"Feathered Friend"
In “Feathered Friend,” why do crew members pass around an oxygen bottle?
a. to celebrate Claribel’s recovery
b. to keep themselves from losing consciousness
c. to determine how much oxygen each person needs
d. to remind each other of their loyalty and friendship
to keep themselves from losing consciousness
What form of technology does the author mainly praise in “Teens and Technology Share a Future”?
a. laptops
b. social media
c. the Internet
d. smartphones
b. social media
What opinion about technology does the author state at the beginning of “The Black Hole of Technology”?
a. Technology helps us learn to absorb information.
b. Technology makes us instant experts on many topics.
c. Technology is keeping us from processing and interacting.
d. Technology cannot be compared to printed books or newspapers.
c. Technology is keeping us from processing and interacting.
In “Feathered Friend,” when does the narrator first realize that Claribel is aboard the space station?
a. when Sven runs in with a tiny bundle of feathers
b. when Sven informs the whole crew
c. when a flash of yellow flies past
d. when he hears the bird singing
when he hears the bird singing
According to “Teens and Technology Share a Future,” how can today’s teenagers become the world’s greatest generation?
a. by using technology responsibly
b. by reading great authors of the past
c. by writing blog posts persuading others to act
d. by using computers to change the way we learn
a. by using technology responsibly
What does the author of “The Black Hole of Technology” notice about villagers in Cambodia? Choose two options.
a. Most of them are dressed up.
b. They have no cell phones.
c. Their homes are on stilts.
d. They are all quite young.
e. They seem very happy.
b. They have no cell phones.
e. They seem very happy.
How does the title of “Feathered Friend” hint at one theme of the story?
a. It suggests that Claribel’s existence is important to the crew.
b. It points out one key difference between birds and humans.
c. It reminds the reader of the delicate nature of animals.
d. It compares bird flight to human flight.
a. It suggests that Claribel’s existence is important to the crew.
Which quotation from “Teens and Technology Share a Future” best states its main idea?
a. In the grand scheme of things, you’ve done us all a great service.
b. You’re absolutely right.… How else would you be reading this blog?
c. The world is facing many problems, but young people—using the power of technology—have the opportunity to solve them.
d. If only Thoreau had known that we would be able to look into another person’s eyes….
c. The world is facing many problems, but young people—using the power of technology—have the opportunity to solve them.
Which of the following choices best gives the meaning of this sentence, which begins “The Black Hole of Technology”? The black hole of endless, unimportant streams of technology-enabled information is devouring everyone living in the twenty-first century.
a. Machines are taking over the jobs and duties that used to belong to human beings.
b. Technology was supposed to make us better but instead has made us less human.
c. People today are overly distracted and overwhelmed by meaningless texts, posts, and tweets.
d. It has not taken long for the entire world to become connected through the powerful reach of technology.
c. People today are overly distracted and overwhelmed by meaningless texts, posts, and tweets.
Part A Which of the following statements best expresses one of the themes of “Feathered Friend”?
a. Humans are meant to explore and discover new worlds.
b. Sometimes the oldest, simplest solution is the most valuable.
c. One should always choose teamwork over personal ambition.
d. A bird does not change its feathers because the weather is bad.
Part B Which of these sentences from “Feathered Friend” best supports the answer to Part A?
a. To the best of my knowledge, there’s never been a regulation that forbids one to keep pets in a space station.
b. I’m not a psychologist, but I must admit that his selection was very sensible.
c. It was quite obvious that she’d already learned how to operate in the absence of gravity, and did not believe in doing unnecessary work.
d. “I’ve just remembered that miners used to carry canaries down to warn them of gas.”
Part A:
b. Sometimes the oldest, simplest solution is the most valuable.
Part B:
d. “I’ve just remembered that miners used to carry canaries down to warn them of gas.”
Part A What main claim is presented in “Teens and Technology Share a Future”?
a. Technology encourages storytelling by allowing people to write more.
b. Arguing over social media is more effective than doing so in person.
c. It is important to know about the history of technology and social media.
d. Technology can be used in positive ways if young people take action.
