Comprehension
In “Two Kinds,” what does the mother hope for her daughter?
a. a meeting with Ed Sullivan
b. a way to happiness
c. a good career
d. a special talent
d. a special talent
Which of the following is the best definition for lamented?
a. expressed sorrow about
b. showed appreciation for
c. expressed annoyance at
d. showed anger about
a. expressed sorrow about
The following question has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B. Part A In “Two Kinds,” the mother arranges for the daughter to have piano lessons. The daughter gives the following response. “Why don’t you like me the way I am? I’m not a genius!” Based on this quotation, choose what the daughter most likely believes.
a. If her mother wants her to develop a talent, then her mother must not value her as she is.
b. If her mother wants her to develop a talent, then her mother must realize that she is not a genius.
c. Because she is not a genius, she does not deserve her mother’s efforts to improve her.
d. Because she is not a genius, she must work harder than other people do to succeed.
a. If her mother wants her to develop a talent, then her mother must not value her as she is.
From which point of view is “Two Kinds” written?
a. first person, from the daughter’s point of view
b. first person, from the mother’s point of view
c. third person, from the daughter’s point of view
d. third person, from the mother’s point of view
a. first person, from the daughter’s point of view
The word competent means “able to do a specific job correctly.” The word incompetent is formed by adding the Latin prefix in- to the word competent. Based on your knowledge of in-, choose the most likely meaning of incompetent.
a. capable of doing many different jobs
b. having a set of skills that apply to various tasks
c. lacking the qualities needed to do something well
d. unable to maintain focus for long periods of time
c. lacking the qualities needed to do something well
Which statement best explains why the daughter in “Two Kinds” develops a negative attitude toward her mother’s quizzes?
a. She finds the tests getting harder and harder.
b. She is not interested in geography or math.
c. She sees herself disappointing her mother.
d. She wants to play piano instead of taking tests.
c. She sees herself disappointing her mother.
Which situation most clearly shows an example of squabbling? Base your choice on the meaning of squabbling.
a. Jose asks Leila for advice on how to fix his bicycle.
b. Kim and Li fight over who gets to go first up the stairs.
c. Jamal bores his friends with stories of winning video games.
d. Ed and Ramón discuss their differing opinions about politics.
b. Kim and Li fight over who gets to go first up the stairs.
Part B Which additional quotation from “Two Kinds” best supports the answer to Part A?
a. In all of my imaginings, I was filled with a sense that I would soon become perfect.
b. It was as if I knew, without a doubt, that the prodigy side of me really did exist. I had no fear whatsoever, no nervousness.
c. I felt the shame of my mother and father as they sat stiffly throughout the rest of the show.
d. “You want me to be someone that I’m not!” I sobbed. “I’ll never be the kind of daughter you want me to be!”
d. “You want me to be someone that I’m not!” I sobbed. “I’ll never be the kind of daughter you want me to be!”
In “Two Kinds,” which character trait do the daughter and mother share?
a. sensitivity
b. stubbornness
c. cheerfulness
d. peacefulness
b. stubbornness
Which word in this sentence is a possessive noun? Keisha and Dashawn liked Sam’s singing, but Taylor liked my piano playing.
a. Keisha
b. Sam’s
c. Taylor
d. my
b. Sam’s
In “Two Kinds,” what does the daughter realize when she becomes angry at her reflection in the mirror?
a. If she does not become a prodigy, she will not succeed at anything.
b. If she becomes a prodigy, she will be a sad, unpleasant girl.
c. She has the power to decide for herself who she will be.
d. She can be the prodigy her mother wants her to be.
c. She has the power to decide for herself who she will be.
Which situation would most likely cause a person to feel devastated? Base your choice on the meaning of devastated.
a. Jon’s younger sister cannot grasp his explanation of chemistry.
b. Komal graduates at the top of his high school class.
c. No one shows up for Joshua’s thirteenth birthday party.
d. Rosa must finish her homework before watching television.
c. No one shows up for Joshua’s thirteenth birthday party.
The following question has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B. Part A Which statement best sums up the theme, or message, of “Two Kinds”?
a. Determination is more important than genius.
b. A happy family requires obedient children.
c. Accepting oneself can be more important than success.
d. A parent’s expectations inspire a child’s achievements.
c. Accepting oneself can be more important than success.
Read this passage from “Two Kinds.” Here, the narrator explains how she began reacting to her mother’s quizzes. I had new thoughts, willful thoughts, or rather thoughts filled with lots of won’ts. I won’t let her change me, I promised myself. I won’t be what I’m not. So now on nights when my mother presented her tests, I performed listlessly, my head propped on one arm. I pretended to be bored. And I was. Which sentence best explains what drives, or motivates, the narrator to act bored?
a. She feels like a failure when she doesn’t know the answers to the tests.
b. She realizes that learning piano is more interesting than taking tests.
c. She decides that she will not be pushed into becoming a prodigy.
d. She believes that the tests represent her mother’s anger at her.
c. She decides that she will not be pushed into becoming a prodigy.
