Worksheets8th grade ELA Midterm
Total questions: 37
Worksheet time: 21mins
Thesis statement: The Rorschach and Thematic Apperception Test are not very useful for determining Charlie’s suitability for the experiment because Charlie isn’t able to answer the questions in the manner intended.
Which of the following statements best supports this thesis statement?
Since Charlie is undergoing research, he is well suited to the test.
When Charlie is asked what he sees in the inkblot, he is unable to find anything.
Because Charlie has trouble spelling words, the results of the test will be difficult to score.
Even though Charlie is nervous, he manages to finish answering all the questions.
What did Dr. Strauss feel Charlie possessed that made him an excellent choice for the experiment?
Low I.Q.
A kind heart
Motivation
Fearlessness
Which statement best describes why Charlie is chosen for the experiment?
Charlie wants to be smart and is eager to learn.
Charlie's intelligence level is very low, so post-surgery improvement will be dramatic.
Charlie was the most deserving of the people who volunteered.
Charlie will do whatever it takes to beat Algernon
What is ironic about Charlie’s description in the excerpt?
People laugh and make fun of Charlie, but he still likes them.
Charlie does not know what an I.Q. is, but his doctors do.
Charlie learns that an I.Q. is like a measuring cup, and that now he must fill his head with knowledge.
Charlie thinks that when he is smarter, people will like him better, but what happens is the opposite.
Read the excerpt from the progress report of March 10 from "Flowers for Algernon." Then answer the questions that follow.
Im skared. Lots of people who work here and the nurses and the people who gave me the tests came to bring me candy and wish me luck. I hope I have luck. I got my rabits foot and my lucky penny and my horse shoe. Only a black cat crossed me when I was comming to the hospitil. Dr Strauss says dont be superstitis Charlie this is sience. Anyway Im keeping my rabits foot with me.
“Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes
Part A
How does this excerpt help the writer communicate an important character trait in Charlie?
A. The fact that Charlie is scared before his operation shows the reader that Charlie is different from other people.
B. The fact that Charlie is superstitious tells the reader that he does not have a very complete understanding of the world around him.
C. The fact that Charlie has many visitors at the hospital tells the reader that he has many friends.
D. The fact that Charlie feels lucky gives the reader hope that he will survive the operation.
Part A
Which statement best explains the dramatic irony in this excerpt?
A. Charlie gets drunk for the first time in his life, and the reader thinks he is acting funny.
B. Charlie says that Joe and Frank are his best friends, but the reader knows they are not.
C. It doesn’t make sense that Charlie go out to buy a newspaper and coffee in the middle of the night, so the reader is confused.
D. Joe says Charlie is a “card,” and some readers may not know what that means.
What information does the reader know—because Charlie is the narrator?
- if Charlie’s personality will remain the same as he gets smarter
- if Charlie’s operation is considered a success by the doctors
- how Charlie is expected to change as a result of the surgery
- what is done to Charlie during the operation
What information does the reader not know because Charlie is the narrator?
- if Charlie’s personality will remain the same as he gets smarter
how Charlie is expected to change as a result of the surgery
- how Charlie relates to the people around him
- how Charlie feels about the changes that he is going through
Think about the Adam and Eve story in the Garden of Eden. What theme does that story share with “Flowers for Algernon” and Frankenstein?
It is better to have intelligence than not.
Knowing can never hurt you.
Trying to gain access to what is forbidden can lead to negative consequences.
It is worth it if the benefits outweigh the negative consequences.
Evaluate the thesis statement using the SODA strategy:
Is it specific?
Is it original?
Is it defensible?
Is it arguable?
In order for a thesis statement to be acceptable, the answer to all questions must be "yes." Decide whether or not each statement is acceptable for a thesis statement.
Charlie becomes smarter as a result of the surgery because he becomes more aware of how others treat him.
Charlie’s changes result in a negative experience because he is ridiculed by others.
The operation doesn’t change Charlie that much because he is still the same person who is eager to learn.
Yes, these are acceptable thesis statements.
No, these are not acceptable thesis statements.
What information does the reader know—because Charlie is the narrator?
- if Charlie’s personality will remain the same as he gets smarter
- if Charlie’s operation is considered a success by the doctors
- how Charlie is expected to change as a result of the surgery
- what is done to Charlie during the operation
Choose TWO statements that best describe what motivates Dr. Frankenstein to do his work.
He wants to stop failing and to begin to feel some success.
As hard as the work is, it lifts his spirits.
He wants the being to look up to him as its creator.
He wants to do something no one has ever done before.
He likes the idea of bringing something dead back to life.
Which of the following quotations best supports the idea that Dr. Frankenstein is determined?
