The Hunter Who Wanted Air - Boston Plan for Excellence

Teacher Guide for FAST-R Passage:
FAST-R: Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading
At a Glance
Approximate
Grade Range: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Genre: Myth
Topic: One man’s lesson on wisdom
Author: Alex Whitney
Source: Voices in the Wind (1976)
Special Note: used on G7 MCAS 2006
The Hunter Who Wanted Air
Myth
Difficulty Index: Considerate . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
Structure:
Purpose:
Richness:
Relationships:
Vocabulary:
Style:
Lexile Measure: 1130L
Mapuri the hunter has decided that he must be wise in addition to
his other qualities. To learn what Mapuri discovers in his quest for
wisdom, read the myth, The Hunter Who Wanted Air. Answer the
questions that follow.
The Hunter Who Wanted Air
A Legend from Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana and
Brazil
by Alex Whitney
1 The first time Mapuri the hunter noticed Tafeela, she was
weaving a basket under a shelter of thatched grass. So enchanted
was he by her grace and beauty that he immediately strode into
the nearby hut of her father, Okono, and asked for permission to
marry Tafeela.
2 “I shall let Tafeela decide for herself whether or not she will
marry you,” said Okono, as he went to the doorway and summoned
his daughter.
3 When Tafeela entered the hut, Okono explained the reason
for Mapuri’s presence. Tafeela peered intently at her suitor. Then
she stood on tiptoe and whispered in her father’s ear.
4 “Tafeela thinks you are handsome,” Okono told Mapuri,
“but she says she will only marry someone who possesses a quality
such as wisdom. You are known to be an expert hunter and a
skilled fisherman, but—” Okono hesitated, somewhat embarrassed,
“I seriously doubt if anyone would call you wise.”
5 “Then I shall become wise at once!” Mapuri said airily.*
6 “And just how do you plan to accomplish that” Okono
wanted to know.
7 “Very simply,” declared Mapuri. “I have heard that Mankato,
chieftain of the tribe that lives upriver by the waterfall, is
great in wisdom. I shall go to him, and when he has taught me
all that he knows, I shall return and marry Tafeela!”
8 Mapuri went off merrily whistling an imitation of the
honeybird’s song.
Richness: This passage deals with life’s lessons about
the development and importance of character and
wisdom. It does this by retelling the story of one man’s
supposed desire to become wise so he can marry a
certain woman in his village.
See especially: Questions 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10
Relationships: Though the explicit relationship
presented is the budding courtship between Mapuri
and Tafeela, the primary relationship in the story is the
implicit one between people and their moral character.
Aspects covered include desire, pride, and honesty.
See especially: Questions 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10
Structure: The structure of the passage should be
familiar to students as it narrates a straightforward,
chronological sequence of events.
See especially: Question 4
Continued on next page
FAST-R: Formative Assessments in Student Thinking in Reading. The passage text by Alex Whitney is from Voices in the Wind (1976). Copyright © 1976 by Alexandra Whitney. Some questions
were drawn or adapted from the G7 MCAS Spring 2006 test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.

