Babbitt

The passage as a whole serves primarily to

• portray Babbitt's philosophy of life and leisure

• portray controversial characters sympathetically

• introduce Babbitt and his social and physical setting

• condemn snobbery

• illustrate class differences

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

The first two paragraphs (lines 1-12) suggest that, for Babbitt, his car was a

• substitute for human role models

• source of adventure and fascination

• means of escape from dealing with other people

• harrowing danger but also a necessity

• reward for hard work and self-sacrifice

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

In lines 3-4, "The office was his pirate ship" is an example of

• metaphor

• personification

• understatement

• oxymoron

• allusion

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

In the second paragraph (lines 5-12), the narrator characterizes Babbitt as

• superstitious

• pessimistic

• meticulous

• matter-of-fact

• idealistic

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

Why does Babbitt regret having greeted Doppelbrau "with more cordiality than he intended" (lines 19-20)?

• He prefers not to show his emotions

• He does not want to mislead his neighbor

• He and Doppelbrau are competitors

• He disapproves of his neighbor

• He likes to be precise

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.11-12.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

In context, the phrase "no architectural manners whatever" (line 26) suggests that the house

• is undistinguished in its features

• is conservative in design

• breaks accepted rules of building

• has garish adornments

• seems particularly uninviting

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

Babbitt uses the term "Bohemian" (line 29) to describe neighbors that he believes are

• wasteful

• unsophisticated

• intentionally malevolent

• refreshingly carefree

• morally lax

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

The capitalization of "Great Scholar," "Public," and "Widows and Orphans" suggests that these terms

• are used only in reference to other terms

• have different meanings to Babbitt than to other people

• are meant to be read ironically

• have been translated from another language

• signal the pride state legislatures take in their work

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

The narrator suggests that Littlefield's presentations "before the board of aldermen or the state legislature" are characterized by

• engaging, casual anecdotes

• subtle, malicious inconsistencies

• daring, idealistic proposals

• elaborate, slanted data

• earnest, refutable research

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

In lines 66-67, the phrase in parentheses implies that Littlefield is

• forgiving

• curious

• self-important

• witty

• erratic

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3