English Quiz 2.2

Annie's salary was _____.

$25 per month

This play is set in the _____.

1880s

Kate told Annie that Helen was attempting to speak at _____.

6 months of age

boon (p. 85, dialogue)

A blessing

imp (p. 73, dialogue)

A brat

haymaker (p. 31, stage directions)

A punch

The Kellers lived in _____.

Alabama

crone (p. 34, stage directions)

An old, ugly woman

ire (p. 51, stage directions)

Anger

What does Annie mean when she says, "I'll tell you what I pity, that the sun won't rise and set for her all her life, and every day you're telling her it will, what good will your pity do her when you're under the strawberries, Captain Keller?"

Annie is referencing how Helen's parents always give Helen everything she wants, but Annie realizes that Helen needs to be disciplined in order to become a strong adult.

What do Annie's flashbacks tell us about her past? How do you think Annie's past will affect the way she deals with Helen?

Annie's flashbacks show us that she was disabled as a child. They also show us how she was raised with her brother, protecting him it seems. It will affect the way she deals with Helen because Annie will be more understanding. Annie will also be more patient. Annie will be a great teacher for Helen because she is flexible and kind.

composed (p. 90, dialogue)

Appearing calm

haggard (p. 85, stage directions)

Appearing overworked

The story a person writes about his own life is called a(n) ...

Autobiography

A written account of a person's life, written by another person, is called a(n) ...

Biography

Helen's father

Captain

Who is Robert E. Lee?

Commander of the South

compelled (p. 45, dialogue)

Connived; swayed

contention (p. 85, dialogue)

Disagreement

aversion (p. 106, dialogue)

Dislike

impudence (p. 8, dialogue)

Disrespectfulness

The stage for this play is _____.

Divided in two areas

first word spelled for Helen

Doll

oculist (p. 6, dialogue)

Eye doctor

trepidation (p. 107, stage directions)

Fear

Annie told James that she considered ... to be the original sin.

Giving up

Thy symbol of Helen's acceptance of Annie's authority as teacher was _____.

Handing over the keys

Who is John L. Sullivan?

Heavyweight boxing champion

Annie Sullivan needed a ladder to get to dinner because _____.

Helen had locked Miss Sullivan in her room

Annie feared returning Helen to the house because _____.

Helen might revert to her old ways

Act II makes several references to the Civil War in which the United States fought with itself - the North versus the South. Do you think the recently fought Civil War has affected Annie and Captain Keller's relationship? How?

I believe that it may affect their relationship because they are still healing from the war. They do not seem to get along very well and argue regarding the well-being of Helen.

What did you think about the way Annie Sullivan handled her first day at the Kellers' house? Be specific.

I think Annie Sullivan handled it very well. She was welcomed by the family. She began teaching Helen. She was patient with Helen and was flexible with her teaching. She was very forgiving when Helen locked her in her room.

Imagine you are James. In what way is your life affected by Helen's disabilities? How does this make you feel?

If I were James, my life would change in several ways. My parents would be giving more attention to my younger sibling. I would be obligated to watch after my sibling. I would feel neglected by my parents. I would also feel maybe prideful because I would be healthy and my sibling is not.

The stage directions are very important in this act. A lot happens without dialogue. If you had to read this act without the stage directions, what events would you miss? What effect would it have on your understanding of the play?

If you read this play only with the dialogue, you would miss when Helen was fighting Annie and when Annie was watching Helen during breakfast. It would effect my understanding of the play because I would not have known the movement or thoughts of the characters.

Helen's half brother

James

Annie Sullivan's brother

Jimmy

Helen's mother

Kate

benign (p. 5, stage directions)

Kind

indolent (p. 5, stage directions)

Lazy

parasol (p. 57, stage directions)

Lightweight umbrella

Annie Sullivan's teacher

Mr. Anagnos

In her letter Annie wrote, "The more I think the more certain I am that ... is the gateway through which knowledge enters the mind of the child."

Obedience

spinster (p. 23, dialogue)

Old unmarried woman

serene (p. 88, dialogue)

Peaceful

Prejudice occurs when people make judgments about others before getting to know them. Explain the theme of prejudice in The Miracle Worker. Give specific examples of prejudice in the play.

Prejudice is shown throughout the play when characters assume wrongly of other characters. First, Captain Keller makes assumptions about Annie because she is from the north. Second, Annie makes assumptions about the Kellers because they do not discipline Helen. Third, other teachers wrongly accuse Helen of being unable to teach. Annie, on the other hand, sees her as an equal.

Ordinary speech or writing that is not poetry or verse is called ...

Prose

nonplussed (p. 48, stage directions)

Puzzled

Order the steps for reading a play by selecting the correct step from each blue box. first: second: third: fourth: fifth: last:

Read the list of characters, trying to picture each. Read the description of the set, trying to visualize it. Visualize details of the stage setting. Read the dialogue carefully to yourself. Read the play aloud or with friends. Try to analyze the characters.

interminable (p. 84, dialogue)

Seemingly endless

temperance (p. 42, dialogue)

Self control

A dramatic speech or monologue in which a character talks aloud to himself, revealing his thoughts or feelings to the audience is called a(n) ...

Soliloquy

obstinate (p. 47, dialogue)

Stubborn

nincompoop (p. 47, dialogue)

Stupid person

acute (p. 2, dialogue)

Sudden and severe

The Miracle Worker by William Gibson was based upon facts taken from two books. Name the books and their authors.

The Miracle Worker is based on Helen Keller's autobiography, The Story of My Life and Nella Braddy's biography, Anne Sullivan Macy.

On which side did General Pemberton fight?

The South

Just like the keys symbolize authority, William Gibson also uses the water pump as a symbol. Often times, Gibson's stage directions say that light shines on the water pump or the light changes on the water pump. What does the water pump symbolize?

The water pump symbolizes Helen's ability to learn. When she pumped it successfully, water came out and her brain began to comprehend names.

relinquish (p. 111, stage directions)

To let go

mediate (p. 107, stage directions)

To settle an argument

True/false After the "miracle," another "miracle" happened for Annie when the voices from her past finally disappeared.

True

True/false Helen graduated from Radcliffe.

True

governess (p. 12, dialogue)

Tutor

Name the two people that The Miracle Worker is about.

Two people that The Miracle Worker is about are Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan.

At that early age, Helen would say "_____."

Wahwah

laments (p. 105, stage directions)

Wails

The word which finally opened the door to meaning for Helen was ...

Water

exile (p. 91, dialogue)

a forced separation from one's home

What happened during Helen's "miracle"?

a pitcher of water broke

After a fever, Helen Keller was handicapped in three ways: _____.

blind, deaf, mute

compunction (p. 52, stage directions)

feeling bad about having done something

Annie mentions three advantages that she has: _____.

her blindness Dr. Howe's work her youth

Annie taught Percy a new word which Helen did not know. That word was _____.

m-i-l-k

darning (p. 5, stage directions)

mending or repairing

tyrant (p. 90, dialogue)

one who has absolute power

When they first moved to the garden house, Helen: _____.

screamed and tore the room apart when she could not find her mother stumbled around looking for her mother

After the breakfast scene, Mr. Keller intended to _____.

send Annie back to Boston

Helen's doll was a gift from _____.

the children at the Perkins Institute

constitution (p. 1, dialogue)

the physical makeup of a person

indulge (p. 93, dialogue)

to allow or permit; to be lenient

disinter (p. 60, dialogue)

to bring out from being hidden; uncover

flanked (p. 4, stage directions)

to place something on both sides

When Helen wanted her mother, she would _____.

touch her cheek

Anne Sullivan _____.

was Helen's primary teacher