Question

1. why was trevor noah’s birth considered illegal in south africa?

a. his parents were too young to legally have a child
b. his mother had him out of wedlock
c. his parents were of different racial classifications under apartheid
d. his family practiced an illegal religion

1. how does trevor use language throughout his childhood?

a. to intimidate others in his neighborhood
b. to avoid learning about his cultural heritage
c. as a tool to fit into different racial and social groups
d. to rebel against his mother’s strict rules

1. what does trevor’s mother’s approach to religion reveal about her character?

a. she is indecisive about which faith to follow
b. she is a spiritual leader who takes trevor to multiple churches
c. she rejects all organized religion
d. she only attends church for social connections

1. what symbolic meaning does the story of fufi (trevor’s dog) have in the memoir?

a. it represents the violence of apartheid south africa
b. it embodies trevor’s own experiences of childhood and belonging
c. it demonstrates the poverty in trevor’s neighborhood
d. it illustrates the tension between trevor and his stepfather

1. how does trevor’s mother protect him from the dangers of apartheid?

a. she sends him to live with relatives in another country
b. she teaches him to fight against bullies
c. she finds ways to bend apartheid rules to keep him safe
d. she bribes government officials

Explanation:

1. Under South African apartheid, interracial relationships were illegal; Trevor's mother was Black and father was White.
2. Trevor used multiple languages to navigate and fit into different racial/social groups in apartheid South Africa.
3. Trevor's mother took him to various churches, showing her spiritual engagement and desire to expose him to different faith communities.
4. The story of Fufi mirrors Trevor's own struggles with belonging and the complexities of his childhood in a divided society.
5. Trevor's mother used creative, rule-bending methods (like hiding their relationship) to protect him from apartheid's dangers.

Answer:

1. C. His parents were of different racial classifications under apartheid
2. C. As a tool to fit into different racial and social groups
3. B. She is a spiritual leader who takes Trevor to multiple churches
4. B. It symbolizes Trevor's own experiences of childhood and belonging
5. C. She finds ways to bend apartheid rules to keep him safe