mmunir123
For questions 1-9, refer to the following passage: This…
For questions 1-9, refer to the following passage:
This battle with Mr. Covey was the turning-point in my career as a slave. It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of my own manhood. It recalled the departed self-confidence, and inspired me again with a determination to be free. The gratification afforded by the triumph was a full compensation for whatever else might follow, even death itself. He only can understand the deep satisfaction which I experienced, who has himself repelled by force the bloody arm of slavery. I felt as I never felt before. It was a glorious resurrection, from the tomb of slavery, to the heaven of freedom. My long-crushed spirit rose, cowardice departed, bold defiance took its place; and
I now resolved that, however long I might remain a slave in form, the day had passed forever when I could be a slave in fact. I did not hesitate to let it be known of me, that the white man who expected to succeed in whipping, must also succeed in killing me. From this time I was never again what might be called fairly whipped, though I remained a slave four years afterwards. I had several fights, but was never whipped. It was for a long time a matter of surprise to me why Mr. Covey did not immediately have me taken by the constable to the whipping-post, and there regularly whipped for the crime of raising my hand against a white man in defence of myself. And the only explanation I can now think of does not entirely satisfy me; but such as it is, I will give it. Mr. Covey enjoyed the most unbounded reputation for being a first-rate overseer and negro-breaker. It was of considerable importance to him. That reputation was at stake; and had he sent me–a boy about sixteen years old–to the public whipping-post, his reputation would have been lost; so, to save his reputation, he suffered me to go unpunished.
Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave written by Himself.
1. This portion of Douglass’s autobiography is probably:
the exposition.
the rising action.
the climax.
the falling action.
the conclusion.
2. The tone of the passage can best be described as:
melodramatic.
earnest.
ironic.
informal.
lyrical.
3. The phrase, “who has himself repelled by force the bloody arm of slavery”:
personifies slavery.
uses metaphor.
uses simile.
draws an analogy.
uses onomatopoeia.
4. Mr. Covey functions as:
the protagonist.
the good guy.
the antagonist.
a neutral character.
an anti-hero.
5. What argument is Douglass making in the first paragraph?
After battling Mr. Covey, he should have been freed.
Douglass is braver than Mr. Covey.
After battling Mr. Covey, Douglass was no longer a slave in spirit.
Slavery should be outlawed.
The mind can’t be free if the body is enslaved.
6. Which of the following values does the author emphasize in his account?
The importance of fighting for freedom
The value of passive resistance
The value of upholding one’s reputation
The importance of equal opportunity for all races
The value of competition
7. This account of slavery is:
a scholar’s interpretation.
a secondary account.
a historical transition essay.
a fictional account.
a primary account.
8. In the second paragraph, Douglass suggests that Mr. Covey never has him whipped again because:
Mr. Covey is afraid of Douglass.
Mr. Covey is a fair master.
Mr. Covey is concerned about his other slaves.
Mr. Covey is worried about how others will see him.
Mr. Covey is about to set Douglass free.
9. In the first paragraph, Douglass alludes to:
the Bible.
romantic literature.
the Declaration of Independence.
the Emancipation Proclamation.
other slave narratives.
