essential skills the great gatsby sample - applied practice in

Applied Practice in

The Great Gatsby Essential Skills Version

By F. Scott Fitzgerald RESOURCE GUIDE

©2017 by Applied Practice, Dallas, TX. All rights reserved.

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APPLIED PRACTICE Resource Guide

The Great Gatsby Essential Skills Version

Teacher Notes

A Note for Teachers ................................................. 5

Teaching Resources

Strategies for Multiple-Choice Reading Questions ........ 9

Strategies for Open-Ended Reading Questions ........... 10

Strategies for Essay Questions ................................ 11 Student Practices

Reading Practices .................................................. 13

Writing Practices ................................................... 57

Answer Keys and Explanations

Reading and Writing Answer Keys ............................ 77

Answer Explanations .............................................. 83

©2017 by Applied Practice, Dallas, TX. All rights reserved.

Practice 3

Read the passage from Chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby which begins “Reading over what I have written” and ends “one of the few honest people that I have ever known” (pp. 60-64) and choose the best answer to each question. 1 From paragraphs 3-5, the reader can infer that Nick is — A lonely B popular C bitter D bored 2 Nick’s reason for including the description of his typical day is to — A justify his daily routine B correct a mistaken impression he has given C provide information that is important to the plot D impress the reader with his varied activities 3 In paragraph 3, “a conscientious hour” means — A a conscientiously timed hour B a careful hour C an honest hour D a conscientiously spent hour 4 Paragraph 6 is mainly about — A Jordan Baker’s fame B Nick’s affection for Jordan C an unpleasant incident in Jordan’s past D Nick’s realization about Jordan’s character

©2017 by Applied Practice, Dallas, TX. All rights reserved. 29

5 In paragraph 17, Nick’s comment that he is “slow thinking” means that he is —

A not very bright B cautious and prudent C unable to understand women D easily distracted 6 Nick and Jordan differ most in their attitude toward — A golf B driving C honesty D relationships 7 It is clear from this passage that Nick — A believes his experiences are not important B is a very sharp observer of humanity C does not like to reveal his emotions D does not care what others think of him 8 Nick’s use of the word “suspect” in paragraph 18 suggests that honesty

can be — A an uplifting experience B an unpleasant responsibility C rewarding D taught to others

30 ©2017 by Applied Practice, Dallas, TX. All rights reserved.

9 If you wanted to research female golf pros of the 1920s, which of the following books would be the BEST resource?

A ESPN’s Guide to 20th Century Sports B How to Golf: A Guide to Sand Traps and Success on American Courses C Great American Female Athletes D Golf Pros: A Retrospective of America’s Greatest Golfers 10 Which of the following is the best summary of this passage? A Nick’s daily life in New York City is centered around his job. He feels a certain

dislike for the young clerks who waste their time working when they could be enjoying the nightlife. He discovers that Jordan Baker has cheated at golf and scolds her for being a careless driver. Nevertheless, he falls in love with her.

B Nick turns from the story of Gatsby to his own personal life. He allowed a

promising relationship to end simply because the girl’s brother did not like him. He does not seem to enjoy the Yale Club or the city’s nightlife. He finally settles for a relationship with Jordan Baker even though he knows she is dishonest.

C Nick describes his daily routine in New York City. Although he likes the city

and works hard, he seems to envy those who are more involved in the city’s activity and excitement. He resumes his relationship with Jordan Baker, even while he realizes she is dishonest and reckless, but he does not feel free to become serious with Jordan until he ends a relationship with a girl from home.

D Although Nick does not know many people in New York City, he often has

lunch with his co-workers. He spends much of his time in the library or imagining life with one of the city’s romantic women. He does not understand how Jordan Baker can be so dishonest and careless yet still attract him. He is anxious to rid himself of a relationship with a girl from home so that he and Jordan can have a future together.

11 How do the words Nick chooses in paragraph 4 help show his attitude

toward life in New York City? Support your answer with evidence from the text. (extended response)

12 What does the word row mean as it is used in paragraph 6? Support

your answer with evidence from the text. (short answer)


Read this article and choose the best answer to the questions that follow.

