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WorksheetsA Quilt of a Country
Total questions: 15
Worksheet time: 8mins
According to “A Quilt of a Country,” how is the United States similar to a quilt?
It is beautiful and practical.
It's patched together from different parts.
It was created by hard work and determination.
It was intended for all people.
According to “A Quilt of a Country,” what ideals are in “constant conflict” in the United States?
tolerance and hatred
patriotism and unity
equality and independence
community and individualism
How did the two world wars and the Cold War unite the people of the United States?
Provided a common enemy for Americans to unite against
Required Americans from different backgrounds to fight together
Forced Americans to work hard
Caused Americans to look beyond their neighborhoods to the whole world
Which word is the opposite of discordant?
conflicting
harmonious
disconnected
incompatible
Which is the most accurate description of a pluralistic society?
mix of religions, cultures, and traditions
each member has their own way of doing things
people share their cultures with each other
group of people who work together
Which is the best example of diversity in a town?
The town is run by a mayor and a city council.
The town has gas stations, markets, and office buildings.
The town has residents from Asia, Africa, and South America.
The town has elementary, middle, and high schools.
What point is the author making when she discusses her father’s old neighborhood in Philadelphia, “in which Jewish boys would walk several blocks out of their way to avoid the Irish divide of Chester Avenue” and being a product of an "incendiary" mixed marriage of Italian and Irish?
Living in ethnically divided neighborhoods is the cause of hatred and prejudice.
Conflicts and divisions between immigrant groups have appeared throughout history
The people who live in ethnically divided neighborhoods work hard and value education for their children.
Immigrants who live in ethnically divided neighborhoods undermine the unity of the people of the United States.
What main message is the writer trying to communicate in “A Quilt of a Country”?
The United States is very different from other countries.
People in the United States value the idea that all people are created equal.
It is amazing that a country made up of such diverse people can be united as one nation
A nation in which people are so deeply divided by ethnicity, background, and customs makes no sense.
Which of the following is the author’s main purpose in “A Quilt of a Country”?
to persuade Americans to be more tolerant of their differences
to reflect on how America is united despite its many ethnic groups
to explain the reasons behind the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001
to entertain readers with a description of the many cultures that make up America
"I was the product of a mixed marriage, across barely bridgeable lines: an Italian girl, an Irish boy. How quaint it seems now, how incendiary then."
In what way does this quotation most clearly help the author meet her purpose in writing?
. It shows that her own experiences make her an authority on her topic.
It uses her own experience to illustrate a key point about American identity
It shows that her own experience is unique and contrasts with typical experiences.
It offers her own experience as an example of the dangers she is warning us about.
"That’s because [the United States] was built of bits and pieces that seem discordant, like the crazy quilts that have been one of its great folk-art forms, velvet and calico and checks and brocades."
In this sentence, what contradiction in American identity does the analogy of the quilt most clearly help Quindlen capture?
Because the pieces of a quilt are tightly sewn together, the analogy captures the unity and pride of Americans.
Because a quilt provides comfort, the analogy captures the way immigrants have been able to make the United States into a home
Because the pieces that are united in a quilt can be dramatically different, the analogy captures both the diversity and unity of the United States.
Because a quilt is a traditional art form that may use modern materials, the analogy capture the relationship of tradition and innovation in the United States.
In “A Quilt of a Country,” what is the most likely purpose for Quindlen’s using the analogy of a quilt when America was suffering from the attacks on September 11?
She celebrates the diversity of a quilt as a way of warning people not to reject the unknown just because they had been hurt.
She celebrates the unity of a quilt as a way of persuading people to welcome immigrants more warmly to the country.
She celebrates the age of a quilt as a way of encouraging people to return to basic American values and traditions
She celebrates the diversity of a quilt as a way of lifting people above sorrow by reinforcing their pride in their country.
How does the Latin prefix dis- affect the meaning of the word to which it is added?
It changes the word to mean its opposite.
It changes the word’s part of speech.
It indicates a state of being unusual.
It indicates a state of being new.
The word discredit is formed from the verb credit, meaning “to have confidence in” or “to honor or esteem someone or something,” and from the Latin prefix dis-. What is the most likely meaning of the verb discredit?
. to tear up a credit card
to praise or honor a person
to refuse to give someone money
to damage the reputation of someone
"When photographs of the faces of all those who died in the World Trade Center destruction are assembled in one place, it will be possible to trace in the skin color, the shape of the eyes and the noses, the texture of the hair, a map of the world. These are the representatives of a mongrel nation that somehow, at times like this, has one spirit."
What idea or feeling does Quindlen convey most clearly by using the precise noun mongrel?
The word mongrel is a negative word usually applied to mixed-breed dogs. By using this word, Quindlen is making fun of the diversity of American cultures.
The word mongrel implies a humorous pride in the quirky, unexpected characteristics of a mixed-breed dog. Quindlen uses this word to show appreciation for American diversity.
The word mongrel implies that a mixed-breed dog is less valuable than a purebred one. Quindlen uses this word to imply that America would be a better nation if its citizens came from a single ethnic group.
The word mongrel refers to the mixture of people and cultures in America. Quindlen uses this word to imply that all Americans should adopt a single American culture.
