Where Is Here? Comprehension Questions

When does “Where Is Here?” take place?

• on a snowy day at a hillside cottage

• on a chilly, damp evening at sunset

• late on a breezy afternoon in summertime

• early in the morning, just before sunrise

In the beginning of “Where Is Here?,” what does the stranger say that he would like to do?

• poke around

• meet the children

• take photographs of the house

• make an offer to buy the house

After which event in “Where Is Here?” does the father announce forcefully, “The visit is over”?

• the stranger’s bursting into tears

• the stranger’s entrance into the house

• the stranger’s request to sit on the basement steps

• the stranger’s statement that there used be a water stain on the wall

At the end of “Where Is Here?,” what effect has the stranger’s visit had on the family?

• It has left the family sad and tired.

• It has left the children excited and curious about math.

• It has left the father and mother quarrelsome and confused.

• It has left the father and mother grateful and appreciative of their lives.

Which words best characterize the stranger in “Where Is Here?”

• He possesses a good sense of humor.

• He shows fierce loyalty to his family.

• He proves that he is trustworthy and honest.

• He demonstrates mysterious and confusing powers.

In which of the following places would a person most likely be gregarious?

• a shop

• a party

• a library

• an office

Which of the following is the best example of a person behaving amiably?

• Patrick complained to the waiter that his soup was cold.

• Dolores offered to share the last slice of cake with Mike.

• LaTasha prepared carefully for her role in the school play.

• Amahl gave a fascinating class presentation on sea creatures.

If baseball players are stoical in the face of their team’s defeat, which of the following must be true? Base your answer on the meaning of stoical.

• The players thank the fans for their support.

• The players show no emotion after the game.

• The players accuse the other team of cheating.

• The players begin practicing for the next game.

Which of the following best explains what is taking place in this passage?

"In the living room he [the father] saw that the lights were flickering as if on the brink of going out; the patterned wallpaper seemed drained of color; a shadow lay upon it shaped like a bulbous cloud or growth."

• The father is changing his opinion about the stranger.

• The father is recalling how the living room has always appeared.

• The father is beginning to understand the stranger’s difficult childhood.

• The father is detecting an otherworldly, unreal, and frightening presence.

"Where Is Here?" focuses mostly on which of the following?

• the strong influence of the irrational on human behavior

• the precise, mathematical design of the universe

• the stability of marital relationships

• the dependable beauty of nature