In this true story, Neezy, a boy from the city, has come to visit his friend Fred who lives in the country. What happens when Neezy gets lost in the woods and Fred is too sick to help him?

The Woods Trap___________________________________________

Glenn Munson

Neezy hopped about pulling off his jeans. He threw them on the ground next to his shirt and then he jumped. The icy water of the small pool beneath the waterfall sent a shock through his body. Coming to the surface, Neezy hooted and leaned back to float under the warm midday sun.

"Man, you country kids have it made," he called to Fred. "This is sure easy living!"

Fred laughed as he peeled off his clothes. "You didn't say that yesterday when we were out mending fence and driving posts."

Fred ran across the clearing in the woods and onto the wet rocks edging the pool. Suddenly his foot slipped. He threw his weight forward, trying to clear the rocks and dive into the pool. There was a crack as his foot hit a sharp stone. Fred cried out, choking as he fell headfirst into the water.

In two strokes Neezy was at Fred's side, grabbing him around the chest. As Fred's head came out of the water, Neezy saw a deep red gash above his eye. "Take it easy, man. I got you."

Neezy pulled Fred to the edge of the small pool. Fred groaned and coughed, choking on the water he had swallowed. His foot scraped over the stones as Neezy pulled him out of the water. He groaned again and passed out.

Neezy kneeled to look at Fred's leg. It was sticking out at a funny angle. Neezy's stomach churned. He felt dizzy. Dropping on his hands and knees, he swayed his head from side to side, like a sick animal. "Oh, man," he groaned. "I've never even been in the woods before! Now what'll I do?"

He jumped up and started pacing back and forth, talking to himself. "Be cool, man. Just be cool. You can't go for help. Man, you don't even know how to find the dirt road where that guy in the pickup truck let you out. Man, you are lost in the woods!

"Besides, there's Fred. You can't leave Fred alone. Not the way he is."

Neezy's hands dug through his pockets. Some of the stuff might help — the jackknife, the small box of wooden matches. People on TV always had these with them in the woods. But the package of firecrackers he'd brought from the city —he wished he'd brought some candy bars instead. . . .

Food —they would need food. And they had to keep warm. It would get cold tonight. All they had were thin spring jackets.

Fred groaned and Neezy ran over to him. But Fred's eyes stayed closed and his groan trailed off into a whimper. The blood was drying on his forehead.

The waterfall roared louder and louder in Neezy's ears. He felt like crying. "Fred, man, Fred, what are we going to do? I'm a street kid, man. At night I stay in the apartment. I watch TV and sleep in a bed."

The idea flashed into his mind like a burst of lightning. That TV show where the rescue team saved those guys in the mountains. . . .

Neezy reached into his pocket and grabbed his jackknife. With his knife he cut two strong branches and stripped the bark off. Then he ripped open one side of Fred's jeans. He carefully bandaged Fred's broken leg, wrapping the torn pants leg around it. Then, using their bandannas, he tied the branches on either side of Fred's broken leg, holding the broken bone in place.

It was late afternoon when Fred came to. His eyes fluttered, and he moaned.

"Don't move, man. Just stay still. Your leg is busted. I put a splint on it," Neezy said.

Fred smiled weakly, trying to hide his pain. "Tha-that's a good job," he said.

Neezy nodded. "Saw it done like that on TV once. Then I remembered this other show where they were trapped in a snowstorm. You just hang on, man. I'm going to keep us warm tonight."

Neezy began going back and forth into the woods. Each time he returned with a big armload of pine cones. He piled them over Fred until he was buried in a blanket of pine cones. Then he collected some for himself.

When that was done, he began looking for twigs and branches for a fire. He was glad to keep moving, for the sun was setting and it was getting chilly. Neezy gathered wood until it was too dark to see. Then, using tree bark as Daniel Boone had done on TV, he started a fire and sat close to it until he couldn't keep his eyes open. He built up the fire. Then he crawled under his pile of pine cones and fell asleep.

