Comprehension

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Greg’s optimism was like a relightable birthday candle, which—no matter how hard Maeve tried to blow it out—sparked and sputtered and came back to life, a slender stick of magical fire. His motto was, “You can do anything!” and when he said it enough times, it rubbed against Maeve’s drop of oily optimism, tucked behind the muck and mulch of her, and something magical happened: she believed him. Which was how she found herself with her husband and son—only twelve more hours to go—driving through the blazing hot Superstition Mountains to Mexico in July for Greg’s great aunt’s 92nd birthday party, which was tonight. Tonight! Sure they could make it! What a great time! And for the first hour or so, it had been a fine time. (Lines 7 to 10) But then suddenly Jacob began to cry, a steady beat, measured and determined. “It sounds like the sleep cry,” said Greg. “No, this is the despair cry.” “No, it’s the sleep cry. Can’t you hear the whine in it?” said Greg, the hint of a smile always lurking around his mouth, as if he told himself a private joke, maybe the same one, over and over. “I’m sure we’ll figure it out. This is part of the adventure. The big whoopla of the ride.”… “We need to buy more water,” she said, her tone urgent and shrill. “All right,” said Greg, smiling. Something was up ahead, blurry in the wavy heat. Maeve couldn’t quite make it out. A pile of bones? A white 1950s Chevy flipped on its hood? “There!” shouted Maeve. It was a gas station. “Stop.” Greg pulled into the station. She took Jacob by the hand, but he refused to go inside the gas station office and plunked down on the cement in the shade, still crying. Maeve stepped inside and asked to buy ten bottles of water. The gas attendant laughed a long time. He had a round red face and his thinning pale hair revealed a burnt, freckled scalp. “We’ve been sold out for weeks,” he said, wiping his broad forehead with a red kerchief. Under each armpit rose a half moon. “Sold out of every liquid.” Maeve felt a panicked gurgle catch in her throat. “People are hording, ma’am. Longest spell without rain.” He said something about reservoirs dropping to record lows and tapped out aquifers. The whole state. New Mexico, too. Soon Nevada, probably California, Texas. He leaned over the counter and rested his big chin on a beefy palm. “You know what I think? I think this country is running out of water. That’s what I think.”… She took Jacob by the hand, tucked him into his car seat and solemnly told her husband the bad news. “Oh Maeve,” he said, laughing. “It comes back to the saying, is the cup half empty or full. So that man views things as half empty.” Maeve studied the water jug  (line 42)and saw, indeed, it was half empty. Greg must have taken a drink while she was in the gas station. Back on the road, Jacob was still crying, though it wasn’t as high-pitched, or maybe Maeve was losing her hearing. It sounded like the cry of boredom. Or maybe fear. Maybe it was her fear. She’d read somewhere that babies were like sponges, sucking up whatever was around them. She took a deep breath and tried to cheer up, to rub shoulders with the bright side, make friends with a fun time (line 48). But then she heard a sputtering sound, as if an airplane propeller was winding down. “What was that?” she asked, alarmed. …

1 The simile in line 1 describes Greg as a person who
(1) has mood swings
(2) never gives up
(3) has few expectations
(4) never calms down

2 The use of dashes in the first sentence emphasizes the
(1) importance of setting
(2) role of the narrator
(3) use of flashback
(4) contrast in characterization

3 The purpose of the description found in lines 7 through 10 is to (1) explain Maeve’s feelings
(2) introduce Greg’s attitude
(3) reflect national pride
(4) encourage family outings

4 The water jug (line 42) becomes a symbol of
(1) differing perspectives
(2) failing relationships
(3) deteriorating environments
(4) varying lifestyles

5 Maeve’s trying to “make friends with a fun time” (line 48) reveals her desire to be more
(1) assertive
(2) positive
(3) productive
(4) creative

6 The phrase “What was that?” (line 51) suggests Maeve is
(1) becoming more like others
(2) awaiting new experiences
(3) being influenced by friends
(4) returning to former feelings