4th Clara Barton

Why did Clara attend school away from her home?

• A.

  Her parents wanted her to train to become a nurse.

• B.

  Her parents could not afford the best school for her. 

• C.

  Her parents wanted to help her to overcome her shyness.

• D.

  Her parents believed she needed to learn to become more independent.

Select the two details from paragraph 9 that indicate that Clara Barton was an independent person who made her own decisions.

• Some people thought she should only help the soldiers from the North

• she did not mind what anybody said or though

• She made all the soldiers as comfortable as she could

• heard of the Red Cross Society.

How does the sentence "Clara was a bright little girl" in paragraph 2 help the reader to understand the paragraph?

• A.

  It shows that Clara learned new things quickly and easily.

• B.

  It shows that Clara made the day better for everyone in her family.

• C.

  It shows that Clara was always happy because she had all she wanted.

• D.

  It shows that Clara preferred to wear clothing that was colored like a parrot.

How does the narrator present information in paragraph 11?

• by explaining a sequence of events

• by describing the setting of the scene in the paragraph

• by comparing and contrasting Switzerland and America

• by comparing the United States Congress to the people of Switzerland

   

After working as a teacher, Clara changed the focus of her work because ______, and she later helped to form the American Red Cross because she wanted to care for all people during wartime and other disasters

• the Civil War began

• she had to care for her brother

• she wanted to overcome her shyness

Read this excerpt from The Story of My Childhood  by Clara Barton.

Of my brother, David, to say that he was fond of horses describes nothing; one could almost add that he was fond of nothing else. David was the Buffalo Bill of the surrounding country, and he helped me begin this part of my education. It was his delight to take me, a little girl of five, to the field, seize a couple of those beautiful young creatures, and gather the reins of both bridles firmly in hand. He would throw me upon the back of one colt, spring upon the other himself, and catch me by one foot. He would then bid me to “cling fast to the mane,” and my horse would gallop away, in and out among the other colts in wild glee like ourselves. They were merry rides indeed. This was my riding school. I never had any other, but it served me well. To this day, my seat on a saddle or on the back of a horse is as secure and tireless as in a rocking chair, and far more pleasurable.

Now read paragraph 5 from the passage “Clara Barton."

David did not care much for studying, but he did like farm work and horses. He taught Clara to ride, and the two used to gallop across the country at a fast pace. She felt as safe on the back of a horse as in a rocking chair. She did not look much larger than a doll when the neighbors first noticed her dashing by on the back of a colt which wore neither saddle nor bridle. Clara would cling to the animal's mane, keep close to David's horse, and laugh with joy.

Both of these accounts tell about the same event.

How is the information presented in the two accounts different?

• A.

  The firsthand account focuses on what the neighbors saw and heard, while the secondhand account focuses on what Clara saw and heard

• B.

  The firsthand account focuses on what Clara saw and heard, while the secondhand account focuses on what the neighbors saw and heard

• C.

  The firsthand account focuses on what David saw and heard, while the secondhand account focuses on what the neighbors saw and heard.

• D.

  The firsthand account focuses on what the neighbors saw and heard, while the secondhand account focuses on what David saw and heard.

A summary of Clara’s childhood should include Clara's excitement about learning and how she ______.

• learned math from her older brother

• liked her older brother more than her younger brother

• took care of her younger brother when he was injured

How does the picture contribute to the reader’s understanding of the passage?

• A.

  It shows the problems Clara faced when she had to search for surgeons during the Civil War.

• B.

  It shows how Clara solved the problem of finding bandages and surgeons during the Civil War.

• C.

  It shows the attention and care that Clara showed as she nursed sick and wounded soldiers during the Civil War.

• D.

  It shows that Clara thought of her brother David  as she took care of the sick and wounded soldiers during the Civil War.

It is clear that Clara's childhood experiences had helped her to prepare for the challenging work as a nurse, especially during difficult times.

Which two quotations best support this claim?

• “Clara’s sisters, who were schoolteachers, worked with her often so that she was reading and spelling almost as soon as she could talk!” (paragraph 3)

• “Stephen Barton, the older brother, was quite good at arithmetic. It was he who taught Clara how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide.” (paragraph 4)

• “. . . when she was only ten years old, she took care of her brother David for nearly two years after he was hurt in a fall.” (paragraph 7)

• “She was glad that David had taught her to be such a fine horsewoman so she could get help for the sick as soon as possible.” (paragraph 8)

After reading the passage and the poem, which idea is expressed in both texts?

• A.

  People thought Clara was an excellent teacher and nurse.

• B.

  People thought Clara should only take care of certain people

• C.

  People thought Clara was like an angel who helped many different people in need.

• D.

  People thought Clara should have asked Congress for their help with the American Red Cross.