A SINGLE SHARD

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Who is the author of A Single Shard? Linda Sue Park

Copyright date? 2001
What Medal did A Single Shard win? John Newbery Medal
Where does the story take place? A small village on the west coast of Korea
When does A Single Shard Take Place? Mid-to late 12th century
Who is Tree-ear? The main character p.3
Who does Tree-ear live with? Crane-man p.3
What does Tree-ear surprise Crane-man with at the beginning of the story? A bag filled
with rice p.3
9. How did Tree-ear get the rice? For helping a farmer who had a hole in his basket, Treeear was able to keep the rice that had fallen on the ground. p. 4-5
10.
How did Tree-ear get his name? From the mushrooms that grew in wrinkled halfcircles on dead or fallen tree trunks. p.7
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Where did Tree-ear live? Space under the bridge p.7
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Who did Tree-ear live with? Crane-man p.7
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What is wrong with Crane-man? He had a shriveled and twisted calf and foot. p.7
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How old is Tree-ear? About 12 according to Crane-man. P.8
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What happened to Tree-eyes parents? They died of fever p. 8-9
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Who is the master potter? Min p. 10
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Who did Tree-ear watch while throwing clay? Min p.10
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What did Min never fail to reject? His first attempt p. 10
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What is the name of Tree-ears village? Chulpo. p.12
20.
What color clay was produced near Tree-ears village? The exquisite gray-green
color or celadon p.12
21.
What mineral made the clay that color? Iron p.12
22.
What was Tree-ear looking at when he was discovered by Min and called a Thief? A
box with other boxes that fit in it p.16
23.
How does Tree-ear end up working for Min? Tree-ear damaged the box which too
Min 3 days to make. He owes Min 9 days of work in return. P. 19
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What was Tree-ears first task at his new job? Cut and gather wood p. 19-20
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How did Tree-ear eat after his first day at work for Min? Crane-man had to feed
him like a baby p. 22
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Who take care of Tree-ears blistered hand? Crane-man p.23-24
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Will Tree-ear be paid for continuing to work for Crane-man? No. Min said he could
not pay Tree-ear and Tree-ear said To work for such a master is payment enough p. 3031
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What did Tree-ear fill the cart with on the 10th day? Clay p.31-32
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What did Mins wife give Tree-ear on the 10th day when he was finished working? A
parcel filled with food p. 33-34
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Why was Crane-man making a new crutch? He broke his old one on a rock in
anger after he couldnt catch fish p. 36
31.
Why did Tree-ear bring his own bowl to Mins wife? He was hoping to save some
food for Crane-man. P. 38
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What happened to the leftovers? Some animal must have eaten them. P.39

A SINGLE SHARD

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When Tree-ear threw the bowl into the woods, who did he almost hit with it? Mins
wife p. 40
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What happened to Tree-ears bowl when he hid it close to the house? It was filled
back up with enough supper for both himself and Crane-man! P. 41
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What new skill was Tree-ear learning with the clay? Draining it. P. 41
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What reputation did Mins pottery work have? Slow and expensive work p.46
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What did Min insist on with his pottery work? Perfection p.46
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What was the dream of all potters? A royal commission p. 47
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What did Tree-ear ponder about Mins wife? How to thank her p. 47
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What kind of pot did Tree-ear dream of making? A prunus vase? P.52
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What did Tree-ear want to put in his vase? A single branch of flowing plum p. 52
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Why did Tree-ear get up before first light and spend an hour in the rice fields? To
gather rice for the winter months. P.53
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What did Crane-man make from the rice straw? Mats and sandals p.53
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Where did Crane-man and Tree-ear live during the winter months? In a dug-out at
the edge of the village-an old vegetable pit. P. 55
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What kind of clothes did Mins wife give Tree-ear? A jacket and pantaloons p. 56
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Who were the clothes made for? Mins son-he died of a fever when he was about
Tree-ears age p. 56
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Who did Tree-ear give the jacket to? Crane-man p. 57-8
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Which potter was Tree-ear spying on to see what he was going to do with the slip?
58-9
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Who was on a tour of two villages to assign pottery commissions for the palace? A
royal emissary p. 61
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What is Tree-ears question-demon? Should he tell Min about Kangs idea? P. 64
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What did Tree-ear do with the clay petal he made? He substituted it on a shelf with
the rest of Mins petals and it was put on a bowl to be displayed for the royal emissary p.
67-8
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What flower did Kang have all over his pottery? chrysanthemums p. 69
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What was the emissary's name? Emissary Kim p.70
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Did the chance to get a royal commission happen often? No p. 72
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What happened to the 5 pots Min made for the emissarys visit? He broke them
because the glaze turned brown when in fired in the kiln p. 85-86
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Who was chosen for the commission? Kang was given a limited commission for 1
year p. 87-88
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Why did Min refuse the emissarys offer? He said the was too old to make the
journey to Songdo p. 89
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How did Tree-ear decide to thank Mins wife? By offering to do Min a great favor p.
90
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What was the great favor? Offering to bring pottery to Songdo p. 90
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Mins wife said she would accept Tree-ears offer on two conditions-what were
they? 1. Return quickly and safely. 2. Call her Ajima (Auntie) p. 90-91
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When did Min say the vessels would be finished? Midsummer p.92
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When did Min think Tree-ear would return? Before the first snow p. 92

A SINGLE SHARD

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What advice did Crane-man give Tree-eat about the trip? One day, one village.
That is how you will go. p. 93
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What did Crane-man offer to make for Tree-ear? Extra sandals for the trip p. 93
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Why wouldn't Min teach Tree-ear to make a pot? Tree-ear is not his son. The
learning gets passed from father to son. Mins son died. p.95
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Is it a law or well-kept tradition that sons of potters must become potters? Craneman is not sure p. 97
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What did Tree-ear realize about throwing and molding pottery? That he did not
need the wheel, he could mold the clay. p.98-99
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Did Mins work take longer than he planned? Yes-summer is merging with fall.
p.99
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Why did Crane-man go to work for Min? He was needed to weave a special
container to transport the pottery. p. 99-100
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What favor did Ajima ask of Crane-man? Help around the house in exchange for
food p. 100-101
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Why did this favor give relief to Tree-ear? He know that Crane-man would be
looked after while he was gone p. 101
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What gift did Tree-ear give to Crane-man before he left on the joutney? A monkey
he had molded out of clay p. 105-7
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What animal scared Tree-ear at night in the forest? A fox p. 113-4
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What objects shocked Tree-ear at the pottery stall in Puyo? Bowls inlaid with
chrysanthemums p. 119
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What happened to Mins vases? Tree-ear was attacked by bandits and they threw
the vases over the edge of a cliff p. 123-5
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Why did Tree-ear consider leaping to his death of the cliff? He thought he was a
dishonorable failure. p. 126
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What did Tree-ear plan to show the emissary when he reached Songdo? A single
shard of a vase. p. 130
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Was Min awarded the commission ? Yes p.138
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How did Emissary Kim send Tree-ear back to Chulpo? By sea p.138
80.
What sad news did Min tell Tree-ear upon his return? Crane-man fell into the river
and died. p. 142-3
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What was discovered clutched in Crane-mans hand upon his death? Tree-ears
ceramic monkey p. 143
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How else did Min shock Tree-ear? When he was scolding Tree-ear, he said Tree-ear
would have his own wheel! p. 146
83.
What favor did Ajima ask of Tree-ear? To live with them and take a new name?
p.147
84.
What was Tree-ears new name? Hyung-pil- like a sibling name to Mins son. p. 147
85. Who do you think made the Thousand Cranes Vase? Hyung-pil? p. 148