Character Detectives
Why does Samuel take the locket from the pawnshop?
A. He wants to sell it for food.
B. It belonged to his mother and has sentimental value.
C. He wants to give it to Richard.
D. He believes it contains gold.
B. It belonged to his mother and has sentimental value.
Which three ships are part of the expedition to Virginia?
A. Susan Constant, Discovery, and Godspeed
B. Susan Constant, Mayflower, and Godspeed
C. Discovery, Mayflower, and Sea Venture
D. Godspeed, Sea Venture, and Susan Constant
A. Susan Constant, Discovery, and Godspeed
Why does Samuel initially have difficulty becoming friends with the other boys?
A. He believes they are all working against him.
B. He wants to return to London immediately.
C. His past experiences have taught him not to trust others.
D. Reverend Hunt tells him not to speak to them.
C. His past experiences have taught him not to trust others.
Samuel is selected to serve as Captain Smith's "page." What does the word page mean in this context?
A. A person who writes books
B. A young attendant who assists an important person
C. A person who owns a ship
D. A sailor who directs the crew
B. A young attendant who assists an important person
From whose point of view is most of the novel told?
A. Captain John Smith
B. Reverend Hunt
C. Chief Powhatan
D. Samuel Collier
D. Samuel Collier
Which statement best describes Samuel at the beginning of the novel?
A. He is trusting and eager to make friends.
B. He is confident and enjoys following rules.
C. He is guarded and has difficulty trusting others.
D. He is cheerful and excited about his future.
C. He is guarded and has difficulty trusting others.
What role is Samuel expected to have during the journey to Virginia?
A. Captain of one of the ships
B. Leader of the expedition
C. Page to Captain John Smith
D. Assistant to Captain Christopher Newport
C. Page to Captain John Smith
What can the reader infer about Reverend Hunt based on his actions toward Samuel?
A. He cares about helping Samuel become a better person.
B. He believes Samuel should be punished for every mistake.
C. He is more interested in finding gold than helping others.
D. He does not understand the challenges Samuel faces.
A. He cares about helping Samuel become a better person.
The passengers spend much of their time in the "'tween deck." What does this term refer to?
A. The area between decks where many passengers stay
B. The highest part of the ship
C. The captain's private sleeping quarters
D. The front of the ship where the anchor is stored
A. The area between decks where many passengers stay
Why does the author begin the novel with a prophecy about Chief Powhatan before introducing Samuel?
A. To create suspense and hint at events that may happen later
B. To explain the daily responsibilities of sailors
C. To introduce the Virginia Company
D. To describe Samuel's childhood in London
A. To create suspense and hint at events that may happen later
How does Reverend Hunt try to influence Samuel's behavior?
A. He encourages Samuel to make decisions based on love rather than anger.
B. He tells Samuel to avoid everyone who disagrees with him.
C. He encourages Samuel to become wealthy and powerful.
D. He tells Samuel that fighting is the best way to solve problems.
A. He encourages Samuel to make decisions based on love rather than anger.
What happens to Captain Smith during the voyage?
A. He is sent back to England.
B. He is accused of treason and placed in chains.
C. He is chosen to lead the Virginia Company.
D. He is forced to leave the Susan Constant.
B. He is accused of treason and placed in chains.
The disagreements between Captain Smith and Master Wingfield suggest that the expedition is struggling with which issue?
A. A shortage of ships
B. A disagreement about the weather
C. A lack of interest in traveling to Virginia
D. Conflicts involving power, leadership, and social class
D. Conflicts involving power, leadership, and social class
Samuel is responsible for emptying the "slop buckets." What is the most likely meaning of slop in this context?
A. Fresh drinking water
B. Food supplies for the journey
C. Equipment used to repair the ship
D. Waste or dirty liquid
D. Waste or dirty liquid
How does the author show that Samuel and Reverend Hunt have different motivations for traveling to Virginia?
A. Samuel wants to become a captain, while Hunt wants to return to England.
B. Samuel wants to find a new home, while Hunt wants to build ships.
C. Samuel is interested in finding gold, while Hunt hopes to spread Christianity.
D. Samuel wants to meet Chief Powhatan, while Hunt wants to become wealthy.
C. Samuel is interested in finding gold, while Hunt hopes to spread Christianity.
When Captain Smith is accused of planning to take control of the expedition, he responds calmly instead of immediately fighting. What does this reveal about him?
A. He does not understand the seriousness of the accusation.
B. He is afraid to disagree with Captain Newport.
C. He is willing to abandon the expedition.
D. He can control his emotions even when he is being treated unfairly.
D. He can control his emotions even when he is being treated unfairly.
Why is Captain Smith temporarily released when the ships reach the Canary Islands?
A. To communicate with the local people
B. To take command of the other ships
C. To search for gold
D. To return to England
A. To communicate with the local people
Why might Samuel be surprised when Captain Smith responds calmly to the accusation against him?
A. Samuel believes Captain Smith does not care about the expedition.
B. Samuel expects Captain Smith to react angrily because he has seen him argue with the gentlemen before.
C. Samuel thinks Captain Smith is unaware of the accusation.
D. Samuel believes Captain Smith wants to return to England.
B. Samuel expects Captain Smith to react angrily because he has seen him argue with the gentlemen before.
Captain Smith is accused of treason. Based on the events surrounding his arrest, what does treason most likely mean?
A. Refusing to complete a difficult task
B. Disagreeing with another person's opinion
C. Betraying one's country or its leadership
D. Traveling without permission from a ship captain
C. Betraying one's country or its leadership
Why does the author include disagreements between Captain Smith and Master Wingfield?
A. To show that all of the gentlemen agree about how to lead.
B. To demonstrate that the journey is peaceful and without problems.
C. To explain why the sailors want to abandon their ships.
D. To develop the conflict between characters with different backgrounds and beliefs about leadership.
D. To develop the conflict between characters with different backgrounds and beliefs about leadership.
Why is Captain Smith's knowledge and experience important to the expedition, as demonstrated in Chapter 7?
A. He is the wealthiest person aboard the ships.
B. He has the skills needed to communicate with the people they encounter.
C. He has the authority to choose every member of the council.
D. He is responsible for providing food for the entire crew.
B. He has the skills needed to communicate with the people they encounter.
In Chapter 6, the gentlemen insist on having a special path made through the forest. What important problem do they encounter?
A. They encounter a tree with poisonous sap.
B. They become trapped by a rising river.
C. They lose their supplies in the forest.
D. They encounter a group of sailors who refuse to help them.
A. They encounter a tree with poisonous sap.
What is the most likely purpose of including the prophecy about Chief Powhatan at the beginning of the novel?
A. To explain how the ships were built
B. To introduce Samuel's family history
C. To hint that future conflict will occur between the Powhatan people and the newcomers
D. To explain why Reverend Hunt wants to travel to Virginia
C. To hint that future conflict will occur between the Powhatan people and the newcomers
In Chapter 6, the men encounter a manchineel tree and are exposed to its dangerous sap. What does the description of the tree help the reader understand?
A. The forest contains useful materials for building homes.
B. The unfamiliar environment can contain dangers the colonists do not understand.
C. The gentlemen have experience living in the wilderness.
D. The island has very few plants or trees.
B. The unfamiliar environment can contain dangers the colonists do not understand.
Which statement best expresses an important idea beginning to develop in Chapters 1–7?
A. Success is determined by how much money a person earns.
B. Cooperation and understanding others can be important when facing challenges.
C. People should avoid working with anyone who has different beliefs.
D. Being powerful is the only way to earn respect.
B. Cooperation and understanding others can be important when facing challenges.