The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind True and False
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Questions and Answers

Magic was the ruling force in the world before the discovery of science

True

The protagonist's earliest memory involves a life-threatening situation

True

The protagonist's family lived on a farm near the city of Kasungu

True

The trader on the bicycle lost one of his bags on his way to the market

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Children consume human flesh disguised as food, leading to eternal control by the wizard responsible.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Witches engage in battles amongst themselves, causing confusion and casualties, leading to the use of children as soldiers.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Witch planes can travel great distances in a minute, disguised as everyday objects.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Children are sent to test enemy wizards' powers and determine their weapons.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Mysterious soccer matches with human head balls take place amongst witches for competition.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Money repels witches and wizards, causing them to revert to human form if they come into contact with it.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Praying to clean one's soul is a protective measure against witches and wizards.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

A man named Father saves himself from a truck accident by the power of God.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The influence of American action films leads to the creation of a game using toy guns.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The wizard revives the dead man by consuming magic porridge.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The leader, mwini chisokole, had to follow certain rules for focus and protection before hunts.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The leader's potions, made of red maize and certain roots, were distributed to the hunters for safety.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Women and children were allowed to participate in the hunts to ensure a successful hunt.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The text mentions a fear of the Gule Wamkulu, a secret gang of dancers believed to be resurrected ancestors.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Gule Wamkulu were known to take away boys, and doubting their existence could lead to being bewitched.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Witches and wizards were not feared for their potent magic and ability to command children.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Other dangers mentioned were large men and ghosts, magic trucks, hyenas, and lions.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

These magical creatures and situations usually appeared in cities and villages.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The text mentions the fear and belief in these magical beings, the dangers they present, and the impact they have on the community.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Grandpa was a renowned wizard in the district.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The dead man shows mercy and lets the guilty cobra live, earning the wizard three British pounds.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Mwase's ritual at the shore turns him and his rifle into music in the breeze.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Mwase is granted land and power by the chief after killing a black rhino and celebrating for three days.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Mwase establishes a thriving empire in Lilongwe with abundant farmland and strong people.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Ngoni people come to Chewa territory fleeing from the chaos in the Zulu kingdom.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Mwase's warriors disguise themselves as grass to ambush and defeat the Ngoni, killing their leader, Chief Nawambe.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The hill is renamed as 'Nguru ya Nawambe,' meaning 'The Deadly Defeat of Nawambe.'

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the past, the forests were dense, and people lost their sense of time and direction.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The British authorities send soldiers to kill the lion that killed a woman in the forest.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Mwase comes across a man bitten by a cobra while hunting alone.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The villagers bring their witch doctor to perform a ritual to save the man bitten by a cobra.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Mwase's empire is located in the Zulu kingdom.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The lion's body is displayed in the forest after the British authorities kill it.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The speaker had been searching for herd boys who were distributing bubble gum in the village area for the past two days.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

He was angered by this act and had threatened that anyone who had consumed the gum would be cursed by the witch doctor (sing'anga).

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The speaker had eaten the gum and was now convinced that the witch doctor had placed a curse on him.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

He began to experience fear, sweating, and a racing heart. He tried to rid himself of the curse but was unable to do so.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

He believed that the witches would come for him at night and take him to magic battlefields where he would be left for dead.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The speaker ran home to his father and confessed to having eaten the stolen gum.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

His father paid the trader for the entire bag of gum to prevent any further trouble.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The speaker's father believed in magic and had told stories of magic being a powerful force in their world.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

In their community, there was a belief in a powerful magic hunter named Mwase Chiphaudzu who was able to disguise himself as a cluster of reeds and ambush his prey.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

This magic hunter was summoned to help deal with a ferocious black rhino that had been terrorizing the village.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The rhino had killed over a hundred people by attacking at the watering hole, and a young girl from the royal family was the latest victim.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Mwase arrived at the watering hole early one morning and used his magic to ambush and kill the rhino, saving the village.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Uncle John used tractors to clear the land and trees for planting and harvesting.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Mangolomera was a form of magic that delivered superhuman strength.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The medicine mangolomera was rubbed into small incisions made on each knuckle, usually by a magic razor.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Phiri was so strong that he carried a mamba in his pocket as a charm, and this snake was too afraid to bite.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Jeremiah was known for his strong work ethic and dedication to the family business.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

President Banda retired in 1994 after losing the first elections he allowed to happen.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

President Banda was born and raised in Kasungu.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Bakili Muluzi believed that the government should provide subsidies for farmers.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Muluzi's policies allowed wealthy companies to flood the auction floors with mass-produced tobacco.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The value of burley tobacco increased due to Muluzi's policies.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The speaker's family managed to plant a few small plots in addition to their normal maize fields.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Uncle Socrates had seven sons.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The arrival of Uncle Socrates and his family did not have much impact on the speaker.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Uncle Socrates brought a large dog named Khamba with him to watch the chickens and goats.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The speaker's family lived on a farm near the city of Kasungu.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Magic was the ruling force in the world before the discovery of science.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Uncle John's body was left under the acacia tree after his passing

