Multiple Choice

Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

DIRECTIONS Read the passage. Then read each question that follows the passage. Decide which is the best answer to each question. Mark the letter for that answer.

Who Was Charles Lindbergh?

Contrary to popular myth, one of the few things aviator Charles Lindbergh did not do was make the first flight across the Atlantic. (That feat was performed by two British pilots, who flew from Newfoundland to Ireland in 1919.) Actually, Lindbergh flew the first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic. He was a larger-than-life characterlegendary, multifaceted, and controversial.

Charles Augustus Lindbergh was born in 1902 and grew up on a farm near Little Falls, Minnesota. Even as a child, he was interested in mechanics. Lindbergh attended the University of Wisconsin to study engineering but left after two years to perform daredevil stunts as a barnstormer. He later trained to become a U. S. Army reserve pilot.

In 1919, New York City hotel owner Raymond Orteig offered a prize of $25,000 to the first aviator to fly nonstop between New York and Paris. Before 1927, no one had won the prize. Lindbergh found the challenge irresistible. He helped design a special plane, which he named the Spirit of St. Louis, after the city whose businesspeople had raised funds for the flight. On the morning of May 20, 1927, Lindbergh left Roosevelt Field, near New York City, at 7:52. Thirty-three and a half hours and 3,600 miles later, he landed at Le Bourget Field, near Paris. Shy and boyish in looks, the 25-year-old pilot became a worldwide hero for his daring feat.

In 1930, Lindbergh, who was also interested in biology, began working with Alexis Carrel, the head of experimental surgery at New Yorks Rockefeller Institute. Together the men developed a precursor to an artificial heart.

The kidnapping and murder of Lindberghs infant son, in 1932, gained attention around the world and led to the strengthening of federal laws against kidnapping. To escape the relentless pursuit of the press after this tragedy, Lindbergh, his wife, Anne, and their second son moved to Europe in 1935.

While in Europe, Lindbergh visited aircraft facilities in France and Germany. He was particularly fascinated by Hitlers Germany. He lauded a spirit in Germany which I have not seen in any other country. Lindbergh drew criticism in the United States for his acceptance of a medal of honor from Nazi official Hermann Goering.

Lindbergh drew additional criticism when he joined America First, an isolationist organization that opposed Americas voluntary entry into World War II. In a speech in New York, on April 23, 1941, Lindbergh told his audience: [W]e in this country have a right to think of the welfare of America first, just as the people in England thought first of their own country when they encouraged the smaller nations of Europe to fight against hopeless odds. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Lindbergh tried to reenlist in the military but was turned down because of his isolationist activity.

In 1953, Lindbergh published his autobiography, The Spirit of Saint Louis, which won a Pulitzer Prize. Withdrawing from the public eye, Lindbergh traveled widely, working as a consultant for various governmental and private organizations. During the 1960s he returned to public attention by speaking in favor of the conservation movement. Lindbergh died of cancer at the age of 72 at his home on the Hawaiian island of Maui.

____1.Which of these sentences from the passage best expresses the authors conclusions about Lindbergh, based on evidence from the historical research?

a.

He was a larger-than-life character legendary, multifaceted, and controversial.

b.

Shy and boyish in looks, the 25-year-old pilot became a worldwide hero for his daring feat.

c.

Withdrawing from the public eye, Lindbergh traveled widely, working as a consultant for various governmental and private organizations.

d.

During the 1960s he returned to public attention by speaking in favor of the conservation movement.

____2.From which of these sources might the author have drawn the fact, Lindbergh flew the first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic?

a.

an autobiography

b.

an encyclopedia

c.

a personal diary

d.

a court record

____3.Based on the information in the second paragraph, you can conclude that

a.

Lindbergh was an above-average student in college

b.

living on a farm gave Lindbergh a sense of isolation

c.

Lindbergh preferred flying planes to studying

d.

Lindbergh was eager to serve in the United States military

____4.Which source might the author have used for the statement, Shy and boyish in looks, the 25-year-old pilot became a worldwide hero for his daring feat?

a.

an artifact

b.

a newspaper article

c.

a journal entry

d.

a biography

____5.Which of these supports the authors assertion that Lindbergh was many-sided?

a.

Lindbergh left college after two years.

b.

Lindbergh developed a rudimentary artificial heart.

c.

Lindbergh won Raymond Orteigs prize.

d.

Lindbergh grew up on a farm.

