Name ...



Name__________________________________________ Date_________________________ Period________

CAHSEE Homework Organizer #1 of 4

Literary Response and Analysis Differentiation

Due: Tuesday, 24 January 2012

All homework must be completed in its entirety. Incomplete or incorrect homework will not receive any points! Random homework checks will be completed at the teacher’s discretion and students will be expected to have all assigned work complete and ready to be stamped at any time.

|Assignment |Assignment Description |Due Date |Assignment Value |Points Earned |

|Number | | | | |

|1 |“A Day Away” Practice Test Questions |Wednesday, 1/11 |25 | |

| |All questions answered according to the directions. | | | |

|2 |Literary Terms Quiz |Thursday, 1/12 |25 | |

| |All questions answered according to the directions. | | | |

|3 |“White Fang” Practice Test Questions |Friday, 1/13 |25 | |

| |All questions answered according to the directions. | | | |

|4 |Making Inferences |Tuesday, 1/17 |25 | |

| |All questions answered according to the directions. | | | |

|5 |“Going Home” Practice Test Questions |Wednesday, 1/18 |25 | |

| |All questions answered according to the directions. | | | |

|6 |POV and Characterization |Thursday, 1/19 |25 | |

| |All questions answered according to the directions. | | | |

|7 |“Acting Up” Practice Test Questions |Friday, 1/20 |25 | |

| |All questions answered according to the directions. | | | |

|8 |“Hiking Trip” Practice Test Questions |Monday, 1/23 |25 | |

| |All questions answered according to the directions. | | | |

|9 |Answer Key and Self-Reflection |Tuesday, 1/24 |10 | |

| |All questions answered according to the directions. | | | |

| |Attach to the end of this packet. | | | |

|10 |Grammar Packet |Tuesday, 1/24 |50 | |

| |10 Activities completed according to the directions – even if you were absent! (5 | | | |

| |points each day) | | | |

| |Attach to the end of this packet. | | | |

|Total Points Earned | |

|(of 260) | |

CAHSEE Unit One: Literary Response & Analysis Differentiation

Assignment #1 (Strand)

Due: Wednesday, 11 January 2012

Standards Addressed: LRA3.1; 3.4; 3.5; 3.7; 3.8; 3.9; RC2.5; WS1.2

ESLR: Resourceful Learner – Take responsibility for learning; Study Effectively

Directions: Read the passage and answer questions 1 through 9. Circle the correct answer and answer any additional questions asked of you, following the directions provided.

A Day Away

By Maya Angelou

Most people today know Maya Angelou as one of America’s most important poets. One of her stories, “Georgia, Georgia,” was the first story by an African-American woman to be made into a television movie. Angelou also wrote the screenplay for the movie All Day Long and even directed it. The variety, quality, and passion of her work continue to inspire people today.

We often think that our affairs, great or small, must be tended continuously and in detail, or our world will disintegrate, and we will lose our places in the universe. That is not true, or if it is true, then our situations were so temporary that they would have collapsed anyway.

Once a year or so I give myself a day away. On the eve of my day of absence, I begin to unwrap the bonds which hold me in harness. I inform housemates, my family and close friends that I will not be reachable for twenty-four hours; then I disengage the telephone. I turn the radio dial to an all-music station, preferably one which plays the soothing golden oldies. I sit for at least an hour in a very hot tub; then I lay out my clothes in preparation for my morning escape, and knowing that nothing will disturb me, I sleep the sleep of the just.

In the morning I wake naturally, for I will have set no clock, nor informed my body timepiece when it should alarm. I dress in comfortable shoes and casual clothes and leave my house going no place. If I am living in a city, I wander streets, window-shop, or gaze at buildings. I enter and leave public parks, libraries, the lobbies of skyscrapers, and movie houses. I stay in no place for very long.

On the getaway day I try for amnesia. I do not want to know my name, where I live, or how many dire responsibilities rest on my shoulders. I detest encountering even the closest friend, for then I am reminded of who I am, and the circumstances of my life, which I want to forget for a while.

Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence.

Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us. We need hours of aimless wandering or spaces of time sitting on park benches, observing the mysterious world of ants and the canopy of treetops.

If we step away for a time, we are not, as many may think and some will accuse, being irresponsible, but rather we are preparing ourselves to more ably perform our duties and discharge our obligations.

When I return home, I am always surprised to find some questions I sought to evade had been answered and some entanglements I had hoped to flee had become unraveled in my absence.

A day away acts as a spring tonic. It can dispel rancor, transform indecision, and renew the spirit.

1. What is the narrator’s main purpose in this passage?

A. to entertain readers with a story of an unusual day

B. to inform readers how to organize a day away from home

C. to persuade readers to take some time for themselves

D. to describe to readers what it is like to rediscover a city

The main purposes for writing are to entertain, to persuade, and to inform. Which of these best describes the reason this passage was written?

__________________________________________________

In your own words, explain how you know.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Which sentence below is an example of a simile?

A. I will have set no clock . . .

B. I do not want to know my name . . .

C. We need hours of aimless wandering . . .

D. A day away acts as a spring tonic.

Circle the word in the answer choice that shows you it is a simile, not a metaphor. What two things are being compared?

________________________________________________

3. The words casual, wander, and gaze in paragraph 3 suggest a feeling of—

A. determination.

B. solitude.

C. bewilderment.

D. relaxation.

Which one of your literary terms means “the feelings associated with a word”?

________________________________________________

4. The narrator MOST likely laid out her clothes the night before her day away so that she—

A. wouldn't forget what she wanted to wear.

B. wouldn't have to make a decision in the morning.

C. would be able to sleep late in the morning.

D. would be as stylishly dressed as possible.

In your own words explain why you chose your answer.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

5. Which BEST describes the narrator’s tone in the second half of the passage?

A. persuasive

B. humorous

C. sarcastic

D. frustrated

In your own words explain why you chose your answer.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

6. Which sentence from the passage is an example of figurative language?

A. Once a year or so I give myself a day away.

B. On the eve of my day of absence, I begin to unwrap the bonds which hold me in harness.

C. I enter and leave public parks, libraries, the lobbies of skyscrapers, and movie houses.

D. It can dispel rancor, transform indecision, and renew the spirit.

Define figurative language.

