Quiz on Miss Brill

Which two sentences together summarize the passage?

• Miss Brill spends every Sunday morning at the park observing the interactions among the people who are there.

• Miss Brill’s day takes a turn for the worse when she discovers that an elderly man and woman are occupying her usual bench.

• Out of the goodness of her heart, Miss Brill reads the newspaper to an elderly man who cannot see well.

• Miss Brill observes a kind young boy giving a beautiful woman the flowers she dropped on the ground.

• A young couple criticizes Miss Brill’s fur, a special possession to her, and she returns home feeling solemn.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

How does the description of the people at the park develop the theme of the passage?

• The description illustrates the shared connections within a community.

• The description reveals the continuous circle of life of which everyone is a part.

• The description expresses the friendships that can arise among strangers.

• The description highlights the contrasts between fantasy and reality.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RI.11-12.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Which quotation supports the theme?

• "Miss Brill put up her hand and touched her fur. Dear little thing! It was nice to feel it again. She had taken it out of its box that afternoon, shaken out the moth powder, given it a good brush, and rubbed the life back into the dim little eyes." (paragraph 1)

• "There were a number of people out this afternoon, far more than last Sunday. And the band sounded louder and gayer. That was because the season had begun. For although the band played all the year round on Sundays, out of season it was never the same." (paragraph 2)

• "Two young girls in red came by and two young soldiers in blue met them, and they laughed and paired and went off arm-in-arm. Two peasant women with funny straw hats passed, gravely, leading beautiful smoke-colored donkeys." (paragraph 7)

• "They were all on stage. They weren’t only the audience, not only looking on; they were acting. Even she had a part and came every Sunday. No doubt somebody would have noticed if she hadn’t been there; she was part of the performance after all." (paragraph 8)

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RI.11-12.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Read the excerpt from paragraph 2: "Wasn't the conductor wearing a new coat, too? She was sure it was new. He scraped with his foot and flapped his arms like a rooster about to crow, and the bandsmen sitting in the green rotunda blew out their cheeks and glared at the music." How does the simile affect the overall passage?

• A by conveying the humorous tone of the passage as a whole

• B by describing the elegance and grandeur of the setting

• C by expressing that Miss Brill is extremely observant and notices everything around her

• D by illustrating that Miss Brill appreciates the exceptional talents of the park musicians

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Read the excerpt from paragraph 4: "Other people sat on the benches and green chairs, but they were nearly always the same, Sunday after Sunday, and—Miss Brill had often noticed—there was something funny about nearly all of them. They were odd, silent, nearly all old, and from the way they stared they looked as though they’d just come from dark little rooms or even—even cupboards!" What can the reader infer about Miss Brill from the excerpt?

• A She is frustrated and tired of seeing the same people week after week.

• B She is cruel and enjoys mocking other people.

• C She is hypocritical and judgmental of others for behaving exactly as she does.

• D She is vain and finds the prospect of growing older frightening.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

How does the author use paragraph 9 to build suspense?

• by describing a shift in Miss Brill’s role from observer to active participant in the fiction she has created

• by contrasting the slow and steady music of the band with the increasingly emotional behavior of Miss Brill

• by highlighting a turning point in the narrative when Miss Brill finally establishes actual connections with people in the park

• by illustrating how Miss Brill’s internal conflict is reflected outwardly through the song that the band plays

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.10

CCSS.RL.2.2

CCSS.RL.2.3

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.4.4

How does Miss Brill’s point of view affect her experience at the park?

• Miss Brill is introverted and too afraid to interact with the other people at the park.

• Miss Brill is lonely and excited by the energy and activity of the park.

• Miss Brill is sophisticated and enjoys the music and nature of the park.

• Miss Brill is reserved and prefers to keep to herself at the park.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

How does Miss Brill change over the course of the passage?

• She learns to mind her own business and stop eavesdropping on the conversations of others.

• She feels rejected by the community to which she thought she once belonged.

• She turns her attention to other aspects of her life that give her pleasure.

• She realizes that true happiness comes from within and not from other people.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.7

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

Which quotation from the passage supports the answer in Part A?

• "And still soundlessly singing, still with that trembling smile, Miss Brill prepared to listen." (paragraph 10)

• "Ah, be off with you!" said the boy in an angry whisper." (paragraph 14)

• "On her way home she usually bought a slice of honeycake at the baker's. It was her Sunday treat." (paragraph 15)

• "But when she put the lid on she thought she heard something crying." (paragraph 16)

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2