THE SCANDAL THAT ROCKED BASEBALL In the years following World War I, corruption and scandal were rampant in America. One of the greatest and most widely followed scandals of the era was the one that rocked a beloved American institution—baseball. Eight players from the Chicago White Sox were charged with throwing the 1919 World Series, and the “Black Sox scandal,” as it came to be known, captivated the nation. In 1900, the Chicago White Stockings team was formed. In 1902, the team, which was owned by Charles Comiskey, changed their name to the White Sox. Although the team was successful during its early years, winning the American League championship in its first year and the World Series in 1906, in the eight years following 1906 the team was in a slump, often losing more games than they won. Determined to turn his team around, Comiskey built a new ballpark in 1910 and began hiring star players, including Joe Jackson, Eddie Collins, and Happy Felsch. The White Sox won the 1917 World Series, and by 1919 they had the best record in the American League. Despite their success, all was not well with the White Sox. The players were grossly underpaid, but the “reserve clause” in their contracts prevented them from changing teams without the owner’s permission. In addition, Comiskey was known for treating his players unfairly, promising bonuses they never received, and even charging them for laundering their uniforms. The players had no union and thus no bargaining power, but even worse, the team was divided into two distinct factions. One group, comprised of educated players, managed to negotiate salaries for themselves of up to $15,000 per year. The other group’s salaries averaged $6,000, giving rise to rivalries and resentment. Blissfully unaware of such problems, the American public returned to the ballparks in record numbers during the first post-war season, and the interest in the World Series of 1919, in which the Chicago White Sox would meet the Cincinnati Reds, was so great that officials increased the number of games in the series from seven to nine. Another group with particular interest in the series was the gamblers, who had become fixtures in the ball parks and were rumored to have bribed players to throw games from time to time. By 1919, the number of gamblers had soared, and the underpaid, resentful players made perfect targets for them. One such player was Arnold “Chick” Gandil, the first baseman for the White Sox. A member of the lower paid White Sox faction, Gandil had reportedly offered insider tips to gamblers occasionally. For example, Gandil would pass on information that a fellow player was ill or injured. Gandil is widely acknowledged to have been the ringleader in the 1919 scandal. Several weeks before the Series, he approached a gambler, Joseph Sullivan, and said that he could convince his teammates to lose if Sullivan would pay them $100,000. A deal was struck, and Gandil set about enlisting the support of his fellow White Sox. Gandil knew that for his plan to succeed, he had to convince the two most powerful White Sox pitchers, Eddie Cicotte and Claude “Lefty” Williams, to participate. Without their support, there was no way to insure that the team would lose. When approached by Gandil, Williams expressed interest, and Cicotte saw the


prospect of getting even with Comiskey, who had treated him shabbily. Comiskey had promised Cicotte a bonus of $10,000 if Cicotte won thirty games. However, after Cicotte had won twenty-nine games, Comiskey benched him for the rest of the season, thus denying him the bonus. Cicotte agreed to participate in Gandil’s plan in exchange for $10,000 up front. Other players who joined Gandil were Fred McMullin, Charles Risberg, and Happy Felsch. The level of involvement, if any, of the team’s star, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, has never been made clear. Jackson claimed that he refused to be part of the plan. Gandil, knowing that the gamblers would want Jackson on board, told them that Jackson had agreed to participate. Whether Gandil simply said this to appease the gamblers or Jackson really did agree is a subject of dispute that has never been settled satisfactorily. Buck Weaver is another of the eight players whose degree of involvement is unclear. Meanwhile, Joseph Sullivan was trying to raise the $100,000 to pay the players. He involved several other gamblers in the plot, but the man who provided most of the money was Arnold Rothstein, a notorious New York gambler. When F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby, he included a character named Meyer Wolfsheim, who supposedly “fixed the World Series back in 1919.” When Gatsby is asked why Wolfsheim is not in jail, he replies, “They can’t get him, old sport. He’s a smart man.” This proved true of Rothstein, the obvious inspiration for Wolfsheim. The White Sox were expected to win the World Series and were favored by the early gamblers’ odds at five to one. As the Series got under way, Chicago lost the first game 9-1. However, the players did not receive the $20,000 Gandil had been promised. They agreed to lose the second game as long as they had the money by the end of the next day, and they did lose that game 4-2. Owed $40,000 for throwing the two games, the players received only $10,000 and began to wonder about continuing with the agreement. When Chicago won the third game, many of the gamblers who had bet on individual games rather than the series as a whole, lost an enormous amount of money. Sullivan paid the players $20,000 before game four, and Chicago lost that game as well as game five. Now, however, the gamblers missed yet another payment, and the players decided that with no more money coming in there was no reason to continue to lose. After all, if they won the Series, each player would receive $5,000. Accordingly, Chicago won games six and seven. But before game eight, Arnold Rothstein, who had bet on the Series rather than on individual games, sent one of his men to talk to pitcher Lefty Williams, who was scheduled to pitch the following day. Rothstein’s man told Williams that Rothstein wanted the series to end the next day, and he threatened to harm not only Williams, but also Williams’s wife, if Chicago did not lose the eighth game. The next day, the White Sox lost 10-5, ending the World Series. The following year, rumors of gambling being widespread in baseball became more numerous. When a Cook County grand jury convened in September of 1920 to look into allegations that the Chicago Cubs had thrown a game, the investigation soon expanded to include baseball in general and the 1919 World Series in particular. The grand jury called players, managers, owners, and gamblers to testify. Apparently at the urging of Charles Comiskey, Joe Jackson and Eddie Cicotte confessed to involvement in the fix. Eventually, the eight White Sox players were indicted, along with several gamblers, but no indictment of Arnold Rothstein was handed down.


