Comprehension
Level 1:
What was Annie Dillard’s reaction when she saw the amoeba for the first time?
A. She was excited and ran to tell her parents.
B. She was disappointed because it didn’t look like its picture.
Correct Answer: A. She was excited and ran to tell her parents.
Level 1:
What does the phrase “hit pay dirt” mean in "An American Childhood"?
A. Found something valuable
B. Fell into the mud
A. Found something valuable
Level 1:
What central idea is conveyed in "An American Childhood"?
A. Personal passions can lead to self-discovery.
B. Science experiments are always successful.
A. Personal passions can lead to self-discovery.
Level 1:
How do Annie Dillard’s parents influence her?
A. By giving her space to explore her passions
B. By closely monitoring her activities
A. By giving her space to explore her passions
Level 1:
Which of the following sentences contains an appositive?
A. “I had essentially been handed my own life.”
B. “The booklet said it was composed of the silicaceous bodies of diatoms—one-celled creatures that lived in, as it were, small glass jewelry boxes.”
B. “The booklet said it was composed of the silicaceous bodies of diatoms—one-celled creatures that lived in, as it were, small glass jewelry boxes.”
Level 2:
What is one purpose of urban farms, as described in "Urban Farming is Growing a Greener Future?"
A. To make cities more environmentally friendly
B. To replace traditional farming altogether
A. To make cities more environmentally friendly
Level 2:
What does the term "aesthetic" most likely mean in the phrase "provides aesthetic benefits" in "Urban Farming is Growing a Greener Future"?
A. Related to beauty or appearance
B. Related to health or wellness
A. Related to beauty or appearance
Level 2:
Why are rooftop gardens significant in "Urban Farming is Growing a Greener Future"?
A. They create space for growing food in crowded cities.
B. They are more effective than traditional farms.
A. They create space for growing food in crowded cities.
Level 2:
How do urban farms interact with their communities?
A. They provide opportunities for gathering and collaboration.
B. They limit access to certain areas of the city.
A. They provide opportunities for gathering and collaboration.
Level 2:
What is the appositive phrase in the sentence, “The booklet said it was composed of the silicaceous bodies of diatoms—one-celled creatures that lived in, as it were, small glass jewelry boxes”?
A. The booklet said
B. One-celled creatures that lived in, as it were, small glass jewelry boxes
B. One-celled creatures that lived in, as it were, small glass jewelry boxes
Level 3:
Part A:
How does the author of "Urban Farming is Growing a Greener Future" emphasize the importance of urban farming?
A. By describing the challenges of traditional farming
B. By explaining the aesthetic and economic benefits
C. By listing the steps required to set up an urban farm
D. By comparing urban farms to rural farms
B. By explaining the aesthetic and economic benefits
Level 3:
Part A:
What is the effect of the simile “the land stretching as wide as love” in "An American Childhood"?
A. It emphasizes the emotional connection to the landscape.
B. It shows the author’s dislike for her surroundings.
C. It highlights the difficulty of living in the area.
D. It explains the scientific layout of the land.
A. It emphasizes the emotional connection to the landscape.
Level 3:
Part A:
What inference can be made about Annie Dillard’s parents based on their reaction to her discovery?
A. They didn’t care about her hobbies.
B. They encouraged her independence.
C. They thought her experiments were childish.
D. They were too busy to come downstairs.
B. They encouraged her independence.
Level 3:
How does Annie Dillard’s persistence lead to her eventual success?
A. She spends hours preparing and examining slides until she sees results.
B. She reads every book in her library on the subject of science.
C. Her parents’ encouragement makes her work harder.
D. She finds diatoms immediately and begins her research.
A. She spends hours preparing and examining slides until she sees results.
Level 3:
In "Urban Farming is Growing a Greener Future," which sentence uses an appositive phrase?
A. “This midtown hotel began growing fruit, vegetables, and herbs on the building’s roof to supply the hotel’s kitchen.”
B. “An area of neglected, polluted land next to a railway station in Perth, Australia, has been revived as an organic farm.”
C. “Urban farms can make use of vacant city lots that are often considered eyesores, or ugly, unpleasant sights in public places.”
D. “Each acre of the farm produces 20,000 pounds of produce annually.”
C. “Urban farms can make use of vacant city lots that are often considered eyesores, or ugly, unpleasant sights in public places.”
Level 4:
Part B:
Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A?
A. “The farms become not only a source of food and beauty, but provide a location for members of the community to gather.”
B. “Urban farms are not a new idea. During both world wars, the government encouraged Americans to plant Victory Gardens.”
C. “Each acre of the farm produces 20,000 pounds of produce annually.”
D. “New York City will never completely return to its long-lost agricultural origins.”
A. “The farms become not only a source of food and beauty, but provide a location for members of the community to gather.”
Level 4:
Part B:
Which phrase from "An American Childhood" supports the interpretation of the simile?
A. “You do what you do out of your private passion for the thing itself.”
B. “It had been festering in a jar in the basement.”
C. “The sky was the limit.”
D. “The week before, I had gathered puddle water from Frick Park.”
C. “The sky was the limit.”
Level 4:
Part B:
Which sentence from "An American Childhood" best supports the answer to Part A?
A. “I had essentially been handed my own life.”
B. “She gave me to understand that she was glad I had found what I had been looking for.”
C. “My parents were still at the table, drinking coffee.”
D. “It was the chance of a lifetime.”
A. “I had essentially been handed my own life.”
Level 4:
How do urban farms benefit cities beyond food production?
A. They reduce food prices in supermarkets.
B. They restore neglected areas and create a sense of community.
C. They eliminate the need for traditional farming.
D. They increase property values significantly.
B. They restore neglected areas and create a sense of community.
Level 4:
Which phrase is the appositive in this sentence?
“Urban farms can make use of vacant city lots that are often considered eyesores, or ugly, unpleasant sights in public places.”
A. Urban farms
B. Vacant city lots
C. Ugly, unpleasant sights in public places
D. Eyesores
D. Eyesores
Level 5:
Multiple Select:
Which of the following are key benefits of urban farming mentioned in the text?
Level 5:
Multiple Select:
Which terms from "Urban Farming is Growing a Greener Future" are most closely associated with environmental benefits?
Level 5:
Multiple Select:
Which details support the central idea of community involvement in urban farming?
Level 5:
Multiple Select:
What relationships are highlighted in "An American Childhood"?
Level 5:
Multiple Select:
Which sentences from "An American Childhood" contain appositive phrases?