____6.Based on the information in the passage, you can conclude that the public

a.

supported Lindbergh financially

b.

attempted to duplicate his feats

c.

was fascinated with Lindbergh

d.

misunderstood Lindbergh

____7.The author suggests that Lindberghs America First activities

a.

earned him greater popularity

b.

took up most of his time

c.

were supported in Europe

d.

were seen as controversial

____8.In the passage, which of these is likely to have come from a primary source?

a.

facts about Lindberghs childhood interests

b.

the excerpt from Lindberghs speech

c.

the information on the transatlantic flight

d.

the last sentence of the passage

____9.What advantage might you gain by learning about Lindberghs transatlantic flight from his book The Spirit of St. Louis rather than from a history book?

a.

insight from a primary source

b.

insight from a secondary source

c.

insight from the opinions of others

d.

knowledge from prior historical research

____10.From information in the passage, which event in Lindberghs life had the most influence on new laws?

a.

his residence in Europe

b.

his application to reenlist

c.

his sons kidnapping

d.

the attempt to set flying records

DIRECTIONS Many young people who grew up in the 50s and 60s dreamed of becoming astronauts. Space Writer tells of one person whose space adventures took place on earth.

Space Writer

1 Craters on the dark side of the moon, canals winding across the Martian landscape, exotic forests blanketing distant planetsthese were the literary landscapes of my childhood. Growing up in rural Texas during the 1950s, I found excitement and adventure in the pages of science fiction novels. I longed to be an astronaut explorer like the characters in my books.

2 As a young adult I moved to Houston, Texas, to begin my career. My first and only job interview was at the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center. They were looking for someone with good English skills and a knack for science to work as a technical editor. This was my dream job. Even if I couldnt be an astronaut, I would be in the middle of things here on earth.

3 Without a doubt, the most thrilling work events during this time were the Apollo missions. These were the spaceflights that focused on getting to the moon. My editorial team was the air-to-ground voice transcription crew. Every word spoken aboard a spacecraft was quickly transcribed by technical typists. Next, proofreaders annotated the transcripts with the time at which each speech began. Then editors listened to the tapes, reading and checking the transcripts for accuracy. Finally, couriers delivered the transcripts to Mission Control Center, and unclassified transcripts were released to throngs of waiting reporters.

4 For the first lunar-landing mission, I was assigned to the 7:00 P.M. to 7:00 A.M. shift. Usually I would take my time walking from the warm, humid parking lot into the artificially bright and cold transcription room where typewriter keys clacked like chattering teeth. There, a weary day-shift editor would hand over his headphones, mumble his goodbyes, and leave. On one particular July night, however, things were distinctly different.

5 Night-shift people arrived early, and day-shift editors begged to stay. Human beings had stepped onto the moon for the first time, and the tapes containing their words were being delivered to my office. Along with the whole world, I had witnessed this incredible event on television, but questions still whirled in my head: What happened and what did the astronauts say to one another after we lost radio contact? What was the third astronautthe one left alone to orbit the moonthinking or saying to himself as he traveled around the moons dark side? How must he feel, completely cut off from the world and his comrades on the lunar surface?

6 When the tapes arrived, a technician unplugged the headphones from the player and attached speakers so everyone could hear. We listened, transfixed, as the crackling tape-recorded voices recited checklists and procedures, described fantastic terrains, andin the case of the third astronautdelivered thought-provoking soliloquies on complete isolation. Listening was an extraordinary experience, but we knew people were waiting for the transcripts, so the night-shift typists, annotators, and editors sat down and got to work.

7 As dawn broke and I walked back to the car, I considered my dreams as that space-crazy country boy. I had not physically traveled into space, but on this night, from an office building in Houston, Texas, I had known the thrill of space exploration.

____11.When the author talks about literary landscapes in Paragraph 1, he is referring to the

a.

books he had seen

b.

settings of the books he read

c.

rolling hills of rural Texas

d.

writers who lived nearby

____12.From this selection the reader can tell that, as a child, the author enjoyed

a.

painting pictures

b.

playing games

c.

reading books

d.

writing stories

____13.The author most likely enjoyed his job at the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center because

a.

the work was easy and often exciting

b.

he could use his skills most of the time

c.

he worked in the middle of exciting activities

d.

his co-workers were pleasant and competent

____14.In the process of creating transcripts, what happened just before the speeches were annotated?

a.

Editors listened to the tapes.

b.

Couriers delivered the transcripts.

c.

Typists transcribed the words.

d.

Editors checked the transcripts.

____15.Why were reporters interested in reading the transcripts?

a.

There was little else for them to do during the missions.

b.

They needed to know the exact time each astronaut spoke.

c.

