Excerpt from The Jungle (MAAP Practice Exam English II)

Read the sentence from paragraph 2.

Such a pitiful beginning it was for their married life; they loved each other so, and they could not have the briefest respite!

What does the word respite mean as it is used in the sentence?

• a break from everyday worries

• a desire for love to conquer all

• a meal that would relax them

• a dislike of the outside world

Read the sentence from paragraph 2.

They had opened their hearts, like flowers to the springtime, and the merciless winter had fallen upon them.

How does the author use figurative language in the sentence to contribute to the meaning of the passage?

• to convey a sense of beauty about the couple’s relationship

• to emphasize the short time the couple experienced together

• to illustrate how nature played a part in the couple’s relationship

• to contrast the expectations of the couple with the reality they experience

Read the sentence from paragraph 3.

All that day he stood at his lard machine, rocking unsteadily, his eyes closing in spite of him; and he all but lost his place even so, for the foreman booted him twice to waken him.

What does the phrase his eyes closing in spite of him mean?

• It implies that he is ill

• It describes that he is bored at work.

• It shows his efforts to fight exhaustion.

• It illustrates how he is pushed at work.

Which quotation best supports the theme that personal relationships suffer from hardships?

• “All summer long the family toiled, and in the fall they had money enough for Jurgis and Ona to be married according to home traditions of decency.” (paragraph 1)

• “They were shaken to the depths of them, with the awe of love realized—and was it so very weak of them that they cried out for a little peace?” (paragraph 2)

• “It was fully a week before they were all normal again, and meantime, with whining children and cross adults, the house was not a pleasant place to live in.” (paragraph 4)

• “The store­keepers plastered up their windows with all sorts of lies to entice you; the very fences by the wayside, the lampposts and telegraph poles, were pasted over with lies.” (paragraph 5)

Based on paragraph 4, what can the reader infer about Jurgis?

• Jurgis overcame his true nature because of his love for Ona.

• Jurgis wished Ona were a stronger person.

• Jurgis did not get upset easily.

• Jurgis worked hard at his job.

Read the sentence from paragraph 3.

Over them, relentless and savage, there cracked the lash of want; the morning after the wedding it sought them as they slept, and drove them out before daybreak to work.

How does the figurative language in the sentence help the reader understand the reality the characters face in the passage?

• It reveals the couple’s lack of control over their environment.

• It describes the couple’s inability to spend any time with each other.

• It portrays the couple’s physical pains from their labors both day and night.

• It establishes the couple’s desire to pay back the debt caused by their wedding.

Which quotation supports the idea that life for Jurgis and Ona might improve?

• “In the latter part of November they hired a hall, and invited all their new acquaintances, . . .” (paragraph 1)

• “It was a time when everything cried out to them that they ought to be happy; when wonder burned in their hearts, and leaped into flame at the slightest breath.” (paragraph 2)

• “They had opened their hearts, like flowers to the springtime, and the merciless winter had fallen upon them.” (paragraph 2)

• “He had to protect her, to do battle for her against the horror he saw about them.” (paragraph 5)

How does the author advance the plot through the development of Jurgis’s character?

• Jurgis becomes fearful because of the financial struggles, which causes him to fear losing Ona as well.

• Jurgis becomes impatient due to his own insecurities, which causes him to push Ona further away from him.

• Jurgis becomes aggressive because of the family members’ attitudes, which causes him to work longer hours to stay away.

• Jurgis becomes critical of Ona because of her naïve personality, which causes him to question the nature of everything around them.

Which quotation supports the idea that Ona is a much different person than Jurgis perceives?

• “They were shaken to the depths of them, with the awe of love realized—and was it so very weak of them that they cried out for a little peace?” (paragraph 2)

• “Ona was scarcely able to stand with exhaustion; but if she were to lose her place they would be ruined, and she would surely lose it if she were not on time that day.” (paragraph 3)

• “She was so sensitive—she was not fitted for such a life as this; . . .” (paragraph 4)

• “The tears came so easily into Ona’s eyes, and she would look at him so appealingly—it kept Jurgis quite busy making resolutions, . . .” (paragraph 4)