The following questions are about"The Middle Passage" by Oladaugh Equiano
Use the following passage to answer questions 1 & 2:
"One day, when all our people were gone out to their works as usual, and only I and
my dear sister were left to mind the house, two men and a woman got over our
walls, and in a moment seized us both, and, without giving us time to cry out, or
make resistance, they stopped our mouths, and ran off with us into the nearest
wood. Here they tied our hands and continued to carry us as far as they could, till
night came on when we reached a small house, where the robbers halted for
refreshment and spent the night. We were then unbound, but were unable to take
any food; and, being quite overpowered by fatigue and grief, our only relief was
some sleep, which allayed our misfortune for a short time.
How do you know this is a nonfiction piece?
A.The author uses words including "dear sister."
B.The author wrote, "where the robbers halted for refreshment.
C.The author wrote phrases including "our people, I and my dear sister,"
and "us time."
D.The author wrote, "overpowered by fatigue and grief.
2. What is the denotative meaning of "allayed" in the above passage?
A. aggravated
B. relieved
C. intensified
D. stirred
Use the following passage to answer questions 3-6:
"I remember, in the vessel in which I was brought over, in the men's apartment, there
were several brothers, who, in the sale, were sold in different lots; and it was very
moving on this occasion, to see and hear their cries at parting. O, ye nominal
Christians! might not an African ask you -- Learned you this from your God, who says
unto you, Do unto all men as you would men should do unto you? Is it not enough
that we are torn from our country and friends, to toil for your luxury and lust of
gain? Must every tender feeling be likewise sacrificed to your avarice? Are the
dearest friends and relations, now rendered more dear by their separation from
their kindred, still to be parted from each other, and thus prevented from cheering
the gloom of slavery, with the small comfort of being together, and mingling their
sufferings and sorrows? Why are parents to lose their children, brothers their
sisters, or husbands their wives? Surely, this is a new refinement in cruelty, which,
while it has no advantage to atone for it, thus aggravates distress, and adds fresh
horrors even to the wretchedness of slavery"
3. What did Equiano mean when he wrote "and it was very moving on this occasion, to
A. see and hear their cries at parting."
B. He had to help move cargo.
C. He was forced to move from place to place alone.
D. He became emotional seeing others separated from family.
E. He became jealous when he saw others being sold together.
4. What piece of textual evidence supports your answer to question 2?
A. there were several brothers, who, in the sale, were sold in different lots.
B. "O, ye nominal Christians!"
C. "Must every tender feeling be likewise sacrificed to your avarice?"
D."Surely, this is a new refinement in cruelty.
5. Does Equiano have a positive or negative connotation with the words/phrases
"luxury," "lust of gain," or "avarice"?
A. positive
B. negative
C. neutral
6.What is the purpose of the passage?
A.To persuade.
B.To entertain.
C.To inform.
D.There is no purpose.
Read the following sentence from "The Middle Passage" to answer question 7.
"Many a time we were near suffocation, from the want of fresh air, which we were often
without for whole days together
7. Which word best matches the meaning of "want" as it is used in the sentence?
A.Breath
B.Hope
C.Lack
D.need
Read the following excerpt from "The Middle Passage" to answer question 8.
"One day, when we had a smooth sea, and a moderate wind, two of my wearied
countrymen, who were chained together (I was near them at the time), preferring death to
such a life of misery, somehow made through the nettings, and jumped into the sea:
immediately another quite dejected fellow, who, on account of his illness, was suffered to be
out of irons, also followed their example; and I believe many more would soon have done
the same, if they had not been prevented by the ship's crew, who were instantly alarmed."
8. Which of the following words is used connotatively? (1 point)
A.nettings
B.suffered
C.dejected
D.wearied
The following questions are about"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by
Jonathan Edwards
9. What is the speaker's overall purpose in the sermon?
A.To praise the people who aren't sinners and explain how God will reward them
for their saintly actions
B.To prove how powerful he is with the support of God behind him to punish
people he identifies as sinners
C.To encourage people to give to the church in order to prove their commitment
to God and his teachings
D.To scare people who might identify themselves as sinners to realign themselves with God
10. How does the speaker's comparison of sinners to an insect contribute to the central
idea of the text?