When he woke up next morning, he was cold and hungry. He hoped someone would find them soon. But when? It might take days to trace down the guy who had given them the ride. He was the only person who knew where they were.

Neezy spent the morning searching through the woods for something to eat. He'd seen a man on a TV show once who knew how to live off wild plants in the woods. But the plants Neezy tasted were bitter, and he spit them out.

Around noon, he returned to camp and changed the bandage on Fred's forehead. Fred's skin was hot with fever. Neezy couldn't make out the few words Fred moaned.

When Fred went off to sleep, Neezy walked along the rushing brook. Maybe he could make a spear and catch some fish. Two or three times he saw the shadow of a fish dart through the water. But it was gone in a flash, and Neezy finally gave up.

By the next morning, Neezy was so hungry that he was weak. If he got up fast he felt dizzy. His head was spinning. He kept thinking about all the foods he liked. He didn't finish collecting wood for the fire until late afternoon.

Fred's fever seemed worse. He kept waking up and groaning. Then he'd fall back into a strange kind of sleep.

Tears rolled down Neezy's cheeks. His stomach hurt. The wind had started blowing and the late afternoon sky was clouding over. It was going to rain tonight. In two days he'd run out of tricks, run out of TV shows to help them. The next trick was up to him. He was on his own.

There were some cracks in the distance. He almost didn't hear them at first. When he did, he thought they were thunder far off.

Then the sound came again. Not a rumble, but three cracks, like shots, one after another. Neezy felt faint. He couldn't move.

Crack —crock —crack. The sounds came again, back up the ridge. Gun shots. They were gun shots!

Crack —crack —crack.' The sound came again. It was a signal. Soon they'd go away. If they didn't get a sound back, they'd move away, looking elsewhere.

"Okay, man, keep still. Let your head clear." He reached into his jacket pockets. His hands shook as he tried to open the package of firecrackers and get one out. He lit a match and held the fuse to it. Then he tossed it into the woods next to their camp.

Bang! "Keep cool, stay calm," he told himself. Neezy lit another one and waited for the bang. It was a dud. It didn't go off.

But it didn't matter. From up the cliff, probably from the dirt road, came shot after shot. They had heard the firecracker. Help was coming.

The city kid's trick had saved them.

_______________________________________________________

whimper – to cry with low sounds

bandanna - a large colored handkerchief

signal – a sign

Activity 1

Fact Questions

Write your answers to these ques­tions on a separate sheet of paper.

1. What are the two boys doing in the clearing in the woods?

2. Which of the boys lives in the country?

3. How does Fred break his leg?

4. What does Neezy have in his pocket?

5. What does Neezy use to make a splint for Fred's leg?

6. What does Neezy use to keep them warm?

7. What kinds of food does Neezy try to find?

8. Why doesn't he use plants for food?

9. How many days were the boys in the woods?

10. How does Neezy signal the men who come to rescue them?

Activity 2

Thought Questions

1. Does Fred spend every day enjoy­ing the outdoors?

2. Do you think Neezy should have gone to look for help instead of staying with Fred? Why?

3. What tricks did Neezy learn from watching TV that helped save them?

4. Can you think of any other ways Neezy might have found food?

5. Why would the boys have had no problem getting home if Fred had not been hurt?

6. Why did Neezy find it hard to think straight or to act quickly after being lost for two days?

7. Why does he have to act quickly after he hears the shots?

8. Why doesn't Neezy just shout for help?

9. If Neezy were to write three rules for staying alive in the woods, what would the rules be?

Activity 3

Thinking about Conflict

1. What kind of conflict does Neezy face in "The Woods Trap"?

2. What other kinds of conflicts do main characters in literature stories face?

3. What do you think Neezy learns about himself from his adventure in the woods?

UNIT 5

In this unit we will look at the fifth part of a story. This is theme. The theme is the meaning, the message, or the idea behind the story.

Theme is a little harder to talk about than plot, character, setting, or conflict. All four of these are right there in the story's words. But the theme of the story is behind the words. Most good writers do not tell you what the idea, or message, of the story is. Instead they let the events in the plot and the characters' reasons for their actions show you the theme. The writer may also give you a hint through the title of the story. But you must figure out what the story means.

