A Young Tinkerer Builds a Windmill Analysis

The contraption causing all the fuss is a tower made from lashed-together blue-gum tree trunks. From a distance, it resembles an old oil derrick. For blades, Mr. Kamkwamba used flattened plastic pipes. He built a turbine from spare bicycle parts. When the wind kicks up, the blades spin so fast they rock the tower violently back and forth.

What does this excerpt reveal about Mr. Kamkwamba’s abilities?

• a. He is able to follow directions very carefully.

• b. He is able to work quickly under tight deadlines.

• c. He is able to find creative solutions to problems.

• d. He is able to persuade people to work hard for him.

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“I got information about a windmill, and I try and I made it,” he said in halting English to a big ovation. After the conference, a group of entrepreneurs, African bloggers, and venture capitalists—some teary-eyed at the speech—pledged to finance his education."

Which sentence best describes the effect that Mr. Kamkwamba had on the audience at the TED conference?

• a. He startled them.

• b. He amused them.

• c. He offended them.

• d. He impressed them.

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Down the hill, the village handyman started building his own windmill after secretly studying Mr. Kamkwamba’s. A gust of wind blew the blades off the man’s first few attempts. Mr. Kamkwamba offered to help him rebuild, but got no reply.

How do these details help the writer develop Mr. Kamkwamba’s character?

• a. They provide an example of his generosity and his desire to help others.

• b. They provide an example of his shyness and challenges with making friends.

• c. They show that he is jealous and does not want anyone else to build windmills.

• d. They show that he is very clever but unable to share what he knows with others.

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Masitala, Malawi—On a continent woefully short of electricity, 20-year-old William Kamkwamba has a dream: to power up his country one windmill at a time.

So far, he has built three windmills in his yard here, using blue-gum trees and bicycle parts. His tallest, at 39 feet, towers over this windswept village …. The machine draws in visitors from miles around.

What is the most likely reason for including this information at the beginning of the article?

• a. to explain the outcome early so readers can focus on Mr. Kamkwamba’s interesting story

• b. to build tension by showing why people were opposed to Mr. Kamkwamba’s efforts

• c. to set the scene by explaining why poor parts of the world lack electrical supplies

• d. to make readers curious about how Mr. Kamkwamba might achieve his dream

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But his teacher, Lorilee MacLean, sometimes worries about his one-track mind and about all the attention he’s getting.

“I don’t want him to be seen as William the windmill maker,” said Mrs. MacLean one day recently. While Mr. Kamkwamba quietly plowed through homework, his classmates were busy gossiping and checking their Facebook profiles.

What does the audience learn about Mr. Kamkwamba from the teacher’s direct quotation?

• a. He tries to study but spends too much time socializing with other students.

• b. He is a disappointment to his teacher because he does not work very hard.

• c. He is a good student but tends to focus too much on a single topic.

• d. He cares little for studying because he is distracted by his fame.

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From the facts and details here“He wasn’t going to school anymore because his family couldn’t afford the $80-a-year tuition.,” what conclusion can you draw about education in Malawi?

• a. It is available only for male students.

• b. It is too expensive for many Malawians.

• c. It is entirely funded by the government.

• d. There are not enough Malawian teachers.

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