59 pages 1 hour read

John Hersey

Hiroshima

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1946

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During Reading

Reading Questions & Paired Texts

Reading Check and Short Answer Questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

CHAPTERS 1-2

Reading Check

1. At what time does Hersey begin his narration in Chapter 1?

2. What is Mr. Tanimoto’s occupation?

3. How many children does Mrs. Nakamura have?

4. What piece of furniture falls on Ms. Sasaki?

5. What is the name of the park where the wounded have gathered?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What is Mr. Tanimoto’s vantage point of the city, and what does he think must have happened to cause the destruction he sees?

2. How did the wind change in the immediate moments after the bomb was dropped, and how does this shift in weather impact the fires?

3. Toward which part of the city does Mr. Tanimoto run, and why?

4. What meal does Father Kleinsorge and Mr. Tanimoto organize and how many people does it feed?

Paired Resource

The Only Known Photos From Hiroshima Taken on August 6, 1945

  • This photo essay from The World tells the story of Yoshito Matsushige, a local photographer who took the only known surviving photographs on the day of the bombing.