Chapter 1 –The Cyclone
Part A – “There was no garret at all, and no cellar—except a small hole dug in the ground, called a cyclone cellar, where the family could go in case one of those great whirlwinds stepped inside, mighty enough to crush any building in his path.” - What kind of figurative language is being used in this excerpt from Paragraph 1?
A. Hyperbole B. Alliteration C. Simile D. Personification
D. Personification
What is the “cyclone” Uncle Henry refers to in paragraph 8? --
A. a tornado B. a hurricane C. a blizzard D. a monsoon
A. a tornado
“After the first few whirls around, and one other time when the house tipped badly, she felt as if she were being rocked gently, like a baby in a cradle.” -- Which figurative language device is being used in this excerpt from Paragraph 15?
A. simile B. alliteration C. onomatopoeia D. personification
A. simile
Which is the simile in Paragraph 13?
A. rose slowly B. as if she were going up in a balloon C. whirled around D. all of the above
B. as if she were going up in a balloon
“There was no garret at all, and no cellar—except a small hole dug in the ground, called a cyclone cellar, where the family could go in case one of those great whirlwinds stepped inside, mighty enough to crush any building in his path.” -- What does the figurative language from Part A emphasize?
A. The lack of a cellar in their home. B. The size of the home. C. The strength of the cyclone. D. The length of the cyclone’s path.
C. The strength of the cyclone.
“He was gray also, from his long beard to his rough boots, and he looked stern and solemn, and rarely spoke.” What does the word, “solemn” mean in this sentence from Paragraph 4?
A. happy B. quiet C. formal D. distraught
C. formal
“After the first few whirls around, and one other time when the house tipped badly, she felt as if she were being rocked gently, like a baby in a cradle.” -- What does the figurative language from Part A emphasize?
A. Dorothy felt scared. B. Dorothy was fearless. C. Dorothy felt safe. D. Dorothy wanted to cry.
C. Dorothy felt safe.
What was unusual about how Dorothy felt while in the cyclone?
A. She was afraid to save Toto. B. She wasn’t afraid. C. She wondered what would happen when the house fell. D. She was curious about the wind.
She wasn’t afraid.
Part A – What was being carried “like a feather”?
the house
What is the author trying to emphasize by describing everything as gray?--
A. The sun has bleached everything. B. It is very bleak and dull where Dorothy lives. C. It is cloudy outside. D. It rains a lot.
B. It is very bleak and dull where Dorothy lives.
“He was gray also, from his long beard to his rough boots, and he looked stern and solemn, and rarely spoke.” What does the excerpt from Part A emphasize?
A. Uncle Henry did not work much. B. Uncle Henry was a generous man. C. Uncle Henry was a shy man. D. Uncle Henry was a serious man.
D. Uncle Henry was a serious man.
How does the author feel about life in the Kansas prairies during this time period?
A. It was easy living. B. It was boring. C. It was difficult. D. It was confusing.
C. It was difficult.
What decision does Dorothy make that is led by her emotions in Paragraph 11?
She goes after Toto instead of getting into the cellar.
What is the genre?
Fiction
What is the setting of Paragraphs 1 – 14? --
A. New York City B. The Colorado Mountains C. The Kansas Prairies D. Miami Beach
C. The Kansas Prairies
What does the word, “wail” mean from Paragraph 7?
A. a loud sound, almost like a cry B. a soft sound C. someone crying D. none of the above
A. a loud sound, almost like a cry
Why was it difficult to build a large house in the Kansas prairies during this time period?
A. The roofing material was expensive. B. It cost too much to furnish it. C. The lumber to build houses had to be carried by wagon over many miles. D. It was socially unacceptable because having a large home showed too much pride.
C. The lumber to build houses had to be carried by wagon over many miles.
What happened during Paragraph 11? Select THREE: The house was taken up into the cyclone, Toto hid under the bed, Uncle Henry went to check on the stock, Aunt Em went into the cellar, Dorothy fell asleep
The house was taken up into the cyclone, Toto hid under the bed, Aunt Em went into the cellar
Part B – What type of figurative language is this?
Simile
Why was Dorothy living with Uncle Henry and Aunt Em? --
She came to them as an orphan.
How does Dorothy stay busy?
She plays with Toto.
What changed about Aunt Em since she was first married? Select THREE correct: Her eyes lost their sparkle, Her eyes turned black, Her hair was shiny, Her face and lips have turned shades of gray, She was thin and gaunt, She was happy and playful, She still smiled from time to time
Her eyes lost their sparkle, Her face and lips have turned shades of gray, She was thin and gaunt
Something happened between Paragraphs 11 and 14, How did the settings change?
It went from being in Kansas to being miles up in a cyclone.
Which sentence from Paragraph 11 represents the climax?
When she was halfway across the room there came a great shriek from the wind, and the house shook so hard that she lost her footing and sat down suddenly upon the floor.