Part B Which quotation from the selection best illustrates the claim identified in Part A?
a. You’ve turned over a small stone of information, one in a river of millions. With every stone turned, our picture of the world becomes clearer.
b. Only when the sun breaks out for a moment do I realize how beautiful the snow can be.
c. How else would you be reading this blog? How else would you understand what “LOL” means, or be able to send a text message without even thinking about it?
d. Today’s teenagers (as of 2014) have the potential to be the most influential … generation of human beings ever seen. But that will only happen if we step up to the challenge….
Part A:
d. Technology can be used in positive ways if young people take action.
Part B:
d. Today’s teenagers (as of 2014) have the potential to be the most influential … generation of human beings ever seen. But that will only happen if we step up to the challenge….
Part A Which sentence best summarizes the author’s claim in “The Black Hole of Technology”?
a. Modern technology enhances our everyday lives.
b. It is important to take the time to enjoy beautiful weather.
c. Modern technology can distract us from enjoying our surroundings and interacting with the people around us.
d. Social media is an important piece of modern technology that allows us to see into the lives of our favorite celebrities.
Part B Which of these sentences from “The Black Hole of Technology” best supports the answer to Part A?
a. Before being introduced to my phone and computer, I had always been more appreciative of the world around me.
b. I, on the other hand, glanced out the window separating us from the beautiful weather outside.
c. I put my phone down to shut the curtains, then I continued to mindlessly scroll through Miley’s Instagram page.
d. I slipped my phone out of my bag to check for a signal, but before I could even unlock it, it was snatched out of my hands.
Part A:
c. Modern technology can distract us from enjoying our surroundings and interacting with the people around us.
Part B:
a. Before being introduced to my phone and computer, I had always been more appreciative of the world around me.
How does this excerpt from “Feathered Friend” connect most clearly to one of the themes of the story?
"It was one of those accidents that couldn’t possibly happen; we’d had one of our rare eclipses by Earth’s shadow that night: Part of the air purifier had frozen up, and the single alarm in the circuit had failed to go off."
a. It refers to an unexpected natural event.
b. It shows the excitement of manned space travel.
c. It explores the narrator’s concerns about bad air.
d. It reveals that technology is not always dependable.
d. It reveals that technology is not always dependable.
Part A Which sentence best summarizes the author’s opinion about technology in “Teens and Technology Share a Future”?
a. It is completely out of teens’ control.
b. It gives humans almost limitless abilities.
c. It can be used to stop violent weather patterns.
d. It is the only way to teach young people to read and write.
Part B Which quotation from the selection best supports the answer to Part A?
a. Perhaps it is the years of experience I’ve had in front of a computer, a laptop, or some sort of device with a screen.
b. Are you curious about something no one you know has even heard of? Then, search for it online—and maybe even come across the wrong answer, initially.
c. “Here comes a geek, obsessed with technology, preaching about its effectiveness….”
d. What superpower could one possibly want when we have technology that lets us meet new people, invent new things, and help others?
Part A:
b. It gives humans almost limitless abilities.
Part B:
d. What superpower could one possibly want when we have technology that lets us meet new people, invent new things, and help others?
Read the following passage from “The Black Hole of Technology.” Look for words and phrases that the author repeats. No one stops to process information anymore to determine its significance or importance. No one appreciates the value of personal interaction or nature. Everything is go, go, go. Not once do we stop.… Now, I’m always consumed by my “tech,” and I never stop to take a break. Which sentence best explains the author’s use of repetition in this passage?
a. She repeats the word go to make her argument more reasonable.
b. She repeats the word stop to emphasize an idea that is important to her.
c. She repeatedly uses sentences of similar length to persuade the reader to see things her way.
d. She repeats the phrase no one to make fun of people who use a lot of technology
b. She repeats the word stop to emphasize an idea that is important to her.