“I could not tear my thoughts from my employment, loathsome in itself, but which had taken an irresistible hold of my imagination.”
“A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me.”
“Sometimes, on the very brink of certainty, I failed; yet still I clung to the hope which the next day or the next hour might realize.”
None of the above
Which of the following quotations best supports the idea that Dr. Frankenstein is obsessive?
“I could not tear my thoughts from my employment, loathsome in itself, but which had taken an irresistible hold of my imagination.”
“A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me.”
“Sometimes, on the very brink of certainty, I failed; yet still I clung to the hope which the next day or the next hour might realize.”
None of the above
Which of the following quotations best supports the idea that Dr. Frankenstein is self-centered?
“I could not tear my thoughts from my employment, loathsome in itself, but which had taken an irresistible hold of my imagination.”
“A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me.”
“Sometimes, on the very brink of certainty, I failed; yet still I clung to the hope which the next day or the next hour might realize.”
None of the above
The main reason for choosing to kidnap the boy is that Sam and Bill...
believe that he is able to take care of himself.
think that he is brave, healthy, and relaxed.
they see him playing outside alone
they know his father is a wealthy man
You realize that the conflict between Sam and the boy is more than Sam expected when
When Bill screams for help
When he dreams of a red-headed pirate
When he dreams of the boy
When he tells Sam money is not worth it
Which event leads you to predict Bill will agree with Mr. Dorset's demand?
Sam threatens to take the boy home if they boy does not behave.
Bill tells the boy to quit kicking or the boy will be in trouble.
Sam admits to Bill that the boy has gotten on his nerves.
Bill tells Sam to ask for only fifteen hundred dollars in ransom.
Which sentence BEST summarizes "The Ransom of Red Chief"?
Two kidnappers develop a scheme to take money from a small-town family but end up paying money to the father.
A father allows his son to be kidnapped because the son is ill behaved.
A father convinces two kidnappers to return his son because he is missed by the neighbors.
Sam and Bill sign their letter "Two Desperate Men" because they want Mr. Dorset to know that..
the boy is annoying, and they are desperate to be rid of him.
they are desperate and might harm the boy if their demands are not met.
Mr. Dorset must agree to give them money or they will beg for it loudly.
What does Mr. Dorset do that shows that the men are not alone in their feelings about the boy?
Tells the men that they can keep the boy with them at the cave.
Warns the men to return the boy at night so that the neighbors do not see them.
Sends a bike messenger to the appointed place to drop off a note.
Agrees to Sam's instructions about where to pay the ransom.
How does Red Chief's active imagination affect other characters in "The Ransom of Red Chief"?
Red Chief's refusal to go home increases the kidnappers' excitement for ransom.
Red Chief plays with his kidnappers and they appreciate the company.
Red Chief's unpredictable actions frighten Bill, one of the kidnappers.
Red Chief spends his time waiting to be entertained, which frustrates the kidnappers.
Why did Bill choose the town of Summit? Select all that apply.
Sam grew up nearby and knows the town and its people well.
Sam believes that a kidnapper is less likely to get caught in a small town.
Sam believes that the people in small towns have strong ties to their children.
Sam finds a man who can afford the ransom with a young son.
Which quotation from "The Ransom of Red Chief" BEST explains how the difference in Ebenezer Dorset's value of his child and that of the narrator contributes to the irony of the story?
"Perhaps, says I to myself, it has not yet been discovered that the wolves have borne away the tender lambkin from the fold. Heaven help the wolves!"
"Bill and me figured that Ebenezer would melt down for a ransom of two thousand dollars to a cent."
"Sam, says he, What's two hundred and fifty dollars, after all? We've got the money. One more night of this kid will send me to a bed in Bedlam."
"Enough, says Bill. In ten minutes I shall cross the central, Southern and Middle Western States, and be legging it trippingly for the Canadian border."
Mr. Dorset was worried the neighbors would harm the kidnappers for taking Johnny?
True
False, he thought they would harm him for returning him
False, he was not worried they would harm them
False, he thought they would punish Johnny for running away
Is the story "The Ransom of Red Chief" ironic? Why or why not?
Johnny had red hair, freckles, and was 12 years old.
False, red hair, freckles, and 10
True
False, brown hair, freckles, and 12
False, red hair, no freckles, and 12
Think about the text "The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe to answer questions 1–5.
Read the excerpt then answer the questions that follow.
TRUE!—nervous—very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses—not destroyed—not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily—how calmly I can tell you the whole story.
It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture—a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees—very gradually—I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever.
Part A:
Based on the excerpt, how reliable is the narrator?
A. The narrator is reliable because he explains that he is not mad, just logically trying to solve a problem.
B. The narrator is unreliable, claiming he is not mad when his actions clearly indicate that he cannot be trusted.
C. The narrator is somewhat reliable because he is aware of his own instability and solves a problem with a logical solution.
