Blue Nine and Red Words

What or whom does the author think of as "friends"?

• words

• doctors

• feelings

• numbers

Tags

CCSS.L.8.4A

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.4

The author of “Blue Nines and Red Words” eats exactly 45 grams of porridge each morning. What aspect of his condition does this behavior illustrate?

• his need to stay on a strict diet

• his need to number everything

• his need for order and routine

• his need for creating patterns

When the author of “Blue Nines and Red Words” does power multiplication, how does he experience the result?

• as a visual pattern

• as a number on paper

• as a bright white light

• as a series of musical notes

The author of “Blue Nines and Red Words” sees different types of numbers in distinct ways. Which numbers does he consider most beautiful?

• thin numbers

• even numbers

• large numbers

• prime numbers

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RI.8.6

Which of the following best states the central idea of the selection from “Blue Nines and Red Words”?

• Each of us has a special talent that we can use to help others.

• Different minds make sense of the world in different ways.

• People with disabilities are very much like poets.

• Numbers are like people.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.2

What does the selection from “Blue Nines and Red Words” suggest about the author’s relationships with other people?

• He communicates with others only through writing.

• He fears and avoids all social situations.

• He makes efforts to understand others.

• He can only count people.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.3

The number 1, for example, is a brilliant and bright white, like someone shining a flashlight into my eyes.

                Which best describes the effect of this comparison?

• It persuades readers to try seeing numbers as objects.

• It puts a complex experience in terms a reader can understand.

• It emphasizes that the author's way of experiencing numbers is special.

• It shows that the author is familiar with everyday objects and therefore trustworthy.

Tags

CCSS.L.8.5A

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

Based on the selection from “Blue Nines and Red Words,” the author’s relationship with numbers is most like which of the following?

• a farmer’s relationship to his fields

• an actor’s relationship to her fans

• a mechanic’s relationship to a car

• an artist’s relationship to colors

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.3

“Blue Nines and Red Words” is an excerpt from a memoir. What makes this particular memoir remarkable?

• It is written in the first person.

• It contains many of the same details as Rain Man, a famous movie about autism.

• The author has Asperger’s syndrome, and people with Asperger’s often have trouble relating to others.

• The author is able to put his experiences into words, even though he considers numbers to be his first language.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.W.8.1B

CCSS.W.8.9A

Based on the selection from “Blue Nines and Red Words,” what is the author’s most likely purpose for writing this memoir?

• to inform readers about the causes of autism

• to persuade readers that art and math are related

• to help readers understand how he experiences numbers

• to persuade readers that people with autism are intelligent

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RI.8.6