Reading/Vocabulary 3 TEST Chapter 8 Name: ______________
Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky in 1809. His mother died when he was nine, and his family moved many times. His father was a poor farmer, and young Abraham had to work on the farm. He was able to go to school for only a year and a half. In spite of this humble beginning, Abraham Lincoln grew up to be one of the most famous presidents of the United States.
His family was living in Illinois when Abraham left the farm. He tried several different kinds of jobs.
He made fences; and he worked on a riverboat; and he worked in a store. He was also a soldier in the army for a short time, but he didn’t do any fighting. In general, Abraham didn’t like violence. He never went hunting or fishing because he didn’t like killing anything.
For one of his jobs, he traveled to New Orleans in Louisiana, which was in the southern part of the
United States. There, for the first time, he saw black people who were slaves. He saw white men buying and selling slaves. Seeing the consequences of these unpleasant negotiations, he realized that slavery was wrong.
During these years, he read a lot, and he began to study law. When he finished his studies, he opened a law office. He was honest and intelligent, and he worked very hard. After a few years, he decided to pursue politics.
He struggled to overcome many defeats, but eventually he was elected. First, he became a state politician in Illinois. Later he entered national politics in Washington, D.C. Finally, in
1860, he became President of the United States. Because of the difficult circumstances in Lincoln’s life, many of the American people must have felt that he had a beneficial perspective that would represent the common man.
This was a difficult time for the country. The bonds that had held the states together were decreasing rapidly. Soon after Lincoln became president he began to work tirelessly on unifying the country, but eventually the union collapsed and a Civil War started. There were many complicated reasons for this bloody war, but the main cause of the war was slavery. The rural southern states wanted slavery, but the more urban northern states wanted to abolish, or end it. Finally, thanks in part to the inspiration and leadership of Lincoln, the northern states won the war; slavery became illegal; and the
United States of America survived.
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Reading/Vocabulary 3
Questions for Reading 1
TEST Chapter 8 Name: ______________
1. Abraham Lincoln had many different jobs. Which job did he NOT have?
A. taught in law school
B. worked on a riverboat
C. was a soldier
D. made fences
2. His trip to New Orleans was significant, or important, because
A. he decided to enter politics.
B. he began his law studies.
C. he saw the terrible consequences of slavery and knew it was wrong.
D. he travelled on a riverboat.
3. Which statement is NOT true?
A. Lincoln was intelligent even though he didn’t go to school for a long time.
B. Both the southern states and the northern states wanted to end slavery.
C. There were complex reasons for the Civil War, but slavery was the main cause.
D. Lincoln’s first political job was in the state of Illinois.
4. Which place did Lincoln NOT live in:
A. Louisiana
B. Illinois
C. Kentucky
D. Washington, D.C.
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Reading/Vocabulary 3 TEST Chapter 8
Answer YES if the information agrees with the reading.
Answer NO if the information does not agree with the reading
Answer NOT GIVEN if the information is not in the reading.
5. Lincoln had to work on a farm to help his father when he was young
6. He was elected the very first time he entered politics.
7. The Civil War started while he was president.
8. Southern states were urban, but northern states were more rural.
9. What is the main purpose of this essay?
A. to entertain
B. to inform
C. to persuade
D. to explain a process
10. Which word is an antonym of illegal?
A.
lawful
B.
legal
C.
permitted
D.
all the above
E.
none of the above
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Name: ______________
__________
_________
_________
_________

Reading/Vocabulary 3
Reading 2
TEST Chapter 8 Name: ______________
Freedom of Speech
(Adapted from Freedom of Speech by Christin Ditchfield Scholastic Publishers, New York City)
Every day, in every language, people speak out about things that are important to them. They share their ideas, opinions, and beliefs. They celebrate ideas and events they support and complain about things they think should be changed.
Sometimes, however, speaking out can be dangerous. In some countries and at certain times in history, people have been imprisoned for voicing their opinions about unpopular ideas. Some people have actually been killed for daring to express political opinions or religious beliefs that opposed government policies or practices. Their voices were silenced by those who disagreed with them.
