"The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" Chapter 15 and Epilogue

What caused William to feel nervous when he first arrived at the TED conference in Arusha? (Chapter 15)

• He was intimidated by the number of people speaking English with different accents.

• He was worried that no one would believe his story about the windmill.

• He feared that he would be asked to build another machine right away.

• He had lost the photos and notes he had brought with him.

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How did William first realize what a laptop computer was? (Chapter 15)

• He was shown a demonstration at his hotel.

• He saw Tom plug his flash drive into a small device.

• A teacher explained computers to him before the conference.

• He watched other students using them at school.

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What impressed William most when Tom first showed him the Internet? (Chapter 15)

• That it could connect him to new friends around the world.

• That he could find information instantly on windmills and solar power.

• That it could allow him to write emails to his family.

• That it displayed videos of other inventors’ speeches.

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What inspired William most about other African speakers at TED? (Chapter 15)

• Their ability to speak fluent English in front of a crowd.

• Their courage and creative solutions to Africa’s problems.

• Their knowledge of advanced medical technologies.

• Their financial success in global business.

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What opportunity did Tom Rielly pursue for William after the TED conference? (Chapter 15)

• A scholarship to study engineering in America.

• Funding for William’s education and an improved windmill.

• A job working at Baobab Health in Lilongwe.

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Why did Tom describe William as being like a “Silicon Valley startup”? (Chapter 15)

• Because William had created a successful business plan.

• Because he was young and inexperienced but had innovative ideas.

• Because he had already made money from selling inventions.

• Because he was skilled at repairing modern technology.

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How did Tom react when he saw William’s original windmill in Wimbe? (Chapter 15)

• He criticized it for being unsafe.

• He admired it as both functional and artistic.

• He suggested that it should be replaced with a solar panel.

• He dismissed it as too small to be useful.

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What major improvement did William make to his family’s compound with new support from donors? (Chapter 15)

• He added a solar pump to irrigate crops.

• He wired the homes with safe electrical lines and added solar panels.

• He built a large new storage house for maize.

• He constructed a workshop for repairing radios.

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What was William’s reaction to seeing skyscrapers and technology in New York City? (Chapter 15)

• He felt jealous of America’s wealth.

• He questioned why Malawi could not provide basic infrastructure.

• He decided he wanted to stay in America permanently.

• He believed America had wasted its resources on unnecessary projects.

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Why did William find it ironic to see African animals in the San Diego Wild Animal Park? (Chapter 15)

• Because he had studied those animals in books but never seen them in person.

• Because the animals were treated better in America than in Malawi.

• Because those same animals lived near his village, yet he had never visited the parks there.

• Because Americans paid money to see animals that were common in his country.

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