Name _____________________________________ Date___________ Number _________

Folktales Quiz (A) (10 points)

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Part 1: True/False. Circle your response (1 point each)
1. A folktale is a story told orally from generation to generation.
true
false
2. A setting is when or where a story takes place.
true
false
3. Folktales have one specific author.
true

false

4. Folktales are usually about ordinary characters living ordinary lives and have
something extraordinary happen to them.
true
false

Part 2: Multiple Choice. Read the African Folktale and answer the questions on the back
about the story. (1 point each)
Why Turtles Live In Water
A Tale from West Africa
Turtles used to live on the land, they say, until the time a clever turtle was caught by some
hunters. They brought him to their village and placed the turtle before the Chief, who said,
"How shall we cook him?"
"You'll have to kill me first," said the turtle, "and take me out of this
shell."
"We'll break your shell with sticks," they said.
"That'll never work," said the turtle, "Why don't you throw me in the
water and drown me?!"
"Excellent idea," said the Chief. They took the turtle to the river and
threw him into the water to drown him.
They were congratulating themselves on their success in drowning
the turtle, when two little green eyes poked up in the water and the laughing turtle said, "Don't
get those cooking pots out too fast, foolish people! As he swam away he said, "I think I'll spend
most of my time from now on, safely in the water."
It has been that way ever since!

Flip over to answer questions !

____ 5. What is the setting of this story?

a) a village by a river
b) a boat
c) a swamp
d) a city near the ocean
____ 6. According to the folktale, what is the resolution (why turtles live in water)?
a) to stay cool during hot summers
b) to eat lots of fish
c) to stay safe from hunters
d) to stay clean from the dirty land
____ 7. This story is a
a) true story about turtles
b) story written by my teacher
c) fable with many characters
d) tale passed down from Africa
____ 8. How can you tell this story is NOT true?
a) Turtles do not live in water
b) Turtles cannot really talk
c) Turtles are not in Africa
d) People never catch turtles
____ 9. The conflict of this story is
a) A turtle was caught by a Chief
b) There is a talking turtle!
c) The Chief is hungry
d) The hunters couldnt break the turtles shell
____ 10. The central message of this folktale is
a) Why turtles no longer live in Africa
b) Never try to eat a turtle
c) Turtles are the coolest animals ever
d) Why turtles live in the water

**Bonus** Fill in the blanks to create your own folktale title.

Why __________________________ Live in the ____________________________
(examples: Why Birds Live in the Sky. Why Bees Live in the Hive.)