A.It emphasizes the negative view God has of sinners and how inconsequential
they are to him.
B.It stresses the connection that exists between all of God's creatures, whether
they be human or insect.
C.It suggests that sinners can change for the better, as insects are known to go
through transformations.
D.It portrays sinners as being just as prevalent around the earth as the wide variety
of insects.
11. What is the primary rhetorical appeal used by Edwards in the above passage?
A.Logos
B.Ethos
C.Pathos
D.No rhetorical appeals are used
The following question is about the Declaration of Independence.
12. Which of the following best expresses the author's main purpose in this document?
A.To end the war between colonies and Great Britain by declaring a revolution
B.To criticize the King of England's reign over the colonies and advocate for his
removal from power
C.To declare the thirteen colonies free of Great Britain's rule and illustrate why they
are declaring independence
D.To denounce the colonists' treatment as second-class citizens and advocate for
better treatment from the king
nope not at all
1. C. The author uses phrases such as "our people," "I and my dear sister," and "us time," which indicate a personal experience and suggest that the passage is nonfiction.
To determine if a piece is nonfiction, look for personal experiences, factual information, and the use of pronouns such as "I" or "we" that indicate a first-hand account.
2. B. The denotative meaning of "allayed" in the passage is "relieved."
To determine the meaning of a word, you can use context clues. In this passage, the author mentions that sleep provided relief from fatigue and grief, indicating that "allayed" means relieved.
3. D. Equiano became emotional when he saw others being separated from their family.
To determine the meaning, look for the emotional response expressed by Equiano in the passage. In this case, he mentions it was "very moving" to see and hear their cries at parting, indicating an emotional reaction.
4. A. The piece of textual evidence that supports the answer to question 3 is "there were several brothers, who, in the sale, were sold in different lots."
To find evidence to support an answer, look for specific details or phrases in the text that directly relate to the answer choice.
5. B. Equiano has a negative connotation with the words/phrases "luxury," "lust of gain," and "avarice."
To determine the connotation, consider the overall tone and context of the passage. In this case, Equiano criticizes the actions of "nominal Christians" who prioritize their own desires for luxury and gain over the well-being of others, suggesting a negative connotation.
6. A. The purpose of the passage is to persuade.
To determine the purpose, analyze the tone and language used by the author. In this case, Equiano uses strong language and emotional appeals to argue against the cruelty and injustices of slavery, suggesting a persuasive purpose.
7. C. The word "lack" best matches the meaning of "want" as used in the sentence.
To determine the meaning of a word, consider its context and the overall meaning of the sentence. In this case, the sentence describes a situation where fresh air was absent, indicating a lack or absence of fresh air.
8. C. The word "dejected" is used connotatively.
To determine if a word is used connotatively, consider its emotional or associative meaning in the context of the sentence. In this case, the word "dejected" suggests a negative emotional state, enhancing the overall tone of the passage.
9. D. The speaker's overall purpose in the sermon is to scare people who might identify themselves as sinners to realign themselves with God.
To determine the speaker's purpose, analyze the main message and tone of the sermon. In this case, the speaker uses strong language and imagery to evoke fear and persuade sinners to seek redemption, suggesting a purpose to scare and motivate them.
10. A. The comparison of sinners to an insect emphasizes the negative view God has of sinners and how inconsequential they are to him.
To determine the contribution of the comparison, analyze the imagery and ideas conveyed. In this case, the comparison highlights the insignificance and negative perception of sinners in God's eyes, supporting the central idea of punishment and divine judgment.
11. C. The primary rhetorical appeal used by Edwards in the passage is Pathos.
To determine the primary rhetorical appeal, consider the overall emotional impact and persuasion techniques used by the speaker. In this case, Edwards appeals to emotions, such as fear and guilt, to elicit a response from the audience, suggesting a pathos appeal.
12. C. The best expression of the author's main purpose in the Declaration of Independence is to declare the thirteen colonies free of Great Britain's rule and illustrate why they are declaring independence.
To determine the main purpose, consider the content and message conveyed in the document. In this case, the author clearly states the intention to declare independence from Great Britain and provides a list of grievances to support this decision, suggesting a purpose to declare independence and justify it.