WorksheetsBoy on the Wooden Box Review
Total questions: 30
Worksheet time: 20mins
Read the following sentence from the novel.
“Trees sprouted new leaves; wildflowers were blooming.”
What symbolism exists in this sentence?
Life had gone on for everyone.
A rebirth or new life was possible.
The destruction from the war was being demolished.
Flowers symbolized a fresh scent in the air.
The citizens of Kraków demonstrated all of the following except-
they were embarrassed by their actions during the war.
their feelings towards the Jews had not changed.
the citizens believed the rumors about the Jews.
the citizens attempted to welcome the returning Jews without prejudice.
Which of the following quotes from the story is an example of foreshadowing?
“Suddenly I flashed back to Krakow, when the Nazis ordered us Jews to the back of the bus (before they forbade us from traveling on public transportation altogether).”
"It turned out knowing German would prove more useful to us than we could have ever imagined.”
“My parents had experienced war firsthand, the Great War of 1914-1918.”
"In the evenings, when I sang this song with the Lansman family, those words seemed like ancient history.”
How was Leon able to overcome the hardships he experienced in Poland?
He chose to forget it ever happened.
He refused to talk about the events for many years.
He moved to America, learned the language, and got a job.
He stayed in Poland, raised a family, and carried on with life.
Which of the following would NOT be a theme of the story?
Sometimes you must do whatever it takes to survive.
Prejudice is an evil force that is difficult to defeat.
Sacrifice is an important part of survival, including sacrificing your family.
The strength to live can survive in the worst places.
All of the following were ways in which the German’s demonstrated their prejudice against the Jews except-
making them attend school.
forcing them to relocate.
depicting them as untrustworthy people.
forbidding them to ride public transportation.
Which of the following is the best summary of the story?
Leon and his family sacrificed a great deal in order to survive the treatment of the Nazis.
Leon and his family moved from Narewka to Kraków after his father received a job there. They were forced to move to the Poland Ghetto.
Leon’s family was forced to move to the Poland Ghetto after the Nazis captured Poland. The family endured much suffering at the hands of the Nazis. Eventually, Leon moved to America.
After moving to Kraków and the takeover of Poland by the Nazis, Leon’s family was to enduring years of hardship, discrimination, torture, and humiliation until their eventual release from Nazi control. Leon went on to prosper in America.
Leon spent most of his free time in the ghetto doing the following except-
watching movies at the local theater.
foraging for food.
going to Hebrew school.
playing with kids his own age
What lesson did Leon learn about day-to-day life?
Survival was a matter of pure luck.
Be nice to the soldiers because you never knew when you would need them.
Sometimes the risk was worth taking if you could get food out of taking it.
Respect from others had to be earned.
Which of the following sentences from the novel conveys Leon’s feeling of being defeated?
"At dawn I ate my ration of bread, returned to the barracks, and fell exhausted into my bunk.”
“In the span of a minute, my beloved brother was gone.”
“As days turned into weeks and the likelihood of finding Father deteriorated, our situation became increasingly desperate.”
“I had grown numb to what might happen to me, to whatever my fate might be.”
One example of how Jews were treated differently in Poland would be-
their inability to own a car.
their inability to own land.
their inability to find work.
their inability to attend church services.
Read the paragraph from the story and answer the question.
“As the winter of 1943 began, Goeth’s wrath instensified. I had been ordered to shovel snow with a group of men. With no winter clothes, I was so frozen, I could hardly hold the shovel. Suddenly Goeth showed up and on a whim demanded that the guards lash each of us twenty-five times with their savage leather whips. None of us could figure out the provocation, but that did not matter. As commandant, Goeth could do whatever he wanted, with or without reason.”
What inference can be made about the character of Commander Goeth?
He expects hard work from the Jews, but still models respect
He is mild-tempered and calm when interacting with others
He has a large ego and believes the Jews should not receive fair treatment
He believes the guards should be kept busy, no matter who it will affect
The author’s purpose for including descriptions about his childhood was to-
convey the importance of family.
demonstrate that he was no different than any other child.
illustrate the differences between Jews and Christians.
show how anyone can have fun swimming.
What does the word escapades mean in the following sentence?
“What made the escapades even more exciting was that my mother had forbidden my going to the river.”
harm or trouble caused by someone or something
Acts involving excitement, daring, or adventure
feelings of severe despondency and dejection
a routine task, especially a household one
What lesson does Leon learn after his teacher called him Moshe?
The teacher knew Leon’s father and respected him greatly.
Leon learned that his teacher really like him.
The teacher was very proud of Leon’s work.
Leon learned that the term Moshe, used by non-Jews, was an insult.
