Benjamin Banneker

Benjamin Banneker

by Timothy Johnson

Multiple Choice

Paragraph 1 supports the inference that

• Benjamin had to be creative to obtain his education

• Benjamin didn't have the same opportunities as other boys his age

• all of Benjamin's learning came naturally to him, so he didn't have to work hard

• Washington, D.C. would look much different without Benjamin

Multiple Choice

Paragraph 6 supports the inference that

• Thomas Jefferson disliked Pierre Charles L'Enfant

• Washington, D.C. would look much different without Benjamin

• Benjamin was excited to accept Jefferson's offer to work as a surveyor

• Benjamin didn't have the same opportunities as other boys his age

Multiple Choice

Which word from paragraph 6 implies that government leaders were displeased with Pierre Charles L’Enfant’s work?

• impressed

• dismissed

• instrumental

• detailed

Multiple Choice

Which quotation supports the idea that Benjamin was talented in multiple areas?

• “Benjamin drew upon surrounding sources to learn about his own community and even beyond it. Maintaining these resourceful habits, he built upon his supply of general knowledge.” (paragraph 1)

• “As he continued to develop his reading skills, he grew mentally and soon revealed a gift for analysis. He won the reputation for being a bright mathematician and often solved mathematical puzzles that distinguished scholars gave him. Sometimes Benjamin used his love for analysis in more hands-on projects.” (paragraph 3)

• “He learned so much that he accurately predicted a solar eclipse in 1789. This prediction brought even more notoriety to him because it directly contradicted predictions made by well-known mathematicians and astronomers of the time.” (paragraph 4)

• “Impressed with Benjamin's abilities, Jefferson recommended Benjamin to become a part of a team of surveyors to plan and lay out the city of Washington, D.C.” (paragraph 6)

Multiple Choice

Which quotation should be included in an accurate summary of the passage?

• "As a youngster, he helped his father on the family's homestead." (paragraph 1)

• "Maintaining, these resourceful habits, he built upon his supply of general knowledge." (paragraph 1)

• "Later, he began his own watch and clock repair business." (paragraph 3)

• "A Frenchman, Pierre Charles L'Enfant, was the lead architect for the project." (paragraph 6)

Multiple Choice

How does the structure of paragraph 5 relate to a central idea in the passage?

• The use of problem and solution illustrates how Benjamin organized topics in his almanac.

• The use of description introduces Benjamin's interest in social justice for African Americans.

• The use of cause and effect explains Benjamin's decision to include medicinal facts in his almanac.

• The use of comparison and contrast emphasizes the need for almanacs by farmers and scientists.

Multiple Choice

Which paragraph best supports the idea that Benjamin’s knowledge surpassed that of experts?

• paragraph 3

• paragraph 4

• paragraph 6

• paragraph 7

Multiple Choice

Which quotation indicates a direct physical impact of Benjamin’s work?

• “As a matter of fact, by utilizing the springs near the family’s farm, he invented an irrigation system to control the water flow. Because of this creation, his father's farm flourished, even during times of drought.” (paragraph 2)

• “He won the reputation for being a bright mathematician and often solved mathematical puzzles that distinguished scholars gave him.” (paragraph 3)

• “His next interest was in the field of astronomy. He began to see patterns as he gazed at the stars. From these patterns, he made calculations and predictions.” (paragraph 4)

• “In 1773, he began to make astronomical calculations for almanacs, which were used frequently by farmers.” (paragraph 5)

Multiple Choice

Part A: Which inference can be made based on paragraph 6?

• Benjamin Banneker utilized his skills in a precise way while working on the capital project.

• Benjamin Banneker believed that his memory was more developed than other designer of the time.

• Thomas Jefferson preferred to hire people from different countries for work on the United States capital.

• The quality of work done by Thomas Jefferson's employees was a major concern for Benjamin Banneker.

Multiple Choice

Part B: Which quotation from paragraph 6 supports the answer to Part A?

• "Impressed with Benjamin's abilities, Jefferson recommended Benjamin to become a part of a team of surveyors to plan and lay out the city of Washington, D.C."

• "A Frenchman, Pierre Charles L'Enfant, was the lead architect for the project."

• "After a year, however, L'Enfant was dismissed from the project and took the plans for the city's layout with him when he left the city."

• "He provided a detailed, complete layout of the streets, parks, and major buildings in the city."

Multiple Select

Which two quotations best support the inference that Benjamin Banneker was determined?

• “Since his resources were limited, he could not read as extensively as he wanted to. Benjamin was undaunted by these limitations, however. Instead, he became a closer observer of the natural world.” (paragraph 1)

• “He remained devoted to helping his father with farmwork and proved to be as industrious in farming as he was diligent in his pursuit of knowledge.” (paragraph 2)

• “He won the reputation for being a bright mathematician and often solved mathematical puzzles that distinguished scholars gave him.” (paragraph 3)

• “By the age of thirty, Benjamin had created a clock entirely from carved pieces of wood. Painstakingly using only a pocket knife and wood, he carved wheels and gears and completed the clock with such precision that it ran accurately for twenty years.” (paragraph 3)

• “In 1773, he began to make astronomical calculations for almanacs, which were used frequently by farmers.” (paragraph 5) 

Multiple Select

Which two quotations support the idea that Benjamin was an innovator?

• “Benjamin drew upon surrounding sources to learn about his own community and even beyond it.” (paragraph 1)

• “Benjamin's clock, today known as the Banneker Clock, was recognized as the first clock to be built in America, . . .” (paragraph 3) 

• “Using his own calculations, he compiled and published his first almanac in the 1790s.” (paragraph 5)

• “Impressed with Benjamin's abilities, Jefferson recommended Benjamin to become a part of a team of surveyors to plan and lay out the city of Washington, D.C.” (paragraph 6)

• “He wrote a scholarly paper on bees, a study of locust plagues, and letters about injustices toward African Americans.” (paragraph 7)

Multiple Select

Select two ways that the author develops the effects of Banneker's practical approach to building upon his knowledge.

• by illustrating his competition with famous architects

• by stating that he published his first almanac before 1800

• by explaining that he used available tools to create a clock

• by including the detail of naming his almanac after the states

• by providing the example of borrowing books to learn about astronomy

Multiple Select

Select two phrases from paragraph 1 that express the author's point of view toward Benjamin Banneker.

• oldest of four children

• helped his father

• grandmother favored him

• undaunted by these limitations

• maintaining these resourceful habits