Central Idea & Author's Purpose
Which sentence BEST shows that selfies allow people to control how they are seen?
A. “Artists used mirrors.”
B. “When you post a selfie, you’re displaying a view
of yourself that you want other people to see.”
C. “Self-portraits were expensive.”
D. “Selfies today are everywhere!”
B. “When you post a selfie, you’re displaying a view
of yourself that you want other people to see.”
Why does the author include captions in the article?
A. To organize information in a positive way
B. To make the article longer
C. To show personal opinions
D. To give information about the picture
D. To give information about the picture
In paragraph 5, the word “haughty”
most nearly means —
A. nervous and anxious
B. embarrassed and shy
C. confused and uninterested
D. proud and superior
D. proud and superior
Which word best describes both Rembrandt’s Self-Portrait with Saskia and Joseph Ducreux’s Self-Portrait, Yawning?
A. Lonely
B. Satisfied
C. Dreary
D. Lighthearted
D. Lighthearted
Why does the author include the selfie of Pope Francis?
A. To compare painting techniques
B. To criticize world leaders
C. To show religion influenced painting
D. To provide a modern example of selfie culture
D. To provide a modern example of selfie culture
What tone does the author use throughout the article?
A. Angry and critical
B. Informative with light humor
C. Sarcastic
D. Formal and argumentative
B. Informative with light humor
The headings are most likely included in the selection to —
A. Make the text more exciting to read
B. Emphasize how common selfies are today
C. Make it clear how the information in the text is organized
D. Demonstrate how much the author knows about famous artists
C. Make it clear how the information in the text is organized
Which word from the paragraph helps the reader understand the meaning of “prim”?
A. proper
B. traditional
C. yawn
D. personality
A. proper
According to the selection, why did Dürer choose elaborate clothing for his self-portraits?
A. He wanted to appear successful.
B. He wanted vibrant colors in his paintings.
C. He wanted people to respect him.
D. He was jealous of wealthy patrons.
A. He wanted to appear successful.
Which detail BEST supports the idea that
technology increased selfie popularity?
A. “Artists used mirrors to paint themselves.”
B. Van Gogh admired Japanese prints.
C. “Self-portraits often showed clothing styles.”
D “More than 17 million people were posting a selfie on social media every week.”
D “More than 17 million people were posting a selfie on social media every week.”
What is the author’s main purpose in writing this article?
A. To persuade readers to stop taking selfies
B. To entertain readers with dramatic stories about artists
C. To inform readers about the history and meaning of self-portraits
D. To criticize artists for being self-centered
C. To inform readers about the history and meaning of self-portraits
How does the author show that Rembrandt’s style changed over time?
A. By listing his favorite colors and how he thoroughly enjoyed art
B. By describing his home and the paintings on the wall
C. By explaining how he mixed paint to create eccentric portraits
D. By describing his early fancy portraits and later realistic ones
D. By describing his early fancy portraits and later realistic ones
In paragraph 4, the word “reflection”
most nearly means —
A. regret
B. deep thought
C. image in a mirror
D. memory
B. deep thought
Select TWO details that show artists controlled how they wanted to be seen.
A. Dürer wore elaborate clothing.
B. Rembrandt painted nearly 100 self-portraits.
C. Vigée Le Brun wanted people to like her.
D. Selfies became popular in 2013.
E. Van Gogh used thick brushstrokes
A. Dürer wore elaborate clothing.
C. Vigée Le Brun wanted people to like her.
Which detail BEST supports the idea that selfies are part of a long artistic tradition?
A. “In 2014, the word ‘selfie’ made it into the Oxford Dictionary.”
B. “Back in the old days, selfies were more commonly known as self-portraits.”
C. “Front-facing cameras made selfie-snapping easier than ever.”
D. “Celebrities are doing it. Politicians are doing it.”
B. “Back in the old days, selfies were more commonly known as self-portraits.”
Which statement best expresses the central idea of the article?
A. Selfies are a modern habit caused by smartphones.
B. Self-portraits and selfies both show how people want to present themselves.
C. Famous artists painted themselves because they were lonely.
D. Technology has improved the quality of portraits.
B. Self-portraits and selfies both show how people want to present themselves.
Why does the author include headings in the article?
A. To organize information
B. To make the article longer
C. To show personal opinions
D. To replace the need for text
A. To organize information
In paragraph 8, the word “span” most nearly means —
A. extend over a period of time
B. divide into separate parts
C. replace one thing with another
D. shorten a specific timeframe
A. extend over a period of time
Select two ideas that are expressed in both the artwork and the text of the selection.
A. Some artists included pets in their portraits.
B. Individuals post selfies on social media every minute of the day.
C. Selfies allow people to share what they are doing with friends.
D. Self-portraits were sometimes painted after traumatic events.
E. Some artists developed different styles of painting over the years.
D. Self-portraits were sometimes painted after traumatic events.
E. Some artists developed different styles of painting over the years.
How are historical self-portraits similar to modern selfies?
A. Both required professional artists.
B. Both were created only during joyful events.
C. Both allow individuals to intentionally present
themselves to others.
D. Both were painted using oil paint.
C. Both allow individuals to intentionally present
themselves to others.
Which statement is NOT supported by the article?
A. Artists sometimes showed themselves in flattering
ways.
B. Some artists painted themselves during difficult
times.
C. All self-portraits were painted to impress wealthy
buyers.
D. Selfies today allow people to control how they are
seen.
C. All self-portraits were painted to impress wealthy
buyers.
How is the article mainly organized?
A. Problem and solution
B. Chronological order by time and artist
C. Cause and effect
D. Compare and contrast only
B. Chronological order by time and artist
Read this sentence from paragraph 4.
Rembrandt drew, painted and etched his own reflection so many times we can see almost every stage of his life!
In which sentence does reflection have the same denotation as it does in the sentence above?
A. She sat in reflection of the events of the day. She sat in reflection of the events of the day.
B. The clouds cause the reflection of some energy from the sun into space. The clouds cause the reflection of some energy from the sun into space.
C. She looked at her reflection before heading into a meeting. She looked at her reflection before heading into a meeting.
D. The song is a reflection of his feelings for you. The song is a reflection of his feelings for you.
C. She looked at her reflection before heading into a meeting. She looked at her reflection before heading into a meeting.
How was Ducreux’s self-portrait different from traditional portraits of his time?
A. He included lots of humor
B. He dressed more formally
C. He avoided showing emotion
D. He painted only landscapes
A. He included lots of humor
Why does the author include the detail about
van Gogh’s bandaged ear?
A. To criticize his behavior
B. To explain medical treatment
C. To highlight a dramatic and emotional moment in his life
D. To show how he hid his injury
C. To highlight a dramatic and emotional moment in his life