They wrote news stories for a curious public.

d.

They finally gained scientific knowledge.

____16.In Paragraph 4, what is the noise made by typewriter keys compared to?

a.

clacking keys

b.

chattering teeth

c.

jangling cans

d.

mumbling editors

____17.In Paragraph 5, people arrived early or begged to stay late one July night because

a.

they were anxious to hear the lunar-landing tapes

b.

it was hot and muggy outside and the office was cooler

c.

there was too much work for one crew to finish alone

d.

they wanted to watch the lunar landing on television

____18.The questions that the author asks himself in Paragraph 5 reveal his

a.

desire to share from a distance all of the astronauts experiences

b.

need to provide as much information as possible to reporters

c.

interest in discovering details of lunar geography

d.

hopes that he, too, would be able to make such a journey

____19.How did the author feel while listening to the tapes that night?

a.

thrilled

b.

hurried

c.

uneasy

d.

exhausted

____20.Which sentence best sums up the authors feeling in the last paragraph?

a.

He was glad to be finished with a long nights work.

b.

He felt determined to become an astronaut.

c.

He was disappointed that he would never fly in space.

d.

He felt grateful for the evenings experiences.

DIRECTIONS Read the passage. Then read each question about the passage. Decide which is the best answer to the question. Fill in the bubble next to the answer you have chosen. Mark like this , not like this .

____21.Which of these best sums up the reviewers opinion about Never Cry Wolf?

a.

Never Cry Wolf is a book that will appeal especially to environmental activists.

b.

Never Cry Wolf is a book that students should read to learn more about subjective nonfiction.

c.

Never Cry Wolf is important because it describes a little-known region in Canada called the Barren Lands.

d.

Never Cry Wolf is an important book that has changed peoples feelings toward and treatment of wolves.

____22.Which of these statements from the book review states a fact?

a.

Never Cry Wolf, by naturalist Farley Mowat, is a captivating and important work that people of all ages will enjoy. (lines 12)

b.

Mowats story followed a 1958 book, Arctic Wild by Lois Crisler, who had observed Arctic wolves while filming caribou for a video production. (lines 46)

c.

This approach results in a tone that is breezy, irreverent, and often hilarious. (lines 2829)

d.

The overall theme of Never Cry Wolf is the preservation of all forms of life on earth, and Mowats words have made a difference. (lines 3031)

____23.Which of these statements from the book review gives the reviewers opinion?

a.

At that time, people believed that wolves were responsible for the slaughter of vast numbers of caribou in Canada. (lines 34)

b.

The book first appeared in 1963, during an era of growing concern for environmental issues. (lines 23)

c.

Mowat has called his style subjective non-fiction. (2627)

d.

People will be rewarded not only with entertaining reading, but also with some intriguing lessons about nature. (lines 3637)

____24.Which of these criteria does the reviewer address when he describes the book as a chronological narrative?

a.

engaging tone

b.

strong presentation

c.

cohesive organization

d.

important message

____25.Which of these words from the last sentence in paragraph 3 is an emotion word? (lines 2122)

a.

realizes

b.

careless

c.

humans

d.

population

____26.Which of these words from the first sentence in paragraph 4 is a judgment word? (lines 2324)

a.

environment

b.

Canadas

c.

acclaimed

d.

writers

____27.Why do you think the reviewer includes the quote in which Mowat says that he is primarily a story teller (lines 2425)?

a.

to persuade readers that Never Cry Wolf is like a story

b.

to add authenticity to the review

c.

to entice the reader to keep reading the review

d.

to explain why Mowat wrote Never Cry Wolf

____28.Which detail addresses the criterion that Never Cry Wolf is engaging to read?

a.

It tells about wolves and caribou.

b.

It contains humorous anecdotes.

c.

It is written by a naturalist.

d.

Its setting is the Canadian wilderness.

____29.Which detail is least important in supporting the reviewers evaluations of Never Cry Wolf?

a.

The book appeared during an era of growing concern about the environment.

b.

In Never Cry Wolf, Mowat discovers that wolves are loyal to their mates and pups.

c.

Farley Mowat has written many books about the Arctic environment and its animals.

d.

In Never Cry Wolf, Mowat realizes that people have caused the decline in the caribou population.

____30.The reviewer probably includes information about programs to reintroduce wolves into the wild in order to

a.

show the importance of Mowats book

b.

appeal to readers interested in wildlife

c.

describe human interaction with Canadian wildlife

d.

use emotion and judgment words

DIRECTIONS The passage below is followed by questions based on its content. Answer the questions on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage and in any introductory material that may be provided.

