Thomas Jefferson Is Homesick

Read the sentences from paragraph 2. Important men throughout the American colonies were meeting in Philadelphia to discuss and debate the war with Great Britain. The colony of Virginia sent Thomas Jefferson to Philadelphia. But Jefferson wasn’t happy. He wasn’t much of a debater. What does debater mean as it is used above?

• A. a person who dislikes travel

• B. a person who is easily angered

• C. someone who argues about a subject

• D. someone who works in the government

Based on the information in the passage, what caused Jefferson to be unhappy about going to Philadelphia? Use details from the passage to support your answer.

Read the sentences from paragraph 8. The American colonies had been at war with Great Britain for more than a year, but surprisingly, the colonies had not formally announced their independence. So the Congress appointed a five-man committee to create a document proclaiming America’s independence. Think about the Latin root gress. What is the meaning of Congress as it is used above?

• A. a group of delegates who represent the thirteen colonies

• B. the branch of government that makes laws

• C. the act of building a nation

• D. a group of legal experts

What was an effect of Jefferson staying in Philadelphia?

• A. He wrote a state constitution.

• B. He was asked to return home.

• C. He wrote the Declaration of Independence.

• D. He was invited to the Virginia Convention.

What caused Jefferson to include his ideas about a perfect government in the Declaration of Independence?

• A. the suggestions from other delegates

• B. his work on the Virginia constitution

• C. the resolutions of fellow congressmen

• D. his knowledge of the British government

Read paragraph 12. Still, Thomas Jefferson dreamed of home. In late July he begged Richard Henry Lee to replace him in Congress. “I am under a sacred obligation to go home,” he wrote. Jefferson had promised his wife he would return soon. What is the meaning of obligation as it is used above?

• A. treaty

• B. journey

• C. interruption

• D. responsibility

Based on the information in the passage and the timeline, why did Jefferson write the Declaration of Independence?

• A. to help end the American Revolution

• B. to convince King George to stop unfair taxation

• C. to convince the colonists to fight the British Army

• D. to help the thirteen colonies become free from British rule

What change should be made in sentence 4?

• A. Change him to his.

• B. Change him to my.

• C. Change him to your.

• D. No change is needed.

Read sentence 5 from the report. I remember asking him one day, “Did anything teach you how to play the guitar so beautifully?” What is the correct way to write the underlined part of the sentence?

• A. everybody

• B. everyone

• C. someone

• D. nobody

Read sentence 7 from the report. I shook my head in disbelief and asked, “Then what taught you all of those neat songs you know how to play?” What is the correct way to write the underlined part of the sentence?

• A. which

• B. whose

• C. whom

• D. who