Read the second paragraph in "Puzzle Solved" and then answer the question that follows.
Story #1
Perseus and Medusa (From Illuminate)
a retelling of the Greek myth
Perseus, son of Zeus, was half-mortal and half-god. His courageous and brave exploits were well known throughout the land, but he was perhaps most famous for how he came to possess the head of the gorgon Medusa.
When Perseus was still a young man, King Polydectes sought to be rid of him, as he was a significant obstacle in the king’s desire to marry Perseus’s mother. In an effort to send Perseus as far away as possible, Polydectes told Perseus to kill the gorgon Medusa and return with her head.
The gorgons were three sisters. They were once beautiful maidens whom Poseidon had transformed into horrific monsters when Medusa rejected the god’s love. Poseidon turned the sisters into terrible creatures. He made their bodies grotesque and replaced their hair with poisonous snakes. The god allowed Medusa to keep her beautiful face, but anyone who dared to look at her would immediately be turned to stone.
Perseus had no way of finding Medusa, who lived at the end of the world, so he asked the gods Athena and Hermes for help. They came to his aid because he was the son of Zeus, and bestowed upon him four powerful gifts. Among these gifts were winged sandals to carry Perseus to Medusa’s lair, a cap that would make Perseus invisible, a sword to kill Medusa, and a mirrored shield. The shield would allow Perseus to see Medusa’s face without looking directly at her, preventing him from being turned to stone. Athena advised Perseus to use his gifts wisely and to practice patience and logic in order to achieve his task.
Perseus donned the winged sandals and flew to slay Medusa. Using his cap, he entered her lair and surveyed his surroundings. Suddenly, he heard a noise from behind him. Athena’s cautionary words echoed softly in the air, and Perseus resisted the urge to turn toward the noise. Instead, he stepped to the side and used his mirrored shield to find the source of the noise. In the mirror, he saw the monstrous figure of Medusa slowly walking toward him. Steadying himself, Perseus patiently lay in wait as Medusa moved closer and closer behind him. Never did he turn, for he feared he would gaze into the gorgon’s eyes and forever be turned to stone.
Finally, Medusa stood immediately behind Perseus; he knew that now was the time to strike. With all his strength, he swung blindly. When he looked into his mirrored shield, there lay Medusa’s head. With the help of the gods, Perseus had slain Medusa.
Story #2
Puzzle Solved (From Illuminate)
Heather sat cross-legged at the foot of her bed while her friend Anya flopped dramatically over the side.
“I think I’ve been staring at this puzzle for too long, Heather, because I’m starting to get double vision. Solving this thing is as easy as . . . as slaying Medusa!”
Heather rolled her eyes and chuckled at her friend’s choice of words. Anya was a big fan of Greek mythology, but sadly, in this case she was also correct.
“I know, I know, and it’s a cryptogram, by the way, not just a puzzle,” she said as Anya grunted from her side of the bed. “The words are encrypted, so we have to figure out the key to solving the code. It’s supposed to be fun,” Heather finished lamely.
Anya grunted again before dropping completely to the bedroom floor and turning onto her back.
“We’ve been doing this for hours and we haven’t figured out the key yet, so I think we’ve passed the point of fun and we’re quickly approaching torturous. I say we give up and pass on the extra credit this week, for the sake of our sanities!”
Just then, Heather’s mom knocked on the door and entered with a tray of food. “I thought you both might be hungry,” she said. “It’s been so quiet in here—not at all like you two—so I wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
“Thanks, we’re fine, just trying to get some extra credit in social studies by solving a puzz . . . a cryptogram,” Anya replied, giving extra emphasis to the word in an effort to tease her friend.
Heather’s mom smiled and said, “Ah, I see, well then it’s a good thing you two have each other.”
Anya blinked at Heather’s mom and responded with something that sounded a lot like “suuurrre,” while Heather just giggled nervously.
“Well, you can each try different strategies and keep track of what doesn’t work so that you can figure out the key in half the time it would normally take. It just requires some common sense and a little patience, right?”
Heather’s mom winked at the girls and set the tray down before leaving the room.
“We are complete dolts!” shouted Anya. “We’ve been sitting here randomly trying different strategies over and over again when we could have been splitting up the strategies from the start!”
“I guess we weren’t exactly smart about this,” admitted Heather, “but at least now we can divide everything up and tackle the cryptogram correctly. Then I guess we just have to be patient until one of us figures out the key.”
Fifteen minutes later, Anya’s shriek echoed through the recesses of Heather’s bedroom. “Got it!” she shouted triumphantly, waving her sheet in front of her like a victory flag. “Take that, Medusa!”
Question: By making the comparison of slaying Medusa to the cryptogram she had to solve, what point is Anya trying to make?
(1 point)
Responses
That weapons are needed to solve the cryptogram.
That weapons are needed to solve the cryptogram.
Her and her friend Heather are in danger.
Her and her friend Heather are in danger.
The cryptogram is very difficult.
The cryptogram is very difficult.
