Name___________________________________

Demeter and Persephone by Anne Terry White

Match the characters with their descriptions.

1. _____ Pluto A. goddess of beauty and love

2. _____ Aphrodite B. Daughter of Demeter

3. _____ Persephone C. a god who served as a messenger

D. in Greek mythology, the god of love; identified by the Romans
4. _____ Demeter
as Cupid
5. _____ Eros E. king of the underworld

6. _____ Hermes F. goddess of the harvest

Match the vocabulary words with their definitions.

7. _____ defies A. goddess living in a river

8. _____ pomegranate B. resists or opposes boldly or openly

9. _____ quiver C. come between as an influence to modify, settle, or hinder some

action or argument
10. _____ River Cyane D. a river in Sicily, an island just south of Italy

11. _____ girdle E. chariot

12. _____ trident F. belt or sash for the waist

13. _____ river nymph G. carried

14. _____ wafted H. spear with three points

15. _____ thistles I. stubborn, weedy plants with sharp leaves and usually purplish
flowers
16. _____ intervene J. case for arrows

17. _____ car K. round fruit with a red leathery rind and many seeds
Multiple Choice- Choose the best option from the choices provided.

18. Why was Pluto alarmed at the beginning of the story?

A. He was summoned by Zeus. B. His wife was angry with him.
C. The earth was shaking. D. Hermes came to see him.

19. Why did Pluto travel to the top Mt. Aetna?

A. To see what damage had been done.
B. To visit Aphrodite.
C. To meet with Zeus.
D. To see if any of the monsters were loose.

20. What did Aphrodite tell Eros to do?

A. Shoot Zeus with an arrow. B. Travel to the underworld.
C. Shoot Pluto with an arrow. D. Travel to Mt. Olympus.

21. How did Pluto feel when he saw Persephone?

A. He thought she was okay. B. He thought she was ugly.
C. He immediately fell in love with her. D. He was angry at her.

22. Why did Pluto strike the bank of the River Cyane with his trident?
A. Because he was angry at Demeter. B. Because he was angry at Persephone.
C. Because he needed the earth to open. D. Because he was angry at Aphrodite.

23. How did Persephone react to being taken by Pluto?

A. Excited B. Proud C. Pleased D. Upset

24. Why did the river nymph not inform Demeter where her daughter was?
A. Because she was scared of Pluto.
B. Because she was scared of Demeter.
C. Because she did not like Persephone.
D. Because she did not like Demeter.

25. How did Demeter know her daughter was gone?

A. The nymph told her. B. She heard her daughter’s cries.
C. She found her daughter’s girdle. D. Pluto left her a note.

26. Who did Demeter blame for her daughter’s disappearance?

A. The River Nymph B. The Soil C. Pluto D. Aphrodite

27. How was the weather the year after Persephone was taken?
A. There was too much rain. B. There was not a lot of sun.
C. It was extremely cold. D. It was great for the harvest.
28. Which god decided that he must intervene?
A. Pluto B. Eros C. Zeus D. Hermes

29. Why was Hermes sent to the underworld?

A. He was doing bad things in the world.
B. He had captured Persephone.
C. He was to plea with Pluto to release Persephone.
D. He was to plea with Persephone to love Pluto.

30. Which best describes Persephone when Hermes found her?

A. Pale and Joyless B. Excited and Happy
C. Subdued and Calm D. Frazzled and Angry

31. What was a way Pluto tried to make Persephone happier?

A. Giving her flowers. B. Taking her above ground.
C. Giving her jewels. D. Feeding her fruit.

32. Why did Persephone’s eyes sparkle and cheeks grow rosy when she saw Hermes and heard
his message?
A. Because she knew her mother was okay.
B. Because she knew Pluto would not disobey his brother.
C. Because she knew Pluto would above ground with her.
D. Because she knew she was getting flowers.