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The speaker had seen his parents suffer for the first time after his uncle's death

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The speaker felt ashamed for not crying and wailing like others after his uncle's death

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The speaker's father and his brothers placed Uncle John's coffin in their friend's truck for the funeral

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The graveyard where Uncle John was buried was located near Grandpa's village

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

In Malawi, graves have a hidden compartment at the bottom to protect the deceased from falling dirt

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The adzukulu carefully lowered Uncle John's coffin into the smaller compartment in the grave

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The adzukulu covered the hole with wooden planks and a reed mat after lowering the coffin

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Uncle John's grave appeared empty after the adzukulu covered it with a new floor

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The speaker felt a dull buzzing deep in his mind as he watched Uncle John's burial

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The speaker's father and his brothers lifted the coffin and placed it inside their friend Kachiluwe’s truck

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The speaker was not able to gather the courage to enter the house where Uncle John's body was placed

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The man warns the narrator not to eat okra or sweet potato leaves, or tell anyone about the powder.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator waits for three days for the powder to take effect, during which time he feels a rush of confidence.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator plans to go to Dowa during the summer holiday to test his newfound powers.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator crushes a boy's feet with his sandal during a soccer game, intending to use the opportunity to test his powers.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The boy is stronger than expected and is able to defend himself, leaving the narrator with a sore eye and bruised hands.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The man who gave the narrator the powder is revealed to have lied about its effects and admits that the narrator should not have bathed after receiving it.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's uncle takes him home and scolds him for fighting.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The chapter begins with the narrator's father taking his uncle John to the hospital due to a tuberculosis diagnosis, but Uncle John dies before they can reach the hospital.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's father places Uncle John's bed mat under an acacia tree for him to rest before leaving to borrow a car.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator hears a commotion and sees Enifa pushing through the crowd, gasping for breath.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The villagers begin to wail and cry, and the narrator feels a hand on his shoulder.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's hands are injured and covered in blood, which the man rubs with a powder to make them swell and feel tough.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Phiri's magical ability, mangolomera, made him want to constantly battle.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Phiri's fight with James ended when Phiri was neutralized by green vines from a sweet potato plant.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Shabani offered to transfer his mangolomera magic to the speaker to help deal with bullies.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The ritual to transfer mangolomera from Shabani to the speaker involved cutting the speaker's knuckles.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The speaker believed that the ritual would give him the strength to defend himself against bullies.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Phiri's magical power, mangolomera, was easily controlled and neutralized.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The ritual to transfer mangolomera from Shabani to the speaker was painless and cost-free.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The speaker's father was not involved in neutralizing Phiri's mangolomera.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

James was able to effectively defend himself against Phiri's magical rage.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Shabani did not claim to possess mangolomera and did not offer it to the speaker.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The speaker did not agree to go through with the painful and costly ritual to transfer mangolomera.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The speaker did not believe that the transferred magic would give him the strength to defend himself against bullies.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The protagonist and Khamba managed to catch five birds in their trap?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Mphala means 'a home for unmarried boys' where the protagonist's cousin Charity lived?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Charity and his friend Mizeck slept at the clubhouse at night and lived with their parents during the day?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The clubhouse had a bed made from blue gum poles and maize sacks stuffed with grass in the corner?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's obsession with the MTL Nomads led to anxiety attacks during a game with the Big Bullets?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The radio was the only connection to the outside world for the people in Malawi and most parts of Africa that didn’t have electricity for television?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Until a few years ago, there were only two radio stations in Malawi, both operated by the government?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator and Geoffrey started taking apart old broken radios to see how they worked and began fixing them?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator and Geoffrey operated their own little radio repair business out of Geoffrey’s small bedroom?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator and Geoffrey used batteries as a power source for testing broken radios, and they bought the batteries from the trading center?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The radio used an internal antenna to receive FM waves because they are longer than AM waves?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator and Geoffrey used a proper soldering iron for performing repairs on the circuit boards?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator and Geoffrey learned about the integrated circuit board, which contains all the wires and bits of plastic, through trial and error?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator and Geoffrey tested batteries by attaching two wires to the positive and negative ends and connecting them to a torch bulb?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator and Geoffrey started their radio repair business by collecting used cells and empty cartons of Shake Shake booze to test the batteries?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The brighter the torch bulb lit up when connected to the battery, the weaker the battery's power?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Geoffrey dreams of becoming a scientist

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The boy's fascination with compact disc players leads him to pursue music technology

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The boy's father did not believe in magic and stories of its power

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Grasshoppers are caught as a food source during the burning of maize stalks

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The text mentions that women's contributions are often overlooked in Malawian society

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The boy helps his father in the fields during the growing season, which is a family responsibility

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Malawians rely heavily on maize (nsima) for food, and farming it is a communal family activity

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The boy receives satisfactory answers about how truck engines work from the truckers he asks

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The boy's interest in mechanics and electronics fulfills his dreams of advanced science education

