No student devices needed. Know more
17 questions
Carefully read “Salem Memorializes Those Killed During Witch Trials” and then answer the questions below.
1. The purpose of the memorial is to…
warn people about the dangers of witches
shame people who executed the victims
remember the victims
teach people about Salem’s history
The memorial is important to many people because...
the victims of the trials have many descendants.
the accused never got a proper burial.
most people don’t know about the victims.
no one has known the site of the hangings before.
How was the memorial funded?
money from the city and donations
donations from the descendants of the executioners
money gifted by the citizens of Salem
money from the government
PART A: Which statement identifies the central idea of the text?
The memorial makes it difficult for the city of Salem to move on from their painful and violent history.
The memorial helps the city of Salem and the descendants of the wrongly accused remember those who died.
Descendants of the accused see the memorial as an apology from Salem for what was done to their ancestors.
Descendants of the accused feel like they can finally move on and forget about this painful moment in history.
PART B: Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A?
“Andrea Shea of member station WBUR attended the ceremony at Proctor's Ledge and said Salem residents and descendants of those killed gathered to pay their respects.” (Paragraph 3)
“’We should not be here today. We should not be here dedicating this memorial and setting aside this small patch of rocky earth’” (Paragraph 4).
A single oak tree stands at the center, the city says, as a ‘symbol of endurance and dignity.’” (Paragraph 5).
“’All 19 who were executed through a hanging died at Proctor's Ledge. Five others died in jail, and one was crushed to death’” (Paragraph 9).
What is the author’s main purpose in the text?
to explain how researchers found the site where the witches were put on trial and hanged
to suggest to readers that they likely are, or know, a descendant of someone affected by the Salem witch trials
to provide students with historical information about the Salem witch trials and how they took place
to describe the memorial and what it means to Salem and the descendants of the accused
PART A: Read this sentence from the passage. “The city of Salem, Mass., has opened a memorial to commemorate the people who were convicted and killed during its notorious series of “witch trials” in 1692.” Which of the following is the best definition for notorious?
well known for a negative reason
helpful to other people
seeming to never end
extremely important
PART B: What sentence from the text helps you understand the meaning of notorious?
"…where 19 innocent women and men were hanged.” (paragraph 2)
“…Salem residents and descendants of those killed gathered to pay their respects.” (paragraph 3)
“The memorial consists of a slop that leads down to site where the executions took place.” (paragraph 5)
“The memorial was primarily funded with a $174,000 Community Preservation Act grant…” (paragraph 8)
Carefully read “The Late Troubles at Salem” and then answer the questions below.
Read paragraphs 1 and 2. Which of the following describes Mather’s views of the trials?
He didn’t believe that witches were present in Salem.
He worried innocent people were being found guilty.
He didn’t think the court was harsh enough on the witches.
He believed the court was being influenced by witches.
Read paragraphs 3, 4, and 5. After Phips brought an end to the Court of Oyer and Terminer…
the people of Salem no longer accused or convicted people of witchcraft.
everyone who was accused of being a witch was immediately let go.
spectral evidence continued to be used to find a witch guilty.
a new court was created to hold the witch trials, but it relied on different evidence in the trials.
Read paragraphs 6-9. Which of the following describes what took place after the witch trials ended?
The people who contributed to the witch hunts apologized, but the damage was already done.
The people who were accused of witchcraft were able to return to their normal lives.
The girls who were originally bewitched admitted that they were lying and apologized.
The accused witches continued to be treated unfairly, despite being found not guilty.
Part A: Which statement identifies the main idea of the text?
The only thing that prompted Salem to stop its witch hunts was a fear that God would punish them for their actions.
It took outside influence for the people of Salem to realize that there were no, nor had there ever been, any witches in Salem.
People eventually realized that witch trials were unfair and had punished innocent people.
Despite the deaths and damages that took place because of the witch trials, the courts of Salem stood by their actions.
Part B: Which detail from the text best supports the answer to part A?
"By the end of September 1692, 20 people in Massachusetts Bay were dead by order of the Court of Oyer and Terminer." (Paragraph 1)
"Pointing out how families had been ruined by the court's irresponsible pursuit of witches, he wondered if people would someday 'not look upon these things without the greatest of sorrow and grief imaginable.'" (Paragraph 4)
"Although some restitution was eventually made to the families of the executed and accused, the damage to lives was far reaching." (Paragraph 9)
"Once they were freed, they went back to living with neighbors, or in some cases with family members, who had accused them of being witches." (Paragraph 9)
Which of the following describes the author's main purpose in the text?
To point out the courage of the people who had been accused of being witches
to provide information about what caused the witch trials to take place
to show what eventually brought the witch trials to an end and what happened afterward
to reveal how the town of Salem was able to recover from the witch trials
How does Reverend Samuel Willard's fictitious argument contribute to the development of ideas in the text (Paragraph 3)?
It emphasizes how unjust and backwards the witch trials were in Salem.
It reveals how it was impossible not to be put to death as a witch in Salem.
It proves that the courts were never actually looking for witches in Salem.
It shows how Salem was one of the few towns that believed in supernatural forces.
PART A: Read this sentence from the passage. “A few prominent people began to express their concerns publicly. Which of the following is the best definition for prominent?
known for causing trouble
important; well-known
timid and shy
funny; likes to joke around
PART B: What sentence from the text helps you understand the meaning of prominent?
“While Chief Justice William Stoughton had no regrets and appeared determined to continue the witch-hunts, other men had grown uneasy.” (paragraph 1)
“The Reverend Increase Mather, a well-respected and influential Boston minister, became alarmed at the court’s process.” (paragraph 2)
“While Mather did not question the existence of witches, he wondered if innocent people were being put to death.” (paragraph 2)
“On October 3, an essay he had recently completed, Cases of Conscience, was shared with other Boston ministers.” (paragraph 2)
Explore all questions with a free account