9 Early the following morning Mapuri ran to the river and
leaped into his corial, the dugout canoe he had carved from a
tree trunk. Then he paddled strenuously upstream until he heard
the thunderous torrent of the waterfall.
10 When he had pulled his dugout onto a sandy cove, he
hastened toward a cluster of beehive-shaped huts set back from
the riverbank. Amid the excited barking of dogs, he exchanged
greetings with a group of villagers and told them he had come to
see Mankato.
11 Mapuri was led to a large thatched hut, roofed with paleyellow
palm straws that swept gracefully to the ground. Seated
cross-legged in the entrance was an ancient man with a magnificent
head of graying hair.
12 Mapuri stood before him and came to the point at once:
“Mankato, I wish to learn how to be wise.”
13 The old chieftain’s eyes twinkled from behind half-closed
lids. “Before one can acquire wisdom, one must truly desire it,”
he said.
14 “I desire it more than anything else at the moment!” cried
Mapuri.
15 “Then you shall have your first lesson,” said Mankato, rising
slowly to his feet. “Come, let us walk to the river.”
16 When the pair arrived at the riverbank, Mankato told
Mapuri to kneel in the shallow water. But as soon as Mapuri had
done so, Mankato firmly pushed the young man’s head underwater
and held it there for a moment or two.
17 Choking and spluttering, Mapuri raised his head out of the
river. Then he drew in great gulps of air.
18 “What did you think about while your head was underwater”
asked Mankato, seemingly unaware of his would-be pupil’s
distress.
19 “Air!” wheezed Mapuri.
20 “What!” exclaimed Mankato. “Did you not think of your
prowess in the hunt”
21 “No!” gasped Mapuri. “All I could think of was air!”
22 “Did you not think of your nets brimming with fish”
persisted Mankato.
23 “No,” said Mapuri, “I thought only of air!”
24 “When you want wisdom as much as you wanted air, then
shall you become wise,” said Mankato. And without a backward
glance at Mapuri, the old man walked away.
25 The long shadows of early evening lay on the river when
Mapuri returned to his village. As he trod wearily past Okono’s
hut, Tafeela emerged from the doorway.
26 “Did you learn how to be wise, Mapuri” she asked.
27 Mapuri hung his head and looked forlornly at his toes.
“Alas, Tafeela, I have learned only one thing,” he said. “Air is
more important to me than wisdom.”
Vocabulary: Some language in the passage may be
challenging for readers despite the considerate nature
of the text involving words like “corial.” Unfamiliar words
might include peered, torrent, strenuously, prowess,
forlornly.
See especially: Questions 1, 3
Richness: Mapuri learns an important lesson about
himself, his character, and his desires.
See especially: Questions 7, 8
FAST-R: Formative Assessments in Student Thinking in Reading. The passage text by Alex Whitney is from Voices in the Wind (1976). Copyright © 1976 by Alexandra Whitney. Some questions
were drawn or adapted from the G7 MCAS Spring 2006 test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.

28 Tafeela’s eyes sparkled beneath her fringe of glossy black
hair. “In that case,” she said, “I shall accept your offer of marriage.”
29 Mapuri could scarcely believe his ears. “Kiriwani! Impossible!”
he cried. “Surely you must realize that many, many moons
and many, many suns will come and go before I will be able to
claim wisdom!”
30 Tafeela laughed softly. “That may be true, but you possess
another quality more valuable than all the game in our forest,
more priceless than all the fish in our river: honesty. And
honesty, Mapuri, is the first step on the path to wisdom.” said
Tafeela.
Style: The legend of the hunter who wanted air is a
retelling of a mythical story that incorporates description
and dialogue to communicate the complexity of life,
desire, and relationships.
See especially: Questions 5, 8, 10
Purpose: The purpose of the passage is to communicate
the importance of honesty as an aspect of character to
be valued over acts of pride or prowess.
See especially: Questions 4, 5, 7, 9, 10
* airily — breezily, dismissively, as if it will be easy
From Voices In the Wind by Alex Whitney
Spotlight On: Myths and Legends
The word “myth” comes from the Greek word “mythos,”
meaning “story.” Myths exist in cultures throughout the
world and are used to explain and illustrate various historical
events, ways of living, or lessons people need to learn.
Myths are not necessarily based on science or factual
evidence, but they are told as if they are true.
Like myths, legends are stories passed down from one
generation to the next. The same character will sometimes
appear in different legends or folktales, and every story
has a lesson to teach the reader or listener. From these
legends, we can see how people have been living their lives
throughout the centuries and around the world.
Some famous legends include the stories of Ananse the
spider, Br’er Rabbit, the Quest for the Holy Grail, King Arthur
and the Knights of the Round Table, Robin Hood, and Paul
Revere’s ride.
Ideas for Connected Writing Activities
• Write an essay explaining the lesson Mapuri learned
and how he learned it. Use details from the story to
support your points.
• Compose a letter that Tafeela might have given to her
father explaining why she decided to marry Mapuri.
• Think of an important life lesson that you have learned
and explain how you learned that lesson.
• Write an essay supporting or disputing Tafeela’s claim
that honesty is the first step on the path to wisdom.
FAST-R: Formative Assessments in Student Thinking in Reading. The passage text by Alex Whitney is from Voices in the Wind (1976). Copyright © 1976 by Alexandra Whitney. Some questions
were drawn or adapted from the G7 MCAS Spring 2006 test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.

