Little Women
"Merry Christmas, little daughters! I’m glad you began at once, and hope you will keep on. But I want to say one word before we sit down. Not far away from here lies a poor woman with a little newborn baby. Six children are huddled into one bed to keep from freezing, for they have no fire. There is nothing to eat over there, and the oldest boy came to tell me they were suffering hunger and cold. My girls, will you give them your breakfast as a Christmas present?"
They were all unusually hungry, having waited nearly an hour, and for a minute no one spoke, only a minute, for Jo exclaimed impetuously, “I’m so glad you came before we began!”
"May I go and help carry the things to the poor little children?" asked Beth eagerly.
"I shall take the cream and the muffins," added Amy, heroically giving up the article she most liked.
Meg was already covering the buckwheats, and piling the bread into one big plate.
"I thought you’d do it," said Mrs. March, smiling as if satisfied. "You shall all go and help me, and when we come back we will have bread and milk for breakfast, and make it up at dinnertime."
They were soon ready, and the procession set out. Fortunately it was early, and they went through back streets, so few people saw them, and no one laughed at the queer party.
A poor, bare, miserable room it was, with broken windows, no fire, ragged bedclothes, a sick mother, wailing baby, and a group of pale, hungry children cuddled under one old quilt, trying to keep warm.
How the big eyes stared and the blue lips smiled as the girls went in.
"Ach, mein Gott! It is good angels come to us!" said the poor woman, crying for joy.
"Funny angels in hoods and mittens," said Jo, and set them to laughing.
In a few minutes it really did seem as if kind spirits had been at work there. Hannah, who had carried wood, made a fire, and stopped up the broken panes with old hats and her own cloak. Mrs. March gave the mother tea and gruel, and comforted her with promises of help, while she dressed the little baby as tenderly as if it had been her own. The girls meantime spread the table, set the children round the fire, and fed them like so many hungry birds, laughing, talking, and trying to understand the funny broken English.
"Das ist gut!" "Die Engel-kinder!" cried the poor things as they ate and warmed their purple hands at the comfortable blaze. The girls had never been called angel children before, and thought it very agreeable, especially Jo, who had been considered a "Sancho" ever since she was born. That was a very happy breakfast, though they didn’t get any of it. And when they went away, leaving comfort behind, I think there were not in all the city four merrier people than the hungry little girls who gave away their breakfasts and contented themselves with bread and milk on Christmas morning.
"That’s loving our neighbor better than ourselves, and I like it," said Meg, as they set out their presents while their mother was upstairs collecting clothes for the poor Hummels.
Source: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Public Domain
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Which of the following pieces of evidence support the analysis that the girls were willing to give up their meal? Select all that apply.
Amy gives up the cream and the muffins, her favorite part of the meal.
Jo says she likes being called an angel child for bringing the meal.
Meg says she enjoys helping her neighbors more than herself.
Meg immediately begins covering the buckwheats and bread to bring with her.
How does the dialogue contribute to the text?
It explains the poor conditions during wartime.
It demonstrates the resentment of the girls.
It reveals why the family had no food.
It shows the girls’ eagerness to feed the hungry.
What idea do all the girls agree on in the story?
Cream and muffins are the best part of breakfast.
It is lovely being called angel children.
The starving children feel almost like family.
This Christmas is the worst one yet.
How does this fictional passage accurately reflect life during the war?
The characters are doing all they can to survive.
The characters are called angel children.
The characters only travel on the back streets.
The characters are having a great time.
The girls spend their holiday helping others who are less fortunate. Write about a time you helped someone out. Explain why you chose to help and how it made you feel.
Type your answer here.
One time I helped an elderly neighbor carry her groceries up the stairs to her apartment. I chose to help because I saw her struggling with the bags and I wanted to make her day a little bit easier. It made me feel good to know that I could make a difference in someone's day and help them out when they needed it. I could see the appreciation in her eyes and it made me happy to know that I made a positive impact on her day. It reminded me of the importance of being kind and helpful to others, especially those who may need it the most.
Which of the following pieces of evidence support the analysis that the girls were willing to give up their meal? Select all that apply.
Amy gives up the cream and the muffins, her favorite part of the meal.
Jo says she likes being called an angel child for bringing the meal.
Meg says she enjoys helping her neighbors more than herself.
Meg immediately begins covering the buckwheats and bread to bring with her.
- Amy gives up the cream and the muffins, her favorite part of the meal.
- Jo says she likes being called an angel child for bringing the meal.
- Meg says she enjoys helping her neighbors more than herself.
- Meg immediately begins covering the buckwheats and bread to bring with her.
All of these pieces of evidence support the analysis that the girls were willing to give up their meal.
How does the dialogue contribute to the text?
It explains the poor conditions during wartime.
It demonstrates the resentment of the girls.
It reveals why the family had no food.
It shows the girls’ eagerness to feed the hungry.
It shows the girls’ eagerness to feed the hungry.
What idea do all the girls agree on in the story?
Cream and muffins are the best part of breakfast.
It is lovely being called angel children.
The starving children feel almost like family.
This Christmas is the worst one yet.
The idea that all the girls agree on in the story is that it is lovely being called angel children.
How does this fictional passage accurately reflect life during the war?
The characters are doing all they can to survive.
The characters are called angel children.
The characters only travel on the back streets.
The characters are having a great time.
The fictional passage accurately reflects life during the war in the sense that the characters are doing all they can to survive. They are helping others in need, despite their own hunger and challenges. This reflects the spirit of resilience and resourcefulness that was often necessary during times of war.
The girls spend their holiday helping others who are less fortunate. Write about a time you helped someone out. Explain why you chose to help and how it made you feel.
Type your answer here.