Unit 4 Assessment

1.) In "The Expert," Katie says, "It's highly debatable at what point a pokeberry plant becomes a danger to humans." What does the use of the word debatable suggest in this sentence?

• A. The pokeberry has scientists baffled and confused.

• B. Scientists disagree about the danger of the pokeberry.

• C. Plants that produce berries are often dangerous.

• D. People who study botany are often quarrelsome.

2.) In "The Expert," what does the allusion to Alice in Wonderland in paragraph 8 suggest about Jim?

• A. He does not want to follow Katie's instructions.

• B. He believes that the woods are a magical place.

• C. He thinks that the woods have hidden dangers.

• D. He is not convinced of Katie's superior knowledge.

3.) What does the author of "The Expert" mean when he says that Katie is "all business"?

• A. Katie does not enjoy the hike through the woods.

• B. Katie spends all her time working hard.

• C. Katie's job is to lead the hike through the woods.

• D. Katie is very serious and acts like she is in charge.

4.) In the sentence below, what does the phrase "well-thumbed volumes" tell the reader about Katie?

• A. She likes to bend the corners of the pages of her guides.

• B. She prefers to read used guides.

• C. She has read and knows the information in the guides well.

• D. She is playing a joke by giving her cousin outdated guides.

6.) Which sentence shows that Jim has a different perspective than the reader about the events in the story?

• A. "Late summer sun spangled the leaf-littered ground of the pine woods where Katie and her cousin Jim strolled."

• B. "I'm still hoping to see a Red-cockaded woodpecker, Jim commented, having snapped several more photographs."

• C. "Jim was several years older than Katie, and he was sure he knew a good deal more than a ten-year-old girl."

• D. "I should have taken a picture of it, Jim said, massaging his neck where the camera strap rubbed his skin."

5.) How does the author of "The Expert" use dramatic irony to create humor in the story?

• A. Jim thinks he knows more than Katie, but the reader sees that Katie knows more about the woods than Jim does.

• B. Katie is younger than Jim, but the reader realizes that Katie acts like she is much older than she really is.

• C. Jim sees the plants and birds on the hike, but Katie knows that he is not correctly identifying them.

• D. Katie is very knowledgeable about the animals and wildlife, but Jim is starting to question his own knowledge.

7.) What is the purpose of the poet's use of the phrase "learn'd astronomer" in line 1 of the poem?

• A. to suggest that the astronomer is a great scholar in his field

• B. to suggest that the astronomer knows facts, but lacks imagination

• C. to suggest that the astronomer impresses the speaker of the poem

• D. to suggest that the astronomer is a man of great wisdom, but is humble

8.) In lines 3-5, how is the speaker's perspective about the astronomer meant to influence the reader's opinion of the astronomer?

• A. He wants the reader to feel like a scientist and keep a neutral attitude.

• B. He wants the reader to be impressed by the astronomer's knowledge.

• C. He wants the reader to appreciate the astronomer's charts and diagrams.

• D. He wants the reader to be critical of the astronomer's perspective.

9.) In line 7, how does the word mystical impact the poem?

• A. It explains why the speaker is in danger.

• B. It creates a sense of suspense.

• C. It reveals a tone of wonder.

• D. It adds a touch of humor.

10.) In line 8, what does the phrase "perfect silence" tell the reader about the speaker?

• A. He is overcome with longing for the sound of the lecturer's voice.

• B. He is very happy to be standing outside and staring up at the actual stars.

• C. He is suddenly frightened by how quiet it is outside under the stars.

• D. He is completely overwhelmed by the vastness of the night sky.