Harrison Bergeron Assessment

Choose a characteristic that the story implies about the ballerinas based on their handicaps.

• unassuming
• beautiful
• kind
• deaf

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Choose the evidence from the text that best supports the ballerinas are graceful and beautiful.  "Yup," said George. He tried to think a little about the ballerinas. They weren't really very good-no better than anybody else would have been, anyway. They were burdened with sashweights and bags of birdshot, and their faces were masked, so that no one, seeing a free and graceful gesture or a pretty face, would feel like something the cat drug in. George was toying with the vague notion that maybe dancers shouldn't be handicapped. But he didn't get very far with it before another noise in his ear radio scattered his thoughts.

• George was toying with the vague notion that maybe dancers shouldn't be handicapped.
• They were burdened with sashweights and bags of birdshot, and their faces were masked, so that no one, seeing a free and graceful gesture or a pretty face, would feel like something the cat drug in.
• But he didn't get very far with it before another noise in his ear radio scattered his thoughts.
• "Yup," said George. He tried to think a little about the ballerinas. They weren't really very good-no better than anybody else would have been, anyway.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.11-12.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

What is the central idea for the following:  THE YEAR WAS 2081, and everybody was finally equal. They weren't only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else. All this equality was due to the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the Constitution, and to the unceasing vigilance of agents of the United States Handicapper General.

• Nobody was smarter than anyone else
• New amendments to the constitution made everyone equal
• The people's genetic predispositions kept everyone equal
• The year was 2081

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Based on the context of the following text, what does the word, consternation, mean? There was the shriek of a door being torn from its hinges.
Screams and barking cries of consternation came from the television set. The photograph of Harrison Bergeron on the screen jumped again and again, as though dancing to the tune of an earthquake.

• feelings of sadness and depression that lead to crying
• feelings of anger and hostility that display an eagerness to kill
• feelings of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected.
• feelings of happiness and excitement that cause cheering

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

How does analyzing the character of Hazel help to develop the theme of the story?  

• Hazel is extremely smart and beautiful which displays that the very best excel in their society
• Hazel is normal and has no handicaps which shows that making everyone equal is a disservice to their society
• Hazel is sweet and innocent which shows how their society has removed all of the worst aspects
• Hazel would be strong and intelligent, but her handicaps keep her from being her best which shows how unfair their society is

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

What evidence from the text supports that Hazel develops the theme by showing how the government limits their citizens?  "Only, if I was Handicapper General, you know what I would do?" said Hazel. Hazel, as a matter of fact, bore a strong resemblance to the Handicapper General, a woman named Diana Moon Glampers. "If I was Diana Moon Glampers," said Hazel, "I'd have chimes on Sunday-just chimes. Kind of in honor of religion."  "I could think, if it was just chimes," said George. "Well-maybe make 'em real loud," said Hazel. "I think I'd make a good Handicapper General." "Good as anybody else," said George. "Who knows better than I do what normal is?" said Hazel. "Right," said George.

• "Well maybe make 'em real loud," said Hazel. "I think I'd make a good Handicapper General."
• "Only, if I was Handicapper General, you know what I would do?" said Hazel. Hazel, as a matter of fact, bore a strong resemblance to the Handicapper General, a woman named Diana Moon Glampers.
•  "If I was Diana Moon Glampers," said Hazel, "I'd have chimes on Sunday-just chimes. Kind of in honor of religion."
• "Who knows better than I do what normal is?" said Hazel.)

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RI.11-12.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

In the following excerpt, how is Harrison Bergeron characterized?   Instead of a little ear radio for a mental handicap, he wore a tremendous pair of earphones, and spectacles with thick wavy lenses. The spectacles were intended to make him not only half blind, but to give him whanging headaches besides.Scrap metal was hung all over him. Ordinarily, there was a certain symmetry, a military neatness to the handicaps issued to strong people, but Harrison looked like a walking junkyard. In the race of life, Harrison carried three hundred pounds.And to offset his good looks, the H-G men required that he wear at all times a red rubber ball for a nose, keep his eyebrows shaved off, and cover his even white teeth with black caps at snaggle-tooth random.

• good looking
• foolish
• inconsiderate
• blind

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

"Gee - I could tell that one was a doozy," said Hazel."You can say that again," said George."Gee-" said Hazel, "I could tell that one was a doozy."The above text contains an example of:  

• a metaphor:  hazel is comparing the sound of the gun to a doozy without using the words like or as.
• personification:  The doozy displayed actions that are generally those of a human.  Hazel was surprised to see this happen.
• a pun:  Hazel doesn't understand the figurative meaning of her husband's words.  It shows how she lacks intelligence.
• an onomatopoeia:  Hazel is describing the sound the shotgun made and is sorry that her husband had to experience it.

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

What type of allusion is present in the following text?  Harrison thrust his thumbs under the bar of the padlock that secured his head harness. The bar snapped like celery. Harrison smashed his headphones and spectacles against the wall.He flung away his rubber-ball nose, revealed a man that would have awed Thor, the god of thunder.
*Allusion is a reference to something else in literature, history, or religion.

• Historical
• Classical
• Literary

What is the meaning of the allusion identified in the previous question?  He flung away his rubber-ball nose, revealed a man that would have awed Thor, the god of thunder.

• He wishes he was as strong as Thor
• His good looks and strength are amazing
• He has a powerful weapon that makes thunder
• He would be best friends with Thor