the best ones to use to convince her audience of women?
• How about her audience of men?
• What additional argument would you use if you were the speaker?
• Use evidence from the essay in your response.

Type your answer here:

Now score your answer.

Remember an extended answer response earns 4, 3, 2, or 1 point. A complete and accurate answer would earn 4 points. Review the criteria in this chart before you score your response.

My extended answer response for Question 6 earned a score of   because:

Question 7:

Sojourner Truth obviously feels strongly about equal rights.

• What issue today would you feel strongly enough about to get up and give a speech trying to convince others to change their beliefs?
• What would be your strongest argument?
• Who is your audience?
• What would you want to convince them to do?

(There is not a right or wrong answer to this question. Your response will be scored on your analysis, justification and clarity of your explanation.)

Type your answer here:

Now score your answer.

Remember an extended answer response earns 4, 3, 2, or 1 point. A complete and accurate answer to each of the questions in the prompt would earn 4 points. Lesser answers would fall under a 3, 2, or 1 point score.

My extended answer response for Question 7 earned a score of   because:

Question 8:

The author probably wrote this poem to . . . .

Question 9:

Which best describes the author's tone and attitude?

Question 10:

One student wrote, "The message of this poem is; life is tough, and even if you feel lonely, don't give up, be brave, because you have to fight hard to find out your meaning."

• Do you agree with this evaluation?
• Why or why not?
• Use evidence from the poem to support your answer.

Write your answer here:

Now score your answer.

Remember a short answer response earns 0, 1, or 2 points. A complete and accurate answer would earn 2 points. Review the criteria in this chart before you score your response.

My short answer response for Question 10 earned a score of     because:

Question 11:

Writers are successful if they are able to engage a reader and draw them into their work, beginning a conversation between writer and reader.

• Write a letter back to the writer, explaining another example of something that reminds you of your reason for being and gives you strength to keep keeping.
• Include how and why and refer to the Four Skinny Trees.

Type your answer here:

Now score your answer.

Remember an extended response earns 4, 3, 2, or 1 points. A complete, accurate, and thoughtful answer would earn 4 or 3 points. Incomplete answers earn 2 or 1 point.

My extended answer response for Question 11 earned a score of     because: