They Might Be Dangerous Quiz

The narrator describes Alia's and Zak's reaction upon finding the alien images: "Alia's limbs stiffened. Zak rushed to her side. Alia could sense his terror, his revulsion." Which is the definition of revulsion?

• a feeling of shock and awe

• a very strong distaste or dislike

• a state of panic or anxiety

• a deep sense of fondness and attraction

Tags

7.2B

Alia is characterized as

• wild, careless, and reckless

• nervous, timid, and fearful

• calm, composed, and confident

• curious, brave, and fearless

Tags

7.5F

7.7D

Which of the following support the idea that Alia is curious, brave, and fearless? Choose THREE.

• "Alia veered from the well-traveled path and took off, knowing her older brother would follow."

• "She always wanted to push further into the desert, beyond where their parents permitted them to explore."

• "Whatever was in there was strong, but Alia took a step closer."

• "They'd have the equipment-the weapons and tools and research supplies to deal with this."

Tags

7.5F

Consider the story's ending, when Alia reflects on who the creatures are: "Was it the name of a faraway planet? Did the creatures inside dream of holding star scraps in their hands too? Did they dream of meeting her?" What do these lines reveal? Choose TWO.

• Alia is curious about the creatures.

• Alia is frightened by the creatures.

• Alia believes she and the creatures may have things in common.

• Alia feels perplexed about what action to take next.

Tags

7.5F

7.6C

Which of the following lines help you understand that Alia and Zak are not human? Choose TWO.

• "Zak never liked to wander far."

• "Zak was already climbing over the rocks."

• "He sent out another telepathic thought."

• "Alia folded her wings tight at her sides, bent low, and ran her antenna over the strange symbols..."

Tags

7.5F

What does the experience described in the essay "Desert Eclipse” have in common with what happens in "They Might Be Dangerous"? Choose TWO.

• Both revolve around a lunar eclipse.

• Both take place on a planet far from Earth.

• Both raise questions about our role in the universe.

• Both take place in a desert landscape.

Tags

7.12F

7.5H

Consider Alia's predicament. What are the pros and cons of leaving and letting the watchers do their work, rather than staying and trying to help the creatures in the pod? Use text evidence to support your answer.

Answer explanation

For Alia, one pro of leaving and letting the watchers do their work is that the watchers are professionals who know what they are doing. On page 30, the author writes of the watchers, “They’d have the equipment—the weapons and tools and research supplies—to deal with this.” Zak and Alia, on the other hand, have no experience dealing with unknown spacecraft. Another pro of leaving is that if the watchers find Alia and Zak helping the creatures in the pod, Alia and Zak will be punished. Zak’s persistent fear of the watchers and his warning to Alia, “We’ll get in trouble!,” make this clear. That said, there are also cons to leaving and letting the watchers take over. The watchers do not seem to respect those who are not from their own planet, as revealed when Alia thinks about how the flight capsules being developed on her planet would “launch with strict orders to colonize any discovered planet, no matter who already lived there.” While Alia would treat the creatures in the pod with courtesy and respect, the watchers likely would not give them the same consideration, so leaving the creatures in the pod to the watchers may put them in danger.

Tags

7.5F

7.6C

7.11

"Zak backed away as if molecules from the alien world might swirl him up in a magical cloud and spirit him away from everything he'd ever known. Alia wished that could happen to her." How do these lines sum up the siblings' personalities? Why do you think the author chose to make the siblings so different?

Answer explanation

This quote sums up how the two siblings are opposite in every way. While Zak is a homebody who is deeply afraid of the unknown, Alia craves adventure and excitement and embraces new experiences. Because the siblings have such different personalities, they have entirely different attitudes toward the creatures in the pods. Answers to the second part of the question may vary. To start, students may say that the author decided to make the characters different to create tension and help present the pros and cons of leaving the crashed spacecraft and letting the watchers take over, as Zak would like to do, versus staying and helping the creatures in the pod, as Alia is inclined to do. The author may also have used Zak as a way to show that Alia’s excitement and openness toward the creatures in the pod are not necessarily shared by others from her planet. Students may also say that Zak’s fear of the watchers and deep desire to leave the pods and return home help create suspense. Like Zak, the reader begins to fear what will happen if the watchers find the siblings at the pods.

Tags

7.11

7.9E