Teacher Guide for FAST-R Passage:
FAST-R: Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading
The Hunter Who Wanted Air
Myth
The annotated answer key below highlights common reasons students might choose each answer, and the sidebar gives more
insight into the questions, to help you understand patterns of student responses. Always make time to follow up with students in
conferences to ensure that the patterns you diagnose are consistent with students’ reading and thinking strategies.
1. Which of the following is the best synonym for the word enchanted in paragraph
1
A. bored (OOB)
B. puzzled (OOP1)
C. charmed
D. fooled (OOP2)
2. According to the myth, Mapuri was known to be good at
A. hunting and fishing.
B. running and swimming. (OOB)
C. basketweaving. (OOP2, 1)
D. paddling canoes. (OOP1, 9)
3. According to paragraph 9, what is a “corial”
A. a waterfall (OOP1)
B. a type of bird (OOP2, 8)
C. a canoe
D. a type of fish (OOB)
4. What is the purpose of paragraph 7
A. to show Mapuri’s initial misunderstanding of wisdom
B. to show Mapuri’s commitment to marrying Tafeela (OOP2)
C. to show how happy Mapuri has become (OOP2, 8)
D. to show how Mankato feels about Tafeela (OOB)
5. Based on the myth, which of the following words best describes Mapuri’s
attitude when he first sets off to find wisdom
A. humble (OOP1)
B. confident
C. angry (OOB)
D. enchanted (OOP2)
6. Why did Mankato hold Mapuri’s head under water
A. to try to kill him (OOB)
B. to teach him about the river (OOP2)
C. to celebrate his fishing prowess (OOP1, 20, 22)
D. to show him the true meaning of desire (13)
MI5: Determine meaning by
incorporating an understanding
of literary concepts
FE2: Recognize the explicit
meaning from varied wording
in the text
FE1: Identify evidence
explicitly stated in the text
MI2: Determine a singular
meaning from the sum total of
a particular paragraph
MI1: Determine implicit
meaning from words in context
MI1: Determine implicit
meaning from words in context
FAST-R: Formative Assessments in Student Thinking in Reading. The passage text by Alex Whitney is from Voices in the Wind (1976). Copyright © 1976 by Alexandra Whitney. Some questions
were drawn or adapted from the G7 MCAS Spring 2006 test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.

Grade 7 • Myth • “ The Hunter Who Wanted Air”
7. According to Mapuri, what is the “one thing” he learns from his visit with
Mankato
A. that he is already wise (OOP2, 5)
B. that air is more important to him than wisdom (27)
C. that Tafeela will agree to marry him (OOP2, 28)
D. that wisdom is not necessary as long as you have love (OOB)
8. Which of the following details best supports the idea that Mapuri felt defeated
after meeting with Mankato
A. He could not believe his ears. (OOP1, 29)
B. He hung his head. (27)
C. He whistled as he walked. (OOP2, 8)
D. He decided to run away. (OOB)
9. According to the myth, which of the following best explains why Tafeela
agrees to marry Mapuri
A. She discovers he is insincere. (OOP1)
B. She discovers he is wealthy. (OOP2)
C. She discovers he is unworthy. (OOB)
D. She discovers he is truthful.
10. Tafeela explains to Mapuri that “honesty ... is the first step on the path to
wisdom.” What does this tell the reader about Tafeela
A. She is an honest woman. (OOP1, 30)
B. She is a wise woman.
C. She is mad at Mapuri. (OOB)
D. She does not want to marry Mapuri. (OOP2, 28)
FE1: Identify evidence
explicitly stated in the text
MI3: Determine implicit
meaning by understanding the
organization of information in
the text
FE2: Recognize the explicit
meaning from varied wording
in the text
MI1: Determine implicit
meaning from words in context
FAST-R: Formative Assessments in Student Thinking in Reading. The passage text by Alex Whitney is from Voices in the Wind (1976). Copyright © 1976 by Alexandra Whitney. Some questions
were drawn or adapted from the G7 MCAS Spring 2006 test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.

