Question

instructions for student
reread paragraphs 6 - 9 of phineas gage: a gruesome but true story about brain science. then answer the multiple choice questions that follow.
from phineas gage: a gruesome but true story about brain science by john fleischman
6 black powder is ticklish stuff. when its damp, nothing will set it off. when its too dry or mixed in the wrong formula, almost anything can set it off, without warning. but phineas and his assistant have done this a thousand times - pour the powder, set the fuse, pour the sand, tamp the sand plug, shout a warning, light the fuse, and run like mad.
7 but something goes wrong this time. the sand is never poured down the hole; the black powder and fuse sit exposed at the bottom. does his assistant forget, or does phineas forget to look? witnesses disagree. a few yards behind phineas, a group of his men are using a hand - cranked derrick crane to hoist a large piece of rock. some of the men remember seeing phineas standing over the blast hole, leaning lightly on the tamping iron. others say phineas was sitting on a rock ledge above the hole, holding the iron loosely between his knees.
8 there is no argument about what happens next. something or someone distracts phineas. does he hear his name called? does he spot someone goofing off? whatever the reason, phineas turns his head to glance over his right shoulder. the fat end of his tamping iron slips down into the hole and strikes the granite. a spark flies onto the exposed blasting powder. blam! the drill hole acts as a gun barrel. instead of a bullet, it fires phineass rod straight upward. the iron shrieks through the air and comes down with a loud clang about thirty feet away.
9 this is what happens. imagine you are inside phineass head, watching in extreme slow motion: see the pointy end of the rod enter under his left cheekbone, pass behind his left eye, through the front of his brain, and out the middle of his forehead just above the hairline. it takes a fraction of a fraction of a second for the iron rod to pass from cheekbone to forehead, through and through.

1. which response best shows an understanding of the text that is supported by textual evidence?

a. the accident shows that gunpowder was too dangerous to be used safely.
b. the incident proves that accidents can happen to even the most experienced experts.
c. the confusion after the accident suggests that witnesses are unreliable.
d. gage deserved what happened because it was his fault.

1. which paragraph best supports the inference that the cause of the accident is unknown?

a. 6
b. 7
c. 8
d. 9

1. which textual evidence best supports the inference that the accident happens too quickly to be fully observed?

a. “when its too dry or mixed in the wrong formula, almost anything can set it off, without warning.”
b. “a few yards behind phineas, a group of his men are using a hand - cranked derrick crane to hoist a large piece of rock.”
c. “a spark flies onto the exposed blasting powder. blam!”
d. “it takes a fraction of a fraction of a second for the iron rod to pass from cheekbone to forehead, through and through.”

Explanation:

1. The text mentions that Phineas and his assistant had done the blasting process many times, yet an accident occurred, showing that even experienced experts can have accidents. Option B is correct as it is supported by the text. Option A is an over - generalization as the text doesn't say gunpowder can never be used safely. Option C is wrong as the confusion is about the events leading up to the accident, not about the unreliability of witnesses in general. Option D has no basis in the text.
2. Paragraph 7 discusses the uncertainty about who forgot to pour the sand, with witnesses disagreeing on Phineas' position, indicating the cause of the accident is unknown.
3. The phrase "It takes a fraction of a fraction of a second for the iron rod to pass from cheekbone to forehead, through and through" implies that the accident happened extremely quickly and thus could not be fully observed.

Answer:

1. B. The incident proves that accidents can happen to even the most experienced experts.
2. B. 7
3. D. "It takes a fraction of a fraction of a second for the iron rod to pass from cheekbone to forehead, through and through."