Quiz on 'The Last Highway'

What is the main setting of "The Last Highway"?

• A small island in South Louisiana

• A bustling city in the north

• A desert in the southwest

• A mountain village in the east

The relationship between Eli Comeaux and Jonah Savoie is that - (a)   .

• They are cousins.
• They are best friends.
• They are brothers.
• They are classmates.

What does Eli think about when he feels the wet ground beneath his feet?

• The sound of the rain

• If he will ever get a chance to live out his dreams

• The meaning and 'life' in the sinking land

• The color of the sky

Why is the highway on Belle Isle so important?

• It connects the island to the mainland.

• It is a popular tourist attraction.

• It blocks ocean water from homes and businesses.

• It is a historical landmark.

Why have many families left Belle Isle?

• They are looking for better job opportunities.

• The island has too much flooding and land loss.

• The island has poor access to modern technology.

• The state government is paying families to relocate.

Read this excerpt from paragraph 10 of the story.

If the tides are too high this evening or if the rain and wind come in tonight like a fierce and mighty duo, the road will likely be impassable by morning.

The word impassable includes the prefix im-, which means "not." Which phrase best expresses the meaning of impassable as it is used in this excerpt?

• Not capable of existing

• Not able to be inspected

• Not meeting expectations

• Not able to be traveled on

What do Eli and Jonah value about the items preserved in their treasure chest?

• They were gifts from friends who have moved away.

• They were saved from the worst flood to hit the island.

• They remind the boys of an earlier time in their childhood.

• They can be sold to help the boys' families get new homes.

Which excerpt from the story best supports the idea that the boys are attached to their items and memories?

• Eli remembers that storm well—it was the same hurricane that destroyed many Belle Isle homes beyond repair, even taking down the island’s last restaurant, The Wild Man’s Oyster Shack. (paragraph 14)

• Eli and Jonah had searched for the pirate treasure, until they decided to bury their own chest. (paragraph 16)

• Everything in the box had a story, something from their time on the island when they were 11. (paragraph 20)

• That piece of land had shrunk so much it’s more water than anything resembling solid ground now. The Trahan family relocated two years ago. (paragraph 23)

In which two excerpts does the author support the message that Belle Isle is changing in ways that challenge the people who live there?

• These days the road floods even on days no rains come through. These days the water is almost always too high. (paragraph 10)

• This tree is important in another way as well. It’s underneath this tree where he and Jonah had buried their first treasure chest. (paragraph 16)

• The island never got good phone reception or internet, so they had little in the way of modern technological distractions. They had the woods, the Gulf, and the few other kids still remaining in their community. (paragraph 18)

• He takes his handful of soil and dumps it into their treasure box. At least this part of Belle Isle won't get washed away. (paragraph 38)

Read paragraph 37 (below).

Before he can second-guess himself, Eli sinks to his knees and digs his fingers into the mound of dirt they’d left beside the hole. He takes a handful of the thick, clay-like soil in one hand and squishes it with a fist, watching it crumble out between his fingers. Soil so rich, wet, and filled with life.

What idea does the author emphasize through her use of vivid imagery?

• Eli wants to show how strong he is.

• Eli feels a strong connection to the land.

• Eli is upset about having to dig up the treasure chest.

• Eli is searching for more buried items from his childhood.