Spring Break Homework

Edward Hopper, American Realist Painter

1      Edward Hopper (1882–1967) was an American Realist painter. As the most important
modern American painter of his time, Hopper painted small town American life, full of solitude
and introspection. His paintings captured the vastness of the American landscape. This very
popular 1927 painting Lighthouse at Two Lights is typical of his style.

2      Edward Hopper also painted public places, and he often visited movie theaters to get his
inspiration.
  Hopper and the Sea
3      Hopper visited shipyards along the Hudson River as a boy. He dreamed of becoming a
naval architect. His lifelong fascination with sailing and the sea provided a subject for many of
Hopper's paintings. It was a subject he consistently returned to throughout his career.
  New York School of Art
4      Edward Hopper transferred from the New York School of Illustrating to the New York
School of Art. There he studied first under William Merritt Chase, an admirer of the great
painter John Singer Sargent.
5      Hopper then studied under Robert Henri, one of the fathers of American Realism. Henri
was Hopper's most influential teacher. Hopper remained at the School of Art for seven years,
part of which was spent teaching.
  Hopper's European Influences
6      Like most young American artists of his time, he longed to study in France. Hopper left for
Paris in October 1906. While overseas, he also visited London, Amsterdam, Berlin, and
Brussels.
7      In his early twenties, Hopper made another two visits to Europe. There he admired the
French Impressionist's experiments in color and outdoor light. Light became one of the main
points in his work. This is evident in the sunlight reflected off buildings in his paintings.
  Returning to America
8      When he came back to America, he saw it as a crude and raw place. His work at this time
was heavily influenced by what he saw in Europe. It took him 10 years before he managed to
sell a painting. Failing to attract much attention, Hopper turned to American subjects such as
gas stations and skyscrapers. These subjects made his reputation as an artist.
9      In 1913, Hopper sold his first painting—a picture exhibited at the Armory Show in New
 York. In 1920, he had his first solo exhibition, at the Whitney Studio Club, but none of his
paintings sold. He was beginning to doubt if he would ever achieve any success as an artist.
At this time, he was still forced to earn a living as a commercial illustrator.
  Married Life
1      In 1923, Edward Hopper settled in Greenwich Village, his base for the rest of his life. In
0 1924, he married Josephine Nivison, a fellow artist and student under Chase and Henri, who
shared his love of France.
1      After his marriage, Hopper's fortunes changed. His second solo show, at the Rehn Gallery
1 in New York in 1924, was a sell-out. The following year, he painted The House by the
Railroad, his first work in the mature style that is typical of his later works.
  Later Years and Exhibitions
1      Hopper was not hurt by the Great Depression because he had become extremely well-
2 known. In 1929, he was included in the second exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art,
"Paintings by Nineteen Living Americans." In 1930, The House by the Railroad was put in the
museum's permanent collection. In the same year, the Whitney Museum bought Hopper's
painting Early Sunday Morning. It was the museum's most expensive purchase up to that time.
1      In 1933, Hopper was given his own exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. This was
3 followed, in 1950, by a more extensive show at the Whitney Museum.
1      As time passed, he found it difficult to find suitable subjects, and he often felt blocked,
4 unable to paint. The rise of the Abstract Expressionist movement left him feeling marooned
and lost.
1      He died in 1967, isolated if not forgotten. His wife, Jo, died 10 months later. His true
5 importance has only been fully realized in the years since his death.
  Tate Modern Exhibition
1      In the summer of 2004 the Tate Modern gallery in London put on an Edward Hopper
6 exhibition. Visited by over 400,000 people, the Hopper show is one of the most successful
exhibitions ever staged at the Tate Modern.
adapted from http://www.popartuk.com/art/edward-hopper/bio.asp

1. What can the reader conclude about Hopper?

A. He was known for painting European scenes.

B. He felt that he got a poor education in America.
C. He stayed dedicated to his art despite setbacks.
D. He wanted to make more money than other artists.

