1a. What is Montag's job title? What duties are part of his job?
2a. What reason does Montag give for never reading the books he burns? What is the "official slogan"?
3a. What does Clarisse say about drivers and grass and rose gardens? What about nature does she discuss with Montag?
4a. What is Montag's response to the fact that Clarissa's family sits around and talks?
1b. How are people with Montag's job viewed by society in general? Why do you think Montag enjoys his job so much?
2b. Why might this society want people to perform the duties that Montag performs?
3b. How does Montag respond to these comments? What do his responses indicate about him and about his society?
4b. What does Montag reveal about his society through his reaction to this fact?
5a. List the things that Montag does not think about and the things he finds unusual.
5b. Would Montag's worldviews be considered normal in our society? Why, or why not? Would Clarisse be considered unusual in our society? Why is she unusual in Montag's society? What effects has the destruction of books had upon the society Montag lives in?
6a. How do you think Bradbury, the author of Fahrenheit 451, views the society portrayed in the book? How does this selection affect your thinking about a world without books?
6b. Consider "Gutenberg and the Age of the Printed Word" on pages 290–291. In what ways does the society in Fahrenheit 451 compare with society before the printing press was invented? How does it differ? As our society relies more heavily on computers and on the Internet for information, how do you think the role of books will change?
Science Fiction. What is the setting - the time and place in which a story happens—of this selection? What evidence can you find to support your answer?
Figure of Speech. Go back and skim the selection, looking for sepecific examples of metaphors and similes. For each example you find, identify the two things being compared. For similes, identify the word that sets up the comparison. Use the graphic organizer to keep track of your examples.
1. Compile a list of laws that the society in Fahrenheit 451 might have in place.
2. Write a half-page of dialogue that might have taken place when Clarisse went in her house to join her family.
3. Imagine that a paper shortage causes the government to consider seizing all the books in the country to manufacture recycled paper. Write an Internet public posting, arguing against this plan.
Using Words in Context. The following words are in the selection from Fahrenheit 451. Choose from the words below to complete each sentence. You may need to alter the form of some words. You may return to the selection to review definitions as you work.
1. Mother was _____________ when she thought she had lost her necklace.
2. Frank always _____________ his fists when he is nervous.
3. As we crossed the bridge we caught a glimpse of the _____________ tower.
4. The startled doe seemed to look at us in _____________.
5. When the downstairs neighbor bakes pies, the delicious smells _____________ up through our window.
6. Although the snake looks harmless, its bite is _____________.
7. Dad uses oil to _____________ my bicycle chain.
8. In Watertown, more _____________ than cars fill the streets.
9. Architects have been hired to _____________ the old office building into new apartments.
10. Until she visited, Sue never realized how _____________ the Great Plains really are.
11. The cries of the tiny kittens were so soft they were almost _____________.
12. Jenna's closet contained an almost _____________ number of clothing combinations.
13. Although the flowerpot broke, the plant and its roots remained _____________.
14. Large oak trees line the wide uptown _____________.
15. The bus came to an _____________ stop at the railroad tracks.
Their, They're, and There. These three homonyms (words that sound alike but that have different spellings and meanings) can be very confusing. The word their is a possessive pronoun. The word they're is the contracted form of "they are." The word there refers to place. Identify the correct word that best completes the sentences.
1. click to select answer Their They're There coats are hanging in the coatroom upstairs.
2. click to select answer Their They're There going to go South for the winter.
3. The kids cried out, "How much longer until we get click to select answer their they're there ?"
4. " click to select answer Their They're There you are! I've been looking all over for you, kitty!" exclaimed Penelope.
5. The team packed click to select answer their they're there up their equipment and left the field, disappointed in their loss.
6. " click to select answer Their They're There not staying here another day. I refuse to house those dogs another night!" remarked my mom.
7. "Hey Mark. I put the keys over click to select answer their they're there on the counter."
8. The bed should go over click to select answer their they're there .
9. click to select answer Their They're There always complaining about the noise that comes from the neighbor's house.
10. Cats like to lick click to select answer their they're there fur after spending time playing in the dirt.