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The boy attends Wimbe Primary School and often skips helping his father in the fields to attend classes

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The boy's fascination with batteries and radios does not affect their battery life

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The boy's community believes in the power of magic and its influence in their world

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The speaker's favorite soccer team, MTL Wanderers (or Nomads), had posters in the clubhouse, and their rivals, Big Bullets, also had a poster.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The clubhouse had a fireplace with charred maize piths and wood, and a small window for ventilation and light. The air smelled bad.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The speaker, who was young and often forbidden from entering the clubhouse, earned entry by helping steal mangoes.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The speaker hunted and brought birds as a form of payment for entry to the clubhouse, and Khamba received the heads as a reward.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The speaker grew up during his thirteenth year, spending more time in the trading center with friends and playing the game bawo.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Khamba followed the speaker to the trading center once and was met with ridicule, so the speaker had to scare him away.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The speaker was able to gather the courage to enter the house where Uncle John's body was placed.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Magic was the ruling force in the world before the discovery of science.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The hill is renamed as 'Nguru ya Nawambe,' meaning 'The Deadly Defeat of Nawambe.'

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The speaker's family lived on a farm near the city of Kasungu.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: President Banda was born and raised in Kasungu.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Phiri's magical ability, mangolomera, made him want to constantly battle.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The farming practices in the village during the dry season in Malawi include rotating the soil by digging new ridges to improve crop yield.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The soil is soft and easy to work with during the dry season in Malawi.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Accidents, such as cutting one's foot with a hoe, are common during the clearing and planting season in the village.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The planting season in the village starts with the first rains in December.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Maize is a staple crop in the village, and the text describes its scarcity during the planting season.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The text mentions the challenges of the farming season, including the lack of food and the hard work required.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The farming in the village during the dry season is done under easy and comfortable conditions.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The arrival of Uncle Socrates and his family had a significant impact on the speaker.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Mwase arrived at the watering hole early one morning and used his magic to ambush and kill the rhino, saving the village.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The value of burley tobacco increased due to Muluzi's policies.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Magic was the ruling force in the world before the discovery of science.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Until a few years ago, there were only two radio stations in Malawi, both operated by the government.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's job was to water the young tobacco plants from the stream every day until December?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Ganyu was a form of piecework or day labor that many men in Malawi did during hungry seasons?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Gilbert seemed surprised to see the villagers gathered in his yard asking for handouts or ganyu?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's father had also done ganyu in the tobacco estates during hungry seasons?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The recent troubles mentioned in the text have caused a shortage of food in the region.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Mangoes were out of season and gone, so many men worked in exchange for cassava.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: President Muluzi gave out small handouts of money during his travels to show that he was a Big Man.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The small portions of flour in the blue plastic bags were known as walkman and were for city people, not farmers and their families.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: People in the region were selling off their animals, making chicken practically free for those with money.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The text mentions that President Muluzi visited Wimbe Primary School in 1999 during one of his whistle-stop tours.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The president was described as bald and fat in the text.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The president's short legs seemed mismatched for his round body when he walked to the podium.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The president said that the school should be torn down and rebuilt strong and proud during his visit to Wimbe Primary School.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The president visited the narrator's home during one of his whistle-stop tours.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The president's handouts during his travels included military parades, dancers, and lots of food.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The president's handouts aimed to ensure that the poor remembered him come election day.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The government's food reserve, stored in the Agriculture Development Marketing Corporation (ADMARC), is empty.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) accused the government of selling the surplus grain for profit.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The price of maize started going up significantly in October, making it unaffordable for many people.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: People began looking for alternative food sources, such as green, unripe mangoes and gaga (maize husks).

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Some people were digging ridges in other people's fields as payment for food.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Market women were selling gaga as a food source, which is usually discarded or used for animal food or fuel.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The estates, which usually provide extra food during the hungry season, have nothing to spare this year.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The text suggests that the government sold the surplus grain to pay off debt.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The speaker mentions that the government sold the surplus grain to pay off debt, but some individuals in government sold it all instead, leaving no food for emergencies.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator mentions that the price of maize went down significantly in October, making it affordable for many people.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The text mentions that people found it easy to access and afford maize during the food crisis.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The speaker states that the government's food reserve, stored in the Agriculture Development Marketing Corporation (ADMARC), is full.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

President Muluzi of Malawi successfully addressed the hunger crisis in the country.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Muluzi promised every person in Malawi new shoes during his election campaign.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Muluzi was the chairman of the Southern African Development Community.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Gilbert's father asked for grain instead of funding for wells and toilets at a rally.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Officials confronted and beat Chief Wimbe after a rally.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Heavy rains in December made it difficult for farmers to plant fields for the next harvest.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Waganyu, or day laborers, were seen moving slowly down the road in search of piecework.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Governor's family was unable to plant crops due to being too busy looking for food.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Local chiefs did not plead with Gilbert's father to speak on their behalf.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

