The Whale Rider - questions - 9B

Book circle year 9 The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera

Write the answers to the questions in your notebook.

Prediction

1. Look at the cover and backside (the blurb) - what do you think this book will be about? Explain why.

Chapter 1 & 2:

1. Describe what chapter 1 and 2 is about, in a few sentences.

Chapter 3 & 4:

1. Who is Koro Apirana?
2. Who is Kahu?
3. Who is Nani Flowers?
4. Who is Rawiri?

Chapter 5 & 6 & 7:

1. What happened to Kahu’s mother Rehua?
2. What does it mean that Koro Apirana was a chief? Explain.

Chapter 8:

1. What problem was the village facing?
2. Why was Koro Apirana bearing less of a grudge against Kahu?
3. What did he hold against her?
4. Who was Koro Apirana considering as a successor?
5. Who is Tangaroa?

Chapter 10 & 11:

1. What did Rawiri do when Kahu was 4?
2. Why did he stay so long in Australia?
3. What was his life like in Sydney?
4. What was the phone call that changed Rawiri’s life?
5. What kind of reception did Rawiri get at Jeff’s home?
6. What did Porourangi report to Rawiri about Koro’s search for a successor?
7. What finally convinced Rawiri to return home?

Chapter 12:

1. How was Rawiri’s homecoming?
2. How had people changed?
3. How was Kahu a “sucker for punishment”?
4. How is Kahu like Mihi?
5. What moved Nani Flowers to tears?

Chapter 13 & 14:

1. What happened when Koro took the boys out in the boat to retrieve the stone?
2. Why did Nani Flowers not want to tell Koro about the experience?

Chapter 15:

1. What happened on the beach of Wainui that caused sorrow and anger among the people?
2. What did Rawiri and his friends do?
3. Who arrived to help take the stranded whales back out to sea?
4. What did the rescued whale then do?
5. What finally happened to all the whales?

Chapter 16:

1. Why is Koro so upset when he arrives back home?

Chapter 17:

1. How does Kahu save the whale?

Chapter 18:

1. How does Kahu manage to save the people?

Chapter 19:

1. Out at sea, who notices Kahu first?
2. What does the old one think?
3. What happens to Nani Flowers when she realizes that Kahu has disappeared?

Chapter 20

1. Days later when Nani Flowers wakes up what does she discover about Kahu?
2. How does Kahu wake up?
3. What do the whales rejoice about?

Chapter 21:

1. What does Kahu hear?
2. What is the message?

Essay topics (choose two to write about):

1. Does Kahu demonstrate the traits of a good leader? If so, which specific traits does she demonstrate?
2. Whale rider demonstrates the conflict that is caused when the past meets the present. Explain your thoughts.  
3. The Whale Rider illustrates that girls are just as capable as boys and when people accept this everyone benefits. Do you agree? Explain.
4. The Whale Rider illustrates that culture and tradition can be both a positive and negative thing in people’s lives. Do you agree? Explain.

Source: https://esl094bmcc.wikispaces.com/Whale+Rider+Comprehension+Questions