After reading about the Night of Broken Glass, Leon states, “In fact, much more than glass was shattered that night,” the reader may infer-
all Germans would mistreat the Jews.
the hopes and dreams of the Jews were also destroyed.
the German soldiers were also breaking in doors.
the lives of Jews would go back to normal in a few days.
Upon seeing the German soldiers crossing the bridge, Leon states, “Although we didn’t know it then, our years in hell had begun.” The author most likely uses this figurative language to-
build excitement for what the Jews were about to experience.
exaggerate the situation of the Jews.
compare the future lives of the Jews to a horrific place.
compare the living conditions of the Jews to a familiar place.
The actions of the German soldiers against the Jews included all except-
the looting of Jewish businesses.
the evictions of Jews from their apartments.
the cutting off of the beards and side curls of the Jewish men.
the frequent attendance of prayers at the synagogues.
Read the paragraph from the story and answer the question.
“Gradually I began to fear him less and actually looked forward to his visits. Never knowing when he might stop by helped keep me awake and focused. I felt proud when Schindler talked with me, although my pride was tinged with anxiety. I think Schindler in fact took a shine to me. He would point me out to visitors and say that I was an example of how hard his Jews were working.”
What does this paragraph reveal about the relationship between Leon and Schindler?
Schindler was very fond of Leon; Leon enjoyed his company
Leon did not trust Schindler at all; he was very cautious around him
Schindler thinks Leon is not good at his job; he is making fun of him
Leon wishes that Schindler would give him less working hours
“I saw the shock and shame in my father’s eyes as he lay helpless in front of his wife and children.” (Page 56) Why does Leon mention this example?
He wanted the reader to see how dehumanizing the treatment of Jews could be.
He wanted the reader to understand that not all Germans were bad people.
He hoped to convey the uselessness experienced by the German soldiers.
He wanted to demonstrate how the Jewish people fought against the Germans.
In the beginning, why was Leon’s interactions with the German soldiers ironic?
Leon was taking food from them.
The German soldiers were nice to Leon.
Leon bonded with the German soldiers.
The German soldiers knew Leon was a Jew.
What does the word furtively mean in the following sentence?
“Escapees from earlier deportations had furtively returned to the ghetto with stories of trains filled with people entering a camp and leaving empty, even though the population of the camp never increased.”
Openly
Aggressively
Secretively
Adamantly
What do the rounded stones at Podgórze symbolize?
Angels
The sun (therefore, hope)
Second chances
Tombstones
“I heard a shot and then another. I felt a bullet whiz past my ear; it pierced the wall behind me. I quickly ducked into the alcove entrance of the nearest building, my heart racing. More shots rang out. Had I been hit? How would I know?” (page 98) The author uses short sentences and rhetorical questions to-
convey the panic being felt by Leon.
create a whimsical feeling to the exchange between Leon and the German soldiers.
demonstrate how poorly the Germans were at capturing the Jews.
illustrate the necessity of abiding the curfew.
A theme expressed in this story centers on-
survival at any cost.
be kind to others, you never know when you will need them.
hope and love will solve all problems.
act first, think later.
“At the very last moment she reached into a pile of rags on the shelf where she slept and pulled out a walnut-size piece of bread...pressed the bread into my hand and pushed me out the door.” (Page 118) The reader can infer from this sentence-
Leon’s mother was a thief.
Leon’s mother was only looking out for herself.
Leon’s mother was willing to sacrifice herself for Leon.
Leon’s mother was hoarding food to be used later for bartering.
Which of the following sentences clearly shows the cowardice of the German soldiers?
Senior Nazis came through periodically and inspected our work.
By that time German officers and soldiers were fleeing, doing their utmost to avoid capture by the rapidly approaching Soviet army.
Next we had a “medical checkup,” which consisted of our running in circles past Nazi inspectors.
SS guards, as frightening as the officer who had recently grunted me into the Schindler group, stood sentry at the entrance.
“When I think of all his many actions as a rescuer, big and small, it is this one act that first comes to mind; I think perhaps because it demonstrates such extraordinary compassion.” (Page 147) The author uses this example to explain-
the depth of hostility Leon felt toward Schindler.
the complex nature that existed between Schindler and the Jews.
Leon’s respect and gratitude towards Schindler.
Schindler’s lack of empathy towards the Jews he employed.
“Still naked, we were assembled and processed like items of cargo.” (Page 154) After reading this sentence, the reader is expected to make the following comparison-
the Jews were treated like livestock on the way to the slaughterhouse.
the Nazis believed the fittest would survive.
the Jews were treated like animals in a zoo.
the Nazis were treating the Jews like expensive merchandise.
What does the word desolation mean in the following sentence?
“Driven by pain and desolation, that evening I risked additional beatings or worse by sneaking over to my father’s barracks.”
Determination
Misery
Dedication
Gloominess
