ACT English Practice Test 38

Sequoia’s System of Writing

Although few facts exist Q1 regarding the life of the Native American named Sequoia, the information that is available articulate and paint Q2 a colorful picture of this man on the plains.Q3 Sequoia was born into the Cherokee Nation in approximately 1770; his mother was Q4 a descendant of many respected Q5 Cherokee chiefs. This provided Sequoia with a secure social stature despite his unknown paternity. Sequoia’s fame comes mainly from his acknowledged Q6 development of a written Cherokee language. Q7 Over a period of twelve years, Sequoia developed a syllabary consisting of over eighty characters. Unlike an alphabet, where each letter represents a basic sound of speech, a syllabary consists of written characters, each of which represents a syllable. Q8 Remarkably, a person learning Cherokee using the syllabary is able to read and write the language in an extremely short period of time compared to the time it takes someone to master the English language. Its use Q9 among the nation’s Cherokee people spread quick , Q10 and soon Cherokee reading materials were being widely published,Q11 even though other tribes had no written language.

Religious missionaries quickly realized the advantages of translating sacred texts into the new Cherokee language, so Bibles and other religious materials soon became widespread .Q12 Laws were also written using Sequoia’s symbols, and the first Native American newspaper, The Cherokee Phoenix, was also launched. Cherokee history was preserved through new written records, which included accounts and descriptions of ceremonial traditions and common customs.

[1] One peculiarity of this new Cherokee language was that it does not Q13 instigate a literary explosion among the Cherokee people. [2] Instead, the syllabary was used primarily as a recording device. [3] Seemingly, no poetry, novels, or biographies emerged during that time. [4] The syllabary elevated the Cherokee nation in the eyes of the rest of the world, and they became widely regarded as a learned people as a result. [5] Sequoia’s system is still in use today, and anyone can discover it at a library or a computer. Q14

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