M2: U1-Unit Assessment Review-Central Idea & Development (Ch. 4)

"We began in July, when we cleared the remnants of the previous season's harvest. We collected the old maize stalks and placed them into piles."

Which two words from the excerpt best help the reader to understand the meaning of the word remnants?

• cleared

• previous

• harvest

• collected

• old

"With no rain, the sun rose angry in the sky each morning and showed no mercy on the seedlings that had survived. By February, the stalks were wilted and bent toward the ground. By May, half of our crop was scorched. The plants remained were only as high as my father's chest. If you took one of the leaves in your hand it would crumble to dust."

Which phrase from the excerpt best helps the reader to understand the meaning of the word scorched?

• "stalks were wilted"

• "bent toward the ground"

• "as high as my father's chest"

• "crumble to dust"

Which of the following best describes the central idea of Ch. 4 "The Uncertain Life of an African Farmer"?

• William preferred being a scientist to a farmer, and he didn't want to help with the maize crop in 2000.

• Nsima, the "doughy porridge" made from corn, is critical to the people who live in Malawi & William's village.

• Political and environmental events made things very different for the maize crop in the year 2000.

• A surprise reward for working hard to clear the old corn stalks was a chance to catch something to eat.

Which two pieces of evidence from Ch. 4 best help to convey to central idea?

• "...the country began to flood."

• "...after the rains stopped, they never came back."

• "...being a scientist was loads better than farming..."

• "...nsima is so important to our diets..."

• "...nothing more delicious than crunchy, roasted grasshoppers with nsima."

IF YOU GOT YOUR CORE NOVEL, TAKE IT OUT!

Which of the following is a method used by the writers on pages 64 and 65 to further develop the reader's understanding of William?

• anecdote

• physical description

• example

• inner thoughts

IF YOU GOT YOUR CORE NOVEL TAKE IT OUT!

Which of the following is something the reader can infer about William's character from page 64?

• He is joyful.

• He is competitive.

• He is selfish.

• He is determined.

Which piece of evidence from page 64 best supports this inference about William's character?

• "...weren't supposed to be hunting and eating grasshoppers."

• "How many do you have Mr. Geoffrey?"

• "We caught them and put them int sugar bags."

• "...we did wth great excitemen."

IF YOU GOT YOUR CORE NOVEL, TAKE IT OUT

Which of the following is something the reader can infer about William's character from page 65?

• He is smart.

• He is resentful (holding grudges)

• He is afraid

• He is reliable (dependable)

Which piece of evidence from page 65 supports this inference?

• "...we didn't use a plow or a tractor to dig them..."

• "I'd start in the morning before school..."

• "I walked quickly, trying not to think..."

• "...caused me to jump out of my trousers."