For example, in the 1600s, an Italian scientist named Galileo taught that the Earth revolved around the sun. Leaders of his country arrested him for spreading lies. They were convinced that the sun revolved around the Earth. Of course, now everyone knows that Galileo was right!
In the American colonies, before the United States was an independent country, John Peter Zenger was arrested for publishing a newspaper that criticized the British government that ruled the colonies at that time.
After the United States of America became an independent country, its leaders created the official U.S.
Constitution, which established the rules for the American system of government and protected the freedoms of its citizens. One of the rules of the U.S. Constitution, called The First Amendment, states that:
“Congress shall make no law . . . abridging (limiting) the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
The First Amendment guarantees Americans the right to express their opinions and beliefs – even unpopular ones - in public debates, in books and newspapers, in music and movies, and on radio and television. Perhaps most importantly, it means that citizens have a right to criticize their government and protest against government actions they believe to be wrong.
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Reading/Vocabulary 3
Questions Reading 2
TEST Chapter 8 Name: ______________
1. Galileo was _____
A. an Italian scientist who was killed for his beliefs.
B. a scientist who understood that the earth revolved around the sun.
C. a newspaper publisher.
D. a creator of the American Constitution.
2. Which statement is NOT true.
A. Americans are allowed to criticize their government.
B. The American Constitution established the rules of our government.
C. Galileo lived in the 1600s.
D. The right of free speech does not include speaking on radio.
3. John Peter Zenger ______
A. helped write the American Constitution.
B. supported the British government.
C. published a newspaper in the American colonies.
D. disagreed with Galileo.
4. The First Amendment says, “Congress shall make no law abridging (limiting) the freedom of speech.”
That means
A. Congress cannot limit or prevent people from mentioning their opinions.
B. Congress can decide what people can or cannot say in public.
C. Congress cannot make laws
D. Congress can stop people from having a debate.
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Reading/Vocabulary 3 TEST Chapter 8
Complete each sentence in the box with one of the phrases A-E.
A. because he said the earth revolved around the sun.
B. can be imprisoned for voicing their opinions.
C. that Americans can criticize their government.
D. a newspaper publisher.
E. that speaking against the government can be dangerous.
5. Galileo was arrested _______.
6. The First Amendment guarantees __________.
7. John Peter Zenger was ______.
Answer YES if the information agrees with the reading.
Answer NO if the information does not agree with the reading.
Answer NOT Given if the information is not in the reading.
8. We now know that the earth revolves around the sun.
9. People have been killed for expressing unpopular opinions.
10. John Peter Zenger helped write the American Constitution.
Vocabulary
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______
______
______
Name: ______________

Reading/Vocabulary 3 TEST Chapter 8
1.
The student was prestigious in his school because of his many ________.
A.
obstacles
B.
surveys
C.
accomplishments
D.
avid
Name: ______________
2.
Homeless people _____ the power to protect themselves from more powerful people.
A.
mention
B.
enforce
C.
lack
D.
emphasize
3.
The student was very _____, and that is why he won the Highest Academic Award.
A.
rare
B.
accomplishments
C.
elected
D.
sharp
4.
What your teacher ________ in class is important, so you should write notes when your teacher writes on the board.
A.
emphasizes
B.
elects
C.
intimidates
D.
aspires
5.
Sonia Sotomayor, a famous Supreme Court Justice, was a/an ____ reader which is one of the ways she learned so much.
A.
elected
B.
survey
C.
avid
D.
neutral
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Reading/Vocabulary 3 TEST Chapter 8
6.
A debate is a discussion involving two opposing viewpoints.
7.
If you are neutral, you support one person and not another.
Fill in the blanks with words from the box. One is not used.
Name: ______________
True
True
False
False enforce excel obstacles elected
8.
When students study abroad they face many ________________ such as adjusting to a new language, a different climate, and unusual food.
9.
Your teachers must __________________all the policies of the IEP program.
10.
In the U.S., Supreme Court justices are not ___________________, they are appointed by the
President.
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