For questions 10-18, refer to the following passage:
Very soon, though, a sudden change took place in Aurore’s soul. It would have been strange had it been otherwise. With so extraordinarily sensitive an organization, the new and totally different surroundings could not fail to make an impression. The cloister, the cemetery, the long services, the words of the ritual, murmured in the dimly-lighted chapel, and the piety that seems to hover in the air in houses where many prayers have been offered up– all this acted on the young girl. One evening in August, she had gone into the church, which was dimly lighted by the sanctuary lamp. Through the open window came the perfume of honeysuckle and the songs of the birds. There was a charm, a mystery and a solemn calm about everything, such as she had never before experienced. “I do not know what was taking place within me,” she said, when describing this, later on, “but I breathed an atmosphere that was indescribably delicious, and I seemed to be breathing it in my very soul. Suddenly, I felt a shock through all my being, a dizziness came over me, and I seemed to be enveloped in a white light. I thought I heard a voice murmuring in my ear: ‘Tolle Lege.’ I turned round, and saw that I was quite alone…”
Our modern psychiatrists would say that she had had an hallucination of hearing, together with olfactory trouble. I prefer saying that she had received the visit of grace. Tears of joy bathed her face and she remained there, sobbing for a long time. The convent had therefore opened to Aurore another world of sentiment, that of Christian emotion. Her soul was naturally religious, and the dryness of a philosophical education had not been sufficient for it. The convent had now brought her the aliment for which she had instinctively longed. Later on, when her faith, which had never been very enlightened, left her, the sentiment remained. This religiosity, of Christian form, was essential to George Sand.
Rene Doumic, George Sand: Some Aspects of Her Life and Writings
10. The tone of Doumic’s account of Aurore (George Sand’s real name) is best described as:
scornful.
ironic.
melancholy.
reverent.
objective.
11. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
Aurore received a visit of grace.
Aurore had romantic sensibilities.
Aurore was easily influenced.
Aurore had great faith.
Aurore spent time in religious surroundings.
12. The author suggests in the second paragraph that modern psychiatrists would have a different explanation for Aurore’s outburst. He includes this idea to:
provide support for his argument.
make the subjectivity of his interpretation clear.
appeal to authority.
transition into an extended comparison.
make an analogy.
13. Which of the following does the author use to promote his argument?
Factual evidence
Categorical organization
Romantic imagery
Objective tone
Logical fallacy
14. The statement “her soul was naturally religious” is an example of:
fact.
primary source material.
interpretation.
personal narrative.
use of fictional devices.
15. Which of the following arguments cannot be inferred from the passage?
Aurore underwent a religious awakening.
Aurore had a sensitive nature.
Aurore was influenced by her surroundings.
Aurore was highly intelligent.
Aurore was emotional.
16 This passage uses references to nature to:
establish Aurore’s innocence.
a spiritual atmosphere.
contrast the city with the country.
highlight Aurore’s irrationality.
make an extended analogy.
17. When he quotes Aurore, the biographer is using what kind of evidence?
Primary
Secondary
Third person
Factual
Categorical
18. The last two sentences suggest that:
Sand remained a strong believer.
Sand left her faith behind when she became a writer.
religion eventually had no importance to Sand.
religious feelings remained important to Sand.
Sand was never enlightened.
For questions 19-25, refer to the following passage:
In five or six days we began to see signs of the great western movement that was then taking place. Parties of emigrants, with their tents and wagons, would be encamped on open spots near the bank, on their way to the common rendezvous at Independence. On a rainy day, near sunset, we reached the landing of this place, which is situated some miles from the river, on the extreme frontier of Missouri. The scene was characteristic, for here were represented at one view the most remarkable features of this wild and enterprising region. On the muddy shore stood some thirty or forty dark slavish-looking Spaniards, gazing stupidly out from beneath their broad hats. They were attached to one of the Santa Fe companies, whose wagons were crowded together on the banks above. In the midst of these, crouching over a smoldering fire, was a group of Indians, belonging to a remote Mexican tribe. One or two French hunters from the mountains with their long hair and buckskin dresses, were looking at the boat; and seated on a log close at hand were three men, with rifles lying across their knees. The foremost of these, a tall, strong figure, with a clear blue eye and an open, intelligent face, might very well represent that race of restless and intrepid pioneers whose axes and rifles have opened a path from the Alleghenies to the western prairies. He was on his way to Oregon, probably a more congenial field to him than any that now remained on this side the great plains.
Francis Parkman, Jr., The Oregon Trail: Sketches of Prairie and Mountain Life
19. This passage is what kind of historical writing?
Case study
Primary source
Secondary source
Historical transition
Historiography
20. What fact can be determined from this passage?
The Spanish weren’t very smart explorers.
