Comprehension
In “The Importance of Imagination,” what does the author believe often happens to natural creativity as we grow up?
a. It begins to fade.
b. It grows more productive.
c. It becomes less complicated.
d. It appears less troublesome.
A. It beings to fade
Which quotation from “The Importance of Imagination” best supports that our youth is the time that we are most imaginative?
a. While growing up, I’d never really considered how important it is to be imaginative. It’s a childhood profession, you could say.
b. Then we hit an age when we’re presented with a scantron of bubble-in options, a template for a CV that we need to create.…
c. At the age of 12, my dream was to be a professional doodler, which could turn into a career as a cartoonist, if it went well.
d. That’s why, last week I found myself, sitting with my mom late at night, rereading Shel Silverstein’s poems for children.
A. While growing up, I’d never really considered how important it is to be imaginative. It’s a childhood profession, you could say.
In “The Importance of Imagination,” what does the author suggest as the main way her high school history teacher influenced her?
a. The teacher showed her that history could be approached with imagination.
b. The teacher showed her that history is different from the other social sciences.
c. The teacher showed her the value of a linear, or straight-line, approach to history.
d. The teacher showed her that children’s literature can be valuable reading for adults.
A. The teacher showed her that history could be approached with imagination.
Use what you know about the Greek prefix para- to answer the following question. In which set of statements is the word parallel used correctly?
a. He drew parallel lines. / One line made a circle around the other.
b. He drew parallel lines. / The lines made the letter V.
c. He drew parallel lines. / The lines were two inches apart.
d. He drew parallel lines. / One line was much shorter than the other.
C. He drew parallel lines. / The lines were two inches apart.
According to “The Importance of Imagination,” which period of life is most strongly associated with being imaginative?
a. youth
b. old age
c. adulthood
d. middle age
A. youth
Which of these statements best expresses the role of imagination,
according to the author of “The Importance of Imagination”?
a. Imagination sometimes causes people to forget what is important in life.
b. Imagination can lead to suffering and tragedy as well as to joy and hope.
c. Imagination helps humanity move forward in unconventional ways.
d. Imagination has little value unless it is accompanied by hard work.
C. Imagination helps humanity move forward in unconventional ways.
In “The Importance of Imagination,” in what main ways does the author suggest her mother influenced the development of her imagination? Choose two options.
a. Her mother supported her girlhood interests instead of criticizing them.
b. Her mother taught her the value of history and the social sciences.
c. Her mother taught her the importance of traditions and heritage.
d. Her mother encouraged her to take breaks from study to draw.
e. Her mother helped her develop her skill with numbers.
A and D
What does the Greek prefix para- mean?
a. beside or alongside
b. far from or a great distance
c. dedicated or professional
d. inside or internal
A. beside or alongside
In which of the following fields did the author of “The Importance of Imagination” most clearly show an interest as she grew up? Choose two options.
a. mathematics
b. engineering
c. medicine
d. literature
e. art
D and E
Which quotation from “The Importance of Imagination” best supports that working on a curriculum vitae represents the practical aspects of life that can stifle creativity?
a. At the age of 12, my dream was to be a professional doodler, which could turn into a career as a cartoonist, if all went well.
b. We need to encourage more creativity. Forget the CV for a bit.
c. If we encourage the brilliant math student to be imaginative as well, he could use those algorithms to innovate.
d. If we encourage the biology student to be imaginative as well, she could design a new sustainable fuel source for us.
B. We need to encourage more creativity. Forget the CV for a bit.
According to the author in “The Importance of Imagination,” what main effect did cultural factors associated with her Asian American background have on her career choices?
a. It helped her easily pursue the career path of her choice.
b. It gave her a love of numbers that has lasted her all her life.
c. It made people assume she wanted a career involving math or science.
d. It made her choose a career involving the strong use of her imagination.
C. It made people assume she wanted a career involving math or science.
What is the antecedent of the pronoun her in this sentence?
The author reread a book by Shel Silverstein with her mother.
a. author
b. book
c. Shel Silverstein
d. mother
A. Author
According to “The Importance of Imagination,” how did the author’s high school history teacher teach her subject?
a. She emphasized social studies standards that had to be met.
b. She emphasized her students’ cultural backgrounds.
c. She emphasized history as a timeline.
d. She emphasized history as a story.
D. She emphasized history as a story
In “The Importance of Imagination,” which of these activities most clearly represents the practical aspects of life that can stifle creativity?
a. being a professional doodler
b. using algorithms in mathematics
c. designing a sustainable fuel source
d. working on a curriculum vitae, or CV
D. working on a curriculum vitae, or CV
In “The Importance of Imagination,” what central idea does the author develop using the example of her high school history teacher?
a. Imagination is generally limited to a certain time of life.
b. Imagination is not confined to any particular field of study.
c. Imagination can harm as well as help the march of progress.
d. Imagination has played a key role in Asian American culture.
B. Imagination is not confined to any particular field of study.
In which way, if any, should the following sentence be changed to correct errors in pronoun-antecedent agreement?
From an early age I wanted to be an artist, but her doodles were not very good.
a. Make no change.
b. Change her to my.
c. Change her to our.
d. Change her to your.
B. Change her to my
At the end of “The Importance of Imagination,” what main point does the author make when she describes rereading Shel Silverstein’s poetry with her mother?
a. The bond between parent and child can overcome great change and hardship.
b. Few writers are as imaginative as those who write for an audience of children.
c. People take comfort in their childhood activities even after they have outgrown them.
d. Adults can recapture and appreciate some of the imaginative experiences of childhood.
D. Adults can recapture and appreciate some of the imaginative experiences of childhood.
Which quotation from “The Importance of Imagination” best supports the fact that magination helps humanity move forward in unconventional ways?
a. While growing up, I’d never really considered how important it is to be imaginative.
b. As I grew older . . . that ability to just sit down and pour your imagination onto a blank canvas began to disappear.
c. But can this love for the imaginative ever find a place in the real world? Certainly.
d. Imagination creates not just fairy talks and children’s books but a new vision for the way we conduct our lives.
D. Imagination creates not just fairy talks and children’s books but a new vision for the way we conduct our lives.
Which sentence illustrates correct pronoun-antecedent agreement?
a. People who are creative need to use your imagination all the time.
b. People who are creative need to use their imagination all the time.
c. People who are creative need to use our imagination all the time.
d. People who are creative need to use his imagination all the time.
B. People who are creative need to use their imagination all the time.
Which of these sentences avoids using any pronouns with unclear antecedents?
a. The job applicant gave his application to the office manager and asked if he could call back.
b. The author told her mother that she could still take pleasure in children’s books.
c. A teacher in the author’s high school shared her enthusiasm with the author.
d. Mark asked Barry when his biology report on sustainable fuels was due.
C. A teacher in the author’s high school shared her enthusiasm with the author.