Quiz Questions
The author begins the article by describing which key moment? (author’s craft; R.4)
𝖠 the United States’ invasion of Afghanistan
𝖡 the day Regina Wilson joined the FDNY
𝖢 the North Tower collapsing
𝖣 the beginning of Wilson’s friendship with John Chipura
𝖢 the North Tower collapsing
Which detail would be least important to include in a short summary of the article? (summarizing; R.2)
𝖠 When she was younger, Wilson worked as an accountant.
𝖡 Terrorists attacked the Twin Towers on 9/11.
𝖢 Chipura and Wilson swapped assignments.
𝖣 Chipura died in the line of duty on 9/11.
𝖠 When she was younger, Wilson worked as an accountant.
What caused Regina Wilson to swap assignments with her friend John Chipura on the morning of September 11, 2001? How did this decision unexpectedly change both of their lives?
John Chipura asked to trade jobs because he wanted more experience working on the engine truck (Engine 219) rather than the ladder truck. Because they swapped, Chipura went to the World Trade Center first on Ladder 105 and tragically died when the South Tower collapsed, while Wilson survived because her truck arrived later.
Text Evidence: "Wilson's friend John Chipura asked her if she would swap jobs with him... Chipura wanted more experience on the truck. Wilson agreed..." and "Ladder 105 had been helping evacuate people from the South Tower when the building collapsed. They were all presumed dead."
Author’s Purpose / Text Features: Look at the section titled "The Long War" and the accompanying map/images. Why did the author include information about the background of Al Qaeda, the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, and the war in Afghanistan within a story primarily about a single firefighter?
The author includes historical context to provide historical background so readers (especially students who were not alive during 9/11) understand why the attack happened, who was responsible, and how the event changed national security and history beyond just Wilson's individual story.
Read this sentence from the section "Under Attack":
"Firefighters and police officers rushed toward the chaos, putting their own lives at risk to save others."
What does the word chaos mean as used in this sentence?
A) Complete disorder and confusion
B) Heavy morning traffic
C) A planned emergency drill
D) Extreme silence and quiet
A) Complete disorder and confusion
In the section “A Heroic Career,” Wilson remembers thinking Why aren’t we here? Who is the “we” she is referring to? (interpreting text; R.4)
𝖠 paramedics
𝖡 accountants
𝖢 women and Black people
𝖣 New Yorkers
𝖢 women and Black people
The author writes that on 9/11, “lower Manhattan, typically a vibrant area of New York City, was full of terrified people . . .” Vibrant most closely means _________. (vocabulary; R.4)
𝖠 dark and gloomy
𝖡 calm and quiet
𝖢 old and worn-down
𝖣 busy and exciting
𝖣 busy and exciting
Describe the physical conditions Wilson experienced when her fire engine emerged from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel into Manhattan. What imagery or figurative language does the author use to describe the scene?
The air was pitch black and filled with thick smoke, debris rained down, and thousands of pieces of office paper floated through the air. The author uses a simile comparing the falling paper to a "blizzard" and imagery of "a foggy light" and "total chaos."
Text Evidence: "Thousands of sheets of paper from the offices that had been in the South Tower rained down from the sky. 'It looked like a blizzard,' Wilson remembers." and "The air was full of smoke... They emerged into total chaos."
Why does Regina Wilson feel it is so important to continue speaking publically and saying John Chipura's name today?
Speaking his name keeps his memory alive, honors his heroism across his career, and gives Wilson comfort as she processes her grief.
Text Evidence: " 'I want people to remember him,' she says. 'He was a true hero—not only in the FDNY, but also in his previous careers in the police department and the military. Every time I say his name, he lives. That gives me comfort.' "
How did Regina Wilson's role at the FDNY differ from her original career path before she joined the department?
Before joining the FDNY, Wilson worked in accounting and office management. She left desk work behind to pursue a physically demanding career in public service.
The author writes, “Distraught civilians flocked to the site, leaving candles and looking for ways to help.” What does civilians mean as it is used here?(vocabulary; R.4)
𝖠 people who were members of the military
𝖡 people trained as paramedics
𝖢 government officials
𝖣 people who were not first responders but “regular” people
𝖣 people who were not first responders but “regular” people
Why is Wilson and Chipura’s friendship important to the events of the story?
Regina Wilson means that helping others is a natural part of being human. Even during difficult or dangerous times, people often step up, choosing to care for and support one another.
When firefighters arrived near the World Trade Center, they found that the water pipes had been damaged. How did they solve this problem to fight the surrounding fires?
Firefighters dragged heavy hoses several blocks away to the nearby river and pumped water directly from it to put out the fires.
Text Evidence: "The water pipes had been damaged in the collapse. The firefighters couldn't get water from hydrants. So they dragged heavy hoses to the river a few blocks away. They pumped out water to fight the dozens of fires..."
Analyze a Quote: Wilson states:
"Bad things happen all the time... Sometimes you can control it; most of the time you can't. Still, you can control how you react..."