________________________________________________

7. In which sentence from the passage does the narrator acknowledge those who disagree with her main argument?

A. I inform housemates, my family and close friends that I will not be reachable for twenty-four hours; then I disengage the telephone.

B. I detest encountering even the closest friend, for then I am reminded of who I am, and the circumstances of my life, which I want to forget for a while.

C. If we step away for a time, we are not, as many may think and some will accuse, being irresponsible, but rather we are preparing ourselves to more ably perform our duties and discharge our obligations.

D. When I return home, I am always surprised to find some questions I sought to evade had been answered and some entanglements I had hoped to flee had become unraveled in my absence.

What is the literary term for acknowledging the argument of those who disagree with you?

________________________________________________

8. Which statement from the passage BEST describes the narrator’s motivation for “a day away”?

A. . . . we will lose our places in the universe.

B. . . . I sleep the sleep of the just.

C. . . . I want to forget for a while.

D. . . . friends can exist one day without any one of us.

In your own words explain why you chose your answer.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

9. Which of the following is the main theme of the passage?

A. Self-energizing oneself is necessary.

B. Time is of the essence.

C. Problems will solve themselves.

D. A single decision has many consequences.

In your own words explain why you chose your answer.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Assignment #2: Literary Terms Quiz

Due: Thursday, 12 January 2012

Standards Addressed: Review of ALL Literary Response and Analysis Standards

ESLR: Resourceful Learner – Take responsibility for learning

Rationale: Over the next couple months, we will be reviewing literary terms on a regular basis. It is essential on the CAHSEE that you not only know what each of these literary terms means, but that you are able to identify examples of them in passages.

Directions: Circle the letter that best answers each of the following questions. If you have forgotten what one of these literary terms means, look it up in your CAHSEE Literary Terms packet!

1. After reading the story “Where Have You Gone, Charming Billy?” we read several articles that expanded upon some of the ideas and issues presented by the author. When discussing these articles, we related them back to the original story in order to better understand the author’s intention. What is the literary term for what we did with all of this information?

a. foreshadowing

b. chronological order

c. synthesize

d. soliloquy

2. When writing a research paper it is often helpful to use your primary and secondary sources as resources for furthering your investigation. Consulting the __________ or __________ is one way to find out where to look for more information.

a. dialect; colloquialisms

b. bibliography; Works Cited

c. indirect characterization; direct characterization

d. dialogue; soliloquy

3. If a character seems real or alive to us as readers we can assume that the author has created a __________ character. These characters are usually the ones who learn lessons or grow in some way throughout the course of the story.

a. flat character

b. round character

c. atmosphere (mood)

d. synthesize

4. “She didn’t never let nobody touch her quilts.”

“I was thinkin’ ‘bout marryin’ him.

These statements are both examples of:

a. flat characters

b. character traits

c. dialect

d. direct characterization

5. “It was an ominous day; a bank of dark clouds loomed in the distance, threatening to invade the city and unleash their fury.” An author might use this sentence as a technique called:

a. foreshadowing

b. chronological order

c. synthesize

d. direct characterization

6. “He saw a dark woman—in her twenties, perhaps—who was slender and shy. Her dress was simple, one of her stockings drooped at the ankle, but her voice was soft and he was willing to give her a chance at the job.” The description of this character is an example of:

a. dialogue

b. secondary source

c. flashforward

d. indirect characterization

7. A short story written by Isaac Bashevis Singer begins with the sentence, “I am Gimpel the fool.” This is an example of:

a. indirect characterization

b. cause/effect

c. direct characterization

d. complication

8.

9. A __________ character usually has only one or two defining characteristics. “The mysterious outsider who dressed in black” might be one example of this character type.

a. flat character

b. round character

c. tone

d. dialogue

10. “Pardon me, ma’am, but I’ve been seein’ you out here ever’day for weeks and I jest got up my nerve to come over and speak to you. . . .” The underlined words are examples of __________, or local expressions.

a. tone

b. synthesize

c. inference

d. colloquialisms

11. In a newspaper article titled, “Stunned Homeowners Hope to Rebuild in Scripps Ranch,” journalists Dave McKibben and Ann M. Simmons write, “Fire Department officials said at least 150 homes, most of them in the million dollar range, were destroyed in Scripps Ranch.” This kind of information is considered to be a:

a. secondary source

b. primary source

c. dialect

d. foreshadowing

12. The article “The Day the Clowns Cried” is an account of the worst circus tragedy in history. In order for the reader to understand the significance of this event it is important for the author to use words that will influence the reader’s reaction in a certain way. The author’s use of words contributes to the overall _____________ of the article.

a. foreshadowing

b. round character

c. dialogue

d. tone

13. David Letterman, Jay Leno, and Conan O’Brien all begin their shows with these. A __________ occurs when a character (in this case a host) speaks directly to the audience.

a. dramatic monologue

b. flat character

c. flashback

d. colloquialism

14. In the fairy tale “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves,” the queen gives Snow White a poisoned apple. After eating the apple, Snow White falls into a deep sleep. This is an example of:

a. atmosphere (mood)

b. flashback

c. inference

d. complication

15. Many actors love to perform William Shakespeare’s works because he uses the __________ in his plays, a literary device that allows an actor to be alone on stage as he speaks directly to the audience.

a. foreshadowing

b. tone

c. soliloquy

d. indirect characterization

16. In the novel A Christmas Carol, Ebeneezer Scrooge is visited by three ghosts. One of these ghosts shows Mr. Scrooge what will become of him if he refuses to change his ways. This ghost is used to illustrate the literary device termed:

a. flashback

b. flashforward

c. mood

d. soliloquy

17. “In the day time the street was dusty, but at night the dew settled the dust and the old man liked to sit late because he was deaf and now at night it was quiet and he felt the difference.” The old man is noticing a change in:

a. dialect

b. flashback

c. indirect characterization

d. atmosphere (mood)

18. “I saw the fire come up and over the ridge; all I could think was that my dog Lucy was still in the house. I was stuck behind the police ‘Do Not Cross’ line, powerless to save her. I hoped that I would be one of the lucky ones, and that my house would be saved,” Mary tells her friend Sally at school the next day. This is an example of a:

a. flashforward

b. indirect characterization

c. bibliography

d. primary source

19.

