City Of Ember Study Guide Questions Directions: Answer in complete sentences

“The Instructions”

Comprehension Questions: 1. Where does the novel take place?

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2. How long must the people stay in the city?

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3. Where did the box end up?

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Higher Order Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think the instructions say? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

2. Do you think anyone will find the box? Why or why not?

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3. What do you think will happen next? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

Chapter 1 Comprehension Questions:

1) At what age are you assigned a job?

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2) What year is it in Ember?

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3) What was Doon’s outburst about to the mayor about?

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Higher-Order: 1) Explain why Lina wanted to be a messenger so bad.

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2) How would you describe Doon from what you know so far (use details to support

your answer!)? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

3) Why is the generator so important to Ember? What will happen if it stops

working? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

Chapter 2 Comprehension Questions:

1) Why are Lina and Doon not friends anymore? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

2) What is beyond Ember?

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3) Why don’t the people know the actual date of Ember?

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Higher-Order:

1) Why does Lina climb on Town Hall’s roof? What does this suggest about her personality?

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2) Do you think the citizens want to leave Ember? Why or why not?

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3) Do you think there is life in the Unknown Regions? Form a prediction. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

Chapters 3 & 4

Comprehension Questions: Chapter 3-

1) How was Doon able to find his way around Pipeworks?

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2) Why was Doon disappointed about his first day on his job?

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Chapter 4-

1) Explain who Clary is and what her personality is like?

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2) What new job was recently created in Ember? Why was it created?

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Higher-Order Questions: 1) Doon is determined to find something important in the Pipeworks that can help

the failing city of Ember. What are some thoughts as to what could help the city under the ground?

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2) The author has both chapters 3 and 4 take place on the same day, focusing on two

different characters. Why do you think she does this? What does it tell us about the characters?

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Chapter 4

Comprehension Questions:

1) Who is Sadge and what happened to him? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

2) Describe Granny’s state when Lina returns home.

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Higher-Order Questions: 1) Why do you think there are no flashlights, fire, or matches in Ember?

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2) Why do you think the builders did not equip Ember’s citizens with knowledge of how electricity and/or generator work? Do you think they intended to pass on this knowledge? Why or why not?

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Chapter 5

Comprehension Questions:

1) Who is Mrs. Murdo? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

2)Why are colored pencils so important to Lina? Why are they so hard to come by?

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3) How much did Lina pay for each of the pencils?

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Higher-Order Questions: 1) What do you think the “lost” item that Granny continues to search for actually is?

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2) Why do you think Ember’s citizens take so many vitamins everyday?

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Chapter 6 & 7

Comprehension Questions:

1) How long did the blackout last for when Lina was searching for Poppy?

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2) What was the Mayor’s speech about?

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3) Why was Doon so upset by the Mayor’s speech?

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Higher-Order Questions: 1) Why do you think people did not talk about the recent blackout, like they did the

rest?

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2) Why do you think Lina’s grandmother has the box in her closet?

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3) Why does the note’s printing spark Lina’s curiosity?

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Chapter 8 Comprehension Questions:

1) Why would children feel afraid if they took storeroom tours now?

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2) Describe Doon’s personality.

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3)What do the Believers think will happen with the city? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

Higher-Order Questions:

1) Why would Lizzie and Captain Fleery not be interested in the note Lina found? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

2) How is the Ember library different than a normal one?

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3) What phrases does Doon learn while reading Mysterious Words from the Past, and state which element of each phrase is misunderstood. Why do you think these items do not exist or are not discussed in Ember? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

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Chapter 9 & 10

Comprehension Questions: 1) Why does it surprise Doon that Lina wants to talk to him?

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2) Describe the man Doon and Lina spotted outside the locked door. What clues

does the author offer about this person’s identity? Provide details to support your answer.

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3) What is going on with Granny?

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Higher-Order Questions:

1) What do you think the locked door in the Pipeworks leads to?

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2) How does the author build suspense as Lina and Doon hear footsteps in the

tunnels?

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3) Why is the sky black in Ember?

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Chapter 11 &12

Comprehension Questions: 1) After Granny died, who did Lina and Poppy move in with? How did Lina feel

about this?

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2) How have the citizens moods changed about life and with each other?

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3) What does Lizzie have in her sack? Why is it a big deal?

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Ch. 12: 1) What does Doon find behind the locked door?

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2) What important step happened in this chapter in Doon and Lina’s relationship? What made it come about?