You need to know Greek myths to solve the cryptogram.
The cryptogram is very difficult.
Read the two stories, and then answer the question that follows.
Story #1
Perseus and Medusa (From Illuminate)
a retelling of the Greek myth
Perseus, son of Zeus, was half-mortal and half-god. His courageous and brave exploits were well known throughout the land, but he was perhaps most famous for how he came to possess the head of the gorgon Medusa.
When Perseus was still a young man, King Polydectes sought to be rid of him, as he was a significant obstacle in the king’s desire to marry Perseus’s mother. In an effort to send Perseus as far away as possible, Polydectes told Perseus to kill the gorgon Medusa and return with her head.
The gorgons were three sisters. They were once beautiful maidens whom Poseidon had transformed into horrific monsters when Medusa rejected the god’s love. Poseidon turned the sisters into terrible creatures. He made their bodies grotesque and replaced their hair with poisonous snakes. The god allowed Medusa to keep her beautiful face, but anyone who dared to look at her would immediately be turned to stone.
Perseus had no way of finding Medusa, who lived at the end of the world, so he asked the gods Athena and Hermes for help. They came to his aid because he was the son of Zeus, and bestowed upon him four powerful gifts. Among these gifts were winged sandals to carry Perseus to Medusa’s lair, a cap that would make Perseus invisible, a sword to kill Medusa, and a mirrored shield. The shield would allow Perseus to see Medusa’s face without looking directly at her, preventing him from being turned to stone. Athena advised Perseus to use his gifts wisely and to practice patience and logic in order to achieve his task.
Perseus donned the winged sandals and flew to slay Medusa. Using his cap, he entered her lair and surveyed his surroundings. Suddenly, he heard a noise from behind him. Athena’s cautionary words echoed softly in the air, and Perseus resisted the urge to turn toward the noise. Instead, he stepped to the side and used his mirrored shield to find the source of the noise. In the mirror, he saw the monstrous figure of Medusa slowly walking toward him. Steadying himself, Perseus patiently lay in wait as Medusa moved closer and closer behind him. Never did he turn, for he feared he would gaze into the gorgon’s eyes and forever be turned to stone.
Finally, Medusa stood immediately behind Perseus; he knew that now was the time to strike. With all his strength, he swung blindly. When he looked into his mirrored shield, there lay Medusa’s head. With the help of the gods, Perseus had slain Medusa.
Story #2
Puzzle Solved (From Illuminate)
Heather sat cross-legged at the foot of her bed while her friend Anya flopped dramatically over the side.
“I think I’ve been staring at this puzzle for too long, Heather, because I’m starting to get double vision. Solving this thing is as easy as . . . as slaying Medusa!”
Heather rolled her eyes and chuckled at her friend’s choice of words. Anya was a big fan of Greek mythology, but sadly, in this case she was also correct.
“I know, I know, and it’s a cryptogram, by the way, not just a puzzle,” she said as Anya grunted from her side of the bed. “The words are encrypted, so we have to figure out the key to solving the code. It’s supposed to be fun,” Heather finished lamely.
Anya grunted again before dropping completely to the bedroom floor and turning onto her back.
“We’ve been doing this for hours and we haven’t figured out the key yet, so I think we’ve passed the point of fun and we’re quickly approaching torturous. I say we give up and pass on the extra credit this week, for the sake of our sanities!”
Just then, Heather’s mom knocked on the door and entered with a tray of food. “I thought you both might be hungry,” she said. “It’s been so quiet in here—not at all like you two—so I wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
“Thanks, we’re fine, just trying to get some extra credit in social studies by solving a puzz . . . a cryptogram,” Anya replied, giving extra emphasis to the word in an effort to tease her friend.
Heather’s mom smiled and said, “Ah, I see, well then it’s a good thing you two have each other.”
Anya blinked at Heather’s mom and responded with something that sounded a lot like “suuurrre,” while Heather just giggled nervously.
“Well, you can each try different strategies and keep track of what doesn’t work so that you can figure out the key in half the time it would normally take. It just requires some common sense and a little patience, right?”
Heather’s mom winked at the girls and set the tray down before leaving the room.
“We are complete dolts!” shouted Anya. “We’ve been sitting here randomly trying different strategies over and over again when we could have been splitting up the strategies from the start!”
“I guess we weren’t exactly smart about this,” admitted Heather, “but at least now we can divide everything up and tackle the cryptogram correctly. Then I guess we just have to be patient until one of us figures out the key.”
Fifteen minutes later, Anya’s shriek echoed through the recesses of Heather’s bedroom. “Got it!” she shouted triumphantly, waving her sheet in front of her like a victory flag. “Take that, Medusa!”
Question" How are the behaviors of the mother in "Puzzle Solved" similar to the behaviors of Athena in "Perseus and Medusa"?
(1 point)
Responses
She shows up when she was not expected to.
She shows up when she was not expected to.
The mother helps by giving advice for solving the cryptogram.
The mother helps by giving advice for solving the cryptogram.
