Comprehension Question Women in Aviation

Assignment 1: Reread the story Women in Aviation by Patricia and Fredrick McKissack
Assignment: Select the best answer for each question.

1. Choose the word that BEST completes the sentence: The winning athlete was ______________________
with questions, from reporters.
a) flustered
b) flooded
c) inundated
d) pressured

2. Choose the word that BEST completes the sentence: The students attended a public __________________,
where the Air Force Thunderbirds performed.
a) exhibition
b) flying
c) show
d) experiment

3. What was Harriet Quimby’s distinction?

a) She was the first woman in the world to earn a pilot's license.
b) she was the first American woman to become a licensed pilot.
c) She was the first American woman to make a solo balloon flight.
d) She said, "Flying is easier than voting."

4. Bessie Coleman was the first African American woman to ________________________.

a) earn a pilot’s license
b) perform open heart surgery
c) open a school for blind students
d) to sail around the world

5. Which statement BEST supports Bessie Coleman's efforts to become a pilot

a) Bessie Coleman was born in 1893 in Atlanta, Texas, the twelfth of thirteen children.
b) The encouragement paid off, because Coleman graduated from high school, a feat not too many black
women were able to accomplish in the early 1900s.
c) Bessie Coleman refused to accept the limitations others tried to place on her.
d) Coleman learned about flying from reading newspaper accounts of air battles during World War I.

6. Which statement BEST explains why Bessie Coleman did not pursue her pilot's license in the United States
a) She fully intended to return to school after saving enough money.
b) . . . no American instructor or flying school was willing to teach her.
c) While in Chicago she learned about flying and made a new set of goals for herself.
d) Bessie knew from her reading that both French and German aircraft were among the best in the world

7. Which statement BEST supports the fact that it was difficult for women and African Americans to enter the
aviation field

a) . . . Coleman looked for ways to finance her dream.

b) Flying, it was said, required a level of skill and courage that women lacked.
 c) American aviation was from its very beginnings marred with sexist and racist assumptions.
d) A number of women in Europe and America gained fame for their skill and daring.

8. Which statement BEST supports the ASSUMPTION that women and African-american were not equipped to
be pilots
a) She soon learned that there was little or no support for a black woman who wanted to start a flying
school.
b) “When the world speaks of the Wrights, it must include my sister. . . She inspired much of our effort.”
c) . . . the dream and the desire to fly stayed alive among women and African-Americans.
d) Flying, it was said, required a level of skill and courage that women and blacks lacked.

9. Which statement BEST expresses the central idea of the passage?

a) Women and African-Americans faced sexist and racist assumptions that made it difficult for them to
enter the field of aviation but they continued to pursue their dreams.
b) American women faced the same struggles as French women, as they attempted to enter the field of
aviation.
c) American welcomed all individuals attempting to enter the field of aviation.
d) There were no stereotypes or prejudices that kept women and African-Americans from entering the field
of aviation.

10. Choose the supporting detail that BEST supports the passage's central idea
a) "American aviation was from its very beginnings marred with sexist and racist assumptions"
b) "As difficult as it was for women to become pilots in significant numbers, it was doubly hard for for
African-Americans . . ."
c) ". . . Katherine Wright was a major supporter of her brother's efforts."
d) "Once again critics used the tragedy to assert that neither women nor blacks were mentally or physically
able to be good pilots."

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 SETTING A PURPOSE: As you read, pay attention to the details that describe what it was like for a woman to 
become a pilot during the early 1900s. What obstacles did each pilot face? Write down any questions you 
have while reading

Women in Aviation must include my sister. . . . She inspired much of

By: Patricia & Fredrick McKissack our effort.”

BACKGROUND: In the early 1900s, flying in Although Raymonde de la Roche of

“aeroplanes”—fixed-winged, self-propelled flying France was the first woman in the world to earn
machines—was a bold undertaking. Male pilots her pilot’s license, Harriet Quimby held the
were dashing heroes. However, female distinction of being the first American woman to
aviators—especially African American become a licensed pilot.
women—had to struggle for acceptance. Patricia  On August 1, 1911, Quimby, who was
and Fredrick McKissack (1944–2017; described as a “real beauty” with “haunting
1939–2013) wrote more than 100 biographies and blue-green eyes,” strolled off the field after
other nonfiction books, most focusing on the passing her pilot’s test easily. To the male
achievements of African Americans. reporters who inundated her with questions,
Quimby fired back answers with self-confidence.
Walking past a group of women who had come to
American aviation was from its very witness the historic event, Quimby was
beginnings marred with sexist and racist overheard to quip with a smile and a wink: “Flying
assumptions. It was taken for granted that is easier than voting.” (The Woman’s Suffrage
women were generally inferior to men and that Amendment wasn’t passed until 1920.)
white men were superior to all others. Flying, it As difficult as it was for women to
was said, required a level of skill and courage become pilots in significant numbers, it was
that women and blacks lacked. Yet despite these doubly hard for African-Americans, especially
prevailing prejudices, the dream and the desire to black women. That’s why Bessie Coleman, the
fly stayed alive among women and first African-American to earn her pilot’s license,
African-Americans. is such an exciting and important figure in
The story of women in aviation actually aviation.
goes back to the time of the hot-air balloons. A Bessie Coleman was born in 1893 in
number of women in Europe and America gained Atlanta, Texas, the twelfth of thirteen children.
fame for their skill and daring. Sophie Blanchard Her mother, who had been a slave, valued
made her first solo balloon flight in 1805. She education and encouraged all of her children to
grew in fame and was eventually named official attend school in order to better themselves. The
aeronaut of the empire by Napoleon. By 1834, at encouragement paid off, because Coleman
least twenty women in Europe were piloting their graduated from high school, a feat not too many
own balloons. black women were able to accomplish in the
Though she did not fly, Katherine Wright early 1900s.
was a major supporter of her brothers’ efforts. Bessie Coleman refused to accept the
Orville so appreciated his sister’s help that he limitations others tried to place on her. She
said, “When the world speaks of the Wrights, it attended an Oklahoma college for one semester
SETTING A PURPOSE: As you read, pay attention to the details that describe what it was like for a woman to 
become a pilot during the early 1900s. What obstacles did each pilot face? Write down any questions you 
have while reading

