Introduction to Contemporary Literature of the Twenty-First Century Answers

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Read the excerpt from "How the Internet and Other Technologies Came About."Tanks and submarines were easily simulated, since looking through goggles wasn’t very much different from looking through a pair of binoculars or a periscope. Since the first head-mounted display was built for the Pentagon in 1968, primitive versions of virtual reality have since proliferated to video arcades around the country.Which information from the excerpt best supports the inference that certain video games resulted from issues related to national security?

A
There has been a marked increase in war-themed games since the military developed conflict-based simulators.
B
There has been a marked increase in the development of new forms of entertainment since cuts to military spending have occurred.
C
There has been a marked increase in virtual reality games since the military developed conflict-based simulators.
D
There has been a marked increase in new forms of entertainment since the military’s budget was increased.
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Read this excerpt from “Not a Dove, But No Longer a Hawk.” I remember distinctly the thrill of climbing aboard a U.S. Army helicopter in the cool of the morning and taking off across the rice fields with a South Vietnamese battalion for a day’s jousting with the Vietcong guerillas. There was hope then that the non-Communist Vietnamese might win their war. I was proud of the young American pilots sitting at the controls in the cockpit and I was grateful for the opportunity to witness this adventure and to report it. We are fighting now, I used to think, and some day we will triumph and this will be a better country. Which choice best describes how the author builds conflict in this excerpt?

A
He reflects back and describes his initial optimism of the war.
B
He makes predictions about the possible outcomes of the war.
C
He criticizes the US government for becoming involved in the war.
D
He shares his hopes for the non-Communist Vietnamese.
3

How does Thomas Wolfe organize the text "Look Homeward, Angel"?

A
The frame story is the tale of Mr. and Mrs. Gant’s love and marriage, relayed through flashbacks to their youth.
B
The frame story is the tale of Eliza Gant’s family, with flashbacks to explain their financial success.
C
The frame story is the tale of Mr. and Mrs. Gant’s community involvement, conveyed in chronological order.
D
The frame story is the tale of Oliver Gant’s life and marriage, presented in chronological order.
4

Read the excerpt from Julia Ortiz Cofer’s poem "El Olvido."It is dangerousto spurn the clothes you were born to wearfor the sake of fashion; dangerousto use weapons and sharp instrumentsyou are not familiar with; dangerousto disdain the plaster saintsbefore which your mother kneelspraying with embarrassing fervorthat you survive in the place you have chosen to live:The items listed in this excerpt symbolize

A
the ways of life that are unfamiliar to the speaker.
B
the fervent religious beliefs of the speaker’s mother.
C
the speaker’s desire to forget embarrassing traditions.
D
the traditions and customs of the speaker’s native land.
5

What best summarizes the central idea of the passage from "How the Internet and Other Technologies Came About"?

A
Technological advancement is a side effect of military efforts to win wars.
B
Technological advancement is a side effect of academic competition between countries.
C
Technological advancement is a side effect of economic competition between countries.
D
Technological advancement is a side effect of profit-driven corporations.
6

Read the historical fact to make a text to world connection. The Cold War (1947-1991) was fought to contain the spread of communism and deter nuclear attack; subsequently it created a stockpiling of arms and munitions.Then, read the excerpt from Michio Kaku’s book Visions: How Science Will Revolutionize the 21st Century.There was also a sense of urgency. The Pentagon was worried that the shattered remains of the Soviet Union might be rebuilt before the United States. Following a nuclear war, there would be a race to see who could rebuild their country first. In a scenario of two dazed boxers lying flat on their backs, slowly regaining consciousness, the winner of World War III would be that country which could stand on its feet first (and so go on to win World War IV). Therefore, the Pentagon’s priority was to provide scientists with a way to rebuild the country as fast as possible, unimpeded by unnecessary restrictions.Which detail from the excerpt of Michio Kaku’s book provides the most cultural context about the Cold War?

