EDG Unit 2: Understanding Historical Texts Test Review

Read this excerpt from The Writings of Thomas Paine, Vol. IV.

The Yellow Fever always begins in the lowest part of a populous mercantile town near the water, and continues there, without affecting the higher parts.

Which character in Fever 1793 represents this idea?

• Eliza

• Andrew Brown

• the print shop apprentice

• the man pushing a cart

What is an effect?

• the state of being connected

• the most important idea in a text

• someone or something that produces a result

• a change that occurs when something happens

Which pronoun signals a first-person narration?

• his

• you

• our

• they

Which statement best describes how the first-person narration in Fever 1793 engages readers?

• Mattie's perspective on the city of Philadelphia gives readers an understanding of why some residents are leaving for the country.

• Mattie's perspective on the state of her family's business gives readers an understanding of the responsibility she feels.

• Mattie's perspective on her grandfather's strong-headed opinions gives readers an understanding of the influence he has on her.

• Mattie's perspective on the events of 1793 gives readers an understanding of the experiences and uneasiness of the time.

Read the passage from The American Plague.

Whenever the Parliament clashed with their monarch, the king would get his way by suddenly convening Parliament in a remote, unreachable part of the country. Without a proper quorum of members, the king could then decide law as he pleased.

As a result, representatives in the United States had drawn up the Constitution with particular attention to the issue of where they would meet in the future.

The best reason why the last sentence is an effect is because it defines

• an event that created the king’s official behavior.

• a change that occurred due to the king’s behavior.

• a relationship that occurred due to the king’s behavior.

• a central idea that led to a change in the king’s behavior.

Read this passage from Dragonwings by Laurence Yep.

The demon was a big, cheerful-looking demon with a bland, round face. He eyed father. "I dunno, John." Many demons called Tang men John because, they insisted, they never could get the hang of our real names. "You know anything about horselesses?"

"Some," Father said. Truth to tell, he had never handled a horseless carriage in his life, though he had a book on them and cut out articles whenever they appeared in the demon magazines and newspapers. That was the extent of Father's knowledge. But to know facts is nothing. He had an intuitive feeling for what made the horseless carriages tick. He looked around inside the engine for about ten minutes and then wiped his face absentmindedly, so that the grease stained his cheek. He did not even notice.

Which quote from the passage is an example of direct characterization?

• “The demon was a big, cheerful-looking demon with a bland, round face. He eyed father.”

• “Truth to tell, he had never handled a horseless carriage in his life, though he had a book on them and cut out articles whenever they appeared in the demon magazines and newspapers.”

• “That was the extent of Father's knowledge. But to know facts is nothing.”

• “He looked around inside the engine for about ten minutes and then wiped his face absentmindedly, so that the grease stained his cheek.”

Read this excerpt from Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies, from the Papers of Thomas Jefferson.

It is long since I wrote to you, because I know you must be where you could not receive my letters: and perhaps it may be some time before I write to you again, on account of a contagious and mortal fever which has arisen here, and is driving us all away. It is called a yellow fever, but is like nothing known or read of by the physicians. . . . All persons who can find asylum elsewhere, are flying from the city: this will doubtless extend it to other towns, and spread it through the country, unless an early winter should stop it.

Which excerpt from Fever 1793 connects to the historical account detailed in the excerpt?

• "Wasn’t that long ago folks didn’t have any sugar. No coffee or tea, either."

• "The Free African Society is having a meeting about the fever."

• "What is wrong with people, Andrew? We suffered all kinds of disease in our youth, but folks were sensible. They didn't squall like children and hide in the woods."

• "Once a day they remove the bodies for burial. A neighbor threatened to burn the place down if the sick are not removed," explained Mr. Carris.

Read this passage from Dragonwings by Laurence Yep.

The demon was a big, cheerful-looking demon with a bland, round face. He eyed father. "I dunno, John." Many demons called Tang men John because, they insisted, they never could get the hang of our real names. "You know anything about horselesses?"

"Some," Father said. Truth to tell, he had never handled a horseless carriage in his life, though he had a book on them and cut out articles whenever they appeared in the demon magazines and newspapers. That was the extent of Father's knowledge. But to know facts is nothing. He had an intuitive feeling for what made the horseless carriages tick. He looked around inside the engine for about ten minutes and then wiped his face absentmindedly, so that the grease stained his cheek. He did not even notice.

Which quote from this passage is an example of indirect characterization?

• “The demon was a big, cheerful-looking demon with a bland, round face.”

• “Many demons called Tang men John because, they insisted, they never could get the hang of our real names.”

• “He had an intuitive feeling for what made the horseless carriages tick.”

• “He looked around inside the engine for about ten minutes and then wiped his face absentmindedly, so that the grease stained his cheek.”

Read the passage from The American Plague.

No one would ever know precisely how many Philadelphians died of yellow fever in 1793. Many of those who traditionally kept such count—ministers, sextons, and city officials—had either fled the city or been ill themselves. The best estimates put the number of victims at between four and five thousand men, women, and children. What was clear to all was that life would never be the same. The fear had gone too deep, the losses were all too real and personal.

Which statement summarizes the central idea of this passage?

• The yellow fever epidemic had lasting consequences for the city.

• Ministers, sextons, and city officials should have stayed in the city.

• The 1793 yellow fever epidemic was the deadliest plague the city had faced.

• Men, women, and children were afraid to return to the city after the plague.

Which sentence from Fever 1793 reveals a first-person point of view?

• "She also sent a note to the Ludingtons."

• "No word from them either, thank heavens."

• "The bright sun blinded me as I stepped outdoors."

• "Eliza wiped the sweat off her face with a handkerchief."