The White Sox players’ trial was held in 1921. After a month of hearing testimony, the jury acquitted all the defendants, citing lack of evidence. Nevertheless, the owners of baseball teams feared that the scandal might have harmed baseball irreparably. They decided that the three-man national baseball commission should be replaced by a single, independent commissioner with complete power to act. The first commissioner, Federal Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, spoke out vehemently against “crooked players” who threatened to undermine baseball and immediately banned all eight White Sox players from the game. None of the eight men were ever allowed to return to professional baseball. 13 What is the paragraph that begins “Despite their success” mainly about? A The players faced numerous problems but were powerless for the most part. B The players could not switch teams unless the owners agreed to the change. C The worst problem faced by the players was the division between the players. D Comiskey mistreated his players in many ways, including charging them for

laundering their uniforms. 14 The gamblers would be interested in information about players’ illnesses

or injuries because the information would help the gamblers — A know when players might be cut from a team B blackmail the owners in exchange for keeping the information quiet C accurately predict the outcome of games on which they were betting D advise those who were considering buying a particular team 15 In the paragraph that begins “Gandil knew,” the author includes the

detail about Cicotte demanding $10,000 up front in order to — A emphasize that Cicotte was more greedy than his fellow players B underscore Cicotte’s motivation for participating in the fix C hint that Cicotte did not trust the gamblers to pay after the players threw the

games D imply that Cicotte feared Gandil would not distribute the money fairly


Read the following essay about young women in the 1920s. Then, choose the word or words that correctly complete questions 13-17 on the following page.

Thoroughly Modern Women Although critics were generally critical of the 1974 film version of The

Great Gatsby, no one could (13) that the movie gloriously captures

the atmosphere of the Roaring Twenties. The film won two Academy

Awards, and the scenes of Gatsby’s elaborate parties give viewers a vivid

glimpse into life in the era, and that new woman of the twenties, the

“flapper.”

The flapper (14) after World War I. During the war, many

young soldiers, believing they would never return home, sought out extreme

life experiences. (15) , the young women back home had

patriotically entered the work force. When the war ended, neither the men

nor the women were able to settle back down into normal American life as if

nothing had changed, and they rebelled against the older generation who, in

their view, had sent a generation overseas to die and then (16)____

insisted that those who returned go back to business as usual. Young

women were no longer content to wait until a suitable prospect for marriage

approached them; they wanted to get out on their own and enjoy life.

The term “flapper” was ascribed to the young women who behaved in a

manner many considered shocking. Flappers wore lighter, shorter, less

restrictive clothing that allowed them to move more freely, especially when

dancing. Flappers further shocked the older generation by wearing make-up,

something previously worn only by immoral women and actresses. They


often dyed and waved their hair into flat, head-hugging curls, a style many

older people thought scandalous. And the flappers were also notable for

their outrageous behavior. They smoked, a practice once reserved for men,

and they drank alcohol, even though Prohibition was in effect in the U. S.

