"The Teacher Who Saved My Life" Comprehension Questions

Where does the author meet his mentor, Miss Hurd?

• elementary school

• newspaper club

• meeting for new students

• church service

Which character trait of Miss Hurd's is revealed when Nicholas Gage describes her as the person who "nearly dragged" him onto the path his life would take?

• persistence

• ambition

• reluctance

• recklessness

Details in the first four paragraphs like "gray March day," "undersized 9 year old," "cold, crowded country," and "grim-faced principal" - primarily serve Gage's purpose to ______.

• grab the reader's attention

• introduce the subject of the essay

• establish the essay's place and time

• depict his difficult childhood

What is the author's purpose for including the following quote from Miss Hurd?

"So if there's anybody in this room who doesn't like work, I suggest you go across to the Glee Club now because you're going to work your tails off here!"

• It provides information about Miss Hurd from telling what others think of her.

• It uses words of others to describe Miss Hurd.

• It uses her own words to show how demanding she is

• It provides a comment from the author to show what he thinks about Miss Hurd.

Why did Gage's father buy a new suit when he saw the newspaper photo of his son and President Kennedy?

• He expected to travel to Washington with his son and the President

• He wanted to be properly dressed for the community's congratualations.

• He anticipated being interviewed for the local newspapers.

• He wished to show off for the villagers of his native Greece.

What action best characterizes Miss Hurd's love for Gage?

• She secretly enters his essay in contest

• She attends his college graduation

• She attends Gage's family events.

• She asks him to deliver her eulogy

Miss Hurd asked the author to write an essay about his _____.

• home in Massachusetts

• meeting with President Kennedy

• reasons for joining the Newspaper Club

• family's experience in Greece

The author tells the most about Miss Hurd's character by ____.

• describing her appearance

• writing that she got married

• recalling her actions

• sharing memories of other students

The author's mother didn't immigrate with him in the US because she ____.

• was executed after arranging for her children to escape

• had to stay behind to care for her parents

• decided to join the Communist

• was no longer married to the author's father

What is the author's main purpose for writing this essay?

• to honor Miss Hurd

• to tell about the award he received

• to inspire teachers like Miss Hurd

• to describe where he grew up