20. “Last week he tried to commit suicide,” one waiter said.

“Why?”

“He was in despair.”

“What about?”

“Nothing.”

“How do you know it was about nothing?”

“He has plenty of money.”

This passage, taken from Ernest Hemingway’s short story “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” is an example of:

a. soliloquy

b. dialogue

c. atmosphere (mood)

d. synthesize

21. “He understood fully that he might actually be going to die; his arms, maintaining his balance on the ledge were trembling steadily now. And it occurred to him then with all the force of a revelation that, if he fell, all he was ever going to have out of life he would then, abruptly, have had.” In the short story “Content’s of the Dead Man’s Pocket,” Tom’s thoughts reveal:

a. cause/effect

b. chronological order

c. synthesize

d. mood

a. The narrator in the short story “Everyday Use” describes herself for the reader: “In real life I am a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands.” From this sentence we make a few guesses about the narrator’s appearance and lifestyle. What is the literary term for these “guesses”?

e. resolutions

f. inferences

g. complications

h. causes/effects

22. I am working on an outline for writing my autobiography. I am planning on devoting one chapter to each year of my life. Chapter One will chronicle the first year of my life, Chapter Two will be an account of my second, and so on. Which of these terms best describes my approach to this writing?

a. complication

b. cause/effect

c. inference

d. chronological order

a. “Everything went on in the tomblike houses at night now. . . . The tombs, ill-lit by television light, where the people sat like the dead, the gray or multicolored lights touching their faces, but never really touching them.” The author’s use of the underlined words was not accidental. What was he trying to convey?

e. chronological order

f. dialogue

g. mood

h. secondary source

23. “I remember my tenth birthday like it was yesterday . . .” If I were to begin my autobiographical narrative with this phrase, you might assume that I was planning to use this literary device to tell my story:

a. flashback

b. flashforward

c. complication

d. cause/effect

a. A strong commitment to family, a lazy eye, a love of dark chocolate, a willingness to work hard. These are examples of:

e. primary sources

f. causes/effects

g. character traits

h. mood

24. These characters are usually known by their character “type”: Prince Charming in fairy tales, the mad scientist of horror movies, the loyal sidekick in comedy films.

a. expositions

b. round characters

c. primary sources

d. stock characters

Unit One: Literary Response & Analysis Differentiation

Assignment #3 (Strand)

Due: Friday, 13 January 2012

Standards Addressed: 10LRA3.1; 10LRA3.3; 10LRA3.4

ESLR: Resourceful Learner – Take responsibility for learning

Directions: Read the passage and answer questions 1-6. Circle the correct answer and answer any additional questions asked of you, following the directions provided.

White Fang

By Jack London

In the fall of the year when the days were shortening and the bite of the frost was coming into the air, White Fang got his chance for liberty. For several days, there had been a great hubbub in the village. The summer camp was being dismantled, and the tribe, bag and baggage, was preparing to go off to the fall hunting. White Fang watched it all with eager eyes, and when the tepees began to come down and the canoes were loading at the bank, he understood. Already the canoes were departing, and some had disappeared down the river.

Quite deliberately, he determined to stay behind. He waited his opportunity to slink out of the camp to the woods. Here in the running stream where ice was beginning to form, he hid his trail. Then he crawled into the heart of a dense thicket and waited. The time passed by and he slept intermittently for hours. Then he was aroused by Gray Beaver’s voice calling him by name. There were other voices. White Fang could hear Gray Beaver’s squaw taking part in the search, and Mitsah, who was Gray Beaver’s son.

White Fang trembled with fear, and though the impulse came to crawl out of his hiding-place, he resisted it. After a time the voices died away, and some time after that he crept out to enjoy the success of his undertaking. Darkness was coming on, and for awhile he played about among the trees, pleasuring his freedom. Then, and quite suddenly, he became aware of loneliness. He sat down to consider, listening to the silence of the frost and perturbed by it. That nothing moved, nor sounded, seemed ominous. He felt the lurking of danger, unseen and unguessed. He was suspicious of the looming bulks of the trees and the dark shadows that might conceal all manner of perilous things.

Then it was cold. Here was no warm side of a tepee against which to snuggle. The frost was in his feet, and he kept lifting first one forefoot and then the other. He curved his bushy tail around to cover them, and at the same time he saw a vision. There was nothing strange about it. Upon his inward sight was impressed a succession of memory-pictures. He saw the camp again, the tepees, and the blaze of fires. He heard the shrill voice of the women, the gruff basses of the men, and the snarling of the dogs. He was hungry, and he remembered pieces of meat and fish that had been thrown him. Here was no meat, nothing but a threatening and inedible silence.

His bondage had softened him. Irresponsibility had weakened him. He had forgotten how to shift for himself. The night yawned about him. His senses, accustomed to the hum and bustle of the camp, used to the continuous impact of sights and sounds, were now left idle. There was nothing to do, nothing to see nor hear. They strained to catch some interruption of the silence and immobility of nature. They were appalled by inaction and by the feel of something terrible impending.

He gave a great start of fright. A colossal and formless something was rushing across the field of his vision. It was a tree-shadow flung by the moon, from whose face the clouds had been brushed away. Reassured, he whimpered softly; then he suppressed the whimper for fear that it might attract the attention of the lurking dangers.

A tree, contracting in the cool of night, made a loud noise. It was directly above him. He yelped in his fright. A panic seized him, and he ran madly toward the village. He knew an overpowering desire for the protection and companionship of man. In his nostrils was the smell of the camp smoke. In his ears the camp sounds and cries were ringing loud. He passed out of the forest and into the moonlit open where there were no shadows nor darkness. But no village greeted his eyes. He had forgotten. The village had gone away.

1. This passage is BEST described as—

A. fiction

B. biography

C. article

D. essay

In your own words explain why you chose your answer.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

What literary term means “forms of literature”?

