from Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad Test

1       What does Moses symbolize in paragraphs 1–3?

• Contentment

• Fantasy

• Freedom

• Religion

2       Read the sentence from paragraph 12.

If they were caught, the eleven runaways would be whipped and sold South, but she—she would probably be hanged.

Which idea does this detail convey?

• Slavery was legal in the South but illegal in the North.

• The runaways and Harriet Tubman were taking a big risk.

• Slavery was evil and caused massive amounts of suffering.

• The runaways and Harriet Tubman were likely to be caught.

3. 3. Which idea does the author’s tone in paragraph 12 help to convey about slave owners in the South?

• They were not willing to negotiate with Tubman.

• They did not manage their plantations effectively.

• They knew slavery was wrong but were driven by greed.

• They considered slaves valuable property that they wanted returned.

4. 4.Read the sentence from paragraph 16.
   

The man who stood in the doorway looked at her coldly, looked with unconcealed astonishment and fear at the eleven disheveled runaways who were standing near her.

The word disheveled comes from Latin roots that mean “to disarrange the hair.” Which word would best replace disheveled in the sentence and convey a similar meaning?

• Disordered

• Disturbed

• Unhappy

• Unknown

5.Read the sentences from paragraph 21.

Once they reached his house in Wilmington, they would be safe. He would see to it that they were.

What is the best way to combine these two sentences without changing the original meaning?

• Once they reached his house in Wilmington, they would be safe because he would see to it that they were.

• They would be safe because he would see to it that they were once they reached his house in Wilmington.

• He would see to it that they were once they reached his house in Wilmington because they would be safe.

• Because they would be safe once they reached his house in Wilmington, he would see to it that they were.

6       In which two sentences does the author’s word choice create a hopeful mood?

• For a while, as they walked, they seemed to carry in them a measure of contentment; some of the serenity and the cleanliness of that big warm kitchen lingered on inside them. (paragraph 32)

• Ellen pretended to be very ill—her right arm was in a sling, and her right hand was bandaged, because she was supposed to have rheumatism. (paragraph 34)

• She told them about Frederick Douglass, the most famous of the escaped slaves, of his eloquence, of his magnificent appearance. (paragraph 36)

• These people who had risked their own security to help runaways would be ruined, fined, imprisoned. (paragraph 41)

• This time she told them about the long agony of the Middle Passage on the old slave ships, about the black horror of the holds, about the chains and the whips. (paragraph 43)

7.Which sentence is written correctly?

• Eleven people were in the group they were going all the way to Canada.

• The group moved slowly it took them three nights to reach the first stop on their journey.

• The man who opened the door wouldn’t let them in, so they had to keep traveling.

• At the next stop they were more fortunate, they finally found a place to rest.

8. 8.Read the sentence from paragraph 32 of the selection.
   

9. But as they walked farther and farther away from the warmth and the light, the cold and the darkness entered into them.
   

10. Which tone does the author’s word choice in this sentence suggest?

• Bitter

• Indifferent

• Disappointed

• Despairing

9.Read the sentence from paragraph 32.

They fell silent, sullen, suspicious.

The word sullen comes from a Latin root that means “by oneself.” Which word would best replace sullen in the sentence and convey a similar meaning?

• Confused

• Gloomy

• Hostile

• Worried

10.How is the escape of the eleven slaves in December 1851 different from the trips that Tubman made before?

• They travel to Canada.

• They plan for many days.

• They leave on a Saturday night.

• They go through Maryland.