WorksheetsNickel and Dimed Quiz
Total questions: 28
Worksheet time: 21mins
What is the author’s purpose in using a quotation from her former coworker on line 37? “As Gail, one of my restaurant coworkers put it, “you give and you give.””
To praise her friend’s philosophical ideas about low-wage jobs.
To argue a counterpoint against her claim presented earlier in the passage.
To provide anecdotal evidence from a different viewpoint to add credibility to her argument.
To provide evidence that supports the idea that low-wage workers work too hard, and should work together to improve their conditions.
To explain that working at a restaurant can be a very difficult experience.
In the passage as a whole, the author recounts “According to a recent poll conducted by Jobs for the Future, a Boston-based employment research firm, 94 percent of Americans agree that people who work full-time should be able to earn enough to keep their families out of poverty. ^23” in order to...
Convince the reader that the only way to be successful is by working for a research firm.
Question the reader upon why there is a great amount of poverty in America if people should be able to support themselves with a full-time job.
Prove that people of the working class are there by choice.
Show that the popular belief of Americans is that anyone that works hard enough can be successful.
Persuade the reader to think about how they generalize and make assumptions about the working class.
What does the author’s diction in lines 16 and 17 accomplish?
The use of the word ‘disgust’ allows the reader to see the way that the author felt during her experiences as a low-wage worker.
The use of ‘poor’ and ‘single’ allows the author to provide a certain context to the evidence she is relaying.
The author uses the word ‘impatience’ to describe the issues that low-wage workers and their employers face in their work-relationship.
The author uses ‘poor’ and ‘single’ to allow the reader to make assumptions about low-wage workers and their performance in society.
The use of the word ‘disgust’ shows the strong emotions that society often feels about different social classes, and allows the reader so see the disparities in those emotions.
Which of the following best describes the author’s exigence in the passage?
A call for low wage workers to rise against their respective businesses. (Line 48)
The struggle for success in a society that makes it difficult for low-wage workers to make anything of themselves. (Line 15)
Praising the hard work of low-wage workers, after her experience in low-wage jobs. (Line 32)
Calling attention to a former president’s actions and term. (Line 4)
Convincing the reader of the emotions they should feel in regard to the information they are learning. (Line 27)
The author's use of a metaphor in the last sentence of the passage refers to…
Low wage workers neglecting their children to work because that is better for them
Low wage workers will in time demand for more than what they are getting in return from what they've done and it will be better for society
Because the poor are dependent on their laziness, they benefit from the downfall of the higher class
Because of the lower wage workers sacrifices the high classes benefit from them
We need a job in order to be given economic stability, if that fails we as a society will fail.
The author emphasizes the lower class works for pay less than they can live on, that they neglect their children and live on substandard housing to promote the claim -
They are lazy and unable to work to benefit their own standard of living
They are unlucky that they do not have the same opportunities as those of the higher class
They are substantial to prevent inflation in the economy
That they work hard and give so much but it is still not enough to succeed in America
They benefit the economy with no intention of it in order for those who in the higher class of the to live comfortably
In the second paragraph, the authors state the social assumptions of the middle and higher class for single mothers in the lower class. By reading this and the rest of the paragraph, the audience can infer the author will -
Agree with the statements made that the lower class dependents of the government in order to live
Sympathize with the single mothers in the lower class because they are incapable of self sufficiency
Conclude with the author that these assumptions are ignorant and that we should have no outlook to situations we do not relate to
Be inspired to be productive and motivated to work harder than to work at Wal-Mart or Wendy’s
Disapprove with the way of living for the lower class and encourage others to do something about it
Which best illustrates what the author was trying to to portray when she says “No one ever said that you could work hard - harder even than you ever thought possible - and still find yourself sinking ever deeper into poverty and debt”?
The amount of effort placed in you work does not prevent you from having hardships
Inorder to be successful in life you have to work hard, only then will you be ahead
Even if you work hard you will be unemployed
The only solution to stop poverty and unemployment is full employment
Poverty and debt is unavoidable
Is the tone more negative,positive, or neutral when referring to the middle/upper classes feelings towards single mothers on welfare?
It is more negative because the middle/upper class uses words like laziness and disgust to describe the welfare poor.
It is more positive because the author shows that she agrees with the views of the upper/middle class
It is more positive because the middle/upper class think the welfare poor work very hard
The tone can be seen as more neutral because the middle/upper class has no feelings about the subject
None of the above
Which of these statements summarizes the main idea of this passage the best?
Poverty only happens because the poor don't work hard enough to get a job
Poverty can be solved through hard work and full employment
People still fail to realize the real reason behind poverty because of their own bias
The middle and upper class are very insensitive and will never learn
All the above
Why does the author refer to the working poor as “The major philanthropist of our society”?
Because the working poor are consistently contributing their own time to the welfare of society and its people
The author couldn’t think of anything else to refer to the working poor as
Because that’s how everyone views the working class
Because the working poor love giving back to society
Because the author thought referring to the working class as philanthropists would make people appreciate the hard work they put in
In the passage above Ehrenreich states that “ To be a member of the working poor is to be an anonymous donor, a nameless benefactor, to everyone else.” What argument do you think this quote would support?
The argument that the working poor are ok with giving and not being recognized for it
The argument that the working class constantly give with no representation in return
The argument that the working poor always engage in events where they have to provide a service
The argument that people of society are constantly using the working class to their own advantage
Answer choice B and D
Which sentence shows the author was more biased towards her own opinion?
“ No one ever said that you could work hard---harder even than you ever thought possible---and still find yourself sinking ever deeper into poverty and debt…”
“ But guilt doesn’t go anywhere near far enough; the appropriate emotion is shame---shame at our own dependency, in this case, on the underpaid labor of others…”
“ When unemployment causes poverty, we know how to state the problem---typically…”
None of the above.
Answer choices B and C.
What does the term “ self-sufficiency mean within the context of the passage?
Able to maintain oneself or itself without outside aid.
Having an extreme confidence in one’s own ability or worth.
The ability of individuals and families to maintain sufficient income to meet basic needs.
Only answer choice C.
Only answer choice A.
What tone does the author set for the following sentence, “The welfare poor were excoriated for their laziness, their persistence in reproducing in unfavorable circumstances, their presumed addictions and above all for their “dependency”....?
The author has an amused tone because she feels that the situation is funny.
The author has a serious tone because she feels that this is an unfair situation on the welfare poor.
The author has an annoyed tone because she doesn’t really want to talk about this and doesn’t feel that it’s important.
The author has a hopeful tone because she hopes the welfare poor can have a better situation.
None of the above.
In the passage above what was the author’s primary concern when she said “When unemployment causes poverty, we know how to state the problem---typically…”?
Most people don’t know how to bring up the problem of poverty.
Poverty isn’t a big deal to society.
All of the above.
People need to work on their communication skills.
None of the above.
The writer is considering adding “We must find a way to help these people.” after line 41. Should the writer add this sentence after line 41?
Yes, because it concludes everything
No, because it's not a specific solution to the problem
No, because it doesn’t relate to the passage
Yes, because it ends with a solution to the problem
None of the above
Which of the following provides the most effective claim to set up the discussion that follows in the passage?
“Americans of the newspaper-reading professional middle class are used to thinking of poverty as a consequence of unemployment.” (Line 2)
“Guilt, you may be thinking warily, isn’t that what we’re supposed to feel?” (Line 27)
“But now that government has largely withdrawn its “handouts”, now that the overwhelming majority of the poor are out there toiling in Wal-Mart or Wendy’s-well, what are we supposed to think of them?” (Line 23)
“No one ever said that you could work hard-harder even than you ever thought possible-and still find yourself sinking ever deeper into poverty and debt.” (Line 15)
“When unemployment causes poverty, we know how to state the problem-typically, “the economy isn’t growing fast enough”...” (Line 6)
The writer includes the quotation, “The “working poor”, as they are approvingly termed, are in fact the major philanthropists of our society” (Line 31) ...to relate the argument presented in the passage. Which of the following explains the quotation the best?
