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Directions: Read the selection below to learn why a folk song was written about the tall tale hero, John Henry. Then answer the ten questions by putting a circle around each correct answer.3498850182943500John Henry always called himself a “natural man.” He had to do what came natural to him, and that was driving spikes into railroad tracks. He could always find work, because in the 1800’s, all over the country, there were railroads being built. No other railroad worker could swing a hammer like John Henry. One time some important government men wanted to travel a far distance by railway. The only trouble was, the spikes hadn’t been driven into the rails quite that far, so the train couldn’t run on them. Well, the foreman called for John Henry, and told the engineer to go ahead and start the train at full speed. Right ahead of the train ran John Henry, who would spit a spike out of his mouth, drive it in with a mighty whack of his hammer, and then do the same thing with the next spike. All the while, he kept in front of the speeding train. The government men were extremely impressed! They offered John Henry a job in Washington D.C., but he said he’d rather go on working on the railroad, because he was a “natural man.”Frequently when railway workers laid railroad tracks across the United States, they worked to the rhythm of folk songs. A folk song is one that was handed down through the years from singer to singer. As it was handed down it got changed a little. After a while no one knew for sure who made it up. One folk tune favorite is John Henry, based on the same black railroading man who called himself a “natural man.” Legend says John Henry grew up in North Carolina, and worked for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. He not only put down railroad tracks, but also drilled tunnels through mountains. John Henry was six feet tall and weighed two hundred pounds. With his strong muscles he was able to swing a ten pound hammer to drive six foot steel drills into hard rock. People who worked with John Henry said he had amazing skills, strength and courage. They also said he was the “singingest” man on the job. One day the railroad brought in a steam drill to do John Henry’s job of drilling the Big Bend Tunnel in West Virginia. When John told his foreman that he could outdo the steam drill, he offered to prove it in a contest. For this special contest, John Henry swung not his usual ten, but twenty pound hammers, and with one in each hand. As it turned out, John never missed a stroke for the entire thirty-five minutes the contest lasted. While John raced the machine, he sang and sang. John drilled two holes six feet deep, but the steam drill only made one hole that was nine feet deep. No one is alive today who witnessed that contest, but according to the song, John Henry’s efforts to beat the drill were too much for him. Sadly, he suffered a heart attack and died soon afterward. Here are some of the words to the folk song, John Henry:John Henry was a steel-driving man, He drove all over the world. He come to Big Bend Tunnel on the C. & O. Road Where he beat the steam drill down, Where he beat the steam drill down.John Henry told his captain, “A man ain’t nothin’ but a man, But before I’d let your steam drill beat me down, Lawd I’d die with this hammer in my hand.” They placed John Henry on the right-hand side, The steam drill on the left. He said, “Before I let that steam drill beat me down I’ll die with my hammer in my hand, O Lawd, And send my soul to rest.” *The above lyrics are from the traditional folk song, John Henry. 196342095186500No one knows for sure who started the song about John Henry. Even if John Henry started it himself, many have since added to the song. Only parts of the song are true, but no one knows which parts those are. As for John Henry, he eventually became a famous tall tale and musical folk hero. His song and tall tale are still sung and told to this day! John Henry always called himself a “natural man.” What is the meaning of being a “natural man” in the context of this selection?It is a person who has spent lots of time studying and getting degrees.It is a person who wants to be an outdoorsmen doing physical work.A person who learns about the past and is a historian.A person who wants to make money owning and running different businesses.What type of character is John Henry?cartoon villainscience fiction charactertall tale herotragic heroineWhich group of character traits best describe John Henry?strong, studious, generous, wittymaterialistic, musical, skilled, patriotichard-working, brave, cautious, unluckyskilled, strong, courageous, musicalWhich is the best definition of a folk song?It is an electronic song that beats out various rhythms.It is a song expressing beliefs sung by folks in church.It is a regional song passed from one singer to another over time, therefore resulting in various versions of the song. It is a slow song that tells a story in an emotional style. In the context of this selection, stroke means __________________________________.A blow with a toola markan attackan effortThe drills that John Henry drove into rock were _________________________________.twenty poundshalf John’s heightalmost his heightthe same height as he wasJohn Henry told his foreman that he could beat the steam drill. Which is the best definition of the word, foreman?It is a person who sings and plays music professionally. It is a boss who watches over and is in charge of a group of workers.It is an employee hired to do physical labor.It is a person trained to handle finances.What is the meaning of The C. & O. Road mentioned in the lyrics of the John Henry song?It stands for Capital One.It stands for Chesapeake and Ohio Highway.It stands for Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad.C & O stands for In Care Of. Some of the lyrics of the John Henry folk song are:He come to Big Bend Tunnel instead of He came to Big Bend Tunnel . . .A man ain’t nothin’ but a man instead of A man isn’t nothing but a man. Lawd instead of Lord. Why do you think incorrect grammar was used in the folk song?The song writers were trying to avoid using extra letters in words.The song writers were trying to include responses to folk questions. The song writers were trying to make the lyrics rhyme in the folk song. The song writers wanted to use the conversational speech or dialect of folks in that region at that time.Another good title for this selection could be___________________________________The Making of a Folk SongWorking in Washington D.C.Men Against MachinesThe Defeat of the Steam Locomotive ................
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