Notable Americans — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
Jackie Robinson break the color barrier in Major League Baseball in 1947.
Corrected: Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball in 1947.
Break is irregular; its past-tense form is broke, not break.
2. Fix the sentence:
Neil Armstrong was the first person who walk on the Moon in 1969.
Corrected: Neil Armstrong was the first person who walked on the Moon in 1969.
Walked matches the past tense established by was earlier in the sentence.
3. Fix the sentence:
Booker T. Washington wrote a autobiography called Up from Slavery.
Corrected: Booker T. Washington wrote an autobiography called Up from Slavery.
Autobiography begins with a vowel sound, so the article must be an.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. Jackie Robinson played for the Brooklyn Dodgers as the first Black MLB player.
Robinson debuted with the Dodgers in 1947, integrating Major League Baseball.
2. Neil Armstrong said one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
Armstrong's quote captured the historic significance of the Moon landing.
3. Lewis and Clark were sent by President Jefferson to explore the Louisiana Purchase.
Their expedition mapped the West and met many Native American tribes.
4. Booker T. Washington gave a famous speech called the Atlanta Compromise.
The speech urged African Americans to focus on practical education and trades.
Part C: Short Answer
Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.
1. Why was Jackie Robinson's debut with the Dodgers historically important?
Sample answer: Robinson became the first African American in modern Major League Baseball, breaking segregation and paving the way for other Black athletes.
His courage opened doors for civil rights progress in American athletics.
2. What was the significance of Neil Armstrong's Moon landing in 1969?
Sample answer: Armstrong's landing proved humans could travel to another world, won the Space Race for America, and inspired global scientific achievement.
The mission marked a turning point in technology and human ambition.