Yamanba of the Mountain

Question

by Cathy Spagnoli

The help of elders supports harmony in society, and friends can come in many forms, as this tale suggests. A yamanba, found in Japanese folklore, usually lives on mountains, is quite fierce, and can change shapes.

Mukashi, mukashi ... Long ago in a quiet Japanese village, people feared the yamanba who lived at the top of a nearby mountain.

When rains fell too hard on their crops, people said, "It's her fault, that yamanba. She likes to make trouble."

When snows piled up high on their houses, people said, "It's her fault, that yamanba. She loves to make trouble."

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Question
Use the passage to answer the question.

Based on the author’s use of figurative language in the passage, what can a reader determine about the cultural setting of the story? Select the two correct answers.

(1 point)
Responses

The story is set in a place where people fear things needlessly.
The story is set in a place where people fear things

Answer 1

Based on the passage, a reader can determine the following about the cultural setting of the story:

1. The story is set in a place where people fear things needlessly.
2. The story is set in a place where folklore and nature spirits, like the yamanba, play a significant role in the community's beliefs and attitudes towards natural events (like rain and snow).

(Note: The second answer involves interpreting the significance of the yamanba in the context of cultural beliefs, which is implied in the passage but may not be a direct choice given in your options. Please provide two specific options if you need more accuracy in selecting."