How does Wilson's own behavior on September 11 and in the months that followed at "the pile" demonstrate this exact mindset?
Rather than giving up or running away when faced with a tragic event she couldn't control, Wilson chose to react by helping others. She rinsed dust out of civilians' eyes, stayed late to pump river water, and spent months digging through "the pile" on her days off.
Text Evidence: "Wilson helped people rinse the grit out of their eyes... even on their days off, Wilson and many of her fellow firefighters showed up to help." and "Through the end of 2001, Wilson spent her days at 'the pile'... It was heartbreaking, exhausting work."
How did the FDNY address the ongoing emotional and mental health impact on firefighters in the months following September 11?
The department encouraged firefighters to lean on one another, talk through their experiences, and participate in memorial services to honor fell members and cope with shared trauma.
According to the article, what made the World Trade Center iconic?(vocabulary; R.4)
𝖠 its status as one of the oldest buildings in the United States
𝖡 its groundbreaking height and role as a center for global business
𝖢 its unusual circular building design
𝖣 its reputation as Manhattan’s home to the rich and famous
𝖡 its groundbreaking height and role as a center for global business
Wilson says that “people have this heartfelt desire to help others.” Provide two examples from the text that support this idea. (key ideas and details, using text evidence; R.1)
When Wilson says that “people have this heartfelt desire to help others,” she means that people truly want to support one another, even in difficult moments. One example from the text that shows this is the way that neighbors around the firehouse brought meals to the firefighters. Another example is how Wilson and fellow firefighters would come to Ground Zero on their days off to keep helping the search and recovery efforts. These examples show people’s genuine desire to help because both first responders and civilians were giving their time, care, and energy without being asked, simply to support others who were struggling.
Read this sentence from the article:
"It was hard to believe that they could be made so vulnerable in an instant."
Based on how it is used in the section "Under Attack," what does the word vulnerable mean?
A) Unusually large or tall
B) Open to danger or harm
C) Hidden from view
D) Strong and unbreakable
B) Open to danger or harm
Why did Regina Wilson’s engine truck (Engine 219) take longer to arrive at the World Trade Center than John Chipura’s ladder truck (Ladder 105)?
Engine 219 was delayed because they had to drive through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, which was completely packed with standstill traffic caused by the initial attacks.
Text Evidence: "Traffic was backed up in the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel... Engine 219 was stuck in the gridlock, while Ladder 105 had managed to get through earlier."
The author notes that "the pile" at Ground Zero became a "monument of twisted steel and ash." What mood does this metaphor create for the reader?
It creates a somber, solemn, and devastating mood, emphasizing the massive scale of destruction and the weight of the lives lost at the site.
Text Evidence: "For months, firefighters worked at 'the pile'—a multi-story heap of twisted steel, concrete, and ash where the Twin Towers once stood."
The article ends with this quote from Wilson: “Because even after a dark day like September 11, the sun still came out the next morning.” The tone of this line is __________.(tone; R.4)
𝖠 concerned
𝖡 curious
𝖢 frustrated
𝖣 hopeful
𝖣 hopeful
According to the article, how did the events of 9/11 change life in the U.S.? Provide two examples from the text. (key ideas and details, using text evidence; R.1)
Life in the U.S. changed after 9/11 because the government created new laws and safety procedures to protect people. For example, the text explains that airport security was overhauled, meaning it became much stricter. This shows that the government and its people were very focused on preventing future attacks. Another major change was the U.S. went to war. The text explains that less than a month after the attacks, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan, meaning many people in the military must have had to leave home and serve their country.
Read this sentence from the section "Honor and Remember":
"In the years since 9/11, Wilson has dealt with survivor's guilt."
Using context clues from the paragraph, explain in your own words what survivor's guilt means and why Wilson feels this way.
Survivor's guilt" is a deep feeling of guilt or sadness experienced by someone who survived a traumatic event when others did not. Wilson feels this because if she had not agreed to swap job assignments with Chipura that morning, she would have been on the truck that went first and likely would have died instead of him.
Text Evidence: "She struggles with the fact that if she hadn't traded places with Chipura, she would have died instead—and he would have lived on."
What specific task was Regina Wilson assigned to do immediately after both World Trade Center towers collapsed?
She was assigned to help setup and operate hose lines connected to the Hudson River to provide water for fighting surrounding building fires, as well as treating civilians covered in dust.
Text Evidence: "Wilson and her crew were directed to help run hoses to the Hudson River..." and "She spent hours helping injured people, rinsing dust and debris from their eyes."
What overall central idea about resilience does Regina Wilson's ongoing career with the FDNY convey to readers?
True resilience involves turning personal tragedy and hardship into a commitment to serve others, lead, and mentor future generations.
"Wilson didn't leave the FDNY after 9/11. She went on to serve for decades, becoming the first Black woman to serve as president of the Vulcan Society... using her story to inspire young people."