In some stories, such as the detective shows on television, it's not hard to figure out the theme: crime doesn't pay. But this is because these stories always follow the same outline of plot and character.

The questions listed below will help you to discover the theme of a story.

1. What is the title of the story? Why do you think it has that title?

2. What does the main character discover about himself or herself by the end of the story? What do other characters discover about the main character?

3. What do you think the idea behind the story, or the theme, is?

Think about these questions as you read "The Prize" or after you finish reading it. Later, you will be asked to write your answers to these questions.

Have you ever had a hobby that interested you so much that you seemed to forget everything else? In this story Skip feels that way about his acr. More than anything else he wants to win the prize at the auto race. When he must choose between another person and the prize, what will he do? read this story and find out.

The Prize_____________________________________________

Juliana O. Muehrcke

“Hey, Sis” Skip called. “Come see what I got today!”

I signed as I went outside to see. If I knew Skip, it had something to do with that of his. He was crazy about that car.

I was right. Skip was standing in front of his car with that look on his face again. His eyes were so full of pride and love that he didn’t even see me come up beside him.

“What did you want to show me?” I had to yell in his ear to get him to hear.

“Just look!” He pointed to the car.

I looked, but it seemed just the same as it had ever since Skip bought it. He paid forty dollars for it and said it was a great buy. I didn’t have the heart to tell him it was ugliest old car I had ever seen.

Since then, Skip had spent every free moment working on the car. When he wasn’t fixing it up, he was working at the gas station to make enough money to fix it up. The old car seemed to eat up money. Last week he had painted it bright yellow – which didn’t make it look mush better.

“It looks like the same old wreck to me,” I said.

“Old wreck! I’ll have you know this old wreck has passed the test to race on Saturday!” He pulled me over and pointed out a green sticker on the side of the car.

I was shocked. “You’re really going to race this thing?”

He nodded and grinned proudly. “Yep. She’s all ready. Look ’er over”

I couldn’t have cared less, but I gave the car a closer look. “You took all the glass out of the windows,” I said.

“That’s right,” he said, “and there’s nothing loose anywhere. And see those bars on the front and back instead of regular bumpers? And those crash bars on the sides and top?”

He looked so proud that I tried to show some interest.

“Look at the tires,” he told me.

“They’re wider than the regular tires. They hug the road so I won’t slide on the curves.”

“That’s fine.” I said. “But don’t you know there’s more in life than cars?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“I mean,” I said, “that since you got this car you haven’t done one thing but work on it. You won’t go anywhere with your friends. I don’t think you have friends anymore.”

For a minute I thought he was going to get mad. But then he thought of something else, and his eyes lit up. “Look at this, he said, taking a bag from the car. “ I just got it – my new crash helmet. I’m all ready to race!

Brothers! They’re impossible! I turned and stamped into the house. Skip was busy trying on his crash helmet – yellow to match the car. I don’t think he even noticed I was gone.

That night at dinner I tried again.

“Skip, I said, “”Jerry and I going to the movies on Friday night. Why don’t you come along?”

“Jerry?” Skip said with surprise. “But he’s racing Saturday, too”

“That just goes to show that a person can have a car and still be part of the human race,” I told Skip. “Cars are only a way to get somewhere. People are what is important.”

The far-away look was back in Skip’s eyes, and he didn’t hear me. I was starting to worry about that crazy brother of mine.

I sure never thought then that I’d be at the race on Saturday. But when I saw Jerry on Friday night, he talked me into it.

So there I was in the stands Saturday morning. The place was with color and noise. The cars were bright splashes of color on the track. The seat under me seemed to shake with the noise of all the cars and the shouts of the crowd. The air was filled with the smell of oil.

Now the cars were lining up. I picked out Skip’s yellow one and Jerry’s red one. Some of the cars crept forward a few inches over the starting line, unable to wait. Everyone was so excited and eager that I found myself getting excited, too.