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Higher-Order Questions:

1) Explain the following statement: “Lina didn’t really feel cold but she did feel sad, which was in a way the same” (p. 140).

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2) Explain the emotions Lina is feeling in this chapter. How would you feel if you

were in her place?

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3) Explain the following simile from page 141 of the novel: “The day had a strange

but comforting feel to it, like a rest between the end of one time and the beginning of another.”

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Ch. 12: 1) What do you think the guards action will be towards the Mayor for his stealing?

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Chapter 13 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was Clary’s reaction to finding out about the instructions? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

2. What does “Egress” mean?

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3. When do the children decide to announce to the city about the instructions?

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Higher-Order Questions: 1. Compare the sprout to Lina’s new life with Mrs. Murdo.

Sprout New life

2. On page 168 in the novel, Clary tells Lina, “Everyone has some darkness inside. It’s like a hungry creature. It wants and wants and wants with a terrible power. And the more you give it, the bigger and hungrier it gets.” Explain what Clary means. Do you think this applies to everyone?

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3. What do you think the citizen’s reaction will be once they hear the news about the

instructions? Form a prediction, make sure you explain!

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Chapter 14

Comprehension Questions: 1. Why was the Pipeworks closed?

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2. What did Lina and Doon find at the bottom of the mystery ladder?

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3. What do they find in each of the boxes?

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Higher-Order Questions:

1. Why do you think the mayor feels no remorse for his stealing? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

2. Do you think the Builders meant for the “E” on the secret Pipeworks rock to not be easily seen? Why or why not?

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3. What do you think is down the river?

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Chapter 15

Comprehension Questions: 1. In each boat there are two metal boxes, what do they contain?

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2. Why didn’t Doon share the news about the boats with his father?

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3. Why were the guards after Doon? Explain.

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4. Mrs. Murdo sings to Lina, what was the word she didn’t know in the song?

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5. Why couldn’t Doon and Lina tell anyone they were leaving?

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Higher-Order Questions: 1. Would you have been able to leave Poppy if you were in Lina’s situation?

Explain.

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2. Doon and Lina assume everyone in Ember will want to journey down the river. Is

this realistic of them? Do you think everyone will want to leave?

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Chapter 16 Comprehension Questions:

1. How do other people in Ember protect the Mayor? Why do you think they do this?

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2. How was Lina able to escape from the Mayor and his guards?

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3. What are the three (3) songs sung at the Singing? Explain each.

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Higher-Order Questions:

1. Will Lina leave without Doon? (form a prediction) __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

2. How do you think Lina feels when she realizes that Ember is not the only place in

the world? Explain your answer. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

Chapter 17

Comprehension Questions:

1. How did Doon send his dad a message? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

2. Why was Lina late meeting Doon?

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3. What object in the boat did the two not know the use for?

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Higher-Order Questions:

1. Why do you think the chapter is entitled “away”? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

2. Do you think Doon’s father will get the message? Why or why not?

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Chapter 18

Comprehension Questions: 1. Describe the boat ride for Doon and Lina (include IMAGERY!)

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2. What did Poppy find once they got off the boat? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

3. What did Lina tell Mrs. Murdo to get Poppy?

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Higher-Order Questions:

1. Do you think the citizens will find their way out of Ember? Why or why not?

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2. How do you know that the Builders carefully planned Ember’s escape route?

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3. Where does the path lead? Form a prediction.

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Chapter 19

Comprehension Questions:

1. Name three things the two find once they emerged from the tunnel. Include how they described them and the common word we know it by. a. b. c.

2. Describe Doon and Lina’s first sunrise. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

Higher-Order Questions:

1. Do you think there is human life in this new world? Explain.

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2. What do you think the notebook contains?

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3. Give the chapter another title. Explain your choice.

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4. What does it tell you about Ember for the Builders to refer to the citizens as

refugees? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

Chapter 20

Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Doon and Lina learn from the notebook?

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2. Why do you think the older couple named their “babies” Star and Forest?

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3. What animal did they encounter?

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4. What did Doon and Lina discover in the cave? Be specific! __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

Higher-Order Questions: 1. Why weren’t the first inhabitants of Ember allowed to bring books or

photographs?

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2. What do you think happened on Earth that made the scientists create Ember?

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3. Does the novel come to a close or final ending? Explain.

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The City of Ember

By: Jeanne DuPrau

Name: ___________________

Number: ______________

Ms. Heatherly/ Mrs. O’Grady