Quilt of a country

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

Comprehension
Read each of the following questions. Then choose the letter of the best answer.

____ 1. According to Quindlen, “slavery and sweatshops, the burning of crosses” illustrate America’s
A achievements.
B beginnings.
C prejudices.
D principles.
____ 2. What are America’s two “defining ideals” that are often in conflict?
A community and individualism
B diversity and tolerance
C ethnicity and community
D individualism and tolerance
____ 3. What point does Quindlen make by comparing present-day New York with Philadelphia in her
father’s time?
A Ethnic pride works against American unity.
B Ethnic conflict was not an issue in the past.
C Ethnic differences have always existed in America.
D Ethnic divisions have gotten much worse in the past 50 years.
____ 4. In lines 54–56, Quindlen says there was concern after the cold war that “the left side of the
hyphen . . . would overwhelm the right.” Which statement best summarizes this concern?
A Immigrants would lose their ethnic identity after they came to America.
B Ethnic identity would become more important than national identity.
C No single ethnic group would form a clear majority of the population.
D Ethnic groups would strive to create their own separate nations.
____ 5. What conclusion do most Americans draw because of their “grudging fairness”?
A Ethnic groups should celebrate their cultures.
B America is no more special than any other nation.
C Americans are the hardest working people on earth.
D Today’s immigrants are similar to earlier Americans.
____ 6. What do the people who died at the World Trade Center represent?
A New York’s wealthiest people
B tourists visiting New York
C America’s varied population
D the American middle class

Vocabulary
Choose the answer that best explains the meaning of each underlined word.

____ 7. People who are discordant are

A conflicting.
 B musical.
C tolerant.
D unorganized.
____ 8. What does a pluralistic nation have?
A a large number of people
B more men than women
C many cultural groups
D two political parties
____ 9. What does interwoven mean?
A blended together
B made by hand
C smoothed out
D wound down
____ 10. A group’s diversity refers to its members’
A common interests.
B educational achievements.
C social class.
D varied backgrounds.

Short Answer

Written Response
Answer the following questions based on your knowledge of the argument.

11. In what way does Quindlen think the events of September 11, 2001, are similar to the cold war?

12. According to Quindlen, how is America different from other countries?

11. Both problems made America get united

12.