War of the Worlds Quiz

First name:

Last name:

Period:

1. In Scene 1, the playwright does not reveal why fires are burning or what fight Henry plans to join. The most likely reason the playwright does not reveal this information is to _______.

• A. help the reader understand why Clara is upset
• B. make the reader curious about what’s going on
• C. hint that Henry will not make it to Leatherhead
• D. trick the reader into thinking that the aliens are friendly

2. In Scene 2, an alien struggles to breathe and falls over as it emerges from its cylinder. As a result, _______.

• A. some people think that the aliens are harmless
• B. some people think that the aliens are more advanced than humans
• C. the aliens become more terrifying
• D. the aliens decide to attack Earth

3. At the end of Scene 3, a beam of light sets bushes, trees, and houses on fire. This imagery helps shift the mood from _______.

• A. urgent to uncertain
• B. tense to terrifying
• C. suspenseful to joyful
• D. confusing to gloomy

4. At the beginning of Scene 6, Henry passes through a town. The townspeople _______.

• A. are very angry and want to join the fight against the Martians
• B. are overcome with fear
• C. have no hope of survival and see it as a waste of time to run from the Martians
• D. are sure that the army can protect them

5. Which line from the text best supports your answer to question 4?

• A. SD1: Henry is walking back toward Leatherhead.
• B. Henry: Death! Death is coming!
• C. Joe: This is the end of us.
• D. Man: The army’s got things under control.

6. Why does Henry continue to fight for his survival throughout the play?

• A. He wants to see Clara again.
• B. He is angry at the Martians and wants to destroy them.
• C. He wants to become famous.
• D. He wants to learn more about the Martians.

7. The caption “The Aliens” states that in fiction, aliens are portrayed in different ways—sometimes as “friendly explorers” and other times as “murderous maniacs.” How are the aliens in War of the Worlds portrayed? Support your answer with details from the play.