____31.The writer thinks that television commercials for cars

a.

are enjoyable and effective

b.

lack substance and are ineffective

c.

lack substance but are effective

d.

are enjoyable but ineffective

____32.What assumption does the writer make about the readers experiences with ads?

a.

They have seen television commercials for cars.

b.

They like to watch commercials and buy new cars.

c.

They know the top music hits but ignore them in the ads.

d.

They watch ads in order to be conscientious consumers.

____33.What attribute would most readers associate with the word idyllic as it is used in the critique (line 41)?

a.

generosity

b.

discontentment

c.

boldness

d.

perfection

____34.Which of these phrases from lines 411 is part of an emotional appeal?

a.

meaningless barrage

b.

shiny automobiles

c.

mute button

d.

Top-40 songs

____35.The best way to use your prior experience to evaluate the ad described in lines 1113 is to

a.

watch several car ads that are similar

b.

describe the details of the ad to a friend

c.

identify the main character in the ad

d.

decide what image the advertiser wants to portray

____36.What technique does the writer use when she says that the ads are trite (line 16)?

a.

a connection with the reader

b.

an emotional appeal

c.

a logical appeal

d.

an example of a prior experience

____37.How can you evaluate the writers claim that televised ads for cars do not give any information about the cars?

a.

asking yourself if an ad has ever influenced you to buy something

b.

summarizing the main ideas in the critique to see if you agree with them

c.

finding the writers position statement in the critique

d.

watching an ad to see if it presents a realistic portrayal of the car it features

____38.The best way to evaluate the statement that ads have hidden messages is to

a.

get your friends opinions about car ads

b.

think about ads you have already seen

c.

read about the advertising industry

d.

shop for cars to see if the ads make valid statements

____39.Which of these states the persuasive message of the ad described in lines 3647?

a.

This pickup truck is fast and powerful.

b.

If you drive this pickup truck, you will have a happy family.

c.

Only young people like to drive this pickup truck.

d.

This pickup truck will help brothers and sisters get along.

____40.Which ad in the critique uses a logical appeal?

a.

a woman standing next to a car

b.

men on horseback racing alongside a car

c.

a car morphing into a panther

d.

a loyal driver telling why he likes his car

DIRECTIONS Read the following selection. Then read each question and choose the best answer.

Mobile Phone Use Spells Danger for Drivers

More than two billion people own mobile phones, and many of them use these transportable devices while driving. The numbers continue to increase, resulting in more and more drivers creating hazardous conditions on our highways. Very little legislation has been passed to regulate this situation. To minimize its inherent dangers, state legislators should pass a law to prohibit talking on the telephone while operating a motor vehicle.

A 1997 study by The New England Journal of Medicine found that talking on a mobile phone while driving may quadruple the risk of having a serious accident. In fact, the research showed that this practice is as dangerous as driving while intoxicated. Interestingly, the study also showed no significant difference between the use of hand-held and hands-free phones. This may indicate that it is the loss of concentration, not the maneuvering of the device, that distracts drivers.

Obviously, the technology that allows people to make calls from their vehicles has some benefits. People can use their mobile phones to report accidents, hazardous road conditions, or other emergencies. Studies published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that emergency calls made on mobile phones can reduce response time to automobile accidents and thereby save lives.

However, the majority of drivers who make calls from their vehicles are not doing so to report emergencies. Rather, they are doing such things as conducting business, chatting with friends, or getting directions to their destination. Some people even use their mobile phones to surf the Internet, send e-mails, or transmit documents. It is not unusual to see foolish drivers with phones in hand weaving in and out of traffic, seemingly oblivious to their surroundings. Such drivers are a threat to others who have both hands on the wheel, both eyes ahead, and their full attention on the road.

Although police officers in all states have the right to stop anyone who is driving recklessly or inattentively, only a few states have laws regulating a drivers use of mobile phones. Policymakers who are reluctant to enact such legislation point to the benefits of mobile phone use in emergencies. Most police officers would hesitate to ticket a person for helping in an emergency. Legislators also claim that such laws would be difficult to enforce. However, a police officer who can see a seat belt can also see people with phones stuck to their ears.

It is time for our state policymakers to make it illegal to drive and talk on a phone at the same time. They should pass a law that permits drivers to make calls only after pulling onto the shoulder of the road and coming to a complete stop. Drivers who break the law should be required to pay a fine. Such a law would make our roads safer and possibly even prevent an unconditional ban on the use of mobile phones in motor vehicles.

