Teddy Roosevelt

PSAA Prep - 2019-20 Item Sampler - Passage #2

Young Teddy Roosevelt

Summers, when the Roosevelts went to the country, were the best time for young Teddy Roosevelt’s explorations. All year the children looked forward to the summer, when they were free to run barefoot, to ride their Shetland pony, Pony Grant (named for Ulysses Grant, the Civil War general), and to play all sorts of make-believe games that Teddy invented. As for Teddy, one of his greatest joys was to wander through the woods, identifying the birds and learning their calls. One wonderful day in 1868, he didn’t need to go to the woods. The birds came to him. Seventy-five migrating swallows flew into the house, fluttering from room to room, zooming in to land on curtains, on walls, and on the floor. One landed right on Teddy’s pants, which of course made him a special friend.

Young Teddy Roosevelt

All his life Teddy loved birds, and no matter where he was or how busy, he gossiped about their coming and going as if they were neighbors. The arrival of a thrush in spring was news to be reported in a letter. The song of a chirpy sparrow was dinner-table conversation. But in May 1869, just as the children were planning their summer in the country, they were told that this year they wouldn’t be going. Instead, they were all going to Europe. They would spend a year there, traveling about, seeing historic sites, and visiting museums. 

Young Teddy Roosevelt

The children were not pleased. A whole year! Dragged from country to country with no barefoot time, no Pony Grant. It turned out just as they feared. Once they started, they kept on the go, climbing on and off trains, steamers, carriages, stagecoaches, horses, donkeys, and mules. And they walked. Teddy walked nineteen miles at one stretch, twenty at another, and climbed an 8,000-foot mountain. Before they were through, they had visited eight countries and stayed in sixty-

six hotels. Although Teddy said that he “cordially hated” that year, he also had fun.

Young Teddy Roosevelt

The younger children roughhoused whenever they could—jumping on hotel beds, having pillow fights, making war with towels, holding tickling matches when their train went through a tunnel. Once, in a hotel, they ganged up on a waiter and a chambermaid, throwing paper balls at them and chasing them up and down stairs. Once, Teddy’s brother, Elliott, shut Teddy in a closet and it took their father three-quarters of an hour to get him out. Climbing Mount Vesuvius, they threw snowballs at each other.

Young Teddy Roosevelt

And Teddy saw sights that impressed him: some rare black Australian swans, the Prince of Wales, two boars and a wildcat in a zoo, and a tree that was over fourteen hundred years old. When crossing from one country to another, he made a point of standing with one leg in one country and the other leg in the other. When he had one leg in France and one in Switzerland, he reported it. Also when he straddled Italy and Switzerland. All the time, however, what he really wanted was to get both legs back in America. On May 25, 1870, he finally made it. At the first glimpse of New York, he exploded with joy. “New York!!!” he wrote. “Hip, Hurrah!”

Multiple Choice

According to information in “Young Teddy Roosevelt,” why did Teddy enjoy the summers so much when his family went to the country?

• He was able to ride a pony and play games.

• He was able to read books about birds.

• He was able to visit museums and see historic sites.

• He was able to see animals in a zoo.

Multiple Choice

This question has two parts. Answer Part One and then answer Part Two.

Part One

In “Young Teddy Roosevelt,” which point does the author make about how Teddy felt while in Europe?

• Teddy had fun with his brother and sisters.

• Teddy was surprised by how many places his family visited.

• Teddy enjoyed hearing different bird calls.

• Teddy was nervous about leaving a pony at home.

Multiple Select

Part Two

Which evidence from the passage supports the answer in Part One? Choose TWO answers.

• “. . . migrating swallows flew into the house . . .”

• “. . . climbing on and off trains, steamers, carriages, stagecoaches, horses . . .”

• “. . . jumping on hotel beds, having pillow fights, making war with towels . . .”

• “. . . throwing paper balls at them and chasing them . . .”

Multiple Choice

Read the sentence from “Young Teddy Roosevelt.”

“And Teddy saw sights that impressed him: some rare black Australian swans, the Prince of Wales, two boars and a wildcat in a zoo, and a tree that was over fourteen hundred years old.”

What is the meaning of the word impressed as used in the sentence?

• interested

• informed

• thanked

• respected

Multiple Choice

6. How are “The Boyhood Diary of Theodore Roosevelt” and “Young Teddy Roosevelt” similar in focus?

• Both focus on the love that Roosevelt had for a pony.

• Both focus on the hobbies that Roosevelt enjoyed back home.

• Both describe the ship that Roosevelt took to Europe.

• Both describe the experiences that Roosevelt had on a trip to Europe.

Multiple Choice

Which statement from “Young Teddy Roosevelt” is best supported by the June entries in “The Boyhood Diary of Theodore Roosevelt”?

• “One wonderful day in 1868, he didn’t need to go to the woods.”

• “The arrival of a thrush in spring was news to be reported in a letter.”

• “They would spend a year there, traveling about, seeing historic sites, and visiting museums.”

• “At the first glimpse of New York, he exploded with joy.”