_____________________________________________

2. Which of the following BEST describes the relationship between Gray Beaver and White Fang?

A. Gray Beaver is White Fang’s owner.

B. Gray Beaver is White Fang’s brother.

C. Gray Beaver and White Fang are members of the same tribe.

D. Gray Beaver and White Fang are father and son.

Use process of elimination (P.O.E.) to answer this question. On the lines below, briefly explain how you were able to eliminate the three wrong answers.

Wrong Answer #1 ________________________________________________

Wrong Answer #2 ________________________________________________

Wrong Answer #3 ________________________________________________

Who are Gray Beaver and White Fang? How do you know?

________________________________________________

3. Which of these sentences from the story BEST illustrates the wild side of White Fang’s nature?

A. “He knew an overpowering desire for the protection and companionship of man.”

B. “Upon his inward sight was impressed a succession of memory-pictures.”

C. “Here in the running stream where ice was beginning to form, he hid his trail.”

D. “Then, and quite suddenly, he became aware of loneliness.”

In your own words explain why you chose your answer.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

4. How would you describe the mood in the following sentence from the passage?

He was suspicious of the looming bulks of the trees and the dark shadows that might conceal all manner of perilous things.

_____________________________________________

5. Read the following sentence from the passage.

The frost was in his feet, and he kept lifting first one forefoot and then the other. He curved his bushy tail around to cover them, and at the same time he saw a vision.

What point of view is this passage told from? In your own words, how do you know?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Is White Fang a person? How do you know?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

6. Read the following sentence from the passage.

The night yawned about him.

What literary device is this sentence an example of? How do you know?

_____________________________________________

What two things are being compared?

_____________________________________________

Assignment #4: Due Tuesday, 17 January 2012

Making Inferences

Standard: R2.8 – Evaluate the credibility of an author’s argument or defense of a claim by critiquing the relationship between generalizations and evidence and the way in which the author’s intent affects the tone of the text.

ESLR: Resourceful Learner – Take responsibility for learning

Rationale: Writers don’t always come out and say what they mean. You must make inferences based on the information that they give you to figure out exactly what they mean. In this lesson, you will practice making inferences such as conclusions, generalizations, and predictions.

Inferences

When you make an inference, you develop an idea based on given information. An inference involves using the information you have to determine additional information. An inference is like an educated guess. For example, if a weather forecast tells you that your area should expect eighteen inches of snow overnight, you can infer that schools will be closed the next day. The weather forecast did not tell you that schools will close, but you can make an inference about school closings based on the information in the forecast.

Some questions require you to make inferences based on information that is stated in a reading passage. When you make an inference, you should find the information in the text that supports it.

Directions: Read the passages below and then answer the questions that follow.

Rasheed was very excited when he walked by the department store. The winter coat that he had wanted to buy was on sale for just forty-nine dollars. Rasheed had just gotten a paycheck for eighty dollars from his job at the antiques store. Now all he needed to was cash his check and come back to buy the coat. The bank was just five blocks away. “I’ll be right back,” he thought as he walked past the department store.

1. Where was Rasheed going? Underline the supporting details above and write your answer below.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Tricia was proud of how well she was playing today. She knew that she was competing with many other young women, and she concentrated hard every time she got the basketball. She ran as hard as she could to chase down every loose ball, and she made every three-pointer she attempted. She saw the coach watching her closely. “I hope I get picked,” Tricia thought to herself.

2. What activity do you think Tricia was doing? Underline the details that support your inference and write your answer.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Lisette was excited about starting high school. Her mom had bought her a new outfit and new school supplies, and she couldn’t wait to see friends she hadn’t seen since the last day of eighth grade. The only problem was that Lisette forgot to set her alarm clock. On the first day of high school, she woke up at 8:10 A.M., looked at the clock, threw on some clothes, and frantically ran outside. When she got to the bus stop, she saw that it was already 8:17 A.M., and there was nobody else at the bus stop. “I can’t believe this just happened!” Lisette thought.

3. What can’t Lisette believe just happened? Underline the details that support your inference above and write your answer below.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Zach placed the bag of baking supplies he had just gotten from the grocery store on the counter. He looked at his recipe for chocolate chip cookies and then took out the flour, eggs, and chocolate chips. He got out his mixing bowl and baking sheet. His mouth watered as he thought about how delicious the cookies were going to be. He was supposed to take the cookies to a school event tomorrow, but he was worried that he might want to eat them all as soon as they were made. He wasn’t going to do that, but he could at least enjoy thinking about it. Then Zach realized that he had forgotten to buy milk. “I’ll be right back,” Zach told his mom as he put on his jacket and headed out the door.

4. Where is Zach likely going? Underline the details that support your inference and write your answer below.

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

Types of Inferences

Conclusion – an idea based on information, usually leaves no question about how or why something happened

Prediction – an inference about the future

Generalization – an inference that is general, not specific

Directions: Read the passage below and then answer the questions that follow.

Kiki’s Story

My name is Kiki Voisin, and I am sixteen years old. Many people tell me that I have had a very unusual life, that I’ve experienced extraordinary things for someone my age, and that I should consider myself lucky.

I was born in Paris, the capital of France, where both of my parents worked at the time. My father taught chemistry at a high school, and my mother, who is American, worked as an artist. My father died when I was two years old, and it was a struggle for my mother to support both of us on her income. She and I moved to San Francisco when I was three years old so we could be close to my grandparents. My grandmother worked at night in a restaurant.

When I was six years old, I started taking dance lessons, which were free at the local community center. I quickly discovered that I had great passion for dance, especially classical ballet. I started going to classes more often and got better with each lesson. I danced in a number of local shows, and my teachers encouraged me to stick with it. I’m grateful they did.

Last year I performed in Russia. A friend of one of my teachers invited me to perform in a ballet called The Nutcracker. My mom came along with me, and I danced in a city called St. Petersburg, which is filled with historic museums and fascinating architecture. It’s a stunning city. I can still see the glow of the streets as night fell on the city, turning the sky deep purple.

