The Martians Are Coming

1. Which of the following is the best summary of this passage?

• A. In 1938 a radio program aired a version of "The War of the Worlds" that made the story seem like it was really happening. There was an announcement that the play was not real. However, many people did not hear that announcement, and the acting and realistic sound effects convinced many listeners that Martians were really attacking Earth. Since the play seemed so real, many listeners panicked, and Orson Welles, the director, was even questioned by police.
• B. "The Mercury Theater on the Air" was a radio program hosted by Orson Welles that aired plays every week. During this time, almost everyone listened to the radio instead of watching television. One week, Welles decided that he would air an old story after making it more real so that people would not think it was silly. He changed the setting of the story and made it seem like it was really happening.
• C. In 1938, most people listened to "The Charlie McCarthy Show" on the radio every Sunday night. "The Charlie McCarthy Show" was about a wooden dummy. Another radio show that was on every Sunday was called "The Mercury Theater on the Air. This show was directed by Orson Welles and broadcasted a different play each week.
• D. An announcer cam on the radio, interrupting a music program to describe a strange explosion that had happened on Mars, Later, the same announcer reported that a large flaming object had fallen from the sky and had landed on a New Jersey farm. Then, other people came on the radio saying that they had seen creatures with black eyes and log arms coming out of space ships and shooting heat rays and poisonous gas. The people announced that the creatures were destroying everything.

2. From what the reader learns about Orson Wells, which statement would NOT be reasonable?

• A. Orson Welles is very involved with a play he is directing.
• B. Orson Welles wants to make people panic.
• C. Orson Welles finds ways to tell old stories so that listeners think they are hearing them for the first time.
• D. Orson Welles wants to entertain people with his plays.

3. The phrase head and shoulders in paragraph 11 means-

• A. owes a debt to others.
• B. older than others.
• C. taller than others.
• D. superior to others.

4. This passage is mostly about -

• A. how popular "The Charlie McCarthy" show was with radio listeners in 1938.
• B. the life and career of Orson Welles.
• C. how a radio play about visitors from outer space scared many listeners.
• D. An English novel called "The War of the Worlds".

5. Study the diagram. It shows a cause from the passage and some of its effects. Which best completes the diagram?

• A. "The Charlie McCarthy Show hit a dull spot.
• B. Many people had not heard the beginning of the play.
• C. Many people called the police.
• D. Orson Welles made the play seem real.

6. The main purpose of paragraph 3 is to -

• A. persuade the reader to listen to the radio more often.
• B. entertain the reader by telling an old story in a new way.
• C. provide the reader with information about Orson Welles and "The Mercury Theater on the Air".
• D. express the author's admiration for the shows that were played on "The Mercury Theater on the Air".

7. Based on the information in the passage, the reader can conclude that -

• A. "The Charlie McCarthy Show" was not on CBS in 1938.
• B. Orson Welles was also the host of "The Charlie McCarthy Show" in 1938.
• C. only people on New Jersey farms panicked when they heart "The War of the World".
• D. "The Mercury Theater on the Air" also appeared on television in 1938.

8. A few weeks after The War of the Worlds aired, a study was conducted to determine why some people panicked and others did not. They found that people who did not panic were the ones who were able to figure out that it was just a play. The circle graph above shows the different ways people figured out that the attack was not real. According to the circle graph, over half of the people who figured out that the attack was not real-

• A. checked the radio schedule in the newspaper.
• B. either thought the events described on the air were too unbelievable or were told by someone else that it was just a play.
• C. either checked the radio schedule in the newspaper, realized no other station was reporting the attack, or realized all of the names being used were fake.
• D. either realized all the names were fake, were told by someone else that the attack was not real, or heard the beginning of the show.

9. How do the people of Earth react when they realize the Earth is being invaded by Martians?

• A. They immediately prepare for an all-out battle.
• B. They try to communicate with the Martians through messages and signals.
• C. They flee in panic, believing the Martians will destroy them.
• D. They ignore the event, assuming it is a false alarm.

10. This story is told using the organizational pattern sequencing. How does putting the events in the order they occur help the author tell this story?

• A. It makes the story harder to understand.
• B. It makes the story funnier.
• C. It makes the story easier to understand.
• D. It makes the story seem out of order.