The “working poor” are the people who give back to society the most
The “working poor” are the best volunteers
The “working poor” don't contribute anything to a society
The rich people give back to society the most
Philanthropists are the “working poor”
In order to strengthen her argument; people who work hard can still be in poverty; the author references which of the following contemporary circumstances?
Low wage workers are lazy
We are dependent on low wage workers
Government has withdrawn their handouts
Unemployment
Huge corporations are selfish
What does the author mean when she says, “To be a member of the working poor is to be an anonymous donor, a nameless benefactor, to everyone else” (Ehrenreich 221)?
To be a member of the working poor you must donate money anonymously.
The working poor give and give, never getting anything in return.
The working poor help everyone because they’ve accepted living poorly and being paid poorly, however no one acknowledges them.
The working poor help others, but are ignored.
The working poor help keep the cost of labour down and endure poor living conditions to keep inflation low and stock prices high.
How do the upper/middle classes feel about the poor according to this passage?
They are seen as fully heartily supporting those who’re poor and on welfare.
They dislike those who are poor because they think it’s due to being lazy and unemployed.
They dislike the poor because they are distrustful and unemployed.
They dislike the poor because they are better than them.
They appreciate the poor for working so hard.
What do you think the author meant, when she said, “But the sky will not fall, and we will all be better off for it in the end”(Ehrenreich 221)?
The sky is at risk for falling.
That when low wage workers fight against management for better pay, it’ll cause discourse.
Eventually when low wage workers realize their value, they’ll fight for it and at the end of the fight everyone will be better off than before.
Low wage workers are going to start a strike in order to get better pay.
In order to get better pay, low wage workers are going to riot in the streets.
Which of the following sentences best supports the author’s claim in the passage, that people believe those who are in poverty are unemployed ?
“...are used to thinking of poverty as a consequence of unemployment”(Ehrenreich 219).
“...typically-”the economy isn’t growing fast enough””(Ehrenreich 219)
“94 percent of Americans agree that “people who work full-time should be able to earn enough to keep their families out of poverty””(Ehrenreich 220)
“the secret of success: “Work hard and you’ll get ahead””(Ehrenreich 220)
“you could work hard....and still find yourself sinking ever deeper into poverty and debt”(Ehrenreich 220).
What purpose did the section that said, “‘A National Survey of American Attitudes toward Low- Wage Workers and Welfare Reform,’Jobs for the Future, Boston, May 24, 2000” at the bottom of page 220 serve?
To give the readers random knowledge to let them learn even more from the book.
To appeal to the readers logos by facts because the whole book is all about her own emotions and how she is feeling.
To build credibility with her readers and put some facts behind her claims that she is making in this passage.
This appeals to the reader's pathos because this makes the readers feel they can trust the author.
This portion of the passage does not serve a purpose.
How does the structure of the passage successfully conclude the book?
It pulls all the stories throughout the book together and reflect upon them for a good conclusion
It directly focuses on the summary of the “Serving in Florida” chapter to reflect upon for a good conclusion
It directly focuses on the summary of the “Scrubbing in Maine” chapter to reflect upon for a good conclusion
It directly focuses on the summary of the “Selling in Minnesota” chapter to reflect upon for a good conclusion
This passage did not represent a good conclusion.
What was the main purpose of adding this passage to the book?
To persuade the readers to try the same experiment.
To add a final conclusion to her book and summarize her experiment.
To end the “Evaluation” chapter of her book
To entertain the reader and give them a fun anecdote
To leave the reader wondering what will happen next in the book.
What do you think the author means when she says, “They neglect their own children so that the children of others will be cared for...”?
The author means that they do not care about their own children because they have more important issues going on financially.
She is referring to her time cleaning houses and is comparing kids to houses saying she put more effort into cleaning the houses for money than actually cleaning her own house.
The working class cares more for the children that they work for than their own.
She is saying that the working class are philanthropists.
This quote says that the working class barely has time to care for their own children because they are getting paid to take care of the rich family’s children in order to get a paycheck to survive
