Question

all thats left of the goat is the hairy face, and somehow this is even worse than the moment before pop cut its throat.
\get the bucket,\ pop says, so i get the metal tub from one of the shelves at the back of the shed, and i pull it under the animal. i pick up the skin, which is already turning stiff, and i dump it into the tub. four sheets of it.
pop slices down the center of the stomach, and the innards slide out and into the tub. hes slicing and the smell overwhelms like a faceful of pig shit. it smells like foragers, dead and rotting out in the thick woods, when the only sign of them is the stink and the buzzards rising and settling and circling. it stinks like possums or armadillos smashed half flat on the road, rotting in asphalt and heat. but worse. this smell is worse; its the smell of death, the rot coming from something just alive, something hot with blood and life. i grimace, wanting to make kaylas stink face, the face she makes when shes angry or impatient; to everyone else, it looks like shes smelled something nasty: her green eyes squinting, her nose a mushroom, her twelve tiny toddler teeth showing through her open mouth. i want to make that face because something about scrunching up my nose and squeezing the smell away might lessen it, might cut off that stink of death. i know its the stomach and intestines, but all i can see is kaylas stink face and the soft eye of the goat and then i cant hold myself still and watch no more, then im out the door of the shed and im throwing up in the grass outside. my face is so hot, but my arms are cold.

1. which of the following is the best summary of the events in this passage?

(a) jojo follows pop to select a goat, he watches pop slaughter the goat, and he becomes sick from watching this death.
(b) jojo joins pop in slaughtering a goat. because it is his birthday, jojo is frustrated that pop wont let jojo slaughter the goat himself.
(c) jojo is forced to follow pop to select and slaughter a goat, but he is ultimately proud that he is able to maintain a calm demeanor throughout the slaughter.
(d) jojo is frightened that pop is going to hurt him, and he is ultimately relieved that pop kills the goat instead.

1. how is jojo characterized in lines 1 - 6?

(a) confident and knowledgeable about death
(b) angry at his pop’s willingness to kill animals
(c) eager to live up to pop’s expectations
(d) confused about death

1. as used in line 16, “goad” most nearly means:

(a) critique
(b) maintain
(c) question
(d) bother

Explanation:

Question 10

• Option A: The passage describes Jojo watching Pop slaughter the goat (getting the bucket, handling the skin, watching the innards be removed) and then becoming sick (throwing up outside). This matches the events.
• Option B: There's no mention of it being Jojo's birthday or frustration about not slaughtering the goat himself.
• Option C: Jojo isn't forced, and he doesn't maintain a calm demeanor (he throws up).
• Option D: Jojo is not frightened Pop will hurt him; the focus is on the goat's death.

• Option A: Jojo's reaction (throwing up, grimacing) shows he's not confident or knowledgeable about death.
• Option B: There's no anger shown toward Pop's killing; Jojo's reaction is to the smell and sight of death.
• Option C: Jojo follows Pop's instructions (getting the bucket, handling the skin) and tries to make a face to cope, suggesting he wants to meet Pop's expectations in participating.
• Option D: Confused implies not understanding, but Jojo's reaction is more about being affected by the death, not confusion.

• "Goad" in context (assuming line 16's context, though not fully shown, but from common usage and options) means to bother or provoke.
• Option A: Critique is to criticize, not matching.
• Option B: Maintain is to keep, not matching.
• Option C: Question is to ask, not matching.
• Option D: Bother fits the meaning of goading (pestering or provoking).

Answer:

A. Jojo follows Pop to select a goat, he watches Pop slaughter the goat, and he becomes sick from watching this death.

Question 11