"A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury

Which statement best explains why the discussion about President Keith in the opening scene is important to the success of the story’s plot?

• The discussion about President Keith’s election sets the plot in motion, so it is important for the reader to learn about it prior to learning about the time travel.

• The discussion demonstrates that President Keith won and that his opponent is monstrous, which is necessary to know to understand the final scene’s significance.

• It is revealed at the end that the government is at odds with the safari company, so knowing that members of the company support President Keith is important.

• Information about President Keith’s election serves to foreshadow the story’s dramatic ending.

The scene that depicts how horrifying the dinosaur is contributes to the plot by —

• making the careless actions Eckels takes seem believable despite the risks they pose

• demonstrating why adventurous people would want to sign up for the

• explaining why Travis and the desk clerk warn Eckels about the danger of the hunt

• indicating that hunting a dinosaur is more challenging than hunting other game

Which two details best support the inference that significant changes have taken place in the present day by the end of the story?

• The butterfly from the prehistoric age is dead.

• The sign on the wall reveals that language conventions are different.

• The election has all the same candidates that it did before the hunt.

• The air tastes and feels slightly different.

• The office furniture seems very different.

What does the time Eckels spends in the past reveal about him?

• It reveals that he is as comfortable in a setting he knows as he is in a past era.

• It reveals that he is unable to handle hunting large game without skilled guides.

• It reveals that he underestimates the past and overestimates his adaptability.

• It reveals that he romanticizes the past and does not appreciate his own era enough.

This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.

Part A Which conclusion can a reader draw about Eckels, based on his characterization in the selection?

• He doesn’t think through his actions to analyze their possible consequences.

• He is a rule follower and he is concerned about the safety of others.

• He is a pompous rich man, but he respects Mr. Travis’s authority.

• He is a timid person who doesn’t want to take any risks.

Part A

A. He doesn’t think through his actions to analyze their possible consequences.

B. He is a rule follower and he is concerned about the safety of others.

C. He is a pompous rich man, but he respects Mr. Travis’s authority.

D. He is a timid person who doesn’t want to take any risks.

Part B Which two quotes from the selection best support the answer to Part A?

• He shook his head. “Makes you think. If the election had gone badly yesterday, I might be here now running away from the results.” (paragraph 7)

• “I’ve hunted tiger, wild boar, buffalo, elephant, but now, this is it,” said Eckels. (paragraph 58)

• The rifle in his hands seemed a cap gun. “We were fools to come. This is impossible.” (paragraph 72)

• “I didn’t realize it would be this big,” said Eckels. “I miscalculated, that’s all. And now I want out.” (paragraph 76)

• “Don’t look at me,” cried Eckels. “I haven’t done anything.” (paragraph 122)