And they not only rode in the new, fast, dangerous automobiles—they drove

them.

With the Great Depression in the late 1920s, the excess and (17)

of the flappers came to an end. Still, flappers had created a modern woman

who voted, held a job, spoke her mind, and insisted on equality and

independence.


13 Which word should go in blank (13)? A argue B dispute C hold D contend 14 Which word should go in blank (14)? A emerged B declined C reappeared D vanished 15 Which word should go in blank (15)? A Subsequently B Nevertheless C Consequently D Meanwhile 16 Which word should go in blank (16)? A benevolently B unreasonably C logically D tentatively 17 Which word should go in blank (17)? A sophistication B temperance C recklessness D acquiescence


REVISING AND EDITING PRACTICE 2 Anthony has written an essay examining the character of Nick Carraway, the narrator of The Great Gatsby, and has asked you to look over his essay before he hands it in. As you read, think about any improvements or corrections Anthony might make. Then answer the questions that follow.

The Narrator’s Point of View (1) At the beginning of The Great Gatsby, Nick, the narrator, says that

from his youth he was taught by his father not to pass judgment on others.

(2) His father’s sound reasoning was that not everyone had had the

advantages Nick had, so it would be unfair to criticise them for their failings.

(3) Nick’s non-judgmental nature allows him to be as objective as it is

possible for a narrator to be in relating the events of the novel. (4) However,

Nick finally reaches the point at which he decides that sometimes passing

judgment cannot be avoided; some behavior is simply wrong.

(5) Nick is an insider in the world of Tom and Daisy Buchanan since he

is Daisy’s cousin and attended college with Tom. (6) Although he recognizes

that Tom has a “cruel” body and that he is arrogant, Nick gladly spends time

with the Buchanans, and they seem to appreciate his company. (7) It is at

the Buchanan’s home that Nick meets Jordan Baker, the golfer with whom he

begins to spend a great deal of time. (8) Nick soon realizes that Jordan is

extremely careless, depending on other drivers to stay out of her way, as

well as dishonest, cheating in a golf tournament and lying about trivial

matters. (9) Nick continues to see Jordan frequently, despite the fact that

two of his primary values are order and honesty.

(10) For most of the novel, Nick’s unwillingness to judge others

negatively is readily apparent. (11) He does not protest when Tom insists on


taking him to meet his “girl.” (12) Tom’s girl is Myrtle Wilson. (13) Nick does

not protest even though Tom is being unfaithful to Nick’s cousin. (14) When

Meyer Wolfsheim, who he meets through Gatsby, shows Nick his cufflinks

made from human molars, Nick simply comments, “That’s a very interesting

idea.” (15) But Nick is a Midwesterner who cannot understand the

recklessness and amorality of those with whom he associates in New York.

(16) Finally, on his thirtieth birthday, Nick has had enough of the Buchanans

and Jordan Baker. (17) The next day, consoling Gatsby after Gatsby realizes

his dream of having Daisy will never be fulfilled, Nick tells him “They’re a

rotten crowd. (18) You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together.”

(19) Nick has concluded that some behavior simply cannot be excused or

justified. (20) Tom and Daisy, Nick realizes, are “careless people” who make

messes and then left others to clean them up. (21) Nick tells the reader that

Gatsby alone was “exempt” from his negative reaction, and this is ironic

because Gatsby represents, as Nick says, “everything for which I have an

unaffected scorn.” (22) Thus, Nick does not put him in the same category as

the selfish, uncaring Buchanans. (23) But Nick concludes that Gatsby’s

failings are a result of his boundless idealism and his “extraordinary gift for

hope.”

(24) While most people would agree that it is good to try to see things

from the point of view of others and not to pass judgment too quick, Nick

Carraway, on his thirtieth birthday, finally concludes that there comes a time

when one must take a stand.


