Quiz on 'Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed'

What is Harry Bittering’s main emotion in the first half of “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed”?

• He is curious about the fate of the Martians.

• He is angry at his wife for wanting to stay on Mars.

• He is afraid of being changed by the Martian environment.

• He is annoyed by the other Earth people in the town on Mars.

Which event in “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed” is most important in preventing the family’s return to Earth?

• The family is happy living on a farm in the new settlement.

• The return ticket to Earth costs more than the family has.

• A rocket that Harry builds does not function.

• An atomic world war breaks out on Earth.

In “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed,” what is Mr. Bittering’s first clue that his world is changing?

• His children want to adopt Martian names.

• His peach tree sheds strange new blossoms.

• His wife’s and his children’s eyes turn a golden color.

• His neighbors calmly accept all the changes around them.

In “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed,” what does Mr. Bittering do to cope with his fears about living on Mars? Choose two options.

• He spends time with other settlers, who talk him out of his fear.

• He persuades his wife and family to return with him to Earth.

• He concentrates on his work on their small farm and other chores

• He moves his family to a Martian villa in the hills to escape the summer heat.

• He tries to build a rocket to take his family back to Earth.

Which sentence best describes the Bittering family members at the conclusion of “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed”?

• They are completely changed into Martians and have no memory of their past selves.

• They are resigned to living on Mars but are unhappy with their lives there.

• They are different physically but still think and act like Earth people.

• They are eager to return to Earth now that the atomic war is over.

If a road can correctly be described as submerged in water, which of the following must be true? Base your answer on the meaning of submerged.

• The road is impossible to navigate.

• The area has experienced a long drought.

• The location of the road is high in the mountains.

• The road needs extensive work by the highway department.

What is the most accurate meaning of atmosphere in this sentence? The atmosphere of the Earth consists of 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, and 1 percent other gases.

• space

• chemistry

• cloud cover

• surrounding air

Which of the following situations could best be used to illustrate the meaning of forlorn? Base your answer on the meaning of forlorn.

• a soccer team that has just won a game

• an abandoned dog sitting alone in the rain

• a teenage babysitter watching two young children play

• a busy man on a city street who has just missed a bus

In “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed,” what does the constant wind on Mars most likely represent?

• the power of the environment to completely change the Earth people

• the sadness that Mr. Bittering feels when he cannot return to Earth

• the very hot weather on Mars that disturbs the Earth people

• the destruction of the Earth people’s settlement on Mars

Which quotation from “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed” best supports the answer to Part A?

• The wind blew as if to flake away their identities. At any moment, the Martian air might draw his soul from him, as marrow comes from a white bone.

• “Even the house. The wind’s done something to it. The air’s burned it. The fog at night.”

• The nights were full of wind that blew down the empty moonlit sea meadows past the little white chess cities lying for their twelve-thousandth year in the shallows.

• The captain looked at the room, the dusty windows, the blue mountains rising beyond, the canals moving in the light, and he heard the soft wind in the air. He shivered.