Advice to Youth

Based on the first paragraph, what audience is Mark Twain probably writing to?

• School-age youth

• Teachers and other adults.

• Politicians.

• Writers.

Twain said he should tell students something “didactic” in a speech about education and youth. “Didactic” probably means:

• conversation between two or more persons

• intended for instruction or teaching a moral lesson

• a special variety of a language based on social or geographical origin

• any of a number of extinct flying reptiles from the Jurassic or Cretaceous periods

By using archaic terms like “beseechingly,” Twain’s word choices help establish an elevated and highly educated style of speaking. He is using good ________to appeal to his educated audience.

• Tone

• Diction

• Pathos

• Epithet

In paragraph 2, Twain said students should be “humoring” their parents because it makes

parents more likely to agree to things. What is the likely definition of “humor” as it is used here?

• a comic or absurd quality causing amusement

• a temporary mood or frame of mind

• one of the four bodily fluids: blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile

• to comply with someone’s mood in order to make content or more agreeable

In paragraph 3, what does Twain sarcastically advise people to do if they think someone has disrespected them?

• Ignore it and be the better person.

• Attack them before asking if they meant to offend.

• Ask an adult or authority figure to settle disagreements.

• Give up and cry.

Twain suggests students throw bricks at people, because dynamite is for “the low and unrefined”. He is implying that people who throw bricks are _______ than those who throw dynamite.

• better fighters

• Shorter

• of a higher class

• people with deeper voices

Such things in line 30 refer to:

• “Confess yourself in the wrong” (line 26)

• “Say you didn’t mean to” (line 28)

• “Violence” (line 29)

• “Charity and Kindliness” (line 29)

• “Dynamite” (line 30)

Most educators are expected to tell students not to lie, but in paragraph 5 Twain tells students that lies need to be carefully and skillfully told. This is an example of:

• Irony

• Truth

• Ethos

• Mood

It is implied that waking early is

• very wise

• highly unwise

According to Twain, an awkward lie is a _______ lie.

• Lofty

• Mighty

• weak

• Beautiful