The Peerless Four 1
According to the narrator, what makes playing basketball appealing?
a. She likes the feeling of knowing exactly what to do when she plays basketball.
b. She feels the skills needed for playing basketball are simple to master.
c. that when she plays basketball, she is likely to succeed.
d. She gets to be like her brothers when she plays basketball.
a. She likes the feeling of knowing exactly what to do when she plays basketball.
Which words from the article provide the best clue to the meaning of the word "tedious" in paragraph 1?
a. "Confession Time" (Paragraph 1)
b. "head flat on desk" (Paragraph 1)
c. "takes an eternity to tick by" (Paragraph 1)
d. "You begin to wish you had your cell phone" (Paragraph 1)
c. "takes an eternity to tick by" (Paragraph 1)
How does the structure of the story contribute to its meaning?
a. The narrator describes how she differs from her brothers, which leads to a conflict with her father.
b. The narrator expresses her point of view, which provides background for the conflict with her father.
c. The narrator describes her frustration with life at home and school, which leads to problems with her father.
d. The narrator begins with a reflection on rules, which leads to an improvement in her relationship with her father.
b. The narrator expresses her point of view, which provides background for the conflict with her father.
The final sentence in paragraph 9 best contributes to the article by
a. suggesting that the author often fell asleep in classes
b. connecting the information to the incident described at the beginning
c. encouraging students to stay awake and avoid boredom in class
d. emphasizing that teenagers are often more bored than other groups
b. connecting the information to the incident described at the beginning
**** BONUS QUESTION ****
Does this sentence need a comma or not? Why?
I bought eggs and milk when I went to the store.
It does not need a comma. The dependent clause comes after the independent clause.
What does the narrator discover in paragraph 4 that affects the plot of the story?
a. Watching basketball gives her the same feeling as studying.
b. She wants other people to pay more attention to her.
c. She is jealous of the opportunity her brother has.
d. Her passion for basketball is overwhelming.
d. Her passion for basketball is overwhelming.
Paragraph 4 connects modern entertainment to boredom by suggesting that it causes us to
a. want more challenging games to play
b. misunderstand the role of fun in our lives
c. develop expectations for high levels of excitement
d. avoid adapting to new technological innovations
c. develop expectations for high levels of excitement
How does the basketball game setting relate to a theme of the story?
a. by showing where the narrator feels the most alive
b. by showing how the narrator utilizes her knowledge
c. by showing how the narrator differs from other girls
d. by showing why the narrator supports her brother
a. by showing where the narrator feels the most alive
Read this sentence from paragraph 2 of the article.
That sounds like science fiction, but new psychological research hints that being bored--even in class--may one day be a thing of the past.
Which quotation provides the best evidence to support this claim?
a. "...less than one in 20 adults were bored at work." (paragraph 2)
b. "...our brains adapt really quickly to certain levels of stimulation..." (paragraph 4)
c. "...anything the attention system in your brain locks onto will be automatically sucked up into your conscious awareness..." (paragraph 6)
d. "Each of us has the ability to make every situation interesting; all we need to do is change the way we look at it..." (paragraph 8)
d. "Each of us has the ability to make every situation interesting; all we need to do is change the way we look at it..." (paragraph 8)
**** BONUS QUESTION ****
Name all elements of an introduction paragraph.
1. hook
2. introduce the topic
3. introduce the title and author
4. thesis statement
Based on paragraphs 2 and 3, what can readers conclude about the narrator's father?
a. He thinks boys and girls should pursue different activities.
b. He believes that siblings should support one another.
c. He values sports more than he values education.
d. He wishes that all of his children were boys.
a. He thinks boys and girls should pursue different activities.
How does Professor Eastwood's work different from previous research?
a. by attempting to create a new definition for boredom
b. by failing to look into a connection to brain activity
c. by focusing on the human attention system
d. by using data from earlier studies on boredom
c. by focusing on the human attention system
How does the incident described in paragraphs 8 and 9 affect the story?
a. It shows how the narrator and her family attempt to compromise.
b. It escalates the conflict so that the father is forced to make a choice.
c. It reveals the influence the mother and brother have on the father's behavior.
d. It demonstrates the father's beliefs and his realization that his beliefs are wrong.
b. It escalates the conflict so that the father is forced to make a choice.
Which sentence states a central idea that is supported throughout the article?
a. Modern entertainment decreases boredom.
b. Boredom is present in teenagers more than in adults.
c. Everyone experiences boredom occasionally.
d. People have the ability to control their boredom.
d. People have the ability to control their boredom.
**** BONUS QUESTION ****
How do you spell _________?
exacerbate
According to the narrator, why is basketball "as good as Shakespeare" (paragraph 1)?
a. It connects her to important people.
b. It helps her to understand her life.
c. It has the power to strongly affect her.
d. It helps her deal with disappointments in life.
Read this sentence from paragraph 2 of the article.
Boredom is the enemy of fun.
Which quotation best helps the reader understand this sentence?
a. "If fun is the big drop of a roller coaster, boredom is waiting in line." (paragraph 2)
b. If we want to figure out the future of fun, we have to first figure out how to end boredom." (paragraph 2)
c. "Imagine that: a world where each second is interesting and nothing is dull." (paragraph 2)
d. "That sounds like science fiction, but new psychological research hints that being bored--even in class--may one day be a thing of the past." (paragraph 2)
a. "If fun is the big drop of a roller coaster, boredom is waiting in line." (paragraph 2)
**** BONUS QUESTION ****
What part of speech is the word "quickly" in the sentence, "She ran quickly to catch the bus"?
Adverb
**** BONUS QUESTION ****
In the sentence "The group of students _____ going on a field trip," should the blank be filled with "is" or "are"?
is