WorksheetsPatient Zero
Total questions: 12
Worksheet time: 11mins
1. Reread the following excerpt from Patient Zero, and answer the question that follows. “‘The pit is one huge privy, and of course the men always take their victuals with unwashed hands.’ We now know that cholera is spread when infected fecal matter gets into food or water, but at the time no one understood this.” (38) Select a phrase that helps the reader determine the meaning of the word victuals in this excerpt. (RI.7.4, L.7.4a, L.7.6)
prayers
food
bathroom break
celebration
Reread the following excerpt from Patient Zero, and answer the question that follows. “Since the disease affected the digestive system, he suspected that cholera was caused by something you ingested—something in food or water.” (39) What is the meaning of the word ingested as it is used in this sentence? (L.7.4a)
took into the body through the mouth
laid aside without thought
made sure to hide from others
came in contact with the skin
Reread the following excerpt from Patient Zero, and answer the question that follows. “Still no one understood what caused cholera, or how it spread. Theories abounded. Some speculated that the people in the poor neighborhoods along the river were ‘morally susceptible’—defects in their character made them prone to developing cholera.” (40)
What does the word abounded most likely mean in this excerpt? (RI.7.4, L.7.4a, L.7.6)
jumped up and down
were false
were found in large numbers
were distracting
Reread the following excerpt from Patient Zero, and answer the question that follows. “The theory of miasma seemed full of logical inconsistencies, but he had no way to test his suspicions.” (39–40) Complete the chart to break up the word inconsistencies into a prefix, Latin root, and suffix. You may use your Affix List as a resource. (L.7.4b)
What is the prefix word of inconsistencies?
un
con
in
cies
What is the root word of the word inconsistencies?
un
in
cies
consistent
What is the suffix word of inconsistencies?
cies
un
in
consistent
Use what you know about these word parts to write a definition of the word inconsistencies in your own words. (RI.7.4, L.7.6)
How is the section “The Great Debate: Miasma vs. Germs” on page 41 mainly structured? (RI.7.5)
by narrating stories about scientists in chronological order
as an explanation of the history of ideas about the causes of disease
as a list of definitions focused on specific diseases caused by germs or miasma
by contrasting John Snow’s and Florence Nightingale’s views of miasmas and germs
How is the rest of the excerpt about John Snow on pages 38–40 mainly structured? (RI.7.5)
as an argument about why Snow began studying medicine
as an examination of vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to readers
as a detailed description of the setting where the major events happen
as a presentation of Snow’s argument that miasma did not cause disease
What key information does “The Great Debate: Miasma vs. Germs” provide? (RI.7.1, RI.7.5)
Cholera was the first disease caused by germs.
Miasma was a long-lasting and widely accepted idea.
Florence Nightingale’s beliefs prevented her from being helpful.
Robert Koch was the one who got credit for discovering germs.
How does the information in this section contribute to your understanding of the rest of the text on pages 38–40? (RI.7.5)
by showing how John Snow first developed his ideas that led to innovations
by showing how understanding where words come from can help in science
by providing an explanation for why Snow’s theory of germs was remarkable
by providing information about why London was the perfect place to investigate
How does the section of Patient Zero called “The Great Debate: Miasma vs. Germs” (41) add to the description of John Snow’s investigation (38–40) and our understanding of the significance of his ideas? Write a paragraph in which you use at least two specific pieces of evidence from the text to support your answer.
