Ground Zero

Multiple Choice and Long Answer questions create ideal opportunities for whole-text review, unit exam, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following options best depicts how Brandon is afraid his father thinks of him?

A) As a weakling

B) As a fool

C) As a cheater

D) As a bully

2. Which of the following words best describes Brandon’s father?

A) Timid

B) Fearless

C) Apathetic

D) Rash

3. Which word best describes how Reshmina feels upon meeting Mariam?

A) Intimidated

B) Idle

C) Inspired

D) Injurious

4. When Reshmina tries to rescue her brother from the hillside, she sees “[a] rocket streaked from one of the Apache’s wings straight toward the ridge where the Taliban had been standing moments before, and—F-THOOM!—the hillside exploded.” Which of the following literary terms is used in this quote?

A) Simile

B) Metaphor

C) Alliteration

D) Onomatopoeia

5. Which of the following reasons best describes why Reshmina argues that Afghanistan is “behind”?

A) Because the continual warfare keeps the country stuck in the past

B) Because the unnecessary bureaucracy does not allow for progress

C) Because the government refuses to buy updated weapons

D) Because computers, social media, and smartphones are illegal under Taliban rule

6. What does Reshmina compare the fighting in Afghanistan to throughout the novel?

A) A game

B) A buffet

C) A contest

D) A concert

7. Which of the following messages does Brandon’s father give him during their last phone call?

A) That Brandon needs to focus on his schoolwork

B) That Brandon must join the US military

C) That Brandon can survive without him

D) That Brandon needs to reunite with his mother

8. After Reshmina watches her house be destroyed, she notes that “​[p]eople from her village flowed around her like water around a rock in the river.” Which of the following literary terms is used in this quote?

A) Simile

B) Metaphor

C) Alliteration

D) Onomatopoeia

9. What type of emotion does Brandon feel while staring at the stores in the mall as he finally exits the World Trade Center?

A) Hope for the future

B) Relief he will see his dad again

C) Concern for Richard’s injury

D) Nostalgia for the time he spent with his dad

10. Which of the following senses helps Brandon guide the group to safety after the blast in the mall?

A) Sight

B) Taste

C) Sound

D) Smell

11. Based on the conversation between Taz and Reshmina, which of the following statements about the US Army in Afghanistan in 2019 is true?

A) The Americans were in Afghanistan to fight al-Qaeda.

B) The Americans were in Afghanistan to find Osama bin Laden.

C) The Americans were in Afghanistan to ensure the Taliban did not take over.

D) The Americans were in Afghanistan to establish diplomatic negotiations.

12. Which of the following characteristics does Reshmina believe the US has in global affairs?

A) Kindness

B) Generosity

C) Bullying

D) Fear

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating text details to support your response.

1. Who are the narrators of the novel? Compare and contrast their different perspectives.

2. What is the significance of singing throughout the novel? What songs do the different characters mention, along with their meaning?