33. Why was Persephone unable to leave the underworld forever?

A. She would miss Pluto.
B. She wanted to come back to visit.
C. She had accepted a pomegranate from Pluto.
D. She had a duty to her mother.

34. “Dear wife,” said the King, and his voiced trembled as he spoke…
Why did Pluto’s voice tremble?
A. He was scared. B. He was nervous.
C. He was tired. D. He was upset.

35. How long did Persephone have to stay in the underworld each year?
A. 8 months B. 4 months
C. 6 months D. 10 months

36. How did Demeter feel when she was reunited with Persephone?
A. Elated B. Indifferent
C. Melancholy D. Perturbed

37. “One third of the year Persephone spends in the gloomy abode of Pluto…”
The word abode means which of the following?
A. home B. car C. life D. country

38. What happens to Nature when Persephone goes to the underworld each year?
A. It thrives. B. It dies.
C. It rains the entire time. D. It is unbearably hot.

39. What does the story of Demeter and Persephone explain?

A. Love B. The Seasons C. The Months D. The Years

40. Which genre of literature is Demeter and Persephone?

A. Poetry B. Drama C. Informational D. Myth

Grammar: Identify the underlined words as a NOUN, VERB, or ADJECTIVE.

41. ____________________ Deep under Mt. Aetna…

42. ____________________ …the gods had buried alive a number of fearful, fire-breathing
giants.

43. ____________________ The monsters heaved and struggled to get free.

44. ____________________ And so mightily did they shake the earth…

45. ____________________ …that Pluto, the king of the underworld, was alarmed.

46. ____________________ “They may tear the rocks asunder…

47. ____________________ …and leave the realm of the dead open to the light of the day,” he
thought.

48. ____________________ And mounting his golden chariot…

49. ____________________ …he went up to see what damage had been done.

50. ____________________ Now the goddess of love and beauty, fair Aphrodite was sitting on
a mountainside playing with her son, Eros.

Name___KEY______________________
Demeter and Persephone by Anne Terry White
Match the characters with their descriptions.
1. __E___ Pluto A. goddess of beauty and love

2. __A___ Aphrodite B. Daughter of Demeter

3. __B___ Persephone C. a god who served as a messenger

D. in Greek mythology, the god of love; identified by the Romans
4. ___F__ Demeter
as Cupid
5. __D___ Eros E. king of the underworld

6. __C___ Hermes F. goddess of the harvest

Match the vocabulary words with their definitions.

7. __B___ defies A. goddess living in a river

8. __K___ pomegranate B. resists or opposes boldly or openly

9. ___J__ quiver C. come between as an influence to modify, settle, or hinder some

action or argument
10. __D___ River Cyane D. a river in Sicily, an island just south of Italy

11. __F___ girdle E. chariot

12. __H___ trident F. belt or sash for the waist

13. __A___ river nymph G. carried

14. ___G__ wafted H. spear with three points

15. ___I__ thistles I. stubborn, weedy plants with sharp leaves and usually purplish
flowers
16. __C___ intervene J. case for arrows

17. __E___ car K. round fruit with a red leathery rind and many seeds

Multiple Choice- Choose the best option from the choices provided.

18. Why was Pluto alarmed at the beginning of the story?

A. He was summoned by Zeus. B. His wife was angry with him.
C. The earth was shaking. D. Hermes came to see him.

19. Why did Pluto travel to the top Mt. Aetna?

A. To see what damage had been done.
B. To visit Aphrodite.
C. To meet with Zeus.
D. To see if any of the monsters were loose.

20. What did Aphrodite tell Eros to do?

A. Shoot Zeus with an arrow. B. Travel to the underworld.
C. Shoot Pluto with an arrow. D. Travel to Mt. Olympus.

21. How did Pluto feel when he saw Persephone?

A. He thought she was okay. B. He thought she was ugly.
C. He immediately fell in love with her. D. He was angry at her.

22. Why did Pluto strike the bank of the River Cyane with his trident?
A. Because he was angry at Demeter. B. Because he was angry at Persephone.
C. Because he needed the earth to open. D. Because he was angry at Aphrodite.

