The Lost Boys
According to the article, which two sides had been at war in southern Sudan since 1983?
A. The Dinka and the Nuer
B. The Sudan People's Liberation Army and the Sudanese Government
C. Ethiopia and Kenya
D. UNICEF and the Sudanese Government
B. The Sudan People's Liberation Army and the Sudanese Government
The sun beat down without easing. Even when the travelers stopped, the heat pressed on them. The heat was relentless. What does relentless mean?
A. Mild and comfortable
B. Likely to disappear soon
C. Difficult to notice
D. Continuing without stopping
D. Continuing without stopping or easing
When the rainy season ends, the pond near Nya's village dries up. What effect does this have on her family?
A. They stop collecting water.
B. They move to a camp near the big lake during the dry season.
C. They leave the area and travel to a city.
D. They send Nya to find water in another country.
B. They move to a camp near the big lake during the dry season.
When fighting interrupts Salva's school day, what does his teacher tell the students to do?
A. Hide in the classroom.
B. Walk home in pairs.
C. Run from the school.
D. Find the soldiers and ask for help.
C. Run from the school.
What is the main reason Nya makes a long walk each day?
A. To bring food to her father
B. To collect water for her family
C. To visit a friend in another village
D. To look after the family's cattle
B. To collect water for her family
According to the article, about how many children - mostly boys - were separated from their families, and what age range were they?
A. About 2,000 children, ages 5-10
B. At least 20,000 children, ages 7-17
C. About 50,000 children, ages 10-20
D. At least 1,200 children, ages 14-18
B. At least 20,000 children, ages 7-17
The bridge had missing planks and swayed above the river. Each step felt precarious because one slip could be their last. What does precarious mean?
A. Unstable or unsafe
B. Easy to repair
C. Crowded with people
D. Built from strong materials
A. Unstable or unsafe
Fighting reaches the school where Salva is learning. What immediate effect does this have on him?
A. He joins the soldiers.
B. He hides in the classroom until the fighting ends.
C. He flees to the bush.
D. He walks home with his teacher.
C. He flees to the bush
What does Salva discover after the group he was traveling with moves on from the barn?
A. His family has joined the group.
B. He has been left alone.
C. The group has reached a refugee camp.
D. The old woman has returned for him.
B. He has been left alone.
When a thorn gets stuck in Nya's foot, how does she respond?
A. She leaves the container and returns home.
B. She waits for another traveler to help her.
C. She removes the thorn and continues walking.
D. She changes direction and walks to the lake.
C. She removes the thorn and continues walking.
Why did many boys leave their villages and head to cities during the war?
A. They hoped to join cattle-herding groups.
B. They wanted to travel with the army.
C. They feared being targeted as potential combatants and hoped to find work or schooling.
D. They had been told their families were waiting in the cities.
C. They feared being targeted as potential combatants and hoped to find work or schooling.
Mina felt ambivalent about moving: she was excited about the new school but sad to leave her friends. What does ambivalent mean?
A. Certain about what to do
B. Angry at everyone involved
C. Having mixed feelings
D. Unable to remember the past
C. Having mixed feelings
Nya's family belongs to the Nuer, and the Dinka often fight with the Nuer over land near the lake. How does this conflict affect where Nya's family lives?
A. They live near the lake only during the dry season
B. They move to the lake permanently.
C. They avoid the lake and stay in their village all year.
D. They move to a city where both groups live.
A. They live near the lake only during the dry season, when fighting is less likely.
Why does the group agree to take Salva with them?
A. He belongs to the Dinka
B. He promises to find food for them.
C. The old woman offers to travel with them.
D. They believe he knows the way to Ethiopia.
A. He belongs to the Dinka, like the people in the group.
Why does Nya think her younger sister Akeer may make the trip harder?
A. Akeer does not know the way to the pond.
B. Akeer wants to carry the water container.
C. Akeer is afraid to walk outside.
D. Akeer is young and walks slowly.
D. Akeer is young and walks slowly.
What did the boys discover about their journey to refugee camps in Ethiopia?
A. A journey they thought would take days could take six to ten weeks.
B. The camps were only a few hours away.
C. The journey was safe as long as they traveled in groups.
D. They could avoid the wilderness by taking a train.
A. A journey they thought would take days could take six to ten weeks.
When told the family might have found another water source, Jamal was incredulous. He frowned, asked for proof, and checked the dry container himself. What does incredulous mean?
A. Eager to help
B. Unable or unwilling to believe something
C. Relieved that a problem is over
D. Confused by a complicated direction
B. Unable or unwilling to believe something
While the travelers are in the wooded Atuot region, Buksa hears a honeyguide bird. What happens because he recognizes its call?
A. The group turns back toward the village.
B. Buksa leads the group away from the trees.
C. The travelers find a safe place to sleep.
D. A man gets stung on the tongue.
D. A man gets stung on the tongue
How does Buksa help the travelers find honey?
A. He finds a pot of honey at an abandoned camp.
B. He sees bees flying toward the group's path.
C. He asks another traveler where to look.
D. He follows the call of a honeyguide bird to a beehive.
D. He follows the call of a honeyguide bird to a beehive.
At the lake camp, how does Nya get water from the dried lakebed?
A. She digs into the damp clay and waits for water to seep into the hole.
B. She follows a stream to a spring.
C. She collects rainwater from the shelters.
D. She carries water from another village.
A. She digs into the damp clay and waits for water to seep into the hole.
According to the article, what had UNICEF done since 1992, and how many boys remained in camps?
A. It sent 17,000 boys home, while 1,200 remained in camps.
B. It reunited nearly 1,200 boys with their families, while about 17,000 remained in camps.
C. It moved 20,000 boys to Ethiopia, while 7,000 remained in Sudan.
D. It reunited 500,000 boys with their families, while 1,200 remained in camps.
B. It reunited nearly 1,200 boys with their families, while about 17,000 remained in camps.
After many days without enough food, the traveler was emaciated: his clothes hung loosely and his cheeks were hollow. What does emaciated mean?
A. Exhausted from walking
B. Injured and unable to move
C. Shivering from cold
D. Abnormally thin and weakened, often from hunger or illness
D. Abnormally thin and weakened, often from hunger or illness
Salva's group walks for days through the wilderness with very little food. What effect does this have on him?
A. He becomes energetic and leads the group.
B. He struggles to pay attention to what is around him.
C. He decides to travel alone.
D. He stops looking for his family.
B. He struggles to pay attention to what is around him.
What does Salva gain when he meets Marial?
A. A guide who knows the way back to Salva's village
B. A friend who is also searching for his family
C. A chance to leave the walking group
D. News that Salva's family has reached safety
B. A friend who is also searching for his family
How does collecting water shape Nya's daily routine for much of the year?
A. She makes one short trip and spends the rest of the day at school.
B. She spends nearly the whole day walking back and forth to get water.
C. She only gathers water when her family moves to the lake.
D. She takes turns with Akeer, who makes most of the trips.
B. She spends nearly the whole day walking back and forth to get water.