The French were cunning and strong explorers.
Explorers had to be brave during the westward expansion.
Different groups of people were involved in the westward expansion.
Only the bravest explorers made it to Oregon.
21. This portion of the history is most likely:
the rising action.
the climax.
the falling action.
the conclusion.
the exposition.
22. The author seems to respect which human characteristic?
Kindness
Nonviolence
Intellect
Bravery
Thoughtfulness
23. The author focuses his description primarily on:
nature.
the reasons pioneers went West.
people.
his own feelings.
the economic consequences of Westward expansion.
24. The tone of this passage is:
descriptive.
ironic.
heroic.
pessimistic.
didactic.
25. Which of the following statements sums up one of the author’s arguments?
The frontier was a dangerous place.
The frontier should have been limited to White men.
Westward expansion was a worthy enterprise.
Westward expansion should have been stopped.
The West was won at the expense of Native Americans.
In the following autobiographical passage, Helen Keller describes how learning affected her personally. Read the passage carefully. Then make an essay in which you analyze how Keller presents her transformation in this passage. Make sure you consider rhetorical features, including her tone, purpose, perspective, and how the passage works emotionally.
NOTE: Helen Keller (1880-1968) was blind and deaf woman who overcame her disabilities and became a famous social activist for women and disabled people. She communicated by using sign language and sometimes by speaking with her mouth.
One day, while I was playing with my new doll, Miss Sullivan put my big rag doll into my lap also, spelled “d-o-l-l” and tried to make me understand that “d-o-l-l” applied to both. Earlier in the day we had had a tussle over the words “m-u-g” and “w-a-t-e-r.” Miss Sullivan had tried to impress it upon me that “m-u-g” is mug and that “w-a-t-e-r” is water, but I persisted in confounding the two. In despair she had dropped the subject for the time, only to renew it at the first opportunity. I became impatient at her repeated attempts and, seizing the new doll, I dashed it upon the floor. I was keenly delighted when I felt the fragments of the broken doll at my feet. Neither sorrow nor regret followed my passionate outburst. I had not loved the doll. In the still, dark world in which I lived there was no strong sentiment or tenderness. I felt my teacher sweep the fragments to one side of the hearth, and I had a sense of satisfaction that the cause of my discomfort was removed. She brought me my hat, and I knew I was going out into the warm sunshine. This thought, if a wordless sensation may be called a thought, made me hop and skip with pleasure.
We walked down the path to the well- house, attracted by the fragrance of the honeysuckle with which it was covered. Someone was drawing water and my teacher placed my hand under the spout. As the cool stream gushed over one hand, she spelled into the other the word water, first slowly, then rapidly. I stood still; my whole attention fixed upon the motions of her fingers. Suddenly I felt a misty consciousness as of something forgotten–a thrill of returning thought; and somehow the mystery of language was revealed to me. I knew then that “w-a-t-e-r” meant the wonderful cool something that was flowing over my hand. That living word awakened my soul, gave it light, hope, joy, set it free! There were barriers still, it is true, but barriers that could in time be swept away.
I left the well-house eager to learn. Everything had a name, and each name gave birth to a new thought. As we returned to the house every object which I touched seemed to quiver with life. That was because I saw everything with the strange, new sight that had come to me. On entering the door, I remembered the doll I had broken. I felt my way to the hearth and picked up the pieces. I tried vainly to put them together. Then my eyes filled with tears; for I realized what I had done, and for the first time I felt repentance and sorrow. I learned a great many new words that day. I do not remember what they all were; but I do know that mother, father, sister, teacher were among them–words that were to make the world blossom for me, “like Aaron’s rod, with flowers.” It would have been difficult to find a happier child than I was as I lay in my crib at the close of that eventful day and lived over the joys it had brought me, and for the first time longed for a new day to come.
Helen Keller, The Story of My Life
