Dark They Were

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 garden grows green roses and purple grass.

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

• His neighbors calmly accept all the changes around them.

At the end of “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed,” whom does the lieutenant from Earth encounter in the hills?

• He finds the original Earth colonists, who have fully transformed

  into Martians.

• He finds the original Martians, who have destroyed the Earth

  colonists.

• He finds refugees who fled to Mars from the Earth during the

  nuclear war.

• He finds an alien race that lives in the ruins of the original

  Martians’ settlement.

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 completely underwater.

• The area has experienced a long drought.

• The water has made the surface of the road slippery.

• The road has been destroyed and will need to be replaced.

The atmosphere of the Earth consists of 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, and 1 percent other gases.

What is the most accurate meaning of atmosphere in this

sentence?

• space

• chemistry

• cloud cover

• surrounding air

Which of the following situations could best be used to illustrate the meaning of forlorn?

• a soccer team that has just won a game

• an abandoned dog sitting alone in the rain

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

• a teenage babysitter watching two young children play

Read the following sentence from “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed.”

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.

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 of the following best states a major theme in “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed”?

• Since we have limited resources on Earth, governments should

  look to other planets to meet our needs.

• Humans are generally open minded and peaceful in their

  encounters with the unknown.

• Though people often fear and resist it, change is unavoidable in

  the end.

• Far-off worlds can be anything people imagine them to be.

Read the following sentence from “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed.”

And the lawn in front of their house very quietly and slowly was coloring itself like spring violets. Seed from Earth but growing up a soft purple.

What comparison does the simile in the sentence make and how does this language contribute to the mood of the story?

• It compares the house with a coloring book and adds a playful mood.

• It compares the lawn with a seed and contributes to a positive mood.

• It compares the house with spring violets and contributes to a positive mood.

• It compares the lawn with spring violets and contributes to an eerie, unearthly mood.