FAST-R
+
Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading
Name
“The Hunter Who Wanted Air” • Myth
Date
Teacher/Class
Mapuri the hunter has decided that he must be wise in addition to his other qualities. To learn what
Mapuri discovers in his quest for wisdom, read the myth, The Hunter Who Wanted Air. Answer the
questions that follow.
The Hunter Who Wanted Air
A Legend from Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana and Brazil
by Alex Whitney
1 The first time Mapuri the hunter noticed Tafeela, she was weaving a basket under a shelter of
thatched grass. So enchanted was he by her grace and beauty that he immediately strode into the
nearby hut of her father, Okono, and asked for permission to marry Tafeela.
2 “I shall let Tafeela decide for herself whether or not she will marry you,” said Okono, as he went
to the doorway and summoned his daughter.
3 When Tafeela entered the hut, Okono explained the reason for Mapuri’s presence. Tafeela peered
intently at her suitor. Then she stood on tiptoe and whispered in her father’s ear.
4 “Tafeela thinks you are handsome,” Okono told Mapuri,
“but she says she will only marry someone who possesses a
quality such as wisdom. You are known to be an expert hunter
and a skilled fisherman, but—” Okono hesitated, somewhat
embarrassed, “I seriously doubt if anyone would call you wise.”
5 “Then I shall become wise at once!” Mapuri said airily.*
6 “And just how do you plan to accomplish that” Okono
wanted to know.
7 “Very simply,” declared Mapuri. “I have heard that Mankato,
chieftain of the tribe that lives upriver by the waterfall, is
great in wisdom. I shall go to him, and when he has taught me
all that he knows, I shall return and marry Tafeela!”
8 Mapuri went off merrily whistling an imitation of the
honeybird’s song.
9 Early the following morning Mapuri ran to the river and
leaped into his corial, the dugout canoe he had carved from a
tree trunk. Then he paddled strenuously upstream until he heard
the thunderous torrent of the waterfall.
* airily — breezily, dismissively, as if it will be easy
Spotlight On: Myths and
Legends
The word “myth” comes from the
Greek word “mythos,” meaning “story.”
Myths exist in cultures throughout
the world and are used to explain and
illustrate various historical events, ways
of living, or lessons people need to
learn. Myths are not necessarily based
on science or factual evidence, but they
are told as if they are true.
Like myths, legends are stories
passed down from one generation to the
next. The same character will sometimes
appear in different legends or folktales,
and every story has a lesson to teach
the reader or listener. From these
legends, we can see how people have
been living their lives throughout the
centuries and around the world.
Some famous legends include the
stories of Ananse the spider, Br’er
Rabbit, the Quest for the Holy Grail, King
Arthur and the Knights of the Round
Table, Robin Hood, and Paul Revere’s
ride.
FAST-R: Formative Assessments in Student Thinking in Reading. The passage text by Alex Whitney is from Voices in the Wind (1976). Copyright © 1976 by Alexandra Whitney.
Some questions were drawn or adapted from the G7 MCAS Spring 2006 test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.

10 When he had pulled his dugout onto a sandy cove, he hastened toward a cluster of beehiveshaped
huts set back from the riverbank. Amid the excited barking of dogs, he exchanged greetings
with a group of villagers and told them he had come to see Mankato.
11 Mapuri was led to a large thatched hut, roofed with pale-yellow palm straws that swept gracefully
to the ground. Seated cross-legged in the entrance was an ancient man with a magnificent head
of graying hair.
12 Mapuri stood before him and came to the point at once: “Mankato, I wish to learn how to be
wise.”
13 The old chieftain’s eyes twinkled from behind half-closed lids. “Before one can acquire wisdom,
one must truly desire it,” he said.
14 “I desire it more than anything else at the moment!” cried Mapuri.
15 “Then you shall have your first lesson,” said Mankato, rising slowly to his feet. “Come, let us
walk to the river.”
16 When the pair arrived at the riverbank, Mankato told Mapuri to kneel in the shallow water. But
as soon as Mapuri had done so, Mankato firmly pushed the young man’s head underwater and held it
there for a moment or two.
17 Choking and spluttering, Mapuri raised his head out of the river. Then he drew in great gulps of
air.
18 “What did you think about while your head was underwater” asked Mankato, seemingly unaware
of his would-be pupil’s distress.
19 “Air!” wheezed Mapuri.
20 “What!” exclaimed Mankato. “Did you not think of your prowess in the hunt”
21 “No!” gasped Mapuri. “All I could think of was air!”
22 “Did you not think of your nets brimming with fish” persisted Mankato.
23 “No,” said Mapuri, “I thought only of air!”
24 “When you want wisdom as much as you wanted air, then shall you become wise,” said Mankato.
And without a backward glance at Mapuri, the old man walked away.
25 The long shadows of early evening lay on the river when Mapuri returned to his village. As he
trod wearily past Okono’s hut, Tafeela emerged from the doorway.
26 “Did you learn how to be wise, Mapuri” she asked.
27 Mapuri hung his head and looked forlornly at his toes. “Alas, Tafeela, I have learned only one
thing,” he said. “Air is more important to me than wisdom.”
28 Tafeela’s eyes sparkled beneath her fringe of glossy black hair. “In that case,” she said, “I shall
accept your offer of marriage.”
29 Mapuri could scarcely believe his ears. “Kiriwani! Impossible!” he cried. “Surely you must
realize that many, many moons and many, many suns will come and go before I will be able to claim
wisdom!”
30 Tafeela laughed softly. “That may be true, but you possess another quality more valuable than all
the game in our forest, more priceless than all the fish in our river: honesty. And honesty, Mapuri, is
the first step on the path to wisdom,” said Tafeela.

