Her Life
1. Rachel Carson is best known for which groundbreaking environmental book?
A. The Sea Around Us
B. Silent Spring
C. The Nature of Things
D. The Green Horizon
Silent Spring
2. What major environmental issue did Silent Spring bring to national attention?
A. Air pollution from factories
B. Overfishing of the oceans
C. Toxic effects of pesticides
D. Oil spills along coastlines
Toxic effects of pesticides
1. According to the article, what did Rachel Carson believe was essential for truly understanding the natural world?
A. Memorizing scientific facts
B. Technological tools
C. A sense of wonder
D. Formal laboratory training
A sense of wonder
1. In the Norton excerpt, Carson encourages readers to engage with nature using what primary skill?
A. Competitive exploration
B. Careful observation
C. Fast-paced data collection
D. Technological measurement
Careful observation
1. Which book is the first in Rachel Carson’s Sea Trilogy?
A. The Sea Around Us
B. Under the Sea-Wind
C. The Edge of the Sea
D. Silent Spring
Under the Sea-Wind
5. Rachel Carson’s work played an important role in inspiring the creation of what major modern movement?
A. The Civil Rights Movement
B. The Environmental Movement
C. The Women’s Rights Movement
D. The Conservationist Hunting Movement
The Environmental Movement
1. What chemical pesticide does Silent Spring most famously criticize?
A. DDT
B. Roundup
C. Atrazine
D. Paraquat
DDT
2. In the article, Carson describes “wonder” as what kind of act?
A. A distracting emotion
B. A radical and essential mindset
C. A childish habit
D. A scientific weakness
A radical and essential mindset
2. Which natural setting plays a central role in the excerpt’s imagery and descriptions?
A. Mountain cliffs
B. Deep forests
C. The shoreline and ocean
D. Desert landscapes
The shoreline and ocean
2. What is the main focus of The Sea Around Us?
A. A fictional story about marine explorers
B. The chemistry of the ocean floor
C. The science and history of the world’s oceans
D. The dangers of ocean pollution
The science and history of the world’s oceans
3. Before becoming a full-time writer, Rachel Carson worked for which government agency?
A. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
B. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
C. National Park Service
D. U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
2. What was the main argument of Silent Spring?
A. Climate change is caused by fossil fuels
B. Ocean pollution threatens marine life
C. Pesticides are harming ecosystems and human health
D. Wildlife protection laws need to be expanded
Pesticides are harming ecosystems and human health
3. What did Carson fear would happen if people lost their sense of wonder about nature?
A. They would stop reading environmental books
B. They would become too focused on technology
C. They would no longer feel motivated to protect the environment
D. They would misunderstand scientific data
They would no longer feel motivated to protect the environment
3. What emotion or mindset does Carson emphasize as necessary for experiencing nature fully in the excerpt?
A. Skepticism
B. Curiosity and openness
C. Fear of the unknown
D. Strict scientific detachment
Curiosity and openness
3. The Edge of the Sea primarily explores which environment?
A. Coral reefs in the Pacific
B. Deep-sea trenches
C. Life along the shoreline and tidal zones
D. Arctic sea ice
Life along the shoreline and tidal zones
6. Rachel Carson’s book The Sea Around Us earned her which major recognition?
A. A Nobel Prize
B. A Pulitzer Prize
C. A National Book Award
D. A MacArthur Fellowship
A National Book Award
What major criticism did chemical companies direct at Rachel Carson after Silent Spring was published?
A. They claimed she had no scientific training
B. They accused her of promoting vegetarianism
C. They said she exaggerated the effects of climate change
D. They argued she wanted to ban all farming practices
They claimed she had no scientific training
4. In the article, Carson’s belief in wonder is linked to which larger theme in her life and work?
A. Her political campaigns
B. Her interest in astronomy
C. Her advocacy for environmental responsibility
D. Her shift from biology to psychology
Her advocacy for environmental responsibility
4. In the excerpt, Carson suggests that understanding nature requires recognizing what key idea?
A. That humans are separate from the natural world
B. That nature is too complex for ordinary people
C. The interconnectedness of all living things
D. The superiority of scientific knowledge over experience
The interconnectedness of all living things
4. What writing characteristic is most associated with Carson’s Sea Trilogy?
A. Strictly technical language
B. Blending scientific detail with poetic, descriptive prose
C. A political call to ban pesticides
D. A focus on fictional marine characters
Blending scientific detail with poetic, descriptive prose
4. What was Rachel Carson’s original field of study in college?
A. Chemistry
B. Marine Biology
C. English
D. Forestry
English (she switched to biology later)
4. Silent Spring sparked national concern and ultimately led to what major government action?
A. The ban of all fertilizers
B. The creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
C. The shutdown of chemical manufacturing plants
D. The signing of the Clean Air Act
The creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
5. The article emphasizes that Rachel Carson thought wonder should be nurtured especially in whom?
A. Government officials
B. Scientists
C. Farmers
D. Children
Children
5. According to Carson in this passage, what benefit does engaging deeply with nature provide?
A. A source of intellectual competition
B. A distraction from daily life
C. A sense of emotional renewal and perspective
D. A guideline for scientific careers
A sense of emotional renewal and perspective
5. Which of the following was a major outcome of The Sea Around Us?
A. It was banned for its environmental claims
B. It became a bestseller and won a National Book Award
C. It ended Carson’s career due to controversy
D. It inspired a Hollywood movie trilogy
It became a bestseller and won a National Book Award