When I performed in Russia, I was the youngest dancer in the ballet group. I made many friends among other members of the group. My dearest friend was Maria. She had big blue eyes that reminded me of the sky in California. She held her arms with such grace that they seemed to float in the air. Every finger seemed so delicate. She taught me to share my soul with the audience.

I will graduate from high school in two years, and I hope to attend a special school for dancers. While school is out this summer, I plan to work in a bookstore near our apartment. I need to save as much money as I can, because next summer I hope to visit Maria in Russia. I will need to buy the plane ticket myself this time. I can’t wait to show her how much I’ve learned.

5. Why will Kiki never forget Maria? Write your answer below and underline the details in the passage that support your inference, marking them with the number 5.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

6. Why does Kiki feel lucky?

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

7. Why is Kiki grateful that teachers encouraged her to stick with dancing?

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

8. What does Kiki hope to do for a living? Write your answer below and underline the details in the passage that support your inference, marking them with the number 8.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

9. How does Kiki feel about what happened during her childhood after her father died?

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

10. What does Kiki plan to do with the money that she will earn working at a bookstore during the summer?

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Evaluating the Validity of Inferences

Not every detail in a passage will provide you with information that will help you make the right inference. Some information might be misleading or put you on the wrong track. To make the correct inference, you need to evaluate validity by considering all the evidence provided. Evaluating validity involves assessing whether or not an inference is valid based on available evidence.

Directions: Read the passage below and then answer the questions that follow.

A Visit with Aunt Elena

Manuela packed excitedly for her weekend visit with Aunt Elena. Manuela felt she had a deep kinship with her aunt, and she was closer with her than with any other relative. These visits seemed too few and far between for Manuela. Other than holidays she only got to see her aunt a couple of times each year. After Manuela had finished packing, she charged downstairs and informed her father that she was ready to go.

After an hour’s drive Manuela and her father pulled up in front of Aunt Elena’s house. As always Aunt Elena was waiting for her on the porch with a big smile. Manuela kissed her father goodbye and ran up the sidewalk to begin the weekend that she had long anticipated.

Aunt Elena was a veterinarian, which is partially why Manuela admired her more than anyone else. Manuela loved animals of all kinds. Whenever Manuela came to stay with her, Aunt Elena would take Manuela to visit her veterinary office. But it was more than just a field trip for Manuela. She was expected to help Aunt Elena with her work. Although tending to the animals was sometimes a difficult task, Manuela adored every minute of it.

“Well, are you ready to be put to work?” asked Aunt Elena with a grin.

“There’s nothing else I’d rather do,” Manuela replied truthfully.

On Saturday Aunt Elena and Manuela spent the entire day at the veterinary office. As Aunt Elena went about her work, Manuela took care of animals from the kennel. She provided fresh food and water for them and took the dogs outside for exercise. She also transported the animals to and from cages when the owners came to drop off or claim their pets.

When she had completed her duties, Manuela found time to observe Aunt Elena as she examined pets and interacted with their owners. Aunt Elena was composed and confident; she clearly enjoyed her job. While watching Aunt Elena, Manuela vowed that she, too, would become a veterinarian one day.

11. Why is Manuela excited to visit her aunt? Write your answer below and underline the details in the passage that support your inference, marking them with the number 11.

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

12. Why does the author indicate that tending animals is very difficult? Write your answer below and underline the details in the passage that support your inference, marking them with the number 12.

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

13. Why does Manuela spend the whole day on Saturday at Elena’s office? Write your answer below and underline the details in the passage that support your inference, marking them with the number 13.

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

14. Why does Manuela decide that she wants to become a veterinarian? Write your answer below and underline the details in the passage that support your inference, marking them with the number 14.

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Unit One: Literary Response & Analysis Differentiation

Assignment #5 (Strand)

Due: Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Standards Addressed: LRA3.4; LRA3.8; LRA3.10

ESLR: Resourceful Learner – Take responsibility for learning

Directions: Read the passage and answer questions 1 through 3. Circle the correct answer and answer any additional questions asked of you, following the directions provided.

Going Home

Some days, I go to school, and on the way to school, I think that there is nowhere else in the world I would rather be. No matter what time of year it is, I walk through the neighborhoods, and every morning, I see the same people I always see: the tiny old lady walking what may be the tiniest dog in the world, the man at the newsstand with the walrus mustache, the skipping twins on their way to the bus stop. I don’t know any of their names or where they live, or what their favorite foods are, or what they think about anything, but these are people I’ve known forever. In a strange way, I think of them as my friends. Every day, I smile at them, and they smile at me. The man at the newsstand says “Buenos días” in his deep voice and will sometimes comment on the weather in Spanish because years and years ago I told him that my parents spoke Spanish too, and he told me I needed to learn. When it rains, the old lady with the dog always scolds me and tells me I should carry an umbrella.

And school—it’s the same. What I like best is the routine: homeroom, English, biology, physical education, lunch, math, and social studies, then soccer practice after school. I see the same people at school every day, sit next to the same people in my classes, eat lunch with my same friends. I have friends I have known as long as I can remember. It’s as comfortable as being at home.

My parents moved into our house before I was born. I know everything there is to know about our street. The oak tree in the yard has a tree house that my father built when I was six. The sidewalk is cracked in front of our neighbors’ house from the big earthquake; we use the uneven pavement as a skate ramp. If you run past the tall fence in front of the big white house on the corner, you can see through the fence as if it didn’t exist.

At breakfast my parents give each other a look, and I know something is going to happen. Before they can say anything, I want to know what it is all about.

“Nothing bad,” my father says.

I look at my mother, and she gives me a smile of reassurance and pats my shoulder. “You should be happy, Carlos. This is only good news.” What I see on their faces is worry.

“We’re going to move,” my father says.

Today on my way to school I look at everything as if seeing it for the first time. The tiny old lady waves at me; her tiny dog wags its tail and gives a tiny bark. The man at the newsstand greets me. The skipping twins almost run me off the sidewalk, but they veer in the other direction and race off to the bus stop. I feel like a different person, a stranger, someone who really might be seeing these people for the first time. No longer are they the familiar landmarks of my daily trek to school. After I move with my family, I might never see them again, and I am filled with an indefinable feeling. I don’t know if it’s loneliness or grief.

