It is seen that each of these questions follows the words of the text,
and that the answer but completes the sentence of which the question
is a part. Questions of this kind only suggest to the memory the
statement of the text, and do not cause the pupil to use his own
thought in realizing the actual event. Hence they arouse little
interest and leave little impression. They train the verbal memory,
but leave imagination, thought, and understanding untouched. How much
better such questions as these:--

When did the Pilgrims first sight land?

What land did they see?

What was its appearance?

Have you ever seen a stretch of shore like this one?

Why did not the Pilgrims land at this point?

Where did they finally anchor?

What measures did they take to see whether this was a
suitable place to land?

Why is the name "Plymouth Rock" so famous in American
history?

These questions cover just the same ground as the ones above, but they
suggest living pictures and actual events rather than the language of
the textbook.