A
There was also a sense of urgency.
B
The Pentagon was worried that the shattered remains of the Soviet Union might be rebuilt before the United States.
C
In a scenario of two dazed boxers lying flat on their backs. . . .
D
The winner of World War III would be that country which could stand on its feet first.
7

Read the excerpt from Gary Soto’s story "Like Mexicans."My grandmother gave me bad advice and good advice when I was in my early teens. For the bad advice, she said that I should become a barber because they made good money and listened to the radio all day. “Honey, they don’t work como burros,” she would say every time I visited her. She made the sound of donkeys braying. “Like that, honey!” For the good advice, she said that I should marry a Mexican girl. “No Okies, hijo”—she would say— “Look, my son. He marry one and they fight every day about I don’t know what and I don’t know what.” For her, everyone who wasn’t Mexican, black, or Asian were Okies. The French were Okies, the Italians in suits were Okies. . . . she lectured me on the virtues of the Mexican girl.What inference can be made about the grandmother’s point of view in this excerpt?

A
She is eager to assimilate herself and her family into mainstream US culture.
B
She is unwilling to embrace any aspect of multiculturalism because she detests US culture.
C
She wants to preserve her family’s Mexican culture even though she no longer lives in Mexico.
D
She believes that marrying an “Okie” is equivalent to ruining any prospects of financial success.
8

Read the excerpt from “A Visit from the Goon Squad.” Scotty climbed onto the platform and sat on the stool. Without a glance at the audience or a word of introduction, he began to play “I Am a Little Lamb,” a tune whose childishness was belied by the twanging filigree of his slide guitar, its gushy metallic complexity. He followed that with “Goats Like Oats” and “A Little Tree Is Just Like Me.” The amplification was fine and powerful enough to eclipse the chopper throb and deliver the sound even to the distant reaches of the crowd, where it disappeared between buildings. Alex listened in a sort of cringe, expecting a roar of rejection from these thousands he’d managed secretly to assemble, whose goodwill had already been taxed by the long wait. But it didn’t happen; the pointers, who already knew these songs, clapped and screeched their approval, and the adults seemed intrigued, attuned to double meanings and hidden layers, which were easy to find. Which of the following choices best describes the structure used in this excerpt?

A
Multiple switches are used between the action and commentary.
B
A frame story is used to link the different stories together.
C
Sequential order is used to present the events in the order they occur.
D
Flashbacks are used to break with the chronological order of the storyline.
9

Read the excerpt from "Like Mexicans."We had lunch: sandwiches, potato chips, and iced tea. Carolyn and her mother talked mostly about neighbors and the congregation at the Japanese Methodist Church in West Fresno. Her father, who was in khaki work clothes, excused himself with a wave that was almost a salute and went outside. I heard a truck start, a dog bark, and the truck rattle away.How does Soto build a central idea of his story in the excerpt?

A
By showing how Carolyn’s family lives in a way that is strange to him, Soto supports the idea that culture causes conflict between people.
B
By showing how Carolyn’s family lives in a way that is boring to him, Soto supports the idea that people from different cultures do not share interests.
C
By showing how Carolyn’s family lives in a way that is familiar to him, Soto supports the idea that people from different cultures can also share a culture.
D
By showing how Carolyn’s family lives in a way that is similar to him, Soto supports the idea that there are very few differences among cultures.
10

What best summarizes the central idea of the passage from "Like Mexicans"?

A
People from different ethnicities have a difficult time understanding each other.
B
People can be of different ethnicities and still have shared life experiences.
C
People should marry based on shared ethnicity to maintain their own cultures.
D
People should ignore their ethnicities to develop one common culture.
11

Read the excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”You express a great deal of anxiety over our willingness to break laws. This is certainly a legitimate concern.How does King rebut his critics’ claim?

A
by citing the US Constitution in a counterclaim
B
by questioning the fairness of the laws in a counterclaim
C
by praising the concept of social anarchy in a counterclaim
D
by admitting mistakes in a counterclaim
12

The first paragraph of “Ambush” contains a conversation that takes place

A
before the narrator killed a man in Vietnam.
B
before the birth of the narrator’s daughter.
C
after the narrator’s experiences in the Vietnam War.
D
after the narrator told his daughter the truth about war.
13

Read the sentence.We wrote in our journals for twenty minutes each day.Which type of phrase or clause is underlined in the sentence?