2. The author organizes the article by —

A. showing that Hopper's travels were important to his art

 B. describing the events of Hopper's life in chronological order
C. comparing American painters to European painters
D. explaining the process of creating an original painting

3. The reader can conclude that Hopper went back to Europe to —

A. make a name for himself as a painter

B. get married and settle down
C. study the work of French artists
D. escape the Great Depression

4. The most likely reason the author wrote this selection is to —

A. convince the reader to buy one of Hopper's works

B. explain why Hopper painted American scenes
C. entertain the reader with a story about an artist
D. inform the reader about Hopper’s life and work

5. Which sentence from the selection supports the idea that Hopper was a
successful painter?

A. Failing to attract much attention, Hopper turned to American subjects such as gas stations and
skyscrapers.
B. Hopper was not hurt by the Great Depression because he had become extremely well-known.
C. Hopper remained at the School of Art for seven years, part of which was spent teaching.
D. In 1920, he had his first solo exhibition, at the Whitney Studio Club, but none of his paintings sold.

6. In paragraph 8, the word crude means Hopper found America to be —

A. unforgiving
B. unsophisticated
C. conceited
D. bad-tempered

7. Look at the web of information from the selection.

 Which idea belongs in the empty circle?

A. Places where Hopper showed his work

B. Paintings created by Edward Hopper
C. Places Hopper visited while in Europe
D. Museums that influenced Hopper’s work

8. Look at the time line of Hopper's life.

What belongs in the empty box?

A. Dreamed of becoming a naval architect

B. Went to Paris and other European cities
C. Married and settled in Greenwich Village
D. Had an exhibit at the Tate Modern gallery

9. What are paragraphs 4 and 5 mainly about?

A. Where Hopper’s work was shown

B. How Hopper became a teacher
C. Where Hopper was educated
D. Why Hopper became a painter

10. Which word best describes the tone of this selection?

A. confusing
B. lighthearted
 C. informative
D. proud

Read the next two selections. Then answer the questions that follow them.

The First Earth Day

1      We only have one Earth, so we need to take care of her. That's what Senator Gaylord
Nelson of Wisconsin believed. He was disturbed that an issue as important as our environment
was not addressed in politics or by the media, so he created the first Earth Day on April 22,
1970. An estimated 20 million people nationwide attended festivities that day. It was a truly
astonishing grassroots explosion, leading eventually to national legislation such as the Clean Air
Act and the Clean Water Act.
2      In the 1970s, many political activists turned their attention to the environment. Gradually, in
part through the work of grassroots organizations like Sierra Club and The Wilderness Society,
people began to pay attention to "conservation" issues. Those issues were concerned with
protecting our natural resources. Recycling programs were started, and people were
encouraged to leave their cars behind and bike to work. Stricter fines were instated to punish
people for littering. There was a new awareness of the importance of not abusing the planet.
3      For the many people who care for the environment, Earth Day became the first opportunity
they had to join in a nationwide demonstration to send a big message to public officials—a
message to tell them to protect our planet. Both Arbor Day and Bird Day (established in the late
1800s) supported forestation, conservation, and appreciation of nature, but on a smaller scale
than Earth Day. While all three of these days helped educate the general public, some
Americans already had a deep appreciation of nature.
4      Native American people—for example, the Iroquois—have long recognized and celebrated in
story and song the interdependence of the Earth and all its creatures. For the 20th anniversary
of Earth Day in 1990, they were joined by more than 200 million people in 141 countries
participating in celebrations of the planet.
© 2000 Library of Congress. http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi

Memories of Earth Day 

by Teresa Herlinger
1      I was a fifth grader in the early 1970s, when our school first started celebrating Earth Day. I
admit, my friends and I thought it was kind of a "hippie" thing to do. We felt like we should be
 wearing tie-dye shirts and singing the peace songs of the sixties. But we went along with it
because the teacher said so. We didn't get the day off from school or anything, but some
classes got to plant trees in the empty lot behind the school. We also had to attend an all-school
assembly where the principal talked to us about the importance of taking care of our planet. In
my class, we learned about air and water pollution and how they were slowly poisoning the
Earth. We were shown pictures of places like Los Angeles, where carbon monoxide from cars
made it hard to see or breathe.
2      At home, my dad really got into the act, too. He made a point of biking to work on Earth Day,
and once or twice a week during the rest of the year. He said it made him feel good to not be
contributing to air pollution on those days. Once, he took my brothers and me with him to the
city dump. He showed us how much plastic and other materials people deposit there. He told us
that plastic dissolves toxins into the ground water. That pollution gets into our rivers and
streams and kills the fish and wildlife. He said that's the reason he tries to buy foods like nuts
and grains "in bulk" instead of in plastic packages that will later end up in the landfill. This
information got me thinking about the impact humans have. What were years and years of
dumping our trash doing to the planet?
3      Recycling was just getting started in the seventies. On Earth Day, our teacher handed out a
list of what materials the local garbage company will recycle (mostly just glass and paper back
then). She said it's important to try to reuse things, too, so we don't keep buying so much stuff
that has to be thrown away.
4      But what I remember best about that time is a TV commercial that always shook me up. It
showed a family driving down the highway and dumping a bunch of food containers out their
window as they drove. Standing by the side of the road was a man in traditional Native
American dress. As the litter landed at his feet, he looked like his own heart had landed in the
dust along the pavement. The camera then showed a close-up of one big tear running down his
cheek. The final caption said "Keep America Beautiful." I admit there were times when I'd
unwrap a piece of gum or candy and be tempted to just let the piece of paper fall on the ground.
The world seemed so big, as if that piece of paper wouldn't even be noticed. But then the face
of that man with the tear on his face would come back to me, and I'd stuff the paper in my
pocket until I could find a trash can.
5      Nowadays, recycling has become a way of life for most of us. There are even cities like San
Francisco whose goal is to produce zero garbage in the coming years. Earth Day back in the
seventies was just the beginning of a long, slow awareness. Everyone needs to do his or her
part to keep the Earth clean and to clean up the messes we've already made. Like the new
slogan says, "Every day is Earth Day."
11.  Use "The First Earth Day" and "Memories of Earth Day" to answer this question.

What is a main idea found in both selections?

A. Making laws that enforce recycling

B. Riding a bicycle to work or school
C. Being responsible for the environment
 D. Joining a grassroots organization

12.  Use "The First Earth Day" to answer this question.

In paragraph 2, the word instated means —

A. discouraged
B. established
C. paid
D. lifted

13.  Use "The First Earth Day" to answer this question.

Senator Nelson started Earth Day because —

A. he wanted to be interviewed on the local news shows

B. he tried to force citizens to recycle paper and plastics
C. he wanted to bring attention to environmental problems
D. he was a founding member of The Wilderness Society

14.  Use "Memories of Earth Day" to answer this question.

What is the tone of paragraph 4?

A. Uplifting
B. Angry
C. Suspenseful
D. Serious

15.  Use "The First Earth Day" to answer this question.

In this selection, some of the success of the environmental movement is linked

to —

A. grassroots organizations
B. Native Americans
C. school assemblies
D. television commercials
16.  Use "The First Earth Day" and "Memories of Earth Day" to answer this question.

How is the author’s approach to writing “The First Earth Day” different from the
author’s approach in “Memories of Earth Day”?

A. “The First Earth Day” is a fictional story about Earth Day, while “Memories of Earth Day” is based on
actual events that happened.
B. “The First Earth Day” gives general information about the start of Earth Day, while “Memories of
Earth Day” is one person’s memories.
C. “The First Earth Day” tries to convince readers to protect the environment, while “Memories of Earth
Day” is meant to entertain the reader.
D. “The First Earth Day” gives a personal account of Earth Day, while “Memories of Earth Day” presents
a factual summary of the historic day.

17.  Use "Memories of Earth Day" to answer this question.

What is the most likely reason the author has chosen to tell about something
that took place long ago?

A. to explain how her school participated in Earth Day

B. to describe her favorite commercial from childhood
C. to show how past actions influenced the present
D. to give the reasons why she supports littering

18.  Use "Memories of Earth Day" to answer this question.

Read this sentence from paragraph 4 of the selection?

As the litter landed at his feet, he looked like his own heart had landed in the dust along
the pavement.

What did the author mean by those words?

A. He felt injured by seeing trash on the ground.

B. He had trouble finding people to help him.
C. He tried to clean the dust off the pavement.
D. He wanted to throw his trash on the ground.

19.  Use "Memories of Earth Day" to answer this question.

The father is portrayed as being —

A. impatient
 B. responsible
C. lazy
D. overbearing

20.  Use "Memories of Earth Day" to answer this question.

Read the dictionary entry below for the word impact.

impact /im'-pakt/ n 1. a significant or major effect 2. the force transmitted by a

collision 3. a violent interaction of individuals or groups 4. the striking or hitting
of something with force

Which definition represents the meaning of impact as it is used in paragraph 2?

A. Definition 4
B. Definition 1
C. Definition 2
D. Definition 3

Read this selection. Then answer the questions that follow it.

