Question 1

Name the person who always delivered Gilbert’s telegram announcing when Gilbert’s father was expected to arrive.

Accepted Answer

Mr. Ossinger

Answer

Mr. Limburgher

Answer

Mrs. Curie

Answer

Senor Uriarte

Question 2

How does the weather foreshadow what will happen in this part of the story?

Accepted Answer

the bad weather indicates that something terrible is going to happen

Answer

the bad weather shows why Gilbert's father is marooned on an island

Question 3

Gilbert got horrible news. What was it?

Accepted Answer

his father was not coming home

Answer

they were moving to a new area

Answer

his father was sick

Answer

he failed the test

Question 4

What previous examples of foreshadowing can we point to in lines 71 - 73 and lines 80 - 81?

Accepted Answer

Gilbert's father is getting older

Answer

Gilbert's father is not a healthy person

Answer

Gilbert's father doesn't eat well

Answer

Gilbert's father eats in a very healthy way

Question 5

How is suspense built before Gilbert receives the terrible news?

Accepted Answer

Things don't happen as usual and so Gilbert feels something is wrong

Answer

Mr. Ossinger doesn't visit the house at his usual time.

Answer

Gilbert daydreams about going to the kitchen and getting a snack from Mrs. Curie.

Answer

Senor Uriarte doesn't let Gilbert leave class early to greet his father.

Question 6

What examples of imagery support the idea that the news she received affected Mrs. Curie deeply?

Accepted Answer

"Every wrinkle seemed to have sunk deeper, her fine floss hair hung limp across her forehead, her eyes were red and leaked steady rills of tears."

Answer

"From behind, she seemed normal, her thin shoulders working as she beat at the batter for the night’s cake, cranking the mixer’s handle with slow, practiced turns."

Answer

"She took a step toward him, and he wanted to turn and run, but now he was frozen."

Answer

"She turned her face to him and he let out a cry and took a step back toward the door."

Question 7

Emmy and her brothers were “queasy” of him for the first week of summer, playing with him as though he were made of china or tainted with the plague. This means...

Accepted Answer

they didn’t know how to treat him

Answer

they didn't want to play with him

Answer

they didn't know what was wrong with him

Answer

they didn't know if his father was alive

Question 8

What is the “switchyards” that Gilbert and his friends played in?

Accepted Answer

an old rail line that hasn’t been used in decade

Answer

a football field

Answer

an abandoned garden with many switches

Answer

the name of the local park

Question 9

Why did the children dare to enter the switchyard?

Accepted Answer

it was abandoned and easy to get into

Answer

Gilbert had the key to let them in

Answer

Emmy dared them to enter it

Answer

they were able to break the locks with a bit of effort

Question 10

Which of the pictures below best matches what the children discover in the "switchyard"?

Accepted Answer

https://uploads.quizalize.com/dfc0a580-62e3-4c9c-a091-7bc926622347/question/4106ac0c69d5e824dd225983dbf08efba64fe415.jpeg

Answer

https://uploads.quizalize.com/dfc0a580-62e3-4c9c-a091-7bc926622347/question/796721d15f3090c414ba00be2531dda61680b861.jpeg

Answer

https://uploads.quizalize.com/dfc0a580-62e3-4c9c-a091-7bc926622347/question/d196f7f60f1ca7c884f5931fcf45f2939f836960.jpeg

Answer

https://uploads.quizalize.com/dfc0a580-62e3-4c9c-a091-7bc926622347/question/c76f33b684a230d8740c678d2572ecbe5515c329.jpeg

Question 11

What item was Emmy referring to when she said "It’ll never work. That thing’s older than the dinosaurs."

Accepted Answer

the handcar

Answer

the padlocks

Answer

the sextant

Answer

the railroad tracks

Question 12

What can you infer from the children staring at the handcar "as if to say, 'Where have you been all my life?'"

Accepted Answer

they were excited about using to go many places

Answer

they were tired of walking and needed to get home

Answer

they were happy that they finally had a present

Answer

they were worried about getting in trouble

Question 13

After Gilbert oiled the handcar and got it moving, what did they nickname it?

Accepted Answer

<P>Kalamazoo</P>

Question 14

The track in the switchyard went in ____________ directions.

Accepted Answer

two

Answer

four

Answer

many

Answer

three

Question 15

Each knew what the others were thinking: Do we _________ for the sea or ______ for the land ?

Accepted Answer

pump

Answer

jump

Answer

run

Answer

head

Question 16

Why did the children decide to come back the next day to use the handcar?

Accepted Answer

they felt like fall was coming and so wanted to do the thing properly

Answer

they felt that the day was coming to a close and wouldn't have enough time to reach their destination

Question 17

The children each packed things that were special to them.

Accepted Answer

true

Answer

false

Question 18

What did Gilbert take from his father’s study?

Accepted Answer

the spyglass

Answer

the sextant

Answer

a turnip

Answer

jam and bread

Question 19

Why does Gilbert say "Time was going by too fast for thoughts now, like a train that had hit its speed and could now only be perceived as a blur of passing cars"?

Accepted Answer

He is nervous about making a decision and feels he doesn't have enough time

Answer

He is having fun with his friends and doesn't want it to end

Answer

He is angry and furious with his friends as he races against them

Question 20

Emmy wants to push for land and Gilbert wants to push out to sea. Why?

Accepted Answer

Land seems to be safer, while the sea is more adventurous.

Answer

Land seems to be familiar to all, while the sea is familiar only to Gilbert.

Answer

Land seems to be closer, while the sea is far away.

Answer

Land seems to be dryer, while the sea is wet.

Question 21

In the end, the children all agree to pump in to land.

Accepted Answer

false

Answer

true

Question 22

Pumping is hard work. How do the children make it easier on themselves?

Accepted Answer

They use a picnic blanket as a sail.

Answer

They turn on the motor.

Answer

They stop for a rest and a snack.

Answer

They take turns pumping and using the spyglass.

Question 23

What does Gilbert say that annoys Emmy?

Accepted Answer

"We're moving through space like time"

Answer

"I think we'll make the fort in time for lunch."

Answer

"We could use this for a sail."

Question 24

"Better hope the __________ shifts otherwise we’re going to have a devil of a time pumping ourselves home in time for supper," said Emmy.

Accepted Answer

wind

Answer

time

Answer

rain

Answer

water

Question 25

What clues foreshadow that something strange is about to happen?

Accepted Answer

The turnip watch slowing down

Answer

The waves rolling

Answer

The wind dying down

Answer

Everything going silent

Question 26

The children started seeing other children in some “sideways” universe. Some were younger, some were older. When Gilbert waved his hand, how many other Gilbert’s waved back?

Accepted Answer

Question 27

What did Neils and Erwin say together?

Accepted Answer

Sideways is sideways.

Answer

Two dimensions.

Answer

Time is space,

Answer

Look another one!

Question 28

There was another Kalamazoo to their right, and Gilbert thought…

Accepted Answer

he could jump from his car to the next and the next to find an answer

Answer

he should stop the handcar and help Emmy cross to the next car

Answer

his beliefs about other dimensions were wrong and he would have to study more

Answer

they should turn the handcar around and head back to land before they get in trouble

Question 29

What did Gilbert do with his friends?

Accepted Answer

shook their hands

Answer

punched them in a friendly way

Answer

convinced them to turn around

Answer

sat down with all of them

Question 30

Why does Gilbert leave?

Accepted Answer

He's a dreamer and looking for an answer to his question.

Answer

He's tired of being alone and wants to travel to the past.

Answer

He's hopeful that he can find his mother.

Answer

He's frightened of Senor Uriarte and wants to show him how he can manipulate space.

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