D. The narrator is unreliable because he has a disease, and his actions are motivated by this disease not logic.
Read the excerpt from "The Tell-Tale Heart" then answer the question.
Now this is the point. You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded—with what caution—with what foresight—with what dissimulation I went to work! I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him."The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan PoeWhat does the repetition of the phrase “with what” reveal about the narrator?
A. It emphasizes that the narrator is mad and cannot think or speak clearly.
B. It emphasizes that the narrator took care in committing his crime.
C. It emphasizes that the narrator hesitated in completing the murder.
D. It emphasizes that the narrator feels guilty about the action he is about to take.
Read the excerpt from “The Tell-Tale Heart” then answer the question.
I smiled,—for what had I to fear? I bade the gentlemen welcome. The shriek, I said, was my own in a dream. The old man, I mentioned, was absent in the country. I took my visitors all over the house. I bade them search—search well. I led them, at length, to his chamber. I showed them his treasures, secure, undisturbed. In the enthusiasm of my confidence, I brought chairs into the room, and desired them here to rest from their fatigues, while I myself, in the wild audacity of my perfect triumph, placed my own seat upon the very spot beneath which reposed the corpse of the victim.The officers were satisfied. My manner had convinced them. I was singularly at ease. They sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of familiar things. But, ere long, I felt myself getting pale and wished them gone. My head ached, and I fancied a ringing in my ears: but still they sat and still chatted. The ringing became more distinct:—It continued and became more distinct: I talked more freely to get rid of the feeling: but it continued and gained definiteness—until, at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears.
Which statement best summarizes the excerpt?
A. The police arrive, and the narrator attempts to convince them that there is nothing to investigate. However, the police are unconvinced when all in the room begin to hear mysterious noises under the floorboards.
B. The police arrive, and the narrator convinces them that there is nothing to investigate. However, the narrator himself begins to hear noises, and he is unsure if it is in his mind or audible in the room.
C. The police arrive, and the narrator fails to convince them that he did not commit a crime. Their suspicions are confirmed when all present hear a heartbeat under the floor.
D. The police arrive, and the narrator convinces them that no crime has been committed. As soon as the police officers leave, the narrator panics when he hears a heartbeat under the floor.
Read the excerpt from "The Tell-Tale Heart" then answer the question.
If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body. The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence. First of all I dismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings. I then replaced the boards so cleverly, so cunningly, that no human eye—not even his—could have detected anything wrong. There was nothing to wash out—no stain of any kind—no blood-spot whatever. I had been too wary for that. A tub had caught all—ha! ha!"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
What is the meaning of the word concealment as it it used in the text?
A. burial
B. hiding
C. dismembered
D. disguising
Think about the text "The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe then answer the questions.
Part A:
How does Poe’s choice of telling the story from the point of view of an unreliable narrator create suspense?
A. It keeps the reader on edge by zooming in on two key moments of the narrative—the murder of the old man and the police investigation—both of which have uncertain outcomes.
B. It prompts the reader to question everything the narrator says from his assertion that others think him mad to his explanation of why he thinks he is not.
C. It creates suspense as it is unclear the events in the eight days leading to the murder are reality or a figment of the narrator’s imagination.
D. It keeps the reader guessing about whether he will be able to appear sane enough to convince the police of his innocence.
Which definition matches with the word "desperate"?
to think of or coming up with a idea
feeling, showing, or involving a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with.
to not do anything
doing something in a dishonest or deceptive way
a large-scale systematic plan or arrangement for attaining a particular object or putting a particular idea into effect.
Which definition matches with the word "Scheme"?
to think of or coming up with a idea
feeling, showing, or involving a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with.
to not do anything
doing something in a dishonest or deceptive way
a large-scale systematic plan or arrangement for attaining a particular object or putting a particular idea into effect.
Which definition matches with the word "Conceived"?
to think of or coming up with a idea
feeling, showing, or involving a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with.
to not do anything
doing something in a dishonest or deceptive way
a large-scale systematic plan or arrangement for attaining a particular object or putting a particular idea into effect.
Which definition matches with the word "Cautiously"?
to think of or coming up with a idea
feeling, showing, or involving a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with.
to not do anything
doing something in a dishonest or deceptive way
a large-scale systematic plan or arrangement for attaining a particular object or putting a particular idea into effect.
Which definition matches with the word "Refrained"?
to think of or coming up with a idea
feeling, showing, or involving a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with.
to not do anything
doing something in a dishonest or deceptive way
a large-scale systematic plan or arrangement for attaining a particular object or putting a particular idea into effect.