Just Tinkering 
by Teresa R. Herlinger
1      It was the summer of 1944, the third year of German occupation in the Baltic country of
Estonia. Twelve-year-old Ilona and her thirteen-year-old cousin, Hillar, were sitting together on
the back steps of their summer house. Inside, the grownups conversed in hushed voices
around the dining table. Every few minutes, Ilona would look in a window and see them lean
their faces close together.
2      "Do you think Russians soldiers are nearby?" Ilona asked her cousin.
3      "I don't know," Hillar answered, "but our parents sure seem to think something bad's about
to happen."
4      Ilona reached up to adjust the barrette that had slipped from her short-cropped blond hair.
"If the Russians occupy Estonia again, my father will have to leave us."
5      "Mine will, too," Hillar sighed dejectedly. "They'll have to disappear into the woods for a
while." Hillar strained to hear the grownups' voices, but he couldn't decipher their whispers.
6      Just then, Hillar's father—Ilona's Onu (Uncle) Sinu—appeared on the porch, whistling. Ilona
and Hillar jumped up to follow him.
7      More than anything, Onu Sinu loved to work on the family automobile. He called it
"tinkering." The German army had confiscated many people's cars in the city, so Onu Sinu
stored his car at the family's summer house in the country.
8      The children followed Onu Sinu to the garage, but to their surprise, he did not begin
tinkering under the hood of the car. Instead, he quickly shut the garage doors, gathered some
 tools, and began removing the front wheel. When he'd pried it loose, it knocked him right over.
The children giggled while Onu Sinu sat on the ground, breathing hard. He was no longer
whistling.
9      "Children," he said, "this is serious. And I really need your help. I need you to take turns
keeping watch on our property. We hope to have advance warning if the Russians invade, but
it's important that you report to me immediately if you see any strangers nearby. Most
important, you mustn't divulge our secret. If anyone asks you what I'm doing, say I'm just
tinkering."
1
     "Well, you are tinkering, aren't you?" asked Hillar.
0
1      "Exactly right," said Onu Sinu, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously. "Now, who will take
1 the first watch?"
1
     Hillar volunteered, eager to be the first to spot the Russians.
2
1      In the garage, Ilona's uncle had removed all four wheels, and he stood at his worktable
3 scribbling notes on a large, white sheet of paper. Then, he selected a couple of tools and
proceeded to work the front passenger door off its hinges. A few moments later, he snapped
his fingers.
1      "Ilona," he cried, "I know how you can help! You know that place in the garden where you
4 always dig?" Ilona nodded. It was back by the lingonberry bushes. She and Hillar had spent
many afternoons there, digging for treasure. Onu Sinu scrawled a giant "X" on the map and
said, "I want you to dig a good-sized hole there now."
1
     "How can I be certain when it's big enough?" she asked.
5
1
     "Just see how much you can accomplish by dinnertime," he said.
6
1
     Reluctantly, Ilona left the garage and went to the tool shed to retrieve the shovel.
7
1
     At dinnertime, the children burst into the house with dirty clothes and sweaty faces.
8
1      "Been digging in the garden again?" Hillar's mother asked. "I hope not anywhere near my
9 rose bushes." She dabbed butter on a steaming plate of potatoes while she spoke. "Well,
dinner's ready, so just wash your hands and faces, and you can take your baths after dinner."
2      "But Tädi (Aunt) Olly," Ilona pleaded with her aunt, "we can't take a bath! Onu Sinu
0 specifically requested our help!"
2      "Is that right?" Tädi Olly didn't seem to take this seriously. "Well, you'll just have to help him
1 tomorrow."
2      The next morning, Hillar and Ilona ran out to the garage and threw open the doors. The car
2 was gone.
2      They dashed back to the house to alert Onu Sinu. But when they arrived at his bedroom
 3 and shook him, they discovered he was still dressed in his work overalls. His eyes were bleary,
and he looked as if he'd hardly slept.
2      "We have terrible news," Hillar told him, bracing himself for his father's reaction. "The car—
4 it's vanished!"
2      "I'm well aware," his father said, to Hillar's amazement. "Here, I've got a surprise for you."
5 He reached behind the landscape painting that hung above the bed and retrieved the map he
had scribbled the previous afternoon.
2      "I was awake all night," Onu Sinu explained, "and I have buried or hidden every piece of the
6 car. I've marked where to find them on this map." The children stared wide-eyed. "You must
think your uncle is a lunatic," he said to Ilona, who blushed because these were her exact
thoughts. "Well, let me give you my justification, and then you decide."
2
     Hillar and Ilona situated themselves on the bed, with Onu Sinu between them.
7
2      "I know it's depressing to think about," he began, "but it's likely that Russia will occupy
8 Estonia again." Hillar and Ilona exchanged a worried glance. "Some say they haven't got the
strength left to defeat the Germans, but sooner or later they will invade our country again.
When they do, I don't want them to get anything of value to us. When they try to confiscate our
car, I want us to be able to say, 'Too late, the Germans beat you to it!' And when they call us
liars and go out to the garage, what will meet their eyes? A tire, a pipe, maybe a seat cushion.
These will appear to be spare parts. The soldiers will curse us, but they will believe us and
leave, and we will have the laugh on them."
2
     Ilona hugged her uncle, thinking he wasn't so crazy after all.
9
3      Three weeks later, while Onu Sinu and his brother hid in the woods, the children watched
0 from behind a tree as two Russian soldiers stood in their garage, staring angrily up at the
"spare" tire and cursing their German enemy for having gotten there first.
21. Onu Sinu is portrayed as being —