Until the law is passed, you are responsible for regulating your own use of a mobile phone. Be smart! Use it while cooking dinner, shopping at the mall, or hiking in the woods. If you are driving, however, use your mobile phone for emergencies only. Even then, please pull over to the side of the road before you do.

____41.You can tell from the title that the authors attitude is

a.

apologetic

b.

enthusiastic

c.

sarcastic

d.

disapproving

____42.Which of these statements best represents the authors point of view in the passage?

a.

Driving and talking on a mobile phone is not safe.

b.

People should use their mobile phones for only brief amounts of time.

c.

Some people do not want laws concerning the use of mobile phones.

d.

The use of mobile phones is increasing at a dramatic rate.

____43.Listing ways to use mobile phones while driving appeals to the readers

a.

feelings

b.

sense of humor

c.

sense of fairness

d.

intellect

____44.Which words best express the authors bias?

a.

the research showed

b.

foolish drivers

c.

complete stop

d.

no significant difference

____45.Which of these sentences from the first paragraph is the authors position statement?

a.

More than two billion people own mobile phones, and many of them use these transportable devices while driving.

b.

The numbers continue to increase, resulting in more and more drivers creating hazardous conditions on our highways.

c.

Very little legislation has been passed to regulate this situation.

d.

To minimize its inherent dangers, state legislators should pass a law to prohibit talking on the telephone while operating a motor vehicle.

____46.The most likely reason the author includes the results of a study found in The New England Journal of Medicine is that

a.

doctors often conduct studies

b.

this publication is well-known and respected

c.

the study gives important information about health

d.

many articles about mobile phones are found in journals

____47.Which of the following is an example of an emotional appeal?

a.

Use it while cooking dinner, shopping at the mall, or hiking in the woods.

b.

Legislators also claim that such laws would be difficult to enforce.

c.

In fact, the research showed that this practice is as dangerous as driving while intoxicated.

d.

Some people even use their mobile phones to surf the Internet, send e-mails, or transmit documents.

____48.The author uses the phrase phones stuck to their ears to

a.

create a negative image

b.

explain a statement

c.

support a fact

d.

introduce an idea

____49.Which of these does the author use as an ethical appeal?

a.

Interestingly, the study also showed no significant difference between the use of hand-held and hands-free phones.

b.

This may indicate that it is the loss of concentration, not the maneuvering of the device, that distracts drivers.

c.

Policymakers who are reluctant to enact such legislation point to the benefits of mobile phone use in emergencies.

d.

However, the majority of drivers who make calls from their vehicles are not doing so to report emergencies.

____50.The most likely reason the author includes information about some advantages of making calls while on the road is to

a.

provide evidence

b.

use a logical appeal

c.

concede a point

d.

add bias to the argument

DIRECTIONS To answer a question, first decide which is the best answer choice for a particular question. Remember to mark only one answer for each question.

The Impressionists

During the 1860s and 1870s in France, a group of artists formed a loose alliance based on revolutionary ideas they shared about art. Unlike established artists who painted idealized subjects, this group preferred to show ordinary people and everyday scenes. Instead of using the techniques employed for centuries by traditional artists, these revolutionaries dabbed paint on canvas in a way that simply implied lines and shapes. After viewing one of these new-styled paintings, Impression: Sunrise, by Claude Monet, a critic derisively coined the term impressionists to identify this group of artists.

To understand the impressionists, it helps to consider the accepted painting styles of that time: neoclassicism and romanticism. Neoclassic artists sought to create images of absolute beauty and perfection in nature, based on an ideal. Romantic artists found their subject matter in works of literature. Their images tended to be emotional and mystical. Most artists worked in studios, where they relied on posed models or on their own imaginations to compose subjects for their paintings.

The impressionists resisted the imposed formulas of the neoclassicists. They rejected the unrealistic subjects preferred by the romanticists. Shockingly, they took their easels from the studio, choosing to paint outdoors. There they thought they could capture the essence of the world as it truly existed. These artists paid particular attention to the play of light upon objects. In fact, the importance of light to the way an object appears is central to impressionism. In impressionist paintings, shapes are created by dabs of paint, not by lines. Light, shadow, and color subtly define the painters impression of a subject at a certain moment.

Of all the impressionists, it is perhaps Claude Monet who best illustrates the importance of light in capturing the tone rather than the form of a subject. In several series of paintings, he portrayed the same subjecthaystacks, for exampleat different times of day, in different atmospheric conditions, and at different times of the year. Expertly, he applied dabs of paint in a way that causes the viewers eyenot the artists brushto mix the colors. He revealed the same form in different ways through the contrast of light and shadow.

