Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________

Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original
content are the responsibility of the instructor. 33 Chapter 1 Resources Chapter 1 Selection Standards
Check READING AND LITERATURE Stop the Sun Gary Paulsen COMPREHENSION Circle the letter of the
best answer to each of the following items. (30 points; 6 points each) 1. What is actually happening
when Terry’s father’s eyes “go away”? A) He goes to a different room. B) He’s beginning to feel faint. C)
He’s having bad memories. D) He suddenly falls asleep. 2. Why does Terry’s father crawl across the floor
of the hardware store? A) He is having a Vietnam syndrome flashback. B) He is reaching for something
that rolled under the counter. C) He is having a heart attack. D) He is fighting with the store owner. 3.
Terry’s mother deals with his father’s problems by— A) telling him to get help B) ignoring that they exist
C) getting angry with him D) lying to cover for him 4. What finally makes Terry ask his father about his
experience in the war? A) He wants to know what Vietnam was like. B) He wants to solve his father’s
problems. C) He wants to know if his dad is exaggerating. D) He wants to understand what is wrong with
his father. 5. Why does Terry’s father say he died that day in the war? A) He was afraid he would be
killed. B) He died inside, emotionally. C) He felt responsible for his friends’ deaths. D) He had to be
revived after being shot. Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date
__________________ Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and
changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor. 34 Chapter 1 Resources Chapter
1, Selection Standards Check continued VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT Match the definition on the left
with the vocabulary word on the right. On the line provided, write the letter of the correct vocabulary
word. A vocabulary word may be used more than once. (10 points; 2 points each) _____ 6. broke down;
failed _____ 7. great damage _____ 8. noisy confusion _____ 9. not moving; still _____ 10. disturbance
A) commotion B) foundered C) ruin D) inert VOCABULARY SKILL Match the underlined idiom in the
sentence on the left with the vocabulary word on the right that shares the closest meaning. On the line
provided, write the letter of the correct vocabulary word. A vocabulary word may be used more than
once. (10 points; 2 points each) _____ 11. An earthquake could wipe out the entire city. _____ 12. It was
a zoo in the arena when the band finally came out on stage. _____ 13. My mom said to sit tight until she
got back. _____ 14. The lima bean flavored ice cream bombed out with customers. _____ 15. The class
hit the roof when the teacher announced a pop quiz. A) commotion B) foundered C) ruin D) inert
LITERARY SKILLS FOCUS Circle the letter of the best answer to each of the following items. (15 points; 5
points each) 16. Which phrase describes what a theme is? A) The events and setting that drive the plot
B) The truth about life revealed in a text C) The problem presented and solved in a story D) The topic
and subject examined in a text Name _____________________________ Class _________________
Date __________________ Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and
changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor. 35 Chapter 1 Resources Chapter
1, Selection Standards Check continued 17. What might be one of the themes of “Stop the Sun”? A) A
war can affect a person for a lifetime. B) Soldiers get used to battles. C) Children should not be told what
war is like. D) Time heals all wounds. 18. How is the Vietnam War relevant to the theme of “Stop the
Sun”? A) Terry’s father lost his eyesight in the Vietnam War. B) Terry’s father is haunted by his
experiences in the Vietnam War. C) The author shows you how life is better now that the war is over. D)
Terry is eager to learn all he can about the war’s causes and effects. READING SKILLS FOCUS Circle the
letter of the best answer to each of the following items. (15 points; 5 points each) 19. What detail
reveals that Terry and his father basically have a good relationship? A) Terry helps his father out of the
hardware store, despite his embarrassment. B) Terry’s mother knows Terry will try to talk to his dad
about the problem. C) Terry and his dad have a standing joke about discussing girls. D) Terry and his
father spend a lot of time together on weekends. 20. Terry demonstrates how difficult it is to talk about
his father’s problems when he— A) refuses to broach the subject with his father B) writes a story about
the Vietnam War C) stops talking to his mother D) is unable to confide in Mr. Carlson 21. By the end of
the story, what has Terry learned about life? A) He should not ask about a person’s painful memories. B)
It is not always possible to truly understand another person. C) Trying to help can sometimes make
problems worse. D) It’s important to have a positive attitude about life. SHORT ANSWER (20 points) 22.
On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph or two describing what you think Terry’s relationship
with his father will be like after their talk. Use details from the story to support your answer.