1 What change, if any, should be made in sentence 2? A Change father’s to fathers’ B Change their to they’re C Change criticise to criticize D Make no change 2 What change, if any, should be made in sentence 5? A Change college to College B Change he is to he was C Change Nick to He D Make no change 3 What change, if any, should be made in sentence 7? A Change Buchanan’s to Buchanans’ B Delete the comma after Baker C Change begins to had begun D Make no change 4 What transition should be added to the beginning of sentence 9? A Thus, B In fact, C Nevertheless, D That is,


MULTIPLE-CHOICE ANSWER EXPLANATIONS READING PRACTICE 3

1. (A) lonely. Nick refers to dinner at the Yale Club as “the gloomiest event of my day,” adding that after dinner he worked alone in the library. Walking around New York City in the evening, Nick imagines that he is going to “enter into” the lives of the glamorous people around him. He says that he, like other young workers, feels “a haunting loneliness” at times. When the taxis begin heading to the theatre district, Nick feels “a sinking in my heart” and spends time “imagining that I, too, was hurrying toward gayety.” 2. (B) correct a mistaken impression he has given. Nick says that when he reads over “what I have written so far,” he realizes that he has given the incorrect impression that his life revolved around Gatsby and the events Nick has narrated thus far. Actually, he says, these events only accounted for “three nights several weeks apart” and were “merely casual events in a crowded summer.” He describes his daily life in order to show that the idea that he spent most of his time with Gatsby is erroneous. 3. (D) a conscientiously spent hour. Being a new bond salesman, Nick makes a point of spending an hour each day studying investments and securities. This is a conscientious way to spend an hour each day because it will help him be successful in his work. 4. (D) Nick’s realization about Jordan’s character. The paragraph focuses on Nick’s realization that what Jordan Baker hides beneath her haughty exterior is dishonesty. When she lies about leaving the car out in the rain, Nick remembers the story about her cheating in a golf tournament, a story he had forgotten until this time. The paragraph does not center around this “unpleasant incident in Jordan’s past.” The incident is just one piece in the puzzle that helps Nick realize that dishonesty is part of Jordan’s character. 5. (B) cautious and prudent. Nick immediately follows his statement that he is “slow thinking” with the observation that he has many “interior rules that act as brakes on my desires.” He says he must get out of an “entanglement” with another girl before he will feel free to have a relationship with Jordan. Thus, by saying he is “slow thinking,” Nick is referring to his cautious, prudent approach to things.


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MULTIPLE-CHOICE ANSWER EXPLANATIONS REVISING AND EDITING PRACTICE 2

1. (C) Change criticise to criticize. “Criticize” is the correct spelling of this verb. “Father’s” is the correct form of the singular possessive noun. “Their” is the correct spelling of the plural possessive pronoun; “they’re” is the contracted form of “they are.” 2. (D) Make no change. In this sentence the word “college” is a common noun, not part of the name of a specific school. Answer choice B would create an incorrect tense shift. Changing “Nick” to “He” would force the reader to look back to the previous paragraph to determine who the subject of this sentence is. 3. (A) Change Buchanan’s to Buchanans’. This is the correct form of the possessive plural noun. A comma is needed after “Baker” to set off the non-essential appositive. Answer choice C would create an incorrect tense shift. 4. (C) Nevertheless,. This transition correctly indicates that what follows is somehow opposed to what precedes it. Answer choice A would incorrectly indicate that what follows is a direct result of what precedes it. Answer choice B would incorrectly suggest that what follows is a further reinforcement of the statement that precedes it. Answer choice D would incorrectly indicate that what follows is a restatement of what precedes it. 5. (D) He does not protest when Tom insists on taking him to meet his “girl,” Myrtle Wilson, even though Tom is being unfaithful to Nick’s cousin. This revision effectively eliminates the unnecessary repetition (“Tom’s girl is” and “Nick does not protest”) in the original sentences. Answer choice A is a sentence fragment. Answer choice B retains much of the unnecessary repetition and alters the meaning of the original sentences by changing the placement of “even though.” Answer choice C is a run-on sentence (comma splice). 6. (B) Change who to whom. This pronoun is the direct object of the verb “meets” and must be objective case. A comma is needed after “comments” to set off the direct quote that follows. “Through” is the correct spelling of this preposition; “threw” is the past tense form of the verb “throw.”


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