By 1886, the impressionistsMonet, Renoir, Manet, Czanne, Degas, Sisley, Morisot, and Pissarro, to name the most famoushad held eight exhibitions. Their work was widely accepted by dealers and collectors, if not by the academic establishment. Along with success, however, dissension had grown among the members. Individual artists styles had evolved in different ways, and eventually the group disbanded.

The impressionists existed as a group for only a short time, but their contribution to art was significant. Impressionism can be considered a bridge between the traditional art of the nineteenth century and twentieth-century modern art. By ignoring detail and focusing on the essence of a subject, impressionists laid the groundwork for abstract and expressionist art. Their bold departure from mainstream attitudes opened endless possibilities for future artists.

____51.What is the main idea of this passage?

a.

Many artists lived in France during the 1860s and 1870s.

b.

The impressionists were a group of artists with revolutionary ideas.

c.

The neoclassicists and romanticists preceded the impressionists.

d.

The impressionists were among the first artists to paint outdoors.

____52.Who gave the impressionists their name?

a.

the artists

b.

collectors

c.

a critic

d.

ordinary people

____53.Which of the following best completes this chart?

a.

Created images of absolute beauty

b.

Used posed models

c.

Concentrated on details

d.

Painted everyday scenes

____54.Which category applies to both Monet and Renoir?

a.

neoclassicist

b.

impressionist

c.

romanticist

d.

expressionist

____55.Unlike the impressionists, what did neoclassic artists do?

a.

included mystical figures

b.

painted idealized subjects

c.

changed styles frequently

d.

rejected the use of precise techniques

____56.What is the main reason that impressionists were considered to be revolutionary?

a.

They refused to follow mainstream practices in art.

b.

They opened doors for abstract artists.

c.

They used paint in predictable ways.

d.

They insisted on working together as a group.

____57.How are artists who referred to literature for their subjects classified?

a.

futurists

b.

modernists

c.

romanticists

d.

academics

____58.How did Monet exemplify impressionistic art?

a.

by using defined shapes

b.

by making identical paintings of subjects

c.

by including intricate patterns

d.

by focusing on tone rather than form

____59.Which of these is a characteristic of impressionism?

a.

strong, sharply defined lines

b.

mystical and imaginative images

c.

emotionally charged scenes of real life

d.

shapes defined by dabs of paint

____60.Why does the term impressionist so aptly describe the style of these artists?

a.

They made a strong impression on the art community of their time.

b.

They painted their impressions of a subject rather than focusing on its realistic form.

c.

They gave the impression of being shocking and revolutionary to other artists.

d.

They impressed critics and collectors with their ability to become so widely accepted.

DIRECTIONS The central figures of Willa Cathers My ntonia are its American-born narrator, Jim Burden, and his close childhood friend ntonia Shimerda, a Bohemian immigrant to Nebraska. Their differences become a major theme of the novel. Read the following passage to discover some of those differences.

A Study in Contrasts: The Characters of Jim Burden and

ntonia Shimerda in the Novel My ntonia

Jim and ntonia come to the Nebraska plain from different places in the social hierarchy and from different parts of the world. Orphaned at the age of ten, Jim leaves his parents Virginia home to live with his grandparents on their comfortable Nebraska farm. Arriving in America from Bohemia with her family, fourteen-year-old ntonia faces linguistic and cultural barriers as well as ethnic tensions common to first-generation pioneer immigrants. Early in her friendship with Jim, ntonia highlights their differences. Things will be easy for you, she tells Jim, but they will be hard for us (140).

That Jim will attend school is a given. When he invites ntonia to join him at the country school, she refuses because of her responsibilities on the farm. I aint got time to learn, she tells him. School is all right for little boys. I help make this land one good farm (123). Although ntonia says that she admires her fathers learning, she takes pride in her work on the farm.

Jim attends high school and college. The summer before he enters law school, he returns to his hometown and pays a visit to ntonia. She asks Jim about life in the city. Id always be miserable in a city, she tells him. Id die of lonesomeness. I like to be where I know every stack and tree, and where all the ground is friendly. I want to live and die here (320).

Revisiting Nebraska, Jim feels the old pull of the earth, the solemn magic that comes out of those fields at nightfall. I wished I could be a little boy again, and that my way could end there (322). Jim still seems to be searching for the emotional significance of his childhood experiences, whereas ntonia cherishes her memories without Jims romantic longing for the past. Aint it wonderful, Jim, how much people can mean to each other? she says before they part (363). Youll always remember me when you think about old times, wont you? (364).