She takes time to wink at the girls before she exits.
She takes time to wink at the girls before she exits.
She inquires if the girls are alright.
The mother helps by giving advice for solving the cryptogram.
Read the two stories, and then answer the question that follows.
Story #1
How Snake Lost His Legs (From Illuminate)
An African Fable
Since the beginning of time, Snake was a lazy creature. The other animals of the savanna would toil from sunrise to sunset to find food and water, while Snake would simply hide by the watering hole and wait for prey to cross his path. In fact, Snake was so lazy that he unintentionally changed his own fate.
One day, Moon, the ruler of the animals, came down from the sky and called a meeting of all creatures to impart some important news. Snake loved his comfortable hiding place by the water’s edge and did not see the purpose in moving when Mantis, his only friend, would surely come and tell him the news. After all, what could possibly be so important? So, Snake tucked his little legs beneath his long body (for snakes had legs back then) and settled down into the mud.
Across the savanna, the animals gathered underneath the Baobab tree and listened anxiously to Moon. She told them that the water would soon disappear and the earth would turn to sand. The savanna would become a dry and lifeless desert in which nothing could survive. Moon advised the animals to take their families and travel to the other side of the cliff in the east where they would find a new savanna to call home.
The animals immediately set out on their long journey, but faithful Mantis traveled back to the watering hole to find Snake. He told his friend of the impending danger, but Snake just snorted and refused to move. He had no intention of leaving his spot, especially when the cliff in the east was such a long walk away. Surely Moon was exaggerating and the rains would eventually come back. Snake had plenty of water at the hole in the meantime.
But as the days wore on, it grew warmer and warmer. Worse yet, it did not rain for weeks and the watering hole dried up in front of Snake’s eyes. Snake rose unsteadily and looked to the cliff in the east. He took a step forward, but his foot sank heavily into the sand. He tried to step with another foot and achieved the same result; he was stuck!
Snake cried out to Moon for help, begging and pleading until finally she took pity on him. Moon took away Snake’s legs and made his body slippery enough to slide easily through the hot sand. At last, he was able to move again, and he hurriedly slithered toward the cliff in the distance.
Snake lost his legs that day, but he did not lose his tendency for laziness, for to this very day we can still find him lying by the watering hole, waiting for his food to come to him.
Story #2
Lazy Day Sunday (From Illuminate)
It was a lazy Sunday, and Matilda was trying to catch up on the sleep she missed all week. After all, getting up at 7:00 every morning was downright inhuman, and the oversized pillow in the corner of the sofa was a cloud in the sky, calling her to float away with it.
Perhaps that’s why she made the not-so-wise decision to ignore her mother’s request as she ran out to the supermarket. It was a simple request to turn off the oven at 5:30 and pull the roast out to cool, but that cloud in the sky was calling her name. Matilda had opened one eye at 5:35, but she hadn’t really noticed the time, and Mom would be home soon anyway.
Of course, when 6:15 arrived and the smell of smoke began to waft through the living room, she came down from her cloud a little. Where was Mom anyway, and wasn’t there something she had to do?
At 6:20, the smoke alarm went off, and Matilda began to regret the last hour. Suddenly remembering everything her mother had ever said in her entire life, she sprinted into the kitchen and slid right into her little brother, Max.
“Fire!” he shouted through the haze of the smoke-filled kitchen.
“Shh, it’s just a little smoke from the oven.”
But Max had already run out of the kitchen to the sound of the blaring alarm.
Attempting to ignore the chaos around her, Matilda tried to save the roast first (“save” being the operative word, because the charred remains were barely recognizable). Groaning, she pulled on some oven gloves and opened the door, releasing a new wave of thick smoke into the room.
“Mom is going to be so . . .”
She never got to finish her thought because suddenly a spray of white foam enveloped both her and the roast. For a long moment, all she could do was blink as the foam dripped from her chin and hands. Then she slowly turned to find Max holding a fire extinguisher and grinning from ear to ear as he shouted, “I saved you!”
“Max, what are you doing! I wasn’t on fire. . . . What’s that noise?”
The sound of sirens filled the street, and both Matilda and Max ran for the front door. Outside, a group of firefighters, ambulance workers, and, yes, Matilda’s panic-stricken mother (for she had just gotten home from the supermarket) were running for the door.
Taking a deep breath, Matilda turned the knob to face the consequences, vowing that next time she would just listen to her mother. But in her own defense, it was a lazy Sunday, after all.
Question: In comparison to "How Snake Lost His Legs", how does the structure of "Lazy Day Sunday" help to more effectively teach the lesson?
(1 point)
Responses
By more clearly showing how an act can lead to dangerous results in the real world.
By more clearly showing how an act can lead to dangerous results in the real world.
By allowing animals to come to life with the power of being able to talk.
By allowing animals to come to life with the power of being able to talk.
By having more characters than "How the Snake Lost His Legs".
By having more characters than "How the Snake Lost His Legs".
By having the events happen in chronological order.