Car Talk

Read this sentence from paragraph 5.
In the car, I was a captive audience.
The author uses this sentence to explain how her driving lessons-

• made her feel helpless
• gave her father the chance to speak
• became deeply interesting to her
• allowed her father to display his skills

Which of these is the best summary of the selection?

• The author had her driving permit for a whole year without learning how to drive well. Since her mother was unable to teach her, the task was given to her father. While driving with her father, the author learned about what type of music he liked and how he and her mother met.
• The author finally took the time to listen to her father’s stories about his life when he was young. Doing so made her realize that many things in her life were distracting her from having a close relationship with him. 
• The author’s usually silent father tried to teach her how to drive. During the driving lessons he surprised her by talking freely. As the author learned more about her father, she realized that she needed to make an effort to develop a better relationship with him.
• The author wanted to learn to drive, and her father began to teach her. As the driving lessons continued, she got used to his personal stories and began to like them. The author’s driving skills eventually improved.

Read this sentence from paragraph 1.
Thanks to my abilities, the rear end of our station wagon has seen pine trees, poles, and snow banks, all up-close and personal.
In this sentence the author —

• shares her fear of never getting a driver’s license
• explains why she is such a poor driver
• makes fun of her lack of skill
• describes the place where she lives

What can the reader infer about the author’s father?

• He came to appreciate the opportunity to share his past with his daughter
• He gave his daughter driving lessons because his wife insisted.
• He concentrated better than his daughter when they talked.
• He thought that talking to his daughter might help her drive better.

What chore do the father and daughter perform in the poem?

• Baling hay
• Clearing snow
• Exercising cattle
• Feeding livestock

The imagery in stanzas 3 and 4 suggests that —

• Dad is not confident about Brandy’s ability to drive
• Brandy is unable to see because of the dust
• Dad is in a hurry to finish the task
• Brandy is keenly aware of her surroundings

The abrupt dialogue in the poem helps convey the idea that the characters are —

• enjoying the morning
• focused on their work
• cold and uncomfortable
• worried about their safety

Which of these best describes what the author of “Car Talk” and Brandy in “Needed” gain from the experience of driving?

• Both gain a deeper understanding of their own abilities.
• Both gain a deeper understanding of family members
• The author of “Car Talk” becomes a skilled driver, while Brandy learns how to farm.
• The author of “Car Talk” gets to know her father, while Brandy gets to help her family.

How does the author of “Car Talk” differ from Brandy in “Needed”?

• The author of “Car Talk” wants to master a skill, while Brandy takes on a new responsibility.
• The author of “Car Talk” thinks driving is scary, while Brandy thinks driving is fun.
• The author of “Car Talk” is easily distracted, while Brandy pays attention when she drives.
• The author of “Car Talk” does what she wants to do, while Brandy does what her father tells her to.

Read line 7 of the poem.
I’m only twelve, but I get to drive!
Which excerpt from “Car Talk” best matches the feeling expressed by the speaker in line 7 of the poem?

• we got into the car that first time
• Dad and I drove around, saying almost nothing
• that now-aging permit first found its way into my eager hands
• a small plastic card verifying my right to drive