Twenty years after this visit, Jim returns to spend a day and night with ntonia and her family. He contrasts his unsatisfactory adulthood with ntonias apparent fulfillment as a farmers wife and mother of many children. He sees that ntonia is grounded in something strong and permanent, whereas his life is marked by constant travel. In spite of material successes, he has failed to find happiness either in his marriage or in his career as a lawyer for a railroad company.

Jim begins to understand the emotional significance of their differences, of their experiences together, and of his rich childhood. Tracing his steps on the road that he and ntonia traveled as children, Jim has the sense of coming home to myself, and of having found out what a little circle mans experience is. For ntonia and for me, this had been the road of Destiny; had taken us to those early accidents of fortune which predetermined for us all that we can ever be. Now I understood that the same road was to bring us together again. Whatever we had missed, we possessed together the precious, the incommunicable past (372).

____61.What evidence does the author use to show that ntonia is aware that as an immigrant her destiny will differ from that of Jim?

a.

the quote that begins, Things will be easy for you

b.

the quote that begins, I aint got time to learn

c.

the quote that begins, Id always be miserable in a city

d.

the quote that begins, Aint it wonderful, Jim

____62.How is ntonias refusal of Jims invitation to join him at the country school expressed in the literary analysis?

a.

as a paraphrase of the passage

b.

as an introduction and quotation

c.

as a summary of the novel

d.

as an opinion about a character

____63.What main idea does the quotation I help make this land one good farm support?

a.

ntonia does not want to be like her father.

b.

ntonia feels ashamed of her immigrant status.

c.

ntonia resents Jims life of comparative privilege.

d.

ntonia chooses life on the farm over an education.

____64.Which is the best paraphrase of ntonias statement I want to live and die here?

a.

ntonia says that a city would be too unfriendly a place for her.

b.

ntonia fears being alone in a city without her family.

c.

ntonia wants to live the rest of her days on the farm.

d.

Jim wishes to return to live on his farm when he is old.

____65.What point do Jims words in paragraph 4 support?

a.

Jims memory of his childhood is not accurate.

b.

Jim wishes he had not left Nebraska for the East.

c.

Jim does not want to be separated from ntonia.

d.

Jim longs to recapture the magic of his childhood.

____66.Which statement from the literary analysis is an interpretation of evidence?

a.

For ntonia and for me, this had been the road of Destiny;...

b.

She asks Jim about life in the city.

c.

Jim begins to understand the emotional significance of their differences,...

d.

The summer before he enters law school, he returns to his hometown....

____67.What situation does paragraph 5 summarize?

a.

ntonia is happy in adulthood, but Jim is unfulfilled.

b.

ntonia is unhappy in adulthood, but Jim is fulfilled.

c.

Jim wishes he could return to live in Nebraska.

d.

Jim returns as an adult to visit ntonia and her family.

____68.If you compared a paraphrase with the original in the novel, what would you expect to find?

a.

Both use the same words to express an idea.

b.

Both express the same idea in about the same length.

c.

The paraphrase is shorter than the original.

d.

The paraphrase gives more information than the original.

____69.Why is the quotation used in the last paragraph?

a.

to elaborate on literary evidence

b.

to sandwich in an explanation

c.

to tie together the support and the introduction

d.

to show evidence with details from the novel itself

____70.Which main idea is best supported by the evidence in the literary review?

a.

The course of a life is determined by forces beyond a persons control.

b.

Although Jims and ntonias destinies differed, they shared deep roots from childhood.

c.

Common roads of childhood often predict the final destination.

d.

Jim finally understands why ntonia has chosen to remain on the Nebraska prairie.

DIRECTIONS Read the passage. Then read each question about the passage. Decide which is the best answer to each question. Mark the letter for that answer.

Disaster in Donora

In late October 1948, darkness descended on the small Pennsylvania mill town of Donora. Situated in a valley on a bend of the Monongahela River, the town was being suffocated by a deadly blanket of smog. The yellow-gray blanket lay over the city for five days. When rain finally washed it away, twenty Donorans were dead, and more than half of the towns population of 14,000 was sick.

Donora went ahead with its Halloween parade, but the marchers were just shadows moving through the gloom, recalls one resident. Spectators at a local football game could barely make out the players.

Eileen Loftus was a nurse who worked for the American Steel & Wire Company, owner of the steel mill and zinc works and the towns largest employer. Loftus remembers the Friday afternoon when a worker staggered in, gasping. I had him lie down and gave him oxygen. Then another man came in, and another.