For the first time ever, my school day is not comfortable. All day long, I feel constricted and restrained, the way you feel when it’s winter and you’re wearing layers of sweaters under your jacket, and everything feels too tight and you can’t move. My English teacher’s voice sounds high-pitched and scratchy; my friends say the same things they always do, but today it seems boring; my lunch tastes like chalk; and my pitches in P.E. class go wild, as if they have a mind of their own. In social studies, the teacher lectures from the chapter we read the night before, so it’s like knowing how the movie ends before you sit down in the theater. Going home from this day is a relief—until I remember that we’re moving.

I try to imagine living somewhere else, but all I can see is a blank space, a question mark, an empty page. All I know is my life. All I know is where I live, where I go, what I do here. I have been other places—I have visited my grandparents in Texas and my cousins in Mexico, and once we took a trip to New York. You can visit anywhere, but until you walk the same route to school every day for years, what do you know? You can know about the average rainfall and the geographic landmarks, but where is the best place to get a milkshake?

My mother comes up to my room and tells me that my father has gotten a promotion. That’s why we are moving. “Don’t you want to know where we’re going?” she asks.

“Not really,” I say. She tells me anyway. I pretend not to listen.

Every day, my parents tell me something about the town that will become our new home. There is a bronze statue honoring World War II veterans in the park downtown. In the summer, there are rodeos at the county fair. There is an annual strawberry festival. The mayor used to be a pro football player. There are oak trees in our new neighborhood, just like the one in our yard.

Images of oak trees and rodeo clowns and strawberries and statues begin to fill in the blank space in my mind. I start wondering what it might be like to live in this town where the mayor presides at all the high school football games, and the strawberries are supposed to be the best in the world.

On the day before we move, I walk in the same direction as I would if I were going to school. When I see the tiny old lady, I tell her good-bye, and she tells me to carry an umbrella when it rains. Her tiny dog holds out a tiny paw to shake my hand. The man at the newsstand shakes my hand, too. The twins wave as they board the bus. I go home, walking slowly through streets lined with oak trees.

A huge truck is parked in front of our house. The movers are carrying boxes while my parents are loading suitcases into our car. Soon our house will be empty. But not for long; I know that somewhere there are parents telling their children about a town filled with oak trees, a place where you can get the best milkshake in the world, a place where, if you’re lucky, you might see the same people every day of your life.

1. Why does the narrator take a walk on the day before the family moves?

A. to take one last look at everything familiar

B. to visit the statue in the middle of town

C. to see if the same people are still in the same places

D. to be away from home when the movers come

Use process of elimination (P.O.E.) to answer this question. On the lines below, briefly explain how you were able to eliminate the three wrong answers.

Wrong Answer #1 ________________________________________________

Wrong Answer #2 ________________________________________________

Wrong Answer #3 ________________________________________________

2. Read this sentence from the selection.

. . . I know that somewhere there are parents telling their children about a town filled with oak trees, a place where you can get the best milkshake in the world . . .

What makes the preceding statement ironic?

A. the fact that, like the narrator, other children are worried about moving

B. the fact that, like the people in the narrator’s neighborhood, most people enjoy their homes

C. the fact that, like the narrator’s father, parents often get promotions

D. the fact that, like the narrator’s home, every house has its stories

In your own words explain why you chose your answer. In other words, what is the difference between reality and expectation in the answer that you chose?

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

3. What does the narrator emphasize by having the narrator see the same people three different times in the story?

A. that the narrator feels at home in this town because nothing ever changes

B. that the narrator’s life is repetitive and boring because nothing ever changes

C. that the new town the family is moving to will have similar people to meet

D. that the new children who move to the narrator’s house will become comfortable in it

Use process of elimination (P.O.E.) to answer this question. On the lines below, briefly explain how you were able to eliminate the three wrong answers.

Wrong Answer #1 ________________________________________________

Wrong Answer #2 ________________________________________________

Wrong Answer #3 ________________________________________________

Assignment #6: Due Thursday, 19 January 2012

Point of View and Characterization

Standard: R3.9 – Explain how voice, persona, and the choice of a narrator affect characterization and the tone, plot and credibility of a text.

ESLR: Resourceful Learner – Take responsibility for learning

Rationale: In this lesson you will practice analyzing the point of view of a narrator and identifying techniques of characterization in passages.

Point of View

To properly understand passages you read, it’s important to analyze the point of view of the passage’s narrator. The point of view is the perspective of the character who tells the story. The narrator is NOT necessarily the author—don’t make this mistake. After you determine whose point of view the passage is told from, consider the unique insights and attitudes that person has. When this passage asks about POV, it asks for the insights and attitude, not the 1st, 3rd limited, or omniscient.

Characterization

Characters are the people who perform the actions in the story. In order to fully understand the passage, you should pay attention to characterization – the combination of details about the personality and motives of a person in the story.

Directions: Read the passages below and then answer the following questions about point of view.

Finding the Perfect Speaker

Graduation day for the senior class at Davis High School was coming up in three short months, and the student council had yet to decide on who the graduation speaker should be. As senior class president, I decided to call a meeting to discuss our options.

Jamaal was the first to offer a suggestion. “I think we should have the mayor speak,” he said. “He’s a great leader, and we could learn a lot from him.”

Teresa rolled her eyes. “Come on, Jamaal. The mayor is your uncle,” she said “That’s the only reason you’re suggesting that.”

Jamaal seemed a little embarrassed when Teresa said this. I didn’t want him to feel bad, so I interrupted the discussion and asked if anyone else had a suggestion.

Julia raised her hand. “I don’t have a specific speaker in mind, but I think it would be great if we get somebody who graduated from this school,” Julia said.

Many students agreed that this was a good idea. Even Jamaal agreed.

“Okay, then,” I said. “I have three people in mind: Morgan Smith, Doug O’Brien, and Danzy Farber. Does anybody have any more suggestions?”

A few students said that each speaker was a great choice, and nobody had another name to suggest.

