Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

ACT 1

Reading Check

1. Which details about Maple Street does the narrator describe at the beginning of Act 1?

2. What do the residents of Maple Street originally believe must have flown over their neighborhood?

3. Who travels to Floral Street to check on the situation there?

4. What does Tommy hypothesize about the object that flew overhead?

5. Why does Charlie suggest that Steve go downtown?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Based on the narrator’s introduction, what kind of place is Maple Street?

2. What alerts the neighbors that this sudden event is more than a mere power outage?

3. What effect does Tommy’s speech have on the neighbors?

4. What about Les Goodman’s behavior makes his neighbors suspicious of him?

5. Which character or characters try to keep the situation on Maple Street calm? How effective are they?

Paired Resources

“We Do Not Have to Be Passive Bystanders”

• This helpful article from Psychology Today explains what happens when crowds become mobs and offers steps to help people make better decisions in emergencies.