Then the green flag waved. The engines roared and the crowd yelled. I leaned forward to watch.

The cars spread out across the dirt track, and I lost sight of both Skip and Jerry, They roared around the first curve, leaving a cloud of smoke behind them.

When they went over the starting line again, a black car was way ahead.

Skip and Jerry were near the middle. I remembered that it was a ten-lap race. They had nine laps to go.

With each lap, Skip and Jerry closed the space between them and the black car. The black car kept leading the way, but the red and yellow cars were close behind.

When they crossed the starting line for the ninth time, the black car was still first. Jerry was second now and Skip was third. But it was as if Skip had been holding back, waiting for this moment, because all at once be shot forward. He moved up beside Jerry on the inside of the track.

I was on my feet now, yelling as loud as everybody else.

It was on the last lap that it happened. The black car went around the curve and slid forward the far side of the track. It spun around and came to rest facing the other way.

I sucked in my breath. Skip and Jerry were almost to the curve, and they were side by side now. There was no way that both of them could get past that black car, Jerry was going to crash into it!

Just then, Skip’s car made a sharp turn off the track and into the field. This gave Jerry enough space to pass the black car. Jerry squeezed past on the inside, where Skip had been. His car raced across the finish line.

My legs were shaking as I went down to meet Skip and Jerry. I walked slowly, feeling weak in the knees.

There was a crowd of people around Jerry, pounding him on the back and shaking his hand. He was about to be given the prize for winning the race. But he broke away when he saw me.

“I’m going to give Skip the prize,” he told me. “He would have won, but he turned off the track to save my life. It took great driving to do that.”

It took more than great driving. I thought. Skip did care more about people than cars after all.

“Yours brother sure is something” Jerry said.

I didn’t try to hide the tears in my eyes. “He’s O’K’,” I said.

Activity 1

Fact Questions

1. How much did Skip pay for the car?

2. Where did Skip work?

3. What color had Skip painted the car?

4. How were the tires on Skip's car different from regular tires?

5. Why were the tires made that way?

6. How many laps did the race have?

7. What color was the car that was ahead during most of the race?

8. Why did the lead car almost cause an accident?

9. What was Jerry going to do with the prize? Why?

10. What did Skip's sister think was more important than cars?

Activity 2

Thought Questions

1. Do you think Skip's sister is older or younger than Skip?

2. Do you think Skip's sister really cared about him? What makes you think so?

3. Why was Skip's sister worried about him?

4. Skip's sister thought his car was ugly. Why did Skip think his car was beautiful?

5. Do you think Skip's sister had a good time at the race? What makes you think so?

6. How do you think Skip's sister felt at the end? Why?

7. What kind of person is Jerry?

8. The story is named "The Prize." Jerry won the prize at the race, but someone else won a different kind of prize. What was it?

Activity 3

Finding the Theme

1. What is the title of the story? Why do you think it has that title?

2. What does the main character dis­cover about himself by the end of the story? What do other characters dis­cover about him?

3. What do you think the idea behind the story, or the theme, is?

UNIT 6

In the earlier units, you learned about the five parts of a short story. These are plot, character, setting, conflict, and theme. Stop for a moment and see if you can remember what each one means. Look back at the definition and explanation if you cannot remember one.

The short story in this unit will help to refresh your knowledge of these parts. They will also help you to see how these parts work together.

In this unit you will study how character and conflict work together. The study of character means knowing who the people in the story are, what the main character's problem is, and whether it is solved. The conflict is part of the problem. It may be a struggle against nature or another person or something within the main character.

As you read this story, think about the problem Eagle Claw faced. What was it that he learned about himself by the end of the story?

Test of Fire_____________________________________

Juliana O. Muehrcke

"This is the most important moment of my life," Eagle Claw thought.

Excitement ran through him as he looked out the plane window. This would be his first jump with the Indian fire fighters.

These Indians were a very special group. They were dropped from planes to fight fires in parts of the forest which fire fighters on the ground couldn't reach. Eagle Claw thought they were the bravest men alive.