A
adjectival clause
B
adjectival phrase
C
adverbial clause
D
adverbial phrase
14

What type of language should be used in a critical analysis essay?

A
formal and informal
B
informal
C
formal
D
familiar
15

How does the mention of Governor Faubus in Jackie Robinson’s letter to President Eisenhower strengthen the main argument of the letter?

A
The reference highlights President Eisenhower’s deep dislike of the governor and shows his willingness to remove him from office.
B
Robinson notes that Governor Faubus spoke during the Summit Meeting of Negro Leaders and became a symbol of civil rights.
C
Robinson uses Governor Faubus as a metaphor for racial segregation and therefore provides a strong visual image.
D
The reference provides a real-life example of a pro-segregationist and his actions, making the need for civil rights more dire.
16

Read the excerpt from Jackie Robinson’s letter to President Eisenhower.When you said we must have self-respect, I wondered how we could have self-respect and remain patient considering the treatment accorded to us through the years.This excerpt contains an historical allusion to

A
civil rights activists that advocated for equal rights in the United States throughout the 20th century.
B
the discrimination and bigotry faced by Black people throughout history in the United States.
C
Robinson’s belief that an end to segregation is impossible to achieve in the United States.
D
Robinson’s belief that President Eisenhower is responsible for ending segregation in the United States.
17

Which best identifies Jackie Robinson’s reason for writing his letter to President Eisenhower?

A
He hopes that the president will take immediate action to curb segregation laws at the federal level.
B
He believes that the president should punish Governor Faubus for his inexcusable actions.
C
He feels that the president has too much sympathy for pro-segregationists like Governor Faubus.
D
He thinks that the president should be commended for his remarks at the Summit Meeting of Negro Leaders.
18

Read the excerpt from Jackie Robinson’s letter to President Eisenhower.I respectfully remind you sir, that we have been the most patient of all people. When you said we must have self-respect, I wondered how we could have self-respect and remain patient considering the treatment accorded to us through the years.Which best explains why Robinson includes this description of Black people?

A
to warn the president that Black people are tired of waiting and will soon take action
B
to point out that Black people have greatly suffered for far too long
C
to assure the president that Black people would continue to wait patiently
D
to show that he respects the president and all he has done to help Black people
19

Read the excerpt from Gelissen’s Rena's Promise: Two Sisters in Auschwitz.Thrown off balance, struggling to keep from falling into the abyss below, I plummeted out of reach. Rolling down the steep incline, I grabbed at tree branches to break my fall as they ripped the mittens from my hands. Biting my tongue, I splashed into a stream with no cushion but ice-covered boulders. The silence of the night shrank. Icy water crept into my clothes. Our ears pricked up for the sound of rudely woken dogs in the nearby kennels. There was the sound of water dripping off my elbows. Neither of us dared move or breathe. No dogs barked. Which best describes the impact of this excerpt that reflects Gelissen’s decision to tell her story in memoir form?

A
It provides a variety of personal accounts of World War II and the Holocaust.
B
It provides an objective and detached account of a major historical event.
C
It provides a history of the key events of World War II and the Holocaust.
D
It provides a unique and personal perspective on a significant historical event.
20

Read the excerpt.My father had never met Andrzej, yet that morning he sent for the boy he had forbidden me to see to come into our house. Not a word had been spoken to me about these arrangements. This was my father, and of course I was not consulted.I was standing in the kitchen when I heard Andrzej’s voice at our door. My knees sank. Mama scrutinized me. I did not even look at his face.“Welcome, Andrzej. Please have a seat.” Papa offered him a chair. . . .“I have a favor to ask of you, Andrzej . . . This is very difficult for me, but I must ask. It is no longer safe in Tylicz for Rena. Her mother and I are worried for her safety every day.”Determine the narrator’s point of view in Rena's Promise: Two Sisters in Auschwitz.

A
a historian recounting her own experiences during the Holocaust
B
a historian describing a survivor’s experiences during the Holocaust
C
a teenager describing her own experiences during the Holocaust
D
a teenager recounting her parents’ experiences during the Holocaust

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