Morgan Smith had graduated high school five years ago. While a senior in college, she published her first book, a memoir about her high school years. She wrote, produced, and promoted the book all by herself, and she sold quite a few copies.

It was even up for some awards. Smith had previously offered to return to the school at any time to run some workshops. Currently, she was spending most of her time writing her second book, so she had a flexible schedule. She was my personal choice because I wanted to become a writer too.

Doug O’Brien was the football team’s quarterback seven years ago. He had gone on to a great career at a local college and was now an assistant coach at the same college. Graduation came during the off-season, so it seemed like O’Brien would be available as well.

Danzy Farber, who had graduated from our high school twelve years earlier, was a molecular biologist who had recently become a full-time research fellow at Columbia University in New York. Her latest project was scheduled to begin the week before graduation. She probably had the busiest schedule of the three potential speakers.

Now it was time to vote. The results were close, but Morgan Smith received nine votes to seven over Doug O’Brien and Danzy Farber. I went to Principal Howard’s office and told her that we wanted Morgan Smith to be our graduation speaker.

“Good Choice, David,” Principal Howard said. “It will be great to catch up with her.”

1. Who is the narrator of the story? Write your answer below and underline the details in the passage that support your answer, marking them with the number 1.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

2. What is the narrator’s point of view regarding the choice of Morgan Smith? Write your answer below and underline the details in the passage that support your answer, marking them with the number 2.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

3. Why did Teresa think Jamaal suggested that the mayor should be the speaker? Write your answer below and underline the details in the passage that support your answer, marking them with the number 3.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

4. What is the most likely reason that Jamaal was embarrassed? Write your answer below and underline the details in the passage that support your answer, marking them with the number 4.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

5. What is Principal Howard’s point of view about the choice of Morgan Smith? Write your answer below and underline the details in the passage that support your answer, marking them with the number 5.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Directions: For the following questions, determine which character in the story would most likely say or think the following quotations.

6. “That’s not the only reason I’m suggesting the mayor!” _________________________________________________

7. “Thanks, Principal Howard. I’m really excited about Morgan Smith too.” ________________________________

8. “Jamaal, you did this last year too, when you suggested that your brother’s band should play at the junior prom.” _________________________________________________

9. “I’ve got some of my own writing I’d like to show Morgan Smith. I’m going to work hard to get all that together by graduation.” ______________________________________

10. “Does anybody have anything to add before we vote on the speaker?” _____________________________________

11. “I’m so flattered that you have asked me to be the speaker. I’d love to come back to Davis High School. Do you want me to bring copies of my book?” _________________________________________________

12. “I’m going to make my plane reservations tomorrow, Principal Howard. I can’t wait to see you and everybody else.” ____________________________________________

13. “This worked out well. I’m glad I called this meeting.” _________________________________________________

Directions: Read the biographical passage below and then answer the following questions about characterization

The Great Harry Houdini

Harry Houdini was a famous escape artist and magician. He was born in Budapest, Hungary, on March 24, 1874, although later in life he would claim to have been born in Appleton, Wisconsin. His real name was Ehrich Weiss, and he moved to America with his family when he was four years old.

Houdini’s father was a rabbi, and his family was poor. Houdini was sent to work at the age of eight, selling newspapers and shining shoes. When he was only thirteen years old, he left home to make his own way in the world. He moved to New York City and got a job that paid enough to bring his family to the city with him. Houdini was a great athlete, excelling especially in swimming and track.

It was in New York City that Houdini learned magic. He began with simple card tricks, calling himself “the king of Cards.” Soon Houdini picked up some trick in which he escaped from handcuffs. He even performed at the Chicago World’s Fair at Coney Island, where he met Wilhelmina Beatrice Rahner, who would become his wife. They were married only two weeks after they met! Mrs. Houdini joined the acts as Houdini’s assistant, and they took their show on the road, traveling the country and perfecting Houdini’s tricks.

Over time Houdini’s escape act moved beyond mere handcuffs. As they traveled from town to town, Houdini and his wife drew crowds by challenging audiences to devise a restraint from which Houdini could not escape. It couldn’t be done. He escaped from handcuffs, leg irons, straight jackets, jail and prison cells, a mail pouch (without tearing the paper!), a giant football, an iron boiler, milk cans, coffins, and a water-torture cell. Even more amazing, no one could figure out how he managed his escapes, even though he performed them in full view of the audience, which was allowed to inspect the restraints when Houdini finished.

In 1899 a promoter named Martin Beck saw one of Houdini’s amazing performances. He urged Houdini to focus on a career as an escape artist. Houdini took his advice, and Beck booked Houdini for numerous shows. Soon Houdini was headlining venues all over the United States.

Houdini became a star in the United States and in Europe. He was wealthy enough to buy an entire building in Manhattan for his residence, and he took up the newly invented daredevil sport of aviation in his leisure time. But most of his time was spent training for his great escapes. He would practice holding his breath and maneuvering in tight spaces.

Houdini also starred in silent films to bring his magic to an even wider audience. In fact, Houdini is the only magician in history to star in five feature films. However, it is his work as an escape artist that most people remember now, many years after his death.

It has been rumored that Houdini died in a daring escape gone wrong, but that is a myth. In fact, he died of complications from a ruptured appendix, on October 31, 1926. He had popularized the art of magic and was beloved by people all over the world who enjoyed his performances and daring escapes.

14. What is Harry Houdini best known for? Write your answer below and underline the details in the passage that support your answer, marking them with the number 14.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

15. How did Houdini’s wife, Wilhelmina Beatrice Rahner, likely feel about her husband’s performances? Write your answer below and underline the details in the passage that support your answer, marking them with the number 15.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

16. How did Houdini feel about the advice from Martin Beck? Write your answer below and underline the details in the passage that support your answer, marking them with the number 16.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

17. How did Martin Beck likely feel about the first Houdini performance he saw? Write your answer below and underline the details in the passage that support your answer, marking them with the number 17.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

18. Why did Houdini start working at such a young age? Write your answer below and underline the details in the passage that support your answer, marking them with the number 18.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Unit One: Literary Response & Analysis Differentiation

Assignment #7 (Strand)

Due: Friday, 20 January 2012

Standards Addressed: LRA3.1; LRA3.5; LRA3.6; LRA3.7

ESLR: Resourceful Learner – Take responsibility for learning

Directions: Read the passage and answer questions 1-4. Circle the correct answer and answer any additional questions asked of you, following the directions provided.