President Muluzi did not send men to chop down blue gum trees for building materials.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The crowd applauded the next speaker after he did not praise the President.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The government treated Chief Wimbe brutally despite the looming hunger crisis.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's family has sold their livestock to buy maize.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The next harvest is over two hundred days away, and there's no guarantee of rain or fertilizer.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's favorite goat, Mankhalala, was sold, and the family had to sell other goats to survive.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator starts waking up early to make ridges in the fields but skips breakfast.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The family has less than two bags of grain left, and the father asks the narrator to help dig ridges in the fields instead of making breakfast.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator offers to help his cousin Geoffrey with his ridges in exchange, but Geoffrey is distracted and does not respond.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Geoffrey has been struggling since his father died, and his performance in the fields has suffered.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator and Geoffrey started their radio repair business by collecting used cells and empty cartons of Shake Shake booze to test the batteries?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's hands are injured and covered in blood, which the man rubs with a powder to make them swell and feel tough.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator did not believe that the transferred magic would give him the strength to defend himself against bullies.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The speaker felt ashamed for not crying and wailing like others after his uncle's death.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The speaker's family managed to plant a few small plots in addition to their normal maize fields.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The people walking past Gilbert's house on Christmas were cheerful and in high spirits?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator had seen Gilbert in the past few days before walking down to his house?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Gilbert's house was covered in a blue haze from the cooking fires outside?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Gilbert's father was actively greeting people and busy when the narrator asked about him?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator and Charity ate large amounts of hide to bring back to life a wounded animal during Christmas.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Charity made an exception and allowed the narrator and the animal inside the clubhouse.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator lost track of how many pieces of hide he ate and felt tired and sore jaws afterwards.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Several pieces of hide remained in the pot.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator thought about his family who were likely hungry and dreaming of meat on Christmas Day but didn't ask for a share as it was a rule to keep what happens in mphala within mphala.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The following week, the narrator received news that his exam results were ready.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: He was disappointed to find out that he had been assigned to Kachokolo Secondary School, a community school.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: His grades in Mathematics, Primary Science, and English were all below average.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: He planned to become the best student at Kachokolo and transfer to a better school after taking his Junior Certificate Exam.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The rains arrived, bringing life to the land, but also insects and misery to the people.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The cost of maize had reached nearly a thousand kwacha a pail, and people were mostly eating gaga to survive.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Charity and the narrator consider stealing mangoes or buying flour from traders before settling on wanting meat?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Mang'ina is the meat from the head and hooves of a cow or goat, usually cooked in a pot with the legs and hooves?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator and Charity ask James for a goat skin, which he had planned to throw away?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The finished product of the goat skin meal is described as slimy and sticky, but they eat it along with a piece for their dog, Khamba?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The wealthy traders are mentioned to still be eating meat despite the hunger, and the villagers crowd around them watching them eat?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The group prepares a Christmas drum for the children in the village as a Christmas gift?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The goat skin was originally a byproduct of the mang'ina preparation but now serves as a Christmas meal for the narrator and Charity?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator mentions that the wealthy traders are not eating meat despite the hunger, and the villagers crowd around them watching them eat?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The finished product of the goat skin meal is described as dry and crunchy, but they eat it along with a piece for their dog, Khamba?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator and Charity ask James for a cow skin, which he had planned to throw away?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Mang'ina is the meat from the tail and horns of a cow or goat, usually cooked in a pot with the legs and hooves?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Charity and the narrator consider stealing oranges or buying flour from traders before settling on wanting meat?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator, William, was able to withdraw his family's savings of about a thousand kwacha and used it to buy more maize.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: William was excited to wear long trousers and walk with his friend Gilbert like big men.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: On the first day of school, William met Gilbert on the road and they discussed how to deal with bullying Form Three students.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The headmaster reprimanded William for not wearing the proper uniform and footwear.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The school had a shortage of textbooks, and William was grateful that his friend Gilbert had bought his own books and allowed him to look at them.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The conditions at William's previous primary school were poor, with students reading outside under trees due to overcrowded classrooms and leaking roofs.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The forty-minute walk to Kachokolo took William and Gilbert over hills, across maize fields, and past tobacco estates.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: About a hundred men waited all day in the rain for their savings at a bank, growing angrier and more fearful as they were told to wait longer.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The farmers threatened to riot, demanding their money.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: William was concerned about his uniform as his parents couldn't afford to buy him a proper white shirt.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: William was given a warning to wear proper footwear once the rains were over.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: One classmate, Angela, fell through the floor of the latrines at William's previous primary school.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Traders in Malawi mixed maize porridge with sawdust when supplies ran low.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: People discovered the deception when the porridge soured their stomachs, leading to protests at the market.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: A woman named the narrator's mother spent hours baking cakes to sell for flour, which she hid from her family to check the amount earned.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: People's lives became increasingly desperate, leading to chaotic scenes of mobbing merchants and taking what they could.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The price of maize continued to rise, leading families to cut back on their food portions, causing hunger and stress.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Paranoia and anxiety became prevalent as the situation worsened, with many fearing for their safety and the collapse of the government.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The government remained silent on the situation, leaving people to deal with the crisis on their own, with little hope of a solution.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's mother's cakes became a target during chaotic scenes, leaving her with little to sell and even less for her family to eat.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: At home, a woman named the narrator's mother spent hours baking cakes to sell for flour, which she hid from her family to check the amount earned.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: People rushed to the banks to withdraw their savings as rumors spread about the government selling the country's resources.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Many people were already in dire straits, having sold their possessions or taken loans with high interest rates from traders.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The government successfully addressed the hunger crisis in the country.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The speaker's family harvested dowe for a celebratory meal?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The speaker's family used the dowe to make a fire in the kitchen?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The speaker's family had a surplus of dowe to share with the entire village?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The speaker's family members were all present in the kitchen during the preparation of the dowe?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's father initially expresses doubt about the readiness of the dowe.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The first pumpkins in the narrator's fields were ready at the same time as the dowe.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator and Geoffrey ate thirty ears of maize on a single afternoon.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's father's legs were swollen, but the swelling went away after eating the pumpkins and dowe.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Many farmers who traveled to Wimbe from other districts were not benefiting from the dowe and pumpkins because they didn’t have their own fields.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's father considered calling the police to deal with the thieves who were stealing their dowe.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Most students at Kachokolo Secondary and Wimbe Primary stopped going to school during the famine.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's family could not afford his school fees, so he was forced to stay home doing nothing.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator started wasting time in the trading center playing bawo and chess.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator missed school terribly, but wasn't able to attend due to financial constraints.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's family still couldn't afford his school fees, so he was forced to stay home doing nothing.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: As the dowe and pumpkins became ready, students began returning to school and classes resumed.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The small library at Wimbe Primary School was opened by the Malawi Teacher Training Activity

