WorksheetsReading Check: "The Power of a Dinner Table"
Total questions: 13
Worksheet time: 10mins
Who hosts Thursday dinners?
Santi
Kathy and David
David Brooks
Bill
Who attends Thursday dinners?
Friends from their church who bring food to share
Students from a cooking class who want to practice
Santi's soccer teammates after a game
Teenagers from difficult or unstable backgrounds
What does the quote “hostile soil has produced charismatic flowers” most likely mean in the article?
Beautiful flowers can grow in any garden, even without care.
Kids who face difficult or harsh environments can still grow into strong, impressive people.
Soil that is hard to work with can be turned into farmland.
Flowers are more important than the soil they grow in.
In the article, two attendees make the following comments: “That’s the warmest place I can ever imagine,” and another says, “Thank you for seeing the light in me.” Why does the author include these quotes?
To show that the kids enjoyed the food Kathy and David cooked
To prove that the kids wanted to become chefs in the future
To compare the dinner table to other places the kids have lived
To show the emotional impact of the dinner table — it gave the attendees a sense of warmth, belonging, and being valued.
What gifts do the teens present?
Drawings and paintings they made in art class
Their talents, interests, and passions
Sports trophies they won at school
Expensive presents and money for the hosts
What are the adults doing that inspires the teens to present their gifts?
They encourage the teens by grading their performances like in school.
They challenge the teens to compete with one another for attention.
They give speeches about why talent is important for future careers.
They create a safe and supportive space where teens feel valued.
What does the author mean by the phrase “Somebody willing to walk through the shadow of the valley of adolescence with them”?
Adults should take teenagers on walks through valleys and shadows.
Teenagers need someone who will stay close to them during their difficult and confusing years.
Adolescence is easy to go through, so teenagers don’t need much support.
The best way to help teenagers is to give them programs and rules instead of personal relationships.
What does the author mean by the statement “Souls are not saved in bundles. Love is the necessary force”?
People change most through love and personal relationships, not through large programs.
Saving people in large groups is easier than helping them one at a time.
Money and resources are more powerful than love when helping young people.
People can only improve their lives if they are completely independent.
The author says the country faces “a crisis of solidarity.” What does this mean?
People are sticking together more than ever before.
People are increasingly divided and failing to stand together as a community.
People are joining too many groups at the same time.
People are learning to agree on every issue.
The author says the country faces “a crisis of segmentation.” What does this mean?
Society is divided into separate groups that are isolated from one another.
People are working together across different communities.
Everyone is treated the same regardless of background.
Society is overly focused on math and science segments.
The author warns of “spiritual degradation.” What does this mean?
People are losing their shared values, moral purpose, and sense of human connection.
Communities are becoming more compassionate and respectful toward others.
People are concentrating only on political and economic concerns.
Citizens are strengthening their morals and rebuilding shared values.
David and Kathy are very different from the teens who attend their Thursday dinners. Why don’t these barriers or differences prevent them from forming strong relationships? Select the two best answer choices.
Because David and Kathy focus on building authentic connections based on care, respect, and acceptance.
Because the teens ignore their own challenges when they attend the dinners.
Because sharing meals creates a welcoming space where differences become less important.
Because David and Kathy pretend to be the same age and background as the teens.
Because the teens receive money and rewards for attending the dinners.
What character traits do David and Cathy possess that help them overcome barriers and connect with the teens at their dinners? Select all answers that apply.
empathy
generosity
judgmental attitude
patience
compassion
