WorksheetsSelection Test from Life on the Mississippi
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 10mins
According to the selection from Life on the Mississippi, how does the town change when the steamboats stop there?
It goes from fairly busy to very busy for ten minutes.
It goes from sleepy to frantically busy for a short time.
It goes from sleepy to calmly efficient for a couple of hours.
It goes from bustling to dead because everyone is at the wharf.
As described in the selection from Life on the Mississippi, what did the Mississippi River represent to Twain as a boy?
a destructive force
a wonder of nature
a pathway to adventure
a chance to make friends
According to the selection from Life on the Mississippi, what makes the steamboat such a source of fascination for the boys?
It is a marvel of modern technology.
It is accessible only to the rich and powerful.
It is connected with stories of shady dealings.
It is a connection to the world outside Hannibal.
In the selection from Life on the Mississippi, what is the main impression created by Twain’s depiction of the steamboat?
an impression of splendor and boldness
an impression of efficient sturdiness
an impression of age and disrepair
zn impression of grace and calm
In the selection from Life on the Mississippi, what main character flaw does Twain reveal in himself as a boy?
lack of imagination
dishonesty
laziness
envy
Which of the following sights is most likely to be described as having grandeur?
a bare stage after a show ends
a snow-capped mountain range
a busy kitchen in a popular diner
a traffic jam in a major coastal city
If a candlestick is gilded, what is most likely to be true about it?
It will hold only the thinnest of candles.
It will have been used last during the 1800s.
It will have a yellow gleam when the candle is lit.
It will need to be cleaned thoroughly before it is used.
Which of the following sentences best illustrates the word eminence?
The legendary soldier was knighted by the queen.
The student of architecture received his degree in May.
The popular storyteller often visits schools in our town.
The former librarian recently celebrated her 90th birthday.
What is the most likely effect created by the following passage from Life on the Mississippi? [T]he great Mississippi, the majestic, the magnificent Mississippi, rolling its mile-wide tide along, shining in the sun; the dense forest away on the other side; the point above the town, and the point below, bounding the river-glimpse and turning it into a sort of sea, and withal a very still and brilliant and lonely one.
The reader is amused to see that the river is a cheerful and bright place.
The reader is moved to learn that the river is beautiful and profound.
The reader is troubled by the river’s still but dangerous nature.
The reader is surprised by the river’s turbulence and darkness.
The following question has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B. Which pair of phrases from the passage best supports the answer to Part A?
the majestic, the magnificent . . . very still and brilliant and lonely
rolling its mile-wide tide . . . dense forest away on the other side
along, shining in the sun . . . bounding the river-glimpse
rolling its mile-wide tide . . . turning it into a sort of sea
According to the selection from Life on the Mississippi, how do the people of Hannibal usually respond to the arrival of a packet boat?
tired acceptance
brief annoyance
great excitement
shock and anger
Which of the following quotations from Life on the Mississippi best illustrates the answer to Part A?
Before these events, the day was glorious with expectancy; after them, the day was a dead and empty thing.
[T]wo or three wood flats at the head of the wharf, but nobody to listen to the peaceful lapping of the wavelets against them. . . .
She is long and sharp and trim and pretty; she has two tall, fancy-topped chimneys, with a gilded device of some kind swung between them. . . .
Then such a scramble as there is to get aboard, and to get ashore . . . and such a yelling and cursing. . . .
In the following passage from Life on the Mississippi, what is the most important reason the young Twain wants these two jobs on a steamboat?
He feels that they are the easiest jobs of all.
He knows that they are open to young boys.
He thinks that they are visible to people on shore.
He does not really understand what such workers do.
Part B Which pair of phrases from the passage best supports the answer to Part A?
shake a tablecloth over the side . . . stood on the end of the stage plank
my old comrades could see me . . . he was particularly conspicuous
come out with a white apron . . . with the coil of rope in his hand
come out with a white apron . . . my old comrades could see me
Based on the selection from Life on the Mississippi, choose the sentence that best expresses Twain’s point of view on life in a small town along the Mississippi River.
It is interesting in a way that differs from working on a steamboat.
It is less dangerous and frightening than working on a steamboat.
It offers opportunities for adventures on land and on the river.
It is dull and unexciting compared to working on a steamboat.
In the selection from Life on the Mississippi, what does Twain suggest is the most thrilling aspect of working on a steamboat?
The opportunity to travel to distant places.
The chance to meet famous people.
The ability to earn a high salary.
The freedom to explore the river at night.
According to Life on the Mississippi, what is the primary reason the townspeople gather at the wharf when a steamboat arrives?
To offer assistance to the crew.
To witness the excitement and activity.
To welcome returning family members.
To purchase goods from the boat.
Which of the following best describes Twain's feelings about the Mississippi River as expressed in Life on the Mississippi?
He regards it as a peaceful and serene landscape.
He considers it a barrier to progress and development.
He views it as a dangerous and unpredictable force.
He sees it as a symbol of freedom and adventure.
In Life on the Mississippi, how does Twain portray the relationship between the river and the towns along its banks?
The river is a mysterious entity that the townspeople fear.
The river is a source of constant danger to the towns.
The river is a lifeline that brings prosperity to the towns.
The river is an obstacle that isolates the towns.
Which of the following best captures Twain's sentiment about the steamboat pilots in Life on the Mississippi?
They are reckless and irresponsible.
They are highly skilled and respected.
They are overpaid and underworked.
They are misunderstood and undervalued.