Today he would show himself to be as brave as the bravest.

Long ago, every Indian in his tribe had to pass a test of bravery before he could be called a man. Those tests were part of day-to-day life —such things as hunting game with a bow and arrow. In those times, an Indian boy knew just what he had to do to prove himself.

But those days were gone. The white man had pushed the Indians off their land, and they could no longer live close to the earth. Eagle Claw had grown up in the city. He had gone to the schools of white people. In that world, there was no way to prove his bravery as Indians had done in the past. Things were not so clear to an Indian boy these days.

Many of his friends had given up the old Indian ways as they moved into the white man's world. But Eagle Claw would not. If he could not prove himself with a bow and arrow, he would show his bravery in a forest fire.

Eagle Claw pressed his face to the plane window and watched the green woods below him.

Then he saw it. Great clouds of thick black smoke were foaming into the sky. His heart beat faster, though his dark face was calm.

The others, who had done this many times before, were talking together as they got their gear ready.

"This fire is a bad one," Big Bear said gravely.

Lone Wolf nodded. "The town of Glenwood is in danger if the fire isn't stopped at once," he said.

Eagle Claw felt happy to be back among his own people. He could wish for nothing greater than to be one of these brave Indian men. The test he faced today was far more important than any test at school. He had to pass.

"Are you ready, Eagle Claw?" asked

Big Bear quietly.

Eagle Claw nodded. "I've been waiting for this moment all my life, " he said. This is my chance to prove I am a man."

Big Bear frowned and turned away without a word. Eagle Claw had the feeling that for some reason Big Bear was not pleased with him.

Eagle Claw was puzzled. Didn't Big Bear understand how important this moment was to him?

But he had no chance to wonder about it now. It was time to jump.

The exact instant of the jump was all-important. They must land near the fire but not fall into the hungry flames.

At the signal, Eagle Claw leaped out of the plane. He fell through the air — down, down, toward the raging fire. For a moment, he felt free and light. He was one with only the sky and the wind.

Then he turned his mind to the task of landing. He had to pick out a spot between the trees so that his parachute would not get hung up in the branches.

As he hit the ground, the sharp smell of burning surrounded him. Through the heavy smoke he saw the great wall of fire roaring toward him. He felt a little sick with fear.

Wearing hard hats and armed with shovels and saws, the men set to work making a fire lane. They began to cut down trees, clear away the brush, and dig a trench. When the fire reached this strip of bare ground, it would have nothing to feed on and it should stop.

If they could finish in time.

The fire was moving fast, pushed by the wind and by its own great heat. The air was full of flying sparks and ash and falling branches.

Eagle Claw took his shovel and dug as fast as he could. He could hardly breathe in the hot, smoke-filled air. He had never felt anything like this awful heat. The thick smoke stung his eyes and throat. But he kept digging.

A crackling sound was all around them. Loud booms shook the ground as trees crashed down. Eagle Claw worked as he had never worked before.

Over the roar of the fire, Eagle Claw heard Big Bear shout, "Hurry! The fire is almost on us!"

Eagle Claw's hands were sore and bleeding, but he dug even faster. He couldn't stop even to wipe tears from his stinging eyes. He had to keep digging. Shoulder to shoulder with the other Indians, Eagle Claw worked.

The greedy fire kept coming, eating up everything in its path. Would they finish in time?

Eagle Claw no longer thought about proving his bravery. He didn't think of himself at all. He thought only of stopping this flaming monster which was trying to eat up the green forest land.

At last the fire lane was finished. There was nothing left to do now but wait. If the fire was powerful enough, it would jump over the fire lane they had worked so hard to make. Then they would have to start all over again.

Eagle Claw stood waiting, hoping against hope. His face was black with ash, his shirt wet with sweat. He was too tired to move. He had given all of himself.

He turned his head and noticed Big Bear watching him with a small smile.

