Subskill # 7
Character Analysis I
Read the passage below and then choose the best answer to the questions:
When ten-year-old Amelia Mary Earhart
saw her first plane at a state fair she
attended with her father, she was not
impressed. She told her father, "It was a
thing of rusty wire and wood and looked
not at all interesting." But, in the fall of
1919, when she was twenty, Amelia
attended another air show with her father
and
after
watching
a
stunt-flying
exhibition;
she
became
seriously
interested in aviation. Her father asked
her to go to lunch with him and his
friends, but she rapidly declined because
she did not want to miss seeing any of the
planes. The next day, still excited from
watching the planes, Amelia paid one
dollar to take a plane ride. On that fateful
day, pilot Frank Hawks gave her a ride
that would forever change her life. "By the
time I had got two or three hundred feet
off the ground," she said, "I knew I myself
had to fly."
Although
Amelia’s
convictions
were
strong, many difficult, detrimental and
financial problems awaited her. But the
tomboy in her was no stranger to censure
or doubt. The young Earhart climbed
trees, "belly-slammed" her sled to start it
downhill and hunted rats with a .22 rifle,
all the things that only boys should do.
She also kept a scrapbook of newspaper
clippings about successful women in
primarily male-oriented fields.
Amelia overcame all obstacles and finally
managed to take flying lessons from a
woman pilot named Neta Snook. Neta
insisted that Amelia learn all about
airplanes before she allowed Amelia to
actually fly one. Amelia was adamant
about flying so she not only learned the
parts of a plane, but she also learned how
to repair airplane engines.
In 1926 Amelia met someone who would
change her life forever. George Putnam
was a publisher of a local newspaper and
wanted Amelia to participate in a stunt
designed to sell newspapers. He had
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arranged for Wilmer Stultz and Louis
Gordon to fly a plane named the
“Friendship”
from
Trepassey
Bay,
Newfoundland, to Burry Port, Wales, and
wanted Amelia to ride along. Amelia would
have the official title of “commander.” No
woman had ever flown across the Atlantic
Ocean before, and Amelia jumped at this
glorious chance to fly, even though it was
only as a passenger. She already had her
pilot’s license and wanted desperately to
be the first woman to fly across the
Atlantic. Women of the time were appalled
that a “woman” would fly. The belief was
that only men should fly. Amelia always
held the strong belief that women could
and should do anything they set their
hearts to do.
By 1931, there were several woman pilots
who were planning flights across the
Atlantic but Amelia’s new husband,
George Putnam, pushed Amelia to be the
first. Amelia decided she would be the first
and on May 27, 1932, she boarded her
plane and flew across the Atlantic. Amelia
landed in Northern Ireland and broke
several records when she landed. She was
the first woman to fly solo across the
Atlantic, the first to fly the Atlantic twice
and set the record for the shortest time.
Because of this extraordinary feat, Amelia
was voted “Outstanding Woman of the
Year.” She was extremely pleased to
accept the award handed to her. Amelia
always believed that all women were
heroes, no matter what they did.
In 1935, Amelia announced her plan to fly
around Earth at its widest point, the
equator. She would make several stops to
refuel along the way. Before she took off,
she told the huge crowd that had gathered
that this would be her last long-distance
flight. After flying more than threequarters of the distance, 22,000 miles,
with only 7, 000 miles to go, Amelia wired
her last message from the plane. No one
has ever seen her or her plane again.
Reading
Subskill # 7
Character Analysis I
To this day, people still search for Amelia
Earhart’s plane. Amelia Earhart always
fought for women’s rights and her
husband, George, received a letter from
her a few weeks after her disappearance.
Amelia wrote to George “ . . . Women
must try to do things as men have tried.
When they fail, their failure must be but a
challenge to others.”
Note:
The above article was taken from:
http://ellensplace.net/eae_intr.html,
http://worldbookonline.com, Family of
Amelia Earhart c/o CMG Worldwide.
Now choose the best answer to each question.
1. What one word best describes Amelia
Earhart’s character?
a. Languid
b. Sluggish
c. Energetic
d. Weary
2. Amelia didn’t want to go to lunch with
her father because:
a. She was anxious about what she
would miss if she went.
b. She was unimpressed about what
she would miss if she went.
c. She was indifferent about what she
would miss if she went.
d. She was unconcerned about what
she would miss if she went.
3. How would you best describe Amelia’s
feelings toward other women?
a. She didn’t have an opinion oneway or the other.
b. She thought all women were weak.
c. She believed only women were
smart enough to do particular
things.
d. She believed all women could do
anything they set their minds to
do.
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4. Which of these statements about
Amelia support the passage above?
a. Amelia Earhart had a strong
character.
b. Amelia Earhart had a fragile
character.
c. Amelia Earhart had a delicate
character.
d. Amelia Earhart had a shameful
character.
5. Which of these is a fact about
Amelia Earhart?
a. She was the first woman pilot.
b. She was the only woman to fly
around the world.
c. She was the first woman to fly
across the Atlantic.
d. She was the first woman ever
voted, “Outstanding Woman of
the Year.”
6. Which of these best summarizes
the passage?
a. All women can fly.
b. One woman took the world by
storm in the 1930’s.
c. Men and women fight each
other to be the best.
d. Men can be pushy.
Reading
Subskill # 7
Character Analysis I
7. Which of these best describes
Amelia’s ability to stand up for
what she wanted to accomplish?
a. Amelia was extremely athletic.
b. Amelia was strong in her
beliefs.
c. Amelia was a tomboy.
d. Amelia had enough money.
8. Amelia Earhart’s strong
involvement in flying showed that
she was:
a. Determined to fight for
women’s rights.
b. Confused by women versus
men’s roles in society.
c. Distressed by the role of
women in society.
d. Undeterred by any threat of
personal danger.
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9. Of the people mentioned in the
passage, who had the most
influence on Amelia’s life?
a. Wilmer Stultz and Louis Gordon
b. Her husband
c. Her flying instructor
d. Her father
10. According to the passage, what
kind of student would you say
Amelia was?
a. A competitive learner who only
cares about being the best.
b. A motivated learner who finds
great pleasure in doing her
best.
c. A gifted learner.
d. A slow learner.
Reading
Subskill # 7
Character Analysis I
Answer Key
1.
C
2.
A
3.
D
4.
A
5.
C
6.
B
7.
B
8.
D
9.
B
10.
B
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Reading