WorksheetsRevenge of the Geeks
Total questions: 25
Worksheet time: 17mins
Which of these quotations best expresses the central idea of “Revenge of the Geeks”?
For many, … high school is the “first foray into the adult
world where [kids] have to think about their own status.”
Geeks profit from their technological know how.
In the adult world, being out is in.
[Students] need to know before graduation that being
different is not a problem but a strength.
According to “Revenge of the Geeks,” what do Taylor Swift, Tim Gunn, and J.K. Rowling have in common?
They are all famous and successful musicians who were once outcasts.
They are all celebrities who attend the “nerd prom known as
Comic Con.”
They all have traits that made them unpopular in high
school but led to success as adults.
They were all shy students in high school who spent a lot of time reading and daydreaming.
What is the main trait that makes some teenagers unpopular, according to “Revenge of the Geeks”?
being aggressive
being different
being a gossip
being shy
According to “Revenge of the Geeks,” which of the following characteristics benefit geeks later in life? Choose two options.
confidence
intelligence
leadership abilities
technological understanding
problem-solving skills
If a boss wanted to marginalize her rivals on the job, how might she do it?
reward them for a job well done
attack them directly and forcefully
give them unimportant things to do
challenge them to do an essential task
If the members of a group consider someone a pariah, how do they treat him or her?
as a newcomer
as an outsider
as a friend
as a leader
In which of the following circumstances could someone be accused of bigotry?
if he or she rejected people because of their race
if he or she hired only people who had special skills
if he or she asked people to change their way of thinking
if he or she told people that they were improperly dressed
In “Revenge of the Geeks,” which evidence best supports the author’s claim that “the characteristics that marginalize [geeks] can pay off after graduation”?
The qualities that make people different make them targets.
Popular students are more likely than outsiders to conform.
Gamers know how to problem-solve and collaborate.
Schools should find better ways to nurture outsiders.
Whom does the author of “Revenge of the Geeks” cite to lend credibility to her argument that cliquish behavior may result in bigotry?
educators
psychologists
hip-hop artists
popular students
How does the example of Taylor Swift add relevance to the author’s argument in “Revenge of the Geeks”? Choose two options.
by showing that musicians are people, too
by implying that any outcast could win a major award
by demonstrating that country music may be unpopular
by using a current reference that most readers would know
by connecting a recognizable person to the author’s claim
Which of these synonyms has the most negative connotation?
unconventional
eccentric
unusual
bizarre
Which of these synonyms has the most positive connotation?
delicate
flimsy
brittle
weak
Read these sentences from “Revenge of the Geeks.”
We don’t view a saxophonist as musically challenged if he can’t play the violin. He’s just a different kind of musician. A sprinter is still an athlete even if she can’t play basketball. She’s a different kind of athlete.
Which of the following techniques does the author use most clearly in making her point?
exaggeration
parallel structure
variation
conflict
Which pair of phrases in this sentence from “Revenge of the Geeks” is an example of parallelism?
It’s hard to know when you’re in high school that “the smart thing” is likely to translate into later success, or that “the girl thing” is bound to improve.
hard to know; bound to improve
you’re in high school; into later success
“the smart thing”; “the girl thing”
later success; bound to improve
Read this paragraph. Pay special attention to the underlined sentence.
Students would have an easier time at school if school officials appreciated and celebrated differences. Grownups would do better at work if bosses respected dissimilarities. The first step is to respect that everyone has something to offer.
How could the underlined sentence be changed to increase parallelism? Choose the revision that best enhances the parallel structure while keeping the same basic meaning.
Grownups would do better work having bosses who respect dissimilarities.
Grownups who work would do better at it if bosses understood more about differences.
Grownups would have an easier time at work if bosses appreciated and celebrated differences.
Grownups would be having an easier time at work if they had bosses who appreciated dissimilarities.
How does using Taylor Swift add relevance to the author's argument?
by implying that any outcast could win an major award
by demonstrating that country music may be unpopular
by using a current reference most people know
Replace the underlined portion of the sentence with a choice that creates a parallel structure.
There are two ways to get a promotion: working hard or make friends in high places.
to working hard
work hard
no change
worked hard
Neither _______ nor the ineffective air conditioner rattling in the window will deter Tiffany from loving the freedom of her first apartment.
when the inconsiderate neighbors played loud music
the inconsiderate neighbors playing loud music
playing loud music by the inconsiderate neighbors
having played loud music by the inconsiderate neighbors
When Noodle, the poodle, realized that the leash meant a bath, not a walk to the park, he growled, pulled, and _______.
was leaping like a fish on the line
he was leaping like a fish on a line
leaped like a fish on a line
decided to leap like a fish on a line