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The library contained textbooks, novels, and American texts on English, history, and science

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The protagonist focused on reading geography, social studies, and spelling textbooks to catch up with his class

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The protagonist learned about weathering and agriculture from his friend Gilbert

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The protagonist discovered a Malawi Junior Integrated Science book that helped him understand various concepts

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The book 'Explaining Physics' was difficult to read due to its complex language

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: After two weeks of reading 'Explaining Physics', the protagonist discovered a fascinating chapter on magnets and their uses

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Mrs. Sikelo provided assistance by looking up unfamiliar words in the dictionary

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The protagonist's self-motivation and eagerness to learn set him apart from his peers

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The library at Wimbe Primary School was stocked with books donated by the British government

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The protagonist's interest in mechanics and electronics fulfilled his dreams of advanced science education

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator did not believe that the transferred magic would give him the strength to defend himself against bullies

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The author was familiar with windmills before discovering the American textbook 'Using Energy'

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Windmills have been historically used for pumping water and grinding grain

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Windmills work by using the wind to spin the blades, which in turn spins a dynamo to generate electricity

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The author's family could have a year-round water supply and garden by using a windmill and pump

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The author started building a windmill with a small model using a plastic jar and bamboo pole

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The author used a PVC pipe as extensions for the windmill's blades

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The small model generated a significant amount of wind for the author's purposes

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The small model windmill was a starting point for building a larger windmill

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Archimedes used mirrors to reflect sunlight and set enemy ships on fire, an early example of harnessing energy

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: When many windmills are grouped together, they can generate as much electricity as a power plant

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The cover of the American textbook 'Using Energy' featured windmills, which inspired the author to build a windmill

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The author's dependence on kerosene lamps increased after building a windmill

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Electromagnets are used to generate electricity in simple motors like those found in radios?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: All magnets have north and south poles?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The earth itself is a kind of large bar magnet, with magnetic north and south poles?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Electromagnets can be used as giant magnets to pick up cars and heavy pieces of metal?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: A coil of wire on a shaft housed inside a large magnet creates a fight with the larger magnet, causing the shaft to spin in a simple electric motor?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: A spinning coil that cuts a magnetic field will produce electricity through electromagnetic induction?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Alternating current (AC) flows in one direction from one end of a battery to the other?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The best example of an AC generator given by the book was a bicycle dynamo?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The protagonist discovered a book pushed into the shelf and slightly concealed?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The English-Chichewa dictionaries were kept on the bottom shelf?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The protagonist asked Mrs. Sikelo about the meaning of the word 'grapes'?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The protagonist and Gilbert often spent hours in the library, just sitting in chairs and reading?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: William's mother was supportive of his hobby of collecting scrap pieces?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: William decided to collect more PVC pipe from Gilbert's house without permission?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: William's father was worried about William's unusual hobby?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The smell from the drainage pipe that William collected was pleasant?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's brother was working on a project to make power with metals

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The windmill generated too much power for the radio and it exploded

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator spent two days building a tower out of trees and carrying them home

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: They wrapped the bottoms of the holes in black plastic and attached reinforcements to prevent termites and children from climbing

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator and a friend managed to attach the heavy machine to the tower, but it nearly tipped over due to the force of the wind