A. clever
B. crazy
C. stern
D. paranoid

22. Paragraph 1 is important to the story because it —

A. tells why the adults are upset

B. shows the cousins like to play
C. describes Estonian culture
D. gives the historical setting

23. The children do not want to bathe after dinner because —

 A. they did not get dirty from playing outside
B. they are afraid something bad will happen
C. they are tired and want to go straight to bed
D. they want to go back outside to help Onu Sinu

24. The reader can conclude that Hillar and Ilona —

A. like to play practical jokes on people

B. are aware of the danger around them
C. want to help fight the Russian armies
D. do not trust their Onu Sinu or Tädi Olly

25. For Onu Sinu, the car symbolizes —

A. embarrassment
B. hassle
C. defiance
D. pain

26. Read the first sentence from a summary of this story.

Summary of "Just Tinkering"

Hillar and Ilona are cousins who are spending the summer at their family's house in the
country.

Which of the following sets of sentences best completes the summary?

A. Hillar’s father, Onu Sinu, knows a lot about cars. He takes apart the family car just for fun, and
hides the pieces in the garden. The children have no idea why he is doing this. They think he must
be crazy.
B. The Germans are occupying Estonia, and the Russians are threatening to invade. Hillar’s father, Onu
Sinu, does not want the armies to take the family car, so he takes it apart and hides the pieces.
C. The Russians are about the invade Estonia. If that happens, the men in the family will have to hide
out in the woods. Ilona and Hillar are afraid that will happen, and they don’t want their fathers to
go.
D. Hillar’s father, Onu Sinu, loves to tinker with automobiles. He lets the children watch while he works
on the family car. Hillar and Ilona take turns keeping watch for Russian soldiers. Then, they go in
and wash up for dinner.
27. Look at this chart of information from the story.

Cause Effects

• Onu Sinu takes apart the car.

Onu Sinu wants to hide the car from the • Hillar keeps watch for Russian
Russians. soldiers.

• ____________________

Which detail belongs on the empty line?

A. Ilona is assigned to dig a big hole.

B. Tädi Olly asks the kids to wash for dinner.
C. The grownups speak in hushed voices.
D. The Russian army is expected any day.

28. What is paragraph 28 mainly about?

A. Why Onu Sinu took apart the car

B. Why Onu Sinu likes to work on cars
C. Where Onu Sinu hid the car parts
D. How Onu Sinu learned about cars

29. Which sentence supports the idea that Onu Sinu had a good reason to
disassemble and bury the car?

A. He reached behind the landscape painting that hung above the bed and retrieved the map he had
scribbled the previous afternoon.
B. In the garage, Ilona’s uncle had removed all four wheels, and he stood at his worktable scribbling
notes on a large, white sheet of paper.
C. The German army had confiscated many people’s cars in the city, so Onu Sinu stored his car at the
family's summer house in the country.
D. We hope to have advance warning if the Russians invade, but it’s important that you report to me
immediately if you see any strangers nearby.

30. Which idea from the story shows that Onu Sinu trusts the children?

A. He shows them where he hid the map.

B. He punishes them for spying on him.
C. He stays up all night hiding the car.
D. He leaves home to hide in the woods.
Answers
1. C
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. B
6. B
7. A
8. B
9. C
10. C
11. C
12. B
13. C
14. D
15. A
16. B
17. C
18. A
19. B
20. B
21. A
22. D
23. D
24. B
25. C
26. B
27. A
28. A
29. C
30. A