Life on the Mississippi

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

Multiple Choice

1. What does young Mark Twain learn about riverboat piloting during his first excursions?

A) He has a natural gift for piloting that makes it easy for him.

B) The pilots only allow him limited opportunities to practice steering.

C) He pilots through a few close calls, but soon gets the hang of it.

D) Piloting the river is surprisingly difficult, especially at night.

2. Which of the following statements best summarizes Twain’s feelings toward the impact of the Mississippi River?

A) It is an irrelevant and dying aspect of American life.

B) The river has little influence over the life of most Americans.

C) He believes it is a significant part of American culture.

D) It is a significant part of Southern culture but has little impact elsewhere.

3. Which feeling most characterizes Twain’s journey on the Mississippi River?

A) Nostalgia

B) Optimism

C) Disappointment

D) Distaste

4. What is a common element in many of the stories Twain recounts from his journey?

A) Realism

B) Mysticism

C) Spiritualism

D) Pessimism

5. What is the purpose of Twain’s use of satire and humor in his memoir?

A) To emphasize the beauty of the Mississippi River and its landscape

B) To describe the ignorance of riverboat pilots and riverfront people

C) To appraise societal norms and the culture of his day

D) To examine the role of sentimentality and nostalgia

6. What does Twain describe as being an important result of the Mississippi River’s popularity?

A) Increased interest in travel

B) An increase in land prices

C) The growth of America

D) Access to irrigation for farmers

7. What is the symbolic significance of the Mississippi River?

A) It symbolizes the constant nature of life.

B) It stands for the unrest and conflict in American culture.

C) It embodies the wild nature of America.

D) It represents growth and decline.

8. What is the purpose of Twain’s reflections on his history of the Mississippi River?

A) To connect the past with the present in a compelling narrative

B) To describe the decline of the steamboat and American culture

C) To serve as a rebuke for those who have forgotten the simplicity of steamboat life

D) To demonstrate the steamboat’s central role in ongoing American prosperity

9. What does Twain compare piloting the Mississippi to?

A) Navigating societal norms

B) Learning a language

C) Complicated friendships

D) The everchanging weather

10. Which of the following best represents the American Dream to Mark Twain?

A) Steamboat piloting

B) Travel writing

C) Coal shoveling

D) Riverboat gambling

11. Which statement best describes an insight the modern reader gains from Mark Twain’s Life on the Mississippi?

A) Recognition of the importance of boat travel

B) The importance of preserving culture for future generations

C) The impact of humanity on landscape and culture

D) The negative effect of technology on American life

12. How does Twain describe the interaction between the railroad and steamboat industries?

A) Both industries contribute equally to American life.

B) Railroad use remained modest compared to the importance of steamboats.

C) The railroad improved the navigability of the crowded Mississippi River.

D) Railroads contributed to the decline of the steamboat industry.

13. What statement best describes Twain’s depiction of riverboat pilots on the Mississippi River?

A) Pilots refuse to conform to advancements in technology.

B) Pilots often face danger and challenges on the river.

C) They lead lives of leisure and adventure.

D) They often fail to appreciate the mobility of their profession.

14. How does Mark Twain respond after hearing of the explosion of the Pennsylvania?

A) He travels to Memphis to his dying brother’s bedside.

B) He moves to San Francisco to become a reporter.

C) He begins writing Life on the Mississippi.

D) He asks to be transferred to another steamboat on the Mississippi.

15. What, in Twain’s memoir, parallels the ever-changing nature of the Mississippi River?

A) Human life and culture

B) Traditional values and belief systems

C) Friendships and acquaintances

D) Storytelling and writing

Long Answer

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

1. Compare the experiences of Mark Twain on the Mississippi River before and after the Civil War. What has changed for Twain? How might this change impact his perspective on the river?

2. Explore the book’s theme of Knowledge and Education. What are Twain’s thoughts on education? How does he weave this theme throughout his book?