Main Ideas Details and Summaries from Mesmerized

Refer to Mesmerized: Why is Dr. Mesmer’s discovery of a new force so important to the people of France?

• They see that it makes their dreams a reality.

• People want to feel well and be free from illness. 

  
  

• They question his ability to make unusual things happen.

  
  

• People are suspicious of things they cannot understand.

  
  

Refer to Mesmerized: Why do French doctors dislike Dr. Mesmer?

• Mesmer has tricked their patients into believing in fake treatments.

  
  

• He has become extremely popular among the wealthy.

  
  

• He has taken all of the king’s attention and favor. 

  
  

• Mesmer is better at curing their patients than they are.

  
  

Refer to Mesmerized: Why does Franklin think he has to help the king investigate Dr. Mesmer?

• He believes he must repay the king.

  
  

• He thinks it is the only way to prove Dr. Mesmer’s powers are real.

  
  

• He wants the king to reward him.

  
  

• He worries that Dr. Mesmer will become more popular than he is.

  
  

Refer to Mesmerized: What is an inference that can be made about Dr. Mesmer?

• He is more interested in making a profit than in helping the sick.

  
  

• He truly cares about the safety and health of his patients.

  
  

• He  knows more than other doctors about curing diseases.

  
  

• He  is respected by scientists and other doctors for his work.

  
  

What is an inference that can be made about Dr. Mesmer?

• He does not want people to know he is not really a doctor. 

  
  

• He has impressed Franklin with his skills.

  
  

• He knows more about medicine than other doctors.

  
  

• He does not want Franklin to copy his method of treating patients.

  
  

Refer to Mesmerized: What is an inference that can be made about Dr. Mesmer’s skill?

• He is unsure of how his ability to treat the sick works.

  
  

• He is aware that his healing force is fake.

  
  

• His method of treating patients is better than that of real doctors.

  
  

• His healing force teaches patients to cure themselves.

  
  

Refer to Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery that Baffled All of France for a complete version of this text.

Which two responses are main ideas from the story about Dr. Mesmer?

• Franklin teaches Dr. Mesmer to use the scientific method to determine if his treatment for patients works.

  
  

• Dr. Mesmer demonstrates that what people believe or expect will happen can have a powerful effect on how they feel.

  
  

• Dr. Mesmer wears fancy clothing and a fancy wig to impress his patients.

  
  

• Franklin reports to the king what he has seen working with Dr. Mesmer’s patients and the doctor flees the city.

  
  

Refer to Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery that Baffled All of France for a complete version of this text.

Which two responses are main ideas from the story about Dr. Mesmer?

• Though he does not know it, Dr. Mesmer's success demonstrates the power of the human mind.

  
  

• Ben Franklin uses the scientific method to prove that Dr. Mesmer is a fake. 

  
  

• Dr. Mesmer charges his patients 100 gold louis to treat them.

  
  

• People find the discovery of invisible gases to be more amazing than Dr. Mesmer's mysterious force.

  
  

Refer to Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery that Baffled All of France for a complete version of this text.

Which two responses are main ideas from the story about Dr. Mesmer?

• Franklin proves Dr. Mesmer’s methods only work if patients expect something will happen. 

  
  

• Dr. Mesmer becomes famous by convincing patients that his force has made them feel better. 

  
  

• The king of France is indecisive and easily fooled by more intelligent people.

  
  

• Mesmer's mysterious force comes from the stars and flows into his wand.

  
  

Refer to Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery that Baffled All of France for a complete version of this text.

Which statement is a main idea of Mesmerized?

• Because the king of France respects Franklin, he asks him to investigate Dr. Mesmer. 

  
  

• Since the American Revolution, France has been a strong ally of the United States.

  
  

• Franklin and Dr. Mesmer have very little in common.

  
  

• Franklin travels by boat to France to advise the king.