Suddenly it was clear to Eagle Claw. He saw now why Big Bear had frowned and turned away before. Big Bear had known that Eagle Claw's reason for joining the fire fighters was not a good one. A man was not brave if he did something just to prove his courage. He was brave only when he forgot about himself—when he cared about something greater than himself.

And now Eagle Claw did care very much about something greater than himself. With all his heart he wanted the fire to be stopped. The miles of forest and the town of Glenwood must be saved.

"Look!" someone yelled.

The fire was burning down. It was not going to jump the trench. A feeling of joy rose in Eagle Claw.

"The town is saved!" Eagle Claw cried. He felt more tired and happy than he ever had in his life.

Big Bear put a hand on his shoulder. "Eagle Claw," he said, "today I think you have become a man."

_______________________________________________________

parachute – a large umbrellar-shaped cloth with ropes made to slow a person’s fall to earth

trench - a long, narrow ditch or cut in the earth

Activity 1

Fact Questions

1. Why were these Indians a very spe­cial group?

2. Why did the Indian fire fighters jump from planes instead of going to the fire in trucks?

3. What kind of a test of bravery did Indians pass long ago?

4. Where did Eagle Claw grow up?

5. What is in danger if the fire isn't stopped?

6. Why was it important to jump at just the right time?

7. Why did the fire stop when it reached the fire lane?

8. What would the fire fighters have to do if the fire jumped over the fire lane?

9. What was the most important thing to Eagle Claw at the beginning of the story?

10. What was the most important thing to Eagle Claw at the end of the story?

Activity 2

Thought Questions

1. Besides hunting, what other things might have been part of the test for bravery in earlier times?

2. Why did the test of fire mean more to Eagle Claw than any test at school?

3. How does Eagle Claw's name show that he has not given up the old In­dian ways?

4. Do you think Eagle Claw will return to the city to live?

5. How old do you think Eagle Claw is? Why?

6. Why does Big Bear say, "Today I think you have become a man”?

Activity 3

How Character and Conflict Work Together

1. Who is the main character?

2. What is his problem?

3. With what does the main character come in conflict?

4. Is the main character's problem solved? How?

5. What does the main character learn about himself?

UNIT 7

The story in this unit is in the form of a play. A play contains the same parts as a short story. These are plot, character, conflict, setting, and theme. You have practiced finding all of these parts in a short story. Now you will use these skills in finding the same parts in a play. You will find that each part can be found in the same way as in a short story. Each part has the same meaning in a play as in a short story. Review the definition of each part if you cannot remember it.

A play differs from a short story in its form. In a play, the author does not tell the story. Instead, the characters speak, and the story comes from their speech. The characters' speeches are called dialogue. The only time that the author steps in to tell part of the story is when the setting is described. This is at the beginning of each new scene in a short play. The author tells the time and place of the scene that is coming. The author may also tell what has happened since the last scene. Then the characters' dialogue, or speeches, tells the story.

You will find plays easy to read if you understand the difference in form. As you read the play, follow these steps.

1. Read the note at the beginning that explains what the play is about.

2. At the beginning of each scene, read the author's explanation of the time and place. Try to picture the scene in your mind.

3. Note each change in speaker and try to see the characters' actions as you read the speech.

4. In some speeches, you will find notes in parentheses that tell how the character is acting. Read these carefully to help you imagine what the character looks like.

5. If possible, act out the play in class. This is the best way to really enjoy a play.

The play that you are about to read is a true story. It is based on the life of Olaudah Equiano. He was a slave who lived 200 years ago. Olaudah Equiano was born in 1745 in the part of Africa that is now Nigeria. He was kidnapped and sold into slavery when he was twelve years old. His owners changed his name to Gustavus Vassa. Later he was sold to a merchant in the British West Indies. This merchant's name was Robert King. He owned a ship, and he put Equiano to work on it. The captain of the ship was named Thomas Farmer. Captain Farmer became Equiano's friend and treated him fairly well. But at that time, most Africans were treated very badly, and you will see that Equiano suffered many hardships.

The thing that Equiano wanted most was his freedom. This play tells about his struggle to get the money to buy his freedom.