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator realized the need to find a way to reduce the voltage from the dynamo to match the radio's requirements

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The windmill generated too little power for the radio to work properly

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's brother was not mentioned to be a busy man in the text

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator was not exhausted from the day and didn't wake up early the next morning

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator did not build a makeshift handle to move the heavy machine onto a tall tower

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The windmill generated too much power for the radio and it caught fire

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator did not spend two days building a tower out of trees and carrying them home

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator made four blades for the windmill, each four feet long.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator faced ridicule from the welder, who called him a madman, when he took the windmill pieces to be completed.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator spent several weeks searching the scrapyard for a generator or generator parts.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator was hindered by other boys who were also searching for materials in the scrapyard to make toy trucks.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator was disappointed that he had not yet found a generator and longed to use the dynamos he saw on bikes to power his windmill.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator was walking home from the trading center with a friend when they discussed the windmill and the narrator's frustration at not having a generator.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's friend offered to help him find a generator.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator earned money by helping to load wood into a truck and used it to pay a welder to complete the windmill.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator found an old pipe in a nearby river, which he planned to use as the base for his windmill.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator took the pipe home, cut it in half, and heated it over a fire to shape it.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator had trouble finding nuts and bolts to attach the blades to the tractor fan and had to spend two weeks scavenging in the scrapyard for suitable materials.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator was then unable to pay a welder to attach the blades to the tractor fan and connect the shock absorber.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator recognized the dynamo attached to the guy's bike and asked to buy it.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The guy initially refused to sell the dynamo but later agreed for 200 kwacha.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator began assembling the windmill the next day, starting with connecting the blades to the tractor fan.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The assembly process involved attaching the bicycle frame to the blades and securing the dynamo to the frame.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The project was completed by late afternoon, and the narrator enjoyed the quiet and peaceful surroundings while working.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The process of heating the plastic blades to attach them to the fan took hours and required the use of bottle caps as makeshift washers.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The windmill project was located near the kitchen, which provided shade and easy access to the necessary materials.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Gilbert's father had given away all their food during the famine, and he was not farming much due to his health.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator and Gilbert exchanged thanks and the dynamo was added to the windmill project.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator recognized the dynamo and asked the guy if they could buy it.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator began assembling the windmill the next day, starting with connecting the blades to the tractor fan.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The process of heating the plastic blades to attach them to the fan took hours and required the use of bottle caps as makeshift washers.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The windmill's frame weighed around ninety pounds, and a clothesline wire was used instead of a strong rope.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The windmill attracted a crowd of people due to its unusual appearance and the promise of electricity generation.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The windmill was successfully connected to a dynamo, and the bulb lit up, surprising and exciting the crowd.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The tower was built using wooden rungs and an ax as a hammer, reaching a height of sixteen feet.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The team used the clothesline to lift the windmill up the tower, with each member taking a turn guiding and pulling.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Once the windmill reached the top, it was secured with bolts drilled into the wooden poles and the frame.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The next day, the team aimed to raise the windmill using a rope and pulley.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The windmill's frame weighed around one hundred pounds, and a steel cable was used instead of a strong rope.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The windmill was disconnected from the dynamo, and the bulb did not light up, disappointing the crowd.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The tower was built using metal rungs and a sledgehammer, reaching a height of twenty feet.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The windmill generated electricity for the first time, but the crowd was uninterested and dispersed.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The team used the clothesline to lower the windmill from the tower, with each member taking a turn guiding and pulling.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's experiment with the coil of wire and the twelve-volt cell successfully boiled water?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator fashioned the coil of wire into a magic wand with a plastic handle made from a hollowed-out ballpoint pen?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator considered using solar power and hydro as alternative fuels before discovering biogas?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator decided to wait for months to tap the gas produced from animal waste, as described in the Integrated Science book?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The funeral dirge at the chief's funeral was slow and steady, then rose in tempo.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: President Mutharika's government began subsidizing fertilizer for the next planting season.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The government's fertilizer subsidy program was free from corruption and successfully reached all farmers.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator was beaten by a government security thug while trying to collect fertilizer bags.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's crop suffered due to the sudden stop of rains, leading to a terrible harvest.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The people blamed the narrator for the famine, attributing it to magic rather than the cruel weather.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: President Muluzi's policies allowed wealthy companies to exploit the auction floors with mass-produced tobacco.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The government quickly intervened and resolved the issues caused by the lack of rain.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The people's anger and fear during the famine were directed solely at the corrupt officials.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The government's fertilizer subsidy program significantly reduced the price of fertilizer for the narrator's family.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator and his father managed to acquire all the fertilizer bags they needed without facing any issues.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's crop initially showed promising growth, with the seedlings feeding on rainwater and fertilizer.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator successfully ignites the biogas and it produces the desired outcome?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's mother is unable to get a hospital bed when she first falls ill?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's family does not have access to bed nets to protect against mosquitoes, which can carry malaria?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Every year in Africa, over a million people die from malaria?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The lack of access to proper medical care is a common issue in Africa?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's plan to make biogas using goat poop and fire is successful?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Malaria is common and can be fatal, especially in children, in sub-Saharan Africa?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's mother contracts malaria while visiting her parents in Salima?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The family struggles to transport the narrator's mother to the hospital on a bicycle?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator's family lacks access to proper medical care, which is a common issue in Africa?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The lack of bed nets to protect against mosquitoes is a common issue in Africa?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The biogas plan results in the ruining of the narrator's mother's best cooking pot?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The family was traveling in the back of a truck to Mtunthama Hospital due to mother's bad malaria?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The hospital room had pink walls and ESCOM-powered lights?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Mother's condition was critical, not responding to treatment and slipping in and out of consciousness?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The chief of the village, Wimbe, passed away a few months later, and the entire village mourned?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator and his friend Geoffrey arrived at the scene and saw the family, including the narrator's parents and sisters, among the mourners?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The funeral was a solemn event, and the entire village grieved the loss of their chief?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The pregnant woman named mother was diagnosed with malaria that had spread to her brain?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Other patients in the hospital room suffered from diseases like AIDS, tuberculosis, and gonorrhea?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The doctor diagnosed mother with malaria that had spread to her brain?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The chief of the village, Wimbe, passed away a few months later, and the entire village celebrated?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The narrator and his friend Geoffrey arrived at the scene and saw the family, including the narrator's parents and sisters, among the mourners?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Mother's condition was stable and she responded well to treatment at the hospital?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The government was involved in banding with packs of vampires to steal people's blood and sell it to international aid groups.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The strange beast that appeared in Dowa was later concluded to be the product of magic.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: Many people across Malawi reported having their private parts stolen in the night, and most of the victims had been virgins.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The witches instructed the children to attack an old man who was known as a good Christian and magically removed his head for a soccer game.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The witches' soccer game with the old man's head as the ball ended with a 1-0 win for the Tanzanians.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The witches beat a young boy for causing them to lose the soccer match and then threatened him to kill his grandfather.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The boy's parents reported the matter to Chief Wimbe, Gilbert's cousin, who investigated and made three arrests.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The country's constitution has a clause that protects people from witchcraft.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The authorities can eventually convict a wizard of violating the rights of a child, but never for kidnapping or murder.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

