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Strangers on Country Analysis

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Strangers on Country Analysis

Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions using details from the text. Country is a word many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples use for the lands, waters, skies, living things and connections cared for by their people.

A welcome after the storm

During a bush regeneration day, Layla’s group reads a story about a shipwreck on an island long ago. After a violent storm, a small group of European sailors reached the shore in a damaged boat. They were cold, hungry and unsure where to go. The island was Country, cared for by its Aboriginal people over many generations. The visitors were strangers there. The local people saw that the sailors needed help. They shared food and showed them a safe place to rest. They also helped the visitors understand which places they could travel through and how to behave respectfully. The sailors listened and followed their hosts’ guidance. The visitors survived because of the help they received. But the island was not an empty place waiting to be found. It was home, with deep connections, knowledge and responsibilities. The story reminds readers that caring for people and caring for Country can go together. It also asks us to listen to whose Country we are on and to respect its Traditional Custodians.

Understand the passage

Use the passage to answer each question.

1.In the passage, what does “Country” include? Choose the best answer.

Only the land where people live
Lands, waters, skies, living things and connections cared for by people
A place that is empty and unknown
A ship’s destination

2.Why were the sailors unsure where to go when they reached shore?

3.Which two things did the local people do to help the sailors?

4.What does the word “guidance” mean in the sentence about the visitors following their hosts’ guidance?

Help or advice about what to do
A kind of storm
A boat that is damaged
A meal shared with visitors

5.True or false: The passage says the island was an empty place before the sailors arrived. Explain your answer with a detail from the text.

Find clues and think deeper

Look back at the passage for evidence.

6.Copy one word or phrase from the passage that shows the sailors were in danger or needed help.

7.Fill in the blanks: The sailors survived because they received from the local people, and they stayed safer by .

8.The passage says caring for people and caring for Country can go together. What is one detail that supports this message?

9.Why is it important to remember that the island was already home to people? Use a detail from the passage in your answer.

10.Imagine Layla is telling a friend the main message of the passage. Write one or two sentences explaining what readers can learn about listening and respect.