Life As We Knew It

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

Multiple Choice

1. In Chapter 1, how is Miranda’s reaction to the meteor hitting the moon different from other characters?

A) She’s afraid people will act crazy and tie up the phone lines.

B) She says she’ll be tired of the moon by Friday.

C) She wishes her teachers would plan more lessons around it.

D) She is tuning into the news on television more often than usual.

2. Which word best describes the overall tone in the hours after the meteor strike?

A) Optimistic

B) Conventional

C) Argumentative

D) Catastrophic

3. What effect does the novel’s organization in diary entries have on the story?

A) It lets the reader understand Miranda’s innermost thoughts and feelings.

B) It makes a story about science easier to read.

C) It allows the narrator to be omniscient, giving her an all-knowing voice.

D) It allows the author to switch back and forth between characters easily.

4. After Miranda asks Megan to not stop eating, especially in front of her, Megan gives Miranda her whole sandwich and winks. What can the reader infer about Megan’s character based on these actions?

A) God told her it was okay because he would make sure she had food for dinner.

B) She does not care about Miranda’s feelings.

C) She must have eaten a big breakfast.

D) She thinks Miranda needs to learn how to be a good friend and should also share.

5. What key idea is supported by the following statements: “I thought about Mom and about Dan kissing me and how hungry I really was and how long I could go without eating. I thought about mosquitoes and the prom and the end of the world”?

A) Miranda is selfish for thinking about the prom at a time like this.

B) Miranda’s mom did not feed her lunch as a punishment for kissing Dan.

C) Miranda is still a normal teenager even though the world might end.

D) Miranda is on a diet, so she will be able to get whatever prom dress she wants.

6. Which sentence supports the idea that Miranda feels guilty for eating the chocolate chips her mom was saving for Matt’s birthday?

A) “It was just some chocolate chips!”

B) “I’m a selfish pig. I don’t deserve to live.”

C) “I ripped open the bag and poured chocolate chips down my throat.”

D) “I could hardly taste them I was swallowing so fast.”

7. Which statement explains the real reason why Miranda wanted Mom to cut her hair?

A) “I hate washing my hair now. It never gets clean and it’s so lank and disgusting.”

B) “In honor of the holiday, I asked mom to cut my hair.”

C) “Mom kissed me and told me I was beautiful with short hair.”

D) “Her hair hasn’t grown out yet, but I’ve gotten used to it.”

8. Why does Miranda hope that Reverend Marshall will be the last person on Earth to die?

A) She wants him to starve like Megan did.

B) He is despicable and deserves to watch his friends and family die.

C) He will feel as lonely as Megan’s mom felt when Megan died.

D) He could know what it feels like to be impure.

9. Which sentence shows how Mom hurt her ankle?

A) “Peter came by unexpectedly.”

B) “I’d just taken a can of peas out when I heard a thud and mom cry out.”

C)  “She couldn’t even manage to stand.”

D) “Mom tripped over shoes yesterday morning.”

10. What mood was the author trying to create when Miranda wonders if her tears will be gray?

A) Somber

B) Hostile

C) Desperate

D) Bitter

11. Why does Miranda’s family move their only meal to 11:00 am?

A) They’d rather be hungry at night than throughout the day.

B)They will be less jealous when Jonny gets his second meal of the day.

C) They’re all together at the time of the day, resting after morning chores.

D) Jonny does not want to eat alone.

12. Which statement most directly contributes to the theme of Faith?

A) “I wondered if this would be our last New Years.”

B) “There will always be a future.”

C) “We bellow show tunes and Beatle songs.”

D) “He even goes outside and sketches our desolate winter landscape.”

13. Which statement best foreshadows that Miranda’s family will survive the flu?

A) “We’re on our own.”

B) “Give them whatever comfort you can.”

C) “We’d been lucky so far.”

D) “Your family’s going to live or die no matter what you do.”

14. What key idea supports the hope that life will continue?

A) Miranda’s family hears news being reported on the radio.

B) Miranda becomes the greatest athlete in history.

C) They take the boards off their windows.

D) They have two weeks of food left.

15. What does Miranda do at the end of the novel to show how much she loves her family?

A) She goes into town to find food.

B) She goes into town to look for Peter.

C) She goes into town to look for medicine.

D) She goes into town to die.

Long Answer

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

1. How does Miranda’s mother react when Miranda prioritizes Dan over her place in the food line? What does her mother’s reaction make Miranda realize about their circumstances?

2. What does Miranda realize about the impact of her life experiences on her journaling? How does this change over the course of the novel?