True or false: The incidents mentioned in the text only heightened the fears and belief in evil powers.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

  • The speaker had been searching for herd boys who were distributing bubble gum in the village area for the past two days.

  • He was angered by this act and had threatened that anyone who had consumed the gum would be cursed by the witch doctor (sing'anga).

  • The speaker had eaten the gum and was now convinced that the witch doctor had placed a curse on him.

  • He began to experience fear, sweating, and a racing heart. He tried to rid himself of the curse but was unable to do so.

  • He believed that the witches would come for him at night and take him to magic battlefields where he would be left for dead.

  • The speaker ran home to his father and confessed to having eaten the stolen gum.

  • His father paid the trader for the entire bag of gum to prevent any further trouble.

  • The speaker's father believed in magic and had told stories of magic being a powerful force in their world.

  • In their community, there was a belief in a powerful magic hunter named Mwase Chiphaudzu who was able to disguise himself as a cluster of reeds and ambush his prey.

  • This magic hunter was summoned to help deal with a ferocious black rhino that had been terrorizing the village.

  • The rhino had killed over a hundred people by attacking at the watering hole, and a young girl from the royal family was the latest victim.

  • Mwase arrived at the watering hole early one morning and used his magic to ambush and kill the rhino, saving the village.

  • Phiri, a worker on the Kamkwamba farm, had a potent and growing magical power called mangolomera that made him constantly want to battle.

  • One day, Phiri got into a fight with another worker named James over a business transaction.

  • Phiri's magical ability was so strong it caused him to become enraged, and James couldn't defend himself effectively.

  • My father intervened and used green vines from a sweet potato plant to neutralize Phiri's mangolomera, allowing him to calm down and collapse from exhaustion.

  • Phiri's nephew, Shabani, also claimed to possess mangolomera and offered it to me to help me deal with bullies.

  • Shabani took me to the forest and performed a ritual to transfer the magic to me, involving cutting my knuckles and applying a potion made from rare oceanic materials.

  • The ritual was painful and costly, but I agreed to go through with it, believing it would give me the strength to defend myself against bullies.

  • The text describes the farming practices in a village during the dry season in Malawi.

  • Farmers dig new soil ridges to rotate the soil and improve crop yield.

  • Soil is hard during the dry season, requiring significant effort to break apart and crush lumps.

  • Farming is done under harsh conditions, with long working hours in the heat and the presence of various pests and wildlife.

  • Farmers wake up early in the morning to prepare for work and walk to the fields with their tools.

  • Accidents, such as cutting one's foot with a hoe, are common during the clearing and planting season.

  • The planting season starts with the first rains in December and requires quick action to make planting stations and sow seeds.

  • Maize is a staple crop, and the text describes the importance of maize during the harvest season and the scarcity during the planting season.

