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Reading Comprehension Quiz (Rachel Carson, “Silent Spring”)

Reading Comprehension Quiz

Rachel Carson, “Silent Spring”

Read “Silent Spring” and check your comprehension by answering the following questions. Click the submit button when finished.

Question What is Rachel Carson’s argument?

1. What is Rachel Carson’s argument?

People are killing a sufficient number of insects and therefore should be given stronger poisons to use.

People are carelessly using insecticides that are potentially deadly to all types of insects and animals.

The government needs to start a program of systematic spraying and extermination programs across the country.

The government officials are creating better poisons for the public to use and the public needs to use them more effectively.

Question The first section is called “A Fable for Tomorrow.” If a fable is a short allegorical narrative making a moral point, what moral is Carson wishing the audience to understand?

2. The first section is called “A Fable for Tomorrow.” If a fable is a short allegorical narrative making a moral point, what moral is Carson wishing the audience to understand?

Farmers are not very good at applying chemicals to their crops.

Small town America is not as idyllic as it seems.

Unchecked extermination programs will eventually affect all types of life.

People are not doing enough to stop disease from spreading.

Question Carson writes that “the physical form and the habits of the earth’s vegetation and its animal life have been molded by the environment. Considering the whole span of earthly time, the opposite effect, in which life actually modifies its surroundings, has been relatively slight.” What modification to humankind’s surroundings is Carson most concerned about in this chapter?

3. Carson writes that “the physical form and the habits of the earth’s vegetation and its animal life have been molded by the environment. Considering the whole span of earthly time, the opposite effect, in which life actually modifies its surroundings, has been relatively slight.” What modification to humankind’s surroundings is Carson most concerned about in this chapter?

Humankind has changed the environment through the use of insecticides that kill arbitrarily and thus affect not only insects, but the animals and plants that depend on them.

Humankind has built cities and an infrastructure to support them, and this has changed the surrounding environment in such a way as to affect the migration patterns of animals.

Humankind has created industries that release hundreds of different types of chemicals into the environment, thus creating greenhouse gasses that have increased the overall temperature of the globe.

Humankind has begun to reproduce to such an extent that the earth is no longer capable of producing enough food to support the population.

Question What support does Carson rely on to prove her points?

4. What support does Carson rely on to prove her points?

her personal expertise in biology

the emotions of the reader, who is made to think about the animals that will be affected by the poisons

the logical progression of her arguments, which point out the natural consequences of what happens when the different insects and animals are poisoned

All of the above.

Question In which paragraph does Carson acknowledge that mankind must still work on insect control?

5. In which paragraph does Carson acknowledge that mankind must still work on insect control?

paragraph 22

paragraph 25

paragraph 16

paragraph 11

Question Carson writes that “flareback” occurs in areas where spraying has taken place. What is “flareback”?

6. Carson writes that “flareback” occurs in areas where spraying has taken place. What is “flareback”?

fires that happen because the crops have died

radiation that is breaking through the weak points in the ozone layer

a population surge of insects in an area that was sprayed

population increase of predators in an area that was sprayed

Question Carson notes that “Single-crop farming does not take advantage of the principles by which nature works...” Why is this?

7. Carson notes that “Single-crop farming does not take advantage of the principles by which nature works...” Why is this?

Single-crop farming increases the habitat for certain types of insects while reducing the habitat for others.

Single-crop farming requires more chemicals and fertilizers to grow crops, and this creates potential poisons that will linger in the soil.

Single-crop farms are more prone to disasters and therefore must be sprayed for insects more frequently; this in turn creates insects that are less susceptible to insecticides.

All of the above.

Question How can humanity, according to Carson, stop invasive species from spreading?

8. How can humanity, according to Carson, stop invasive species from spreading?

through eradication programs

through the use of quarantines

through the introduction of predators for invasive species

Preventing the spread of invasive species is impossible.

Question According to Carson, why doesn’t the Bill of Rights contain a provision against lethal poisons?

9. According to Carson, why doesn’t the Bill of Rights contain a provision against lethal poisons?

It is inherent in the idea that all people are entitled to “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” contained in the Declaration of Independence.

The Founding Fathers could not have foreseen that this was going to be a problem.

The Founding Fathers were ill-equipped to regulate such governmental policies.

None of the above.