The Myth of Prometheus

Which lines from the story BEST convey Prometheus’s belief that man should have fire? Choose TWO answers.

• He crouches in caves. He is at the mercy of beast and weather. He eats his meat raw.

• If you mean something by this, enlighten me with your wisdom.

• On the other hand, he does not know disease, warfare, old age, or that inward pest called worry.

• He has another quality...the capacity for worship.

• Would not fire, and the graces he can put on with fire, make him more interesting?

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This question has two parts. Part 1: How would Zeus describe man's life without knowledge of fire?

• Man is happier without knowledge of fire.

• Man is limited without knowledge of fire.

• Man is like a wild animal without knowledge of fire.

• Man has more pride without knowledge of fire.

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Part 2: Which quote from the story BEST supports the correct answer to Part 1?

• Man does not have fire, true, nor the crafts which fire teaches.

• This is the way the Fates weave destiny—by which gods also must abide.

• On the other hand, he does not know disease, warfare, old age, or that inward pest called worry.

• An aptitude for admiring our power, being puzzled by our riddles and amazed by our caprice. That is why he was made.

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Which choice BEST describes how paragraph 5 contributes to the theme of the myth?

• It shows Prometheus’s belief that man deserves knowledge of fire.

• It shows Zeus’s belief that knowledge comes with a price.

• It indicates that knowing about fire does not have many benefits.

• It indicates that no one can change their fate—even the gods.

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Reread paragraph 9. Which sentence from the paragraph BEST explains the danger Zeus sees in man becoming too proud?

• For there is this in man too: a vaunting pride that needs little sustenance to make it swell to giant size.

• More interesting, perhaps, but infinitely more dangerous.

• Enough, Prometheus!

• Improve his lot, and he will forget that which makes him pleasing—his sense of worship, his humility.

• He will grow big and poisoned with pride and fancy himself a god, and before we know it, we shall see him storming Olympus.

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Read this quote from paragraph 11: "It was so hot, so quick; it bit sharply when you touched it, and for pure spite, made the shadows dance." What does the figurative language in this quote reveal about how men first viewed the gift from Prometheus?

• new and exciting

• dangerous and mysterious

• powerful and valuable

• entertaining and useless

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Prometheus uses personification in paragraph 12 when he describes fire as having human qualities: "It is an ill-natured spirit, a little brother of the sun, but if you handle it carefully, it can change your whole life. It is very greedy; you must feed it twigs, but only until it becomes a proper size. Then you must stop, or it will eat everything in sight—and you too. If it escapes, use this magic: water. It fears the water spirit, and if you touch it with water, it will fly away until you need it again. Which statement BEST explains why Prometheus uses personification when describing fire?"

• When Prometheus uses personification, he makes it easier for man to understand fire by comparing fire’s qualities to a person’s.

• When Prometheus uses personification, he explains that fire is literally a person who is unpredictable and needs to be managed well.

• When Prometheus uses personification, he shows how fire represents the strong feelings man will experience after he loses his ignorance.

• When Prometheus uses personification, he shows that he wants man to understand fire’s relationship to the sun.

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How does paragraph 14 contribute to the development of the plot?

• It describes how Prometheus challenged Zeus’s authority.

• It tells how Zeus will punish Prometheus.

• It reveals that knowledge of fire does come with a price.

• It shows how people changed after Prometheus gave them knowledge of fire.

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Imagine that the myth Prometheus will be given a new title. Which choice BEST describes a theme of the story?

• Zeus and Prometheus Disagree About Man

• Without Fire, Man Would Be a Beast-like Creature

• Fire Should Belong to the Gods Alone

• The Gift of Knowledge Comes With a Price

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In paragraph 15, Zeus considers destroying the humans with fire, but decides instead to “Let them destroy themselves with their new skills.” Based on the events leading up to this statement, the reader can infer that Zeus thinks that

• humans will not be able to control fire and they will burn.

• humans will forget to worship the gods, who will take vengeance.

• humans will use their new tools to go to war.

• humans will fight over who can control the fire.

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