Which sentence contains both a common noun and a proper noun?
a. Sara was tired of trying to please her demanding mother.
b. The ambitious mother wanted her daughter to be a prodigy.
c. Susan thought Yolanda was more talented than Janelle.
d. The deaf piano teacher could not hear his student playing.
a. Sara was tired of trying to please her demanding mother.
Part B Which quotation from “Two Kinds” best supports the answer to Part A?
a. “Of course, you can be prodigy, too,” my mother told me when I was nine. “You can be best anything.”
b. “Only two kinds of daughters,” she shouted in Chinese. “Those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind!”
c. For unlike my mother, I did not believe I could be anything I wanted to be. I could only be me.
d. A few years ago, she offered to give me the piano, for my thirtieth birthday. I had not played in all those years.
c. For unlike my mother, I did not believe I could be anything I wanted to be. I could only be me.
Read this sentence from “Two Kinds.” Here, the narrator explains that she has continued to disappoint her mother. In the years that followed, I failed her so many times, each time asserting my own will, my right to fall short of expectations. What perspective does this comment reveal about the narrator?
a. She desperately wanted to overcome failure.
b. Failure became a way for her to express her independence.
c. Disappointing her mother was unavoidable but devastating.
d. Her mother’s expectations served as a warning to her.
b. Failure became a way for her to express her independence.
Read the following sentence. Mike wanted Mike’s mother to help Samantha and her friend prepare for the talent show. Choose the sentence that correctly replaces a noun in this sentence with a possessive pronoun without changing the original meaning.
a. [He] wanted Mike’s mother to help Samantha and her friend prepare for the talent show.
b. Mike wanted [his] mother to help Samantha and her friend prepare for the talent show.
c. Mike wanted Mike’s mother to help Samantha and [Samantha’s] friend prepare for the talent show.
d. Mike wanted Mike’s mother to help Samantha and her friend prepare for [it].
b. Mike wanted [his] mother to help Samantha and her friend prepare for the talent show.
In “Two Kinds,” which of the following are reasons that the daughter plays badly at the talent show? Choose two options.
a. She has not been taught well by her teacher, who is deaf.
b. She wants Waverly, not herself, to win the talent show.
c. She does not sincerely try to learn her selected piece.
d. She does not wish to play well at the talent show.
e. She is too nervous to play well in front of an audience.
c. She does not sincerely try to learn her selected piece.
e. She is too nervous to play well in front of an audience.
Read this passage from “Two Kinds.” Here, Auntie Lindo, Waverly’s mother, is speaking to the narrator’s mother about Waverly. “She bring home too many trophy,” lamented Auntie Lindo that Sunday. “All day she play chess. All day I have no time do nothing but dust off her winnings.” Which statements best describe what this passage reveals about the characters and their situation? Choose all that apply.
a. Auntie Lindo is concerned that Waverly has too few hobbies.
b. Auntie Lindo thinks it is fine to brag if she pretends to be complaining.
c. Auntie Lindo is jealous that the narrator also has trophies.
d. Auntie Lindo is tired of dusting all of Waverly’s chess trophies.
e. Auntie Lindo likes to show off Waverly’s accomplishments.
f. Auntie Lindo and the narrator’s mother compete over their children.
b. Auntie Lindo thinks it is fine to brag if she pretends to be complaining.
e. Auntie Lindo likes to show off Waverly’s accomplishments.
f. Auntie Lindo and the narrator’s mother compete over their children.
Which pair of definitions is most likely to be accurate? Base your answer on your knowledge of the Latin prefix in-.
a. If solvent means “having money to pay one’s bills,” then insolvent means “having more than enough money.”
b. If consolable means “able to be comforted,” then inconsolable means “able to give comfort to others.”
c. If comprehensible means “understandable,” then incomprehensible means “easily understood.”
d. If adequate means “average; sufficient; just enough,” then inadequate means “not enough.”
d. If adequate means “average; sufficient; just enough,” then inadequate means “not enough.”
Read the following sentence. Most people call Misha a prodigy, but I think his sister has more talent. Choose the answer that correctly identifies the personal pronoun and the proper noun in the sentence.
a. personal pronoun: Most; proper noun: Misha
b. personal pronoun: Misha; proper noun: prodigy
c. personal pronoun: I; proper noun: Misha
d. personal pronoun: I; proper noun: sister
c. personal pronoun: I; proper noun: Misha