This document contains discussion questions about a short story called "The Grasshopper and the Ant". It summarizes the fable, which is about a grasshopper that does not prepare for winter while an ant works hard gathering food. When winter comes, the grasshopper has no food while the ant has stored enough away. The questions that follow test comprehension of elements like foreshadowing, flashbacks, and predictions about what may happen in the story.

1. English I – Fiction/CSAP Unit

2.  The students will determine the elements that
contribute to foreshadowing and suspense.
(2.1.c)
 Given an excerpt from the story, the students
will answer MC questions with 80% accuracy over
foreshadowing and suspense and justify 1 answer
in a CR.
 WHY: In addition to being heavily tested,
foreshadowing and suspense are something you
use when you watch movies, too!

3. We probably remember the idea of
foreshadowing from other lessons or years in
English class, but we’ll examine it in action
today.
Suspense is an important part of stories and
movies, and we’ll look at how that suspense is
built in one of the most famous short stories
of all time.

4. On page 23, when it refers to Zaroff as having
“red lips and pointed teeth,” does this bring
anything to mind? Perhaps a famous
character from literature?
What does this comparison
suggest?
MAYBE HIM???

5. On page 24, we are exposed to a vivid
description of the dining hall where Rainsford
and Zaroff are sitting. In a complete sentence
on your whiteboard, write downONE detail
that helps to add to the suspense of the story.
 Ex. “The table where ‘two-score men could sit
down to eat’ creates a feeling of loneliness and
isolation, and we wonder is Rainsford is really
alone.”

6. On the bottom of page 24, Rainsford asks
Zaroff about the “big game” he hunts, and
asks what is it. Zaroff doesn’t quite answer the
question. How does his refusal to disclose the
“big game” help to add to the suspense?

7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mujk825
LXk
How is this clip scarier since we can’t see what
they’re running from?

8. When Zaroff says, “..it must be able to
reason” on p. 27, what do you think the
animal will be? (Use your predicting skills from
yesterday) Create your answer on your post-it
note, and stick it on the board, looking at
other possible responses.
When he talks about “hound is worth more
than a score of them,” on page 27, what
period in history does this remind you of?

9. When Zaroff says, “Sometimes I help
Providence a bit,” how does this make us feel
anxious? Why do we feel nervous, especially
for Rainsford?
Zaroff’s line, “You shall see for yourself
tomorrow” on page 28 makes us feel
____________ because we think __________
might happen.

10. Why would the collection of heads add to the
suspense on page 29? Would there be
anything strange about looking at animal
heads?
The line “he thought he heard stealthy steps
in the corridor outside his room” hints to us
that __________ will happen. This is an
example of ____________.

11. On page 30, we learn that Rainsford heard,
“the faintest shot of a pistol.” What might this
be? What might we learn shortly?
When Rainsford says, “You don’t mean—”
how does this build more suspense for us?

12. Based on what we know about Rainsford and
Zaroff, who do you think will win “the hunt”
tomorrow? What is one piece of evidence that
makes you think R or Z will prevail?

13.  Practice 1: The Grasshopper and the AntAn Aesop's Fable RetoldRead the
selection, and then answer the questions that follow.(1) One fine summer
day, Grasshopper was hopping about in the field. As he chirped and danced, he
spied Ant carrying a big kernel of corn to his nest. Grasshopper watched as Ant
came back, lifted another kernel, then carried it to the nest as well. This
happened repeatedly. Finally, Grasshopper asked, "Ant, why do you work so
hard on such a lovely day?"
 (2) "Soon it will be winter," replied Ant. "I'm gathering food for my family. I
suggest you do the same!"
 (3) "Why bother about winter?" asked Grasshopper. "There's plenty of food in
the fields now!"
 (4) Ant remembered last winter and how deep snow had covered everything.
There had been no way to get out of his anthill, let alone try to find food! Now, an
even worse winter was predicted. "You'll feel differently when the big snow
comes!" said Ant, as he shook his head and walked away.
 (5) When winter came, Grasshopper had no food. The fields were covered with
deep snow. Grasshopper was very hungry and sad, knowing that Ant had food
enough because he had worked hard to prepare in advance.

14.  1. In this fable, the author uses flashback to have
 a. Grasshopper remember a song he used to sing.
 b. Ant remember where Grasshopper used to live.
 c. Ant remember how bad last winter was.
 d. Grasshopper remember where he hid seeds during the summer.
 2. Which best foreshadowed what might happen in the story?
 a. Grasshopper hopped about in the field.
 b. An even worse winter was predicted.
 c. Ant walked away.
 d. Grasshopper chirped.
 3. Based on the story, which do you predict could NOT happen?
 a. Grasshopper begs Ant for just a small bit of food.
 b. Ant feels sorry for Grasshopper and gives him food.
 c. Grasshopper digs under the snow and finds lots of food.
 d. Grasshopper gets weaker without any food.