Dark They Were and Golden Eyed Themes

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.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

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

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

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

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

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.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

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.