23. How did Persephone react to being taken by Pluto?

A. Excited B. Proud C. Pleased D. Upset

24. Why did the river nymph not inform Demeter where her daughter was?
A. Because she was scared of Pluto.
B. Because she was scared of Demeter.
C. Because she did not like Persephone.
D. Because she did not like Demeter.

25. How did Demeter know her daughter was gone?

A. The nymph told her. B. She heard her daughter’s cries.
C. She found her daughter’s girdle. D. Pluto left her a note.

26. Who did Demeter blame for her daughter’s disappearance?

A. The River Nymph B. The Soil C. Pluto D. Aphrodite

27. How was the weather the year after Persephone was taken?
A. There was too much rain. B. There was not a lot of sun.
C. It was extremely cold. D. It was great for the harvest.
28. Which god decided that he must intervene?
A. Pluto B. Eros C. Zeus D. Hermes

29. Why was Hermes sent to the underworld?

A. He was doing bad things in the world.
B. He had captured Persephone.
C. He was to plea with Pluto to release Persephone.
D. He was to plea with Persephone to love Pluto.

30. Which best describes Persephone when Hermes found her?

A. Pale and Joyless B. Excited and Happy
C. Subdued and Calm D. Frazzled and Angry

31. What was a way Pluto tried to make Persephone happier?

A. Giving her flowers. B. Taking her above ground.
C. Giving her jewels. D. Feeding her fruit.

32. Why did Persephone’s eyes sparkle and cheeks grow rosy when she saw Hermes and heard
his message?
A. Because she knew her mother was okay.
B. Because she knew Pluto would not disobey his brother.
C. Because she knew Pluto would above ground with her.
D. Because she knew she was getting flowers.

33. Why was Persephone unable to leave the underworld forever?

A. She would miss Pluto.
B. She wanted to come back to visit.
C. She had accepted a pomegranate from Pluto.
D. She had a duty to her mother.

34. “Dear wife,” said the King, and his voiced trembled as he spoke…
Why did Pluto’s voice tremble?
A. He was scared. B. He was nervous.
C. He was tired. D. He was upset.

35. How long did Persephone have to stay in the underworld each year?
A. 8 months B. 4 months
C. 6 months D. 10 months

36. How did Demeter feel when she was reunited with Persephone?
A. Elated B. Indifferent
C. Melancholy D. Perturbed

37. “One third of the year Persephone spends in the gloomy abode of Pluto…”
The word abode means which of the following?
A. home B. car C. life D. country

38. What happens to Nature when Persephone goes to the underworld each year?
A. It thrives. B. It dies.
C. It rains the entire time. D. It is unbearably hot.

39. What does the story of Demeter and Persephone explain?

A. Love B. The Seasons C. The Months D. The Years

40. Which genre of literature is Demeter and Persephone?

A. Poetry B. Drama C. Informational D. Myth

Grammar: Identify the underlined words as a NOUN, VERB, or ADJECTIVE.

41. ______ NOUN ______ Deep under Mt. Aetna…

42. ___ ADJECTIVE _____ …the gods had buried alive a number of fearful, fire-breathing
giants.

43. _____ VERB ________ The monsters heaved and struggled to get free.

44. ______ VERB _______ And so mightily did they shake the earth…

45. ____ NOUN _______ …that Pluto, the king of the underworld, was alarmed.

46. ______ VERB _______ “They may tear the rocks asunder…

47. _____ NOUN _______ …and leave the realm of the dead open to the light of the day,” he
thought.

48. ___ ADJECTIVE _____ And mounting his golden chariot…

49. ____ VERB _________ …he went up to see what damage had been done.

50. ___ ADJECTIVE _____ Now the goddess of love and beauty, fair Aphrodite was sitting on
a mountainside playing with her son, Eros.