FAST-R
+
Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading
Name
“The Hunter Who Wanted Air” • Myth
Date
Teacher/Class
Directions: Answer the following multiple-choice questions by filling in the circle for the best answer
on your answer sheet.
1. Which of the following is the best synonym
for the word enchanted in paragraph 1
A. bored
B. puzzled
C. charmed
D. fooled
2. According to the myth, Mapuri was known to
be good at
A. hunting and fishing.
B. running and swimming.
C. basketweaving.
D. paddling canoes.
3. According to paragraph 9, what is a “corial”
A. a waterfall
B. a type of bird
C. a canoe
D. a type of fish
4. What is the purpose of paragraph 7
A. to show Mapuri’s initial misunderstanding
of wisdom
B. to show Mapuri’s commitment to marrying
Tafeela
C. to show how happy Mapuri has become
D. to show how Mankato feels about Tafeela
5. Based on the myth, which of the following
words best describes Mapuri’s attitude
when he first sets off to find wisdom
A. humble
B. confident
C. angry
D. enchanted
6. Why did Mankato hold Mapuri’s head under
water
A. to try to kill him
B. to teach him about the river
C. to celebrate his fishing prowess
D. to show him the true meaning of desire
7. According to Mapuri, what is the “one thing”
he learns from his visit with Mankato
A. that he is already wise
B. that air is more important to him than
wisdom
C. that Tafeela will agree to marry him
D. that wisdom is not necessary as long as
you have love
8. Which of the following details best supports
the idea that Mapuri felt defeated after
meeting with Mankato
A. He could not believe his ears.
B. He hung his head.
C. He whistled as he walked.
D. He decided to run away.
Continued on next page...
FAST-R: Formative Assessments in Student Thinking in Reading. The passage text by Alex Whitney is from Voices in the Wind (1976). Copyright © 1976 by Alexandra Whitney.
Some questions were drawn or adapted from the G7 MCAS Spring 2006 test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.

Name
Date
School
Teacher/Class
9. According to the myth, which of the following
best explains why Tafeela agrees to marry
Mapuri
A. She discovers he is insincere.
B. She discovers he is wealthy.
C. She discovers he is unworthy.
D. She discovers he is truthful.
10. Tafeela explains to Mapuri that “honesty ...
is the first step on the path to wisdom.” What
does this tell the reader about Tafeela
A. She is an honest woman.
B. She is a wise woman.
C. She is mad at Mapuri.
D. She does not want to marry Mapuri.
FAST-R: Formative Assessments in Student Thinking in Reading. The passage text by Alex Whitney is from Voices in the Wind (1976). Copyright © 1976 by Alexandra Whitney.
Some questions were drawn or adapted from the G7 MCAS Spring 2006 test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.

Teachers: Please duplicate and use this answer sheet only for students for whom you did not receive a pre-printed answer sheet!
FAST-R Answer Sheet
Name
School
Date Grade Class
Passage Title
Completely fill the circle
for the correct answer.
Teacher Name
Write your answer to the open response prompt in the lined space below
if your teacher directs you to do so.
1. A B C D
2. A B C D
3. A B C D
4. A B C D
5. A B C D
6. A B C D
7. A B C D
8. A B C D
9. A B C D
10. A B C D
OFFICE USE ONLY
RESEARCH: Y N
OPEN RESPONSE: 1 2 3 4