1. The document is a reading comprehension test about the short story "Balboa" by Sabina Murray. It contains 10 multiple choice questions and 2 short answer questions about key details, themes, characters, and events in the story.
2. The questions assess the reader's understanding of Balboa's brutal treatment of Indians, his growing fear and regret over his violent acts, and the theme that those in power live in fear of rebellion from those they oppress.
3. The test examines how Balboa's motivations and pride ultimately lead to his downfall, as revealed through details about his discovery of the sea and climb up a dangerous mountain alone despite his rising terror.
1. The document is a reading comprehension test about the short story "Balboa" by Sabina Murray. It contains 10 multiple choice questions and 2 short answer questions about key details, themes, characters, and events in the story.
2. The questions assess the reader's understanding of Balboa's brutal treatment of Indians, his growing fear and regret over his violent acts, and the theme that those in power live in fear of rebellion from those they oppress.
3. The test examines how Balboa's motivations and pride ultimately lead to his downfall, as revealed through details about his discovery of the sea and climb up a dangerous mountain alone despite his rising terror.
1. The document is a reading comprehension test about the short story "Balboa" by Sabina Murray. It contains 10 multiple choice questions and 2 short answer questions about key details, themes, characters, and events in the story.
2. The questions assess the reader's understanding of Balboa's brutal treatment of Indians, his growing fear and regret over his violent acts, and the theme that those in power live in fear of rebellion from those they oppress.
3. The test examines how Balboa's motivations and pride ultimately lead to his downfall, as revealed through details about his discovery of the sea and climb up a dangerous mountain alone despite his rising terror.
1. The document is a reading comprehension test about the short story "Balboa" by Sabina Murray. It contains 10 multiple choice questions and 2 short answer questions about key details, themes, characters, and events in the story.
2. The questions assess the reader's understanding of Balboa's brutal treatment of Indians, his growing fear and regret over his violent acts, and the theme that those in power live in fear of rebellion from those they oppress.
3. The test examines how Balboa's motivations and pride ultimately lead to his downfall, as revealed through details about his discovery of the sea and climb up a dangerous mountain alone despite his rising terror.
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Selection
Name: Date: Test
Read the selection in your Student Edition and choose the best answer to each question.
Balboa by Sabina Murray
1 Which phrase in paragraph 7 helps the reader understand the meaning of the word thunder in the same paragraph? make a people fear god growling of the cat two great incisors the weapon explodes
2 Which phrase from paragraph 9 helps the reader understand the meaning of the word hindsight? He should have brought at the foot of the mountain They have no more interest no amount of swearing
3 How does Balboa justify his brutal behavior toward the Indians in paragraph 22? By relating it to his struggles with religion and spirituality By suggesting that his superiority to the Indians justifies his behavior By comparing the tragedies occurring in Spain to the Indians’ plight By blaming his behavior on his own personal shortcomings
Did the curse worry Balboa? Perhaps a little. He occasionally revisits a particularly spectacular feat of bloodshed—the time Leoncico tore a chieftain’s head from his shoulders—with a pang of concern. The author uses the language in this excerpt most likely to — foreshadow Balboa’s fate flash back to a significant event in Balboa’s past imply a supernatural influence on Balboa’s life emphasize Balboa’s conscience
5 Authors sometimes use symbolism to develop theme. Which two examples of symbolism does the author use in the selection? The drum represents Balboa’s mortality. The jaguar represents the fall of the Indians. The lion represents what Balboa would like to be. The monk represents the idea of a conscience. The ship represents being punished for one’s crimes.
6 Which excerpt from the selection best develops the theme that hindsight is important? What stupidity made him send the governor, Martín Fernández de Enciso, back to Spain? (paragraph 10) Balboa imagines his body being dragged into a tree, his boots swinging from the limbs as the great cat tears his heart from his ribs. (paragraph 12) Why take him to task when the world is a violent place? (paragraph 23) His name had reached Spain, and the king felt his authority threatened. (paragraph 25)
7 Which statement best states what Balboa represents in paragraph 3?
He represents the challenge of holding the line between good and evil. He represents the difficulties in choosing a life of leisure or one of action. He represents humanity’s balance in building the future while respecting the past. He represents the division between the world of the past and the world of the future.
8 What purpose does the structure of the selection serve?
To first paint Balboa in a sympathetic light before revealing his actions in the New World To emphasize that Balboa’s most important accomplishment was the discovery of the sea To ensure that the reader learns the many significant details of Balboa’s past all at once To portray Balboa’s character as being more mysterious than the jungle he walks through
9 Mark the box that matches each action of Balboa to the theme it best supports. Those in power live in Those in power must be fear of rebellion. ruthless to gain obedience.
Balboa trains the war dogs to dismember children. □ □
Balboa regrets not killing Enciso. □ □ Balboa allows a chieftain to be beheaded by his dog. □ □ Balboa climbs the mountain alone. □ □
Balboa the gambling pig farmer, who, in an effort to escape his debt, has found himself at the very edge of the world. Which sentence below is an example of how this fragment could be rewritten as a complete sentence using the past tense? Balboa was a gambling pig farmer who, in an effort to escape his debt, finds himself at the very edge of the world. Balboa was a gambling pig farmer who, in an effort to escape his debt, found himself at the very edge of the world. Balboa was a gambling pig farmer who, in an effort to escape his debt, has found himself at the very edge of the world. Balboa was a gambling pig farmer who, in an effort to escape his debt, would have found himself at the very edge of the world.
11 This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B. Part A Which statement best states the theme of the story? Humanity is constantly in conflict with the natural world, as the hard-fought gains made one day are taken back the next. Humans are part untamed animal and part civilized being and must live in constant harmony with their dual natures. Humanity sees the world as something that must always be forced into submission, and it is to that end where meaning is found. For all their strength, intelligence, and ability, humans are prideful, and their pride is what brings about their demise.
Part B Which excerpt best supports the answer to Part A? Balboa is loved by no one and feared by all. He has invented an unequaled terror. The Indians think of him as a god. (paragraph 19) He said that he was in the New World to bring the Indians to God. So the monk converts the Indians, and Balboa sends them on to God. (paragraph 21) But here, on the slope of the mountain, his name does not seem worth that much. He . . . is terrified that some creature . . . will take advantage of his great heaving bareness. (paragraph 27) Balboa, having accomplished his goal, luxuriates in this moment of peaceful ignorance. He does not know that his days are numbered. . . . (paragraph 30)
12 How does Balboa’s motivation affect the plot? Support your response with evidence from the selection.