  • The text mentions the challenges of the farming season, including lack of food and the hard work required, but also the communal aspect of the work and the joy of the harvest.

  • The narrator has heard of people eating gaga, a low-nutrient food, during tough times but now sees it being sold in large quantities due to high maize prices.

  • Maize, a staple food, is now selling for three times the previous price.

  • People are fighting to buy gaga, a sign of severe food scarcity.

  • The narrator's family is running out of food and has had to sell their livestock to buy maize.

  • They have only two bags of grain left, enough for sixty meals for twenty-four days.

  • The next harvest is over two hundred days away, and there's no guarantee of rain or fertilizer.

  • The narrator's family had to start cutting back on meals, and the father sold their goats to buy maize.

  • The narrator's favorite goat, Mankhalala, was sold, and the family had to sell other goats to survive.

  • The narrator starts waking up early to make ridges in the fields but skips breakfast.

  • The family has less than two bags of grain left, and the father asks the narrator to help dig ridges in the fields instead of making breakfast.

  • The narrator offers to help his cousin Geoffrey with his ridges in exchange, but Geoffrey is distracted and does not respond.

  • Geoffrey has been struggling since his father died, and his performance in the fields has suffered.

  • Traders in Malawi started mixing gaga (maize porridge) with sawdust when supplies ran low.

  • People discovered the deception when the porridge soured their stomachs, leading to protests at the market.

  • Many people were already in dire straits, having sold their possessions or taken loans with high interest rates from traders.

  • At home, a woman named my mother spent hours baking cakes to sell for flour, which she hid from her family to check the amount earned.

  • People's lives became increasingly desperate; they would mob merchants and take what they could, leading to chaotic scenes.

  • My mother's cakes became a target during these mobs, leaving her with little to sell and even less for her family to eat.

  • As the price of maize continued to rise, families had to cut back on their food portions, leading to hunger and stress.

  • Paranoia and anxiety became prevalent as the situation worsened, with many fearing for their safety and the collapse of the government.

  • People rushed to the banks to withdraw their savings as rumors spread about the government selling the country's resources.

  • The government remained silent on the situation, leaving people to deal with the crisis on their own, with little hope of a solution.

  • The author discovered an American textbook called "Using Energy" which changed their life.

  • The cover of the book featured windmills, which at the time, the author had no idea what they were.

  • Windmills are tall structures with spinning blades, used to generate power.

  • The author recalled making pinwheels as a child using old water bottles.

  • Archimedes used mirrors to reflect sunlight and set enemy ships on fire, an early example of harnessing energy.

  • Windmills have a long history of being used for pumping water and grinding grain.

  • When many windmills are grouped together, they can generate as much electricity as a power plant.

  • Windmills work by using the wind to spin the blades, which in turn spins a dynamo to generate electricity.

  • A windmill and pump could provide the author's family with a year-round water supply and garden, reducing their dependence on kerosene lamps and Improve their livelihood.

  • The author decided to build a windmill, starting with a small model using a plastic jar and bamboo pole, but the blades were too short, so he used a PVC pipe as extensions.

  • The author heated the pipe over a fire to make it soft, then bent it to shape the blades.

  • The small model didn't generate much wind, but it was a starting point for building a larger windmill.

  • A tower was built using wooden rungs and an ax as a hammer, reaching a height of sixteen feet.

  • The next day, the team aimed to raise the windmill using a rope and pulley.

  • The windmill's frame weighed around ninety pounds, and a clothesline wire was used instead of a strong rope.

  • The team used the clothesline to lift the windmill up the tower, with each member taking a turn guiding and pulling.

  • Once the windmill reached the top, it was secured with bolts drilled into the wooden poles and the frame.

  • The windmill attracted a crowd of people due to its unusual appearance and the promise of electricity generation.

  • The windmill was successfully connected to a dynamo, and the bulb lit up, surprising and exciting the crowd.

  • A family of eleven, including a pregnant woman named mother, were traveling in the back of a truck.

  • They were on their way to Mtunthama Hospital due to mother's bad malaria.

  • The truck ride was bumpy, so they had to keep mother sitting upright against the cab.

  • Upon arrival at the hospital, the doctor diagnosed mother with malaria that had spread to her brain.

  • The hospital room had pink walls and ESCOM-powered lights.

  • Other patients in the room suffered from diseases like AIDS, tuberculosis, and gonorrhea.

  • Father stayed by mother's side, while the narrator stayed home to take care of sisters.

  • Mother's condition was critical, not responding to treatment and slipping in and out of consciousness.

  • She kept calling for her daughter Tiyamike, which caused the narrator to jump in fear.

  • The chief of the village, Wimbe, passed away a few months later, and the entire village mourned.

  • People came from far and wide to honor the chief, and preparations for the funeral were underway.

  • The narrator and his friend Geoffrey arrived at the scene and saw the family, including the narrator's parents and sisters, among the mourners.

  • The funeral was a solemn event, and the entire village grieved the loss of their chief.

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