Is Our Gain Also Our Loss?

Who makes the comment “That’s the problem with the world today,” which

appears at the beginning of the blog post “Is Our Gain Also Our Loss?”

• teacher

• the author

• a TV reporter

• the author’s father

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Which of these experiences does the author of “Is Our Gain Also Our Loss?” fear that children of the next generation might miss out on? Choose ONE option.

• watching old commercials on YouTube

• being able to do homework electronically

• printing out a hard copy of a research paper

• using a smartphone to check a weather report

• swimming in a backyard or neighborhood pool

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In “Is Our Gain Also Our Loss?” what is the most likely reason that the author’s father becomes excited when he sees his daughter eating cereal?

• It reminds him of a meal his mother used to make.

• He is happy that she appreciates his favorite cereal.

• It reminds him of an old commercial that he once enjoyed.

• He is glad that she is taking the time to eat without electronics.

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What does the author of “Is Our Gain Also Our Loss?” notice about the old cereal commercial? Choose ONE option.

• It lacks snappy graphics and fast-paced cuts.

• It features modern music and technology.

• It does not clearly advertise the product.

• Its actors are mostly unknown.

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The following question has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B. Part A In “Is Our Gain Also Our Loss?” Cailin Loesch states, “It’s not just technology that’s changing, either: It’s our way of living.” How does she support this statement?

• by describing recent advances in technology

• by recalling memories of playing video games

• by contrasting activities today with activities of the past

• by imagining a future in which no improvements are possible

Part B Which sentence from “Is Our Gain Also Our Loss?” best illustrates the answer to Part A?

• I waited a moment for his comment to process, then looked down at my phone, analyzing it in a way that I had never before: feeling the cold, hard, metal in my palm, and the smooth, sleek screen underneath my thumb.

• Gradually, evenings spent doing homework at lamp-lit desks covered in pencils, paper, and textbooks are turning into late nights under bedsheets and blankets, a Google Docs page pulled up, fingers typing aggressively on a keyboard that can barely be seen in the dark.

• When he saw that I was eating Life cereal, a huge smile immediately crept across his face, and he started excitedly reciting a commercial that he remembered from his childhood.

• They say that you should never try to fix what’s not broken. Does the charm of the way things are now trump the need for things that are fresher, newer, and more advanced?

The author of “Is Our Gain Also Our Loss?” asks, “Will they laugh at us for using pieces of green paper to buy things?” To what is she referring?

• coupons

• dollar bills

• fake money

• credit cards

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The following question has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B. Part A The author of “Is Our Gain Also Our Loss?” sees many flaws in the cereal commercial she watches. What is her father’s reaction when he watches that commercial on YouTube?

• Disappointment: It is not as great as he remembered.

• Surprise: It seems old-fashioned and poorly made.

• Delight: It reminds him of his younger days.

• Pride: It looks just as good as modern ads.

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Part B Which sentence from “Is Our Gain Also Our Loss?” best supports the answer to Part A?

• And so we boys spent our summer mornings waiting by the TV for the hourly report that read the temperature, praying that it would say the number we wanted. . . .

• He called me into his office, where he threw himself down in front of his desktop computer to search for the ad on YouTube, eager to take me back in time with him

• Then I turned to my dad, who was still beaming, as if all the happy memories from his childhood were flashing before his eyes.

• The thing that has really stayed with me, though, is my dad’s comment about how all these new technologies are a “problem.”

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In “Is Our Gain Also Our Loss?” how does the author’s father best help to prompt her reflections about the future?

• When he shares with her his fears about a future in which people are disconnected from each other, she becomes fearful as well.

• When he wonders aloud whether new technology will prove to do more harm than good, she is inspired to use technology for good.

• When he indicates that the present is more troubling than the past, she wonders whether she will feel the same way when she is older.

• When he reminisces about the dreams that he had for the future when he was her age, she determines that she will plan her own future.

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