The smog was so thick that the towns ambulance could not move through the streets without someone on foot to guide the way. Doctors in Donora were overwhelmed with sick and dying patients.

American Steel & Wire continued to operate, its smokestacks belching fumes that mingled with the smog. Two days after people began dying, the zinc works shut down, but company officials denied any responsibility for the disaster.

Edwin Kiester, Jr., a cub reporter in Pittsburgh, heard about the disaster and acted quickly to gather information. I phoned in a police report that gasping, coughing Donorans were swamping the local hospitals, says Kiester. Soon newscasters around the country had picked up the story. Public awareness would be the key to solving the problem of the deadly smog.

Once the media had broadcast news of the disaster, state and federal investigators arrived in Donora, now the object of national attention. The investigators interviewed households, set up air-quality monitoring sites, and brought in meteorological and biological research teams.

Rain brought relief from the disaster but offered no guarantee that the problem would not return.

The following year, the U.S. Public Health Service issued a report on the smog episode, attributing the disaster to a temperature inversion, a weather phenomenon in which a layer of cold air traps warmer air beneath it. Many people criticized the report, charging that it ignored the main culprit: the zinc works. Critics noted that the permissible emission levels for the zinc works were for healthy young workers in the plants and did not take into account older or ill persons in the community. Those who had died during the smog invasion were 52 or older, and most had existing respiratory or heart problems.

Many people filed lawsuits against American Steel & Wire. The lawsuits were settled without attributing blame. People became outraged that the zinc works was exempted from responsibility; citizen groups began to demand accountability as well as tougher regulation of smog.

In 1950, as a result of the Donora tragedy, President Harry Truman organized the first national air pollution conference. The conference set a precedent for federal involvement in improving air quality. This action eventually led to the first Clean Air Act, in 1963.

Before Donora, people thought of smog as a nuisance, says Marcia Spink, associate director for air programs for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Donora tragedy was a wake-up call. People realized smog could kill.

____71.What is the main idea of this passage?

a.

A temperature inversion can be a disastrous weather phenomenon.

b.

Edwin Kiester, Jr., brought the Donora tragedy to national attention.

c.

The clean air movement began after the Donora smog episode.

d.

President Truman was a leader in the clean air movement.

____72.What problem is described in the first paragraph of the passage?

a.

Darkness descended on the town of Donora in 1948.

b.

Deadly smog blanketed a Pennsylvania town in 1948.

c.

Donora sits on the banks of the Monongahela River.

d.

The problem of smog was eliminated by the rain.

____73.What is the main idea of the second paragraph of this passage?

a.

Marchers in a parade appeared hazy because of the smog.

b.

Spectators could hardly see the football players due to the smog.

c.

Donora citizens recall events from the fall of 1948.

d.

The town tried to carry on normal events in spite of the smog.

____74.What is the problem in paragraph 3 of this passage?

a.

Workers at American Steel & Wire Company became sick.

b.

Eileen Loftus was not affected by the smog episode of 1948.

c.

Several workers at American Steel & Wire Company died.

d.

American Steel & Wire Company employed most people in town.

____75.Both the problem and the solution of the Donora smog can be partly attributed to

a.

federal regulators

b.

emission levels

c.

news reports

d.

city officials

____76.People began to look for solutions to the problem of smog when

a.

a storm cleaned the air

b.

young workers moved away

c.

Donoras tragedy gained national attention

d.

company officials closed the plant

____77.Critics of the 1949 U.S. Public Health Service report complained that it

a.

unfairly placed blame on the zinc works

b.

included an unreasonable solution

c.

addressed problems only of older workers

d.

ignored the role of the zinc works

____78.Why did lawsuits against American Steel & Wire fail to solve the problem?

a.

No one could prove that the steel company caused the fumes.

b.

The lawsuits against the company were never settled.

c.

The company did not accept blame for contributing to the smog.

d.

Citizen groups objected to the lawsuits against the company.

____79.What is the main idea of the next-to-last paragraph of this passage?

a.

Truman set in motion the steps that eventually led to the Clean Air Act.

b.

The first national air pollution conference was held in 1950.

c.

The zinc industry took the lead in improving air quality.

d.

The first Clean Air Act was enacted during the air pollution conference.

____80.The Donora event of 1948 served as a warning that

a.

the federal government should control air pollution

b.

temperature inversions are the source of smog

c.

industry officials would not alter their operations

d.

smog was more lethal than people realized

Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School

Summer Reading Assessment