"Androcles and the Lion" Assessment Review

1. Read the summary of the passage: Determined to break free from his miserable life as a servant, Androcles runs away from his master. Finding the woods to be as unpleasant as his former life, Androcles seeks refuge in a nearby cavern where he befriends and cares for a lion that eventually becomes his protector. One day, Androcles is caught by his master's guards and is sentenced to death by a hungry lion for running away from his master. Which should be added to make a complete summary?

• Unable to escape for a second time, Androcles is soon rescued by his former protector, the lion. The townspeople are so moved by the lion's bold action that they force the governor to grant Androcles his freedom.

• Although Androcles is meant to fight a wild lion, he is brought in front of his former tame companion. He begs the governor to grant him forgiveness in order to continue caring for the now-domesticated lion.

• Before Androcles can be rightfully punished for his actions, his lion-friend crouches at his feet, refusing to attack him. The town is disappointed that no fight will take place, but they leave the arena grateful to see such an unusual sight.

• Unknown to both Androcles and the town, the lion was none other than his friend and protector. The governor grants freedom to both Androcles and the lion as a reward for showing the animal kindness.

2. What is the meaning of the word insufferable as it is used in paragraph 1?

• dangerous

• meaningless

• miserable

• overwhelming

3. How does the lion's meekness in paragraph 3 propel the action of the passage?

• It inspires Androcles to return to his master to show kindness to him as well.

• It forces Androcles to search for food unarmed in the forest for himself and the lion.

• It allows Androcles to help the lion and form a bond.

• It encourages Androcles to remain in the woods rather than run farther away from his master.

4. Part A: How does the author use the contrast between Androcles' and the spectators' points of view to create suspense at the end of the passage?

• The spectators want the best for Androcles, but Androcles wants to put on a good show for the people.

• The spectators are clueless about Androcles's strength, but Androcles feels confident overtake the lion. he can

• The spectators want Androcles to beg for mercy, but Androcles is too proud to ask the lion to show compassion.

• The spectators believe Androcles is in danger, but Androcles recognizes that this is the same lion from the cave.

5. Part B: Which quotation from the passage illustrates the answer chosen in Part A?

• ³A dreadful yell was heard, which struck the spectators with horror, and a monstrous lion rushed out of a den and darted forward with erected mane, and flaming eyes, and jaws that gaped like an open grave.´ (paragraph 7)

• ³But the pity of the multitude was soon converted into astonishment when they beheld the lion, instead of destroying his defenseless prey, crouch submissively at his feet and fawn upon him as a faithful dog would do upon his master.´ (paragraph 7)

• ³They unanimously joined together to beg the governor for a pardon for the unhappy man.´ (paragraph 8)

• ³This was immediately granted to him, and he was also presented with the lion, who had in this manner twice saved the life of Androcles.´ (paragraph 8)

6. Read the sentences from paragraph 5: As soon as the beast felt himself relieved, he began to testify his joy and gratitude by every expression within his power. He jumped about like a spaniel, wagged his enormous tail, and licked the feet and hands of his physician. What does the author's simile reveal about the lion?

• The lion wants to become Androcles's pet so that he will be cared for by Androcles.

• The lion never expects Androcles to be able to heal his painful wound.

• The lion is so grateful to be pain-free that he treats Androcles like a friend.

• The lion is so shocked by Androcles's actions that he acts wild and crazy.

7. Which quotation shows how the author creates tension in the passage?

• ³But, to his great astonishment, the beast advanced towards him with a gentle pace, without any mark of enmity or rage and uttered a kind of mournful sound as if he demanded the assistance of the man.´ (paragraph 3)

• ³Androcles found that the beast, far from disliking this familiar touch, received it with the greatest gentleness and seemed to invite him to proceed. He therefore extracted the thorn, and, pressing the swelling, discharged a considerable quantity of matter, which had been the cause of so much pain and uneasiness.´ (paragraph 4)

• ³A dreadful yell was heard, which struck the spectators with horror, and a monstrous lion rushed out of a den and darted forward with erected mane, and flaming eyes, and jaws that gaped like an open grave. All eyes turned upon the destined victim, whose destruction now appeared inevitable.´ (paragraph 7)

• ³Androcles related to the assembly every circumstance of his adventures in the woods and concluded by saying that the very lion which now stood before them had been his friend and entertainer in the Zoods.´ (paragraph 8)

8. After Rosa was arrested and tried she paid a fine. A group was formed and 35,000 handbills were distributed calling for a boycott of the buses. All African Americans in Montgomery refused to ride the bus for over a year. Black citizens made up of over two-thirds of the bus passengers at the time. They found alternate ways to work and school. They walked, found rides, or took a taxi. The African-Americans demanded an end to segregation and held many peaceful protests. Dozens of public buses stood idle for months, and this significantly damaged the bus company’s finances. What is meaning of boycott as it is used in sentence 2?

• Blacks would voluntarily abstain from using public buses.

• Blacks would protest the injustice by passing out handbills.

• Blacks would refuse to give up seats on the public buses.

• Blacks would protest to the Supreme Court about the injustice of the law.

9. They are often found near cliffs or large trees which they use as nesting sites. They prefer to roost on high perches from which they can launch without any major wing-flapping effort. They do not have a good sense of smell, so they find their food mostly by their keen eyesight. Like vultures, which are in the same family, the California condors are scavengers and feed on carrion. Individual birds have a huge flight range and have been known to travel up to 150 miles in search of carrion. They prefer large dead animals like deer, cattle, and sheep, but they also eat, rodents, or rabbits. Based upon context clues, what is the meaning of the word carrion as it is used in sentence 4?

• the carcass of a dead animal

• small fish found in the Colorado River

• small rodents that live in the grasslands of the West

• small enclaves in high cliffs good for nesting sites

10. Read this sentence: "The birds flap their wings when taking off from the ground, but after attaining a relatively high elevation, they largely glide, sometimes going for miles without a single flap of their wings." What is the meaning of attaining as it is used in this sentence?

• conquering

• flying

• reaching

• realizing