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Copywork
About This Passage
This passage is doing something old and important. It introduces a hero by listing all the things he is NOT — not big, not loud, not sword-waving — and then quietly says that the listing is what makes the story worth telling. Notice the closing phrase: 'precisely why his story is worth telling.' Stories about people who already match what their world expects are usually less interesting than stories about people who do not match. The passage is teaching the reader how to read the rest of the book.
Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third was the unlikeliest hero in the history of the Hooligan tribe. He was small. He was thoughtful. He preferred to ask questions rather than to wave swords. None of th...
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
In your own words, tell the story of this chapter. What were the most important moments? What made them important — and how do you know?
Discussion Questions
- The narrator says Hiccup's STORY is worth telling precisely BECAUSE he does not match what Vikings value. Is this just narrator opinion, or is there something true about why unexpected heroes make better stories than expected ones?
- The Hooligan tribe values strength and loudness. Hiccup values thinking and quietness. Are these two value systems equally good, or is one of them better in the long run? What in the chapter helps you decide?
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Vocabulary Builder
Item 1
A group of people bound together by shared ancestry, culture, or place
Item 2
Something passed down from one generation to the next, including positions of leadership
Item 3
A person who does not fit easily into the group around them
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Critical Thinking
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