but ran out of money. Accepting the offer of one there, and besides, she couldn’t speak a word of
of her brothers to come live with him and his French.
family in Chicago, Coleman found a job as a For almost two years, Coleman worked
manicurist. She fully intended to return to school part-time as a manicurist and as a server in a
after saving enough money. But she never did. Chicago chili parlor and saved every penny to
While in Chicago she learned about flying and finance her trip to France. Meanwhile she
made a new set of goals for herself. She wanted learned to speak French, so when the time came,
to be a pilot. she’d be able to understand her instructors.
Coleman learned about flying from In 1921, Coleman made it to France,
reading newspaper accounts of air battles during where she found an instructor who was one of
World War I. She tried to find a school that would Tony Fokker’s chief pilots. Fokker, the famous
accept her as a trainee. But no American aircraft manufacturer, said Coleman was a
instructor or flying school was willing to teach her. “natural talent.” On June 15, 1921, Coleman
When the war ended, a friend, Robert S. made history by becoming the first black woman
Abbott, the founder of the Chicago Defender, one to earn her wings, thus joining the ranks of the
of the most popular black-owned and -operated handful of American women fliers.
newspapers in the country, suggested that Returning to the United States
Coleman go to France, where racial prejudice determined to start a flying school where other
was not as restrictive as it was in America. Even African-American pilots could be trained,
though the United States was the birthplace of Coleman looked for ways to finance her dream.
flight, it was slower than other countries to There were very few jobs in the aviation industry
develop an organized aviation program. for women or blacks. She soon learned that there
European leaders immediately saw the was little or no support for a black woman who
commercial and military advantages of a strong wanted to start a flying school. To call attention to
national aviation program. Bessie knew from her aviation and to encourage other women and
reading that both French and German aircraft African-Americans to take part in the new and
were among the best in the world. growing field, Coleman gave flying exhibitions
Coleman had also read about Eugene and lectured on aviation. She thrilled audiences
Jacques Bullard, the well-decorated and highly with daredevil maneuvers, just as Quimby had
honored native of Georgia who had become the done before her.
first African-American to fly an airplane in combat Along with racism, Coleman encountered
as a member of the French Lafayette Flying the burden of sexism, but she made believers out
Corps during World War I. Other blacks had gone of those who doubted her skill. “The color of my
to Europe to get their training, too. Coleman skin,” she said, “[was] a drawback at first. . . . I
realized that if she were ever going to get a was a curiosity, but soon the public discovered I
chance to fly, she, too, would have to go to could really fly. Then they came to see Brave
France. But she didn’t have any money to get Bessie, as they called me.”
SETTING A PURPOSE: As you read, pay attention to the details that describe what it was like for a woman to 
become a pilot during the early 1900s. What obstacles did each pilot face? Write down any questions you 
have while reading

The strict rules and regulations that up for a test flight. When she reached an altitude
govern aviation today didn’t exist during the first of about five thousand feet, her plane flipped
three decades of flying. For example, it wasn’t over. Coleman was thrown from the plane and
uncommon for aviators to ignore safety belts and plunged to her death April 30, 1926. Wills died
fly without parachutes. One of these simple seconds later when the plane crashed.
safety precautions might have saved the lives of Once again critics used the tragedy to
both Harriet Quimby and Bessie Coleman. assert that neither women nor blacks were
On a July morning in 1912, Quimby, and mentally or physically able to be good pilots.
a passenger named William P. Willard, set out to “Women are often penalized by publicity for their
break an over-water speed record. When Quimby every mishap,” said Amelia Earhart, the most
climbed to five thousand feet, the French-made famous female pilot in aviation history. “The
Blériot monoplane suddenly nosed down. Both result is that such emphasis sometimes directly
Quimby and Willard were thrown from the plane affects [a woman’s] chances for a flying job,”
and plunged to their deaths in the Boston Harbor. Earhart continued. “I had one manufacturer tell
me that he couldn’t risk hiring women pilots
because of the way accidents, even minor ones,
became headlines in the newspapers.”
The New York Sun used the opportunity to Although Bessie Coleman died tragically, her
speak out against women fliers:Miss Quimby is plans to open a flight training school for blacks
the fifth woman in the world killed while were continued by those she had inspired.
operating an aeroplane (three were students)
and their number thus far is five too many. The
sport is not one for which women are
physically qualified. As a rule they lack
strength and presence of mind and the
courage to excel as aviators. It is essentially a
man’s sport and pastime.

Fourteen years later, Bessie Coleman

died in a similar accident. With almost enough
savings to start her school, Coleman agreed to
do an air show in Florida on May Day for the
Negro Welfare League of Jacksonville. At 7:30
P.M.the night before, Coleman, accompanied by
her publicity agent, William Wills, took her plane