Acting Up

By J. Kaplan

Write something.

“Huh?”

Write something.

“Ugh.”

My ninth grade teacher was telling me to write something about what I had just read, and my mind was gazing out across greener pastures. I was staring at the football field, through my high school English class’s window, daydreaming about what “pearls of wisdom” I should transcribe to my notebook paper, when all I really wanted to do was “to act.”

When I was a kid, and I read a book, all I could do was picture the book as a movie. And, naturally, I was the star. (Ah, to see my name in lights!) Indeed, all my life, I have thought cinematically. When I walk into a room, my immediate thoughts are how would this look on the big screen? What would this person say? Where would I put this chair? Can I make this more entertaining?

It is terrible to think this way. You spend half your time not really listening to what people have to say. And the other half rearranging their wardrobe.

Write something.

I would like to write something, but what I really like to do is “act.” I think it’s genetic.

I was born with a predisposition to sing and dance. I came out of the womb wearing a top hat and cane, ready to softshoe my way into the hearts of my relatives. My school years were spent playing the clarinet (not my forte), singing in choruses (you didn’t miss anything), and putting on plays. For my high school senior year, I was voted “Most Dramatic.” I was not surprised, though. I had performed for my high school a monologue entitled “The Night the Bed Fell” by James Thurber, and I had been—as they say in showbiz—a hit.

I remember the day vividly. As members of the high school debate team, we were forever going to district and state competitions. One category that I relished was dramatic interpretation. My debate teacher, Mrs. Spector (dear Mrs. Spector, I remember the time when we jumped in the school’s indoor pool with our clothes on, but that’s another story), selected the piece for me, knowing my penchant for humor and my desire to entertain. She felt this Thurber piece, about a series of misadventures that lead everyone to believe that an earthquake has occurred, instead of a bed falling, was the perfect vehicle for my dramatic debut.

She was right.

There I was on the high school stage, standing near a single chair (You know the kind. They are wooden, sturdy, and usually found in turn of the century libraries), bathed in a glow of bright light. And a sea of people. My classmates. All staring in great anticipation.

“What’s this crazy kid going to do now?”

Until then, my classmates had only seen me in bit parts. I was not the Tom Cruise of my high school. I had been in school plays, but nothing really big. I was the character actor to the right, the nerdy kid in stage makeup, looking like someone’s long-lost relative.

I was no heartthrob.

Most high schools present Spring musicals, where good looking singers and dancers are held at a premium. And although I love to sing and dance, enthusiasm is my real talent.

Mrs. Spector, though, gave me my big break.

As soon as the audience quieted, I began.

It was awesome.

I held my classmates in the palm of my hand. They were glued to my every word. They sighed and laughed appropriately. They understood what I was saying (believe me, Thurber is not easy to follow), and moreover, they listened to me. No one else. Just me.

I was in seventh heaven.

Until this day, I still remember the final ovation.

I remember the applause sweeping over me like a wave of righteousness. Each clap, underlining what I already knew.

Acting is my thing.

1. How does the reader know that the story is a dramatic monologue?

A. The narrator is the only speaker.

B. The story is about the narrator’s love of acting.

C. The narrator has a vivid personality.

D. The story is based on the narrator’s experiences.

Define dramatic monologue.

_____________________________________________

2. What is the main effect produced by the repetition of the phrase Write something?

A. It reminds the reader that the narrator is daydreaming.

B. It proves that the narrator has finished his homework.

C. It emphasizes the importance that writing has to an actor.

D. It makes the story easier for the reader to understand.

Use process of elimination (P.O.E.) to answer this question. On the lines below, briefly explain how you were able to eliminate the three wrong answers.

Wrong Answer #1 ________________________________________________

Wrong Answer #2 ________________________________________________

Wrong Answer #3 ________________________________________________

3. Which statement BEST describes what happens in the story?

A. A teacher nurtures a talented writer.

B. A teacher gives students an impossible assignment.

C. A student avoids classwork by daydreaming.

D. A student gains confidence in his abilities by performing.

In your own words explain why you chose your answer.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What does the use of flashbacks accomplish in “Acting Up”?

A. makes the narrator seem dreamy and unrealistic

B. shows the reader what the narrator was like as a child

C. allows the narrator to list his achievements

D. gives the reader more insight into the narrator’s character

In your own words explain why you chose your answer.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Define flashback.

________________________________________________

Unit One: Literary Response & Analysis Differentiation

Assignment #8 (Strand)

Due: Monday, 23 January 2012

Standards Addressed: LRA3.1; LRA3.3; LRA3.4

ESLR: Resourceful Learner – Take responsibility for learning

Directions: Read the article and answer questions 1-3. Circle the correct answer and answer any additional questions asked of you, following the directions provided.

Hiking Trip

“I never wanted to come on this stupid old hiking trip anyway!” His voice echoed, shrill and panicked, across the narrow canyon. His father stopped, chest heaving with the effort of the climb, and turned to look at the boy.

“This is hard on you, son, I know. But you’ve got to come through with courage and a level head.”

“But I’m scared! I don’t even want to have courage!” he retorted. He jerked his head the other way and wiped his eyes across his arm.

“If not courage, fine,” his father replied sternly. “Then have enough love for your brother to think this through!” He pulled a bandana from his back pocket and tied it around his neck. Then he gently placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder and continued, more softly this time. “Now, I don’t know if I can make it without stopping every so often. And we just don’t have the time to stop. You’re young, but you’re strong and fast. Do you remember the way back from here to the road, if you had to go alone?”

Jeff flashed back to the agonizing scene of his seventeen-year-old brother at their campsite that morning. He’d been bitten by a snake yesterday during a rough hike through very rocky terrain. By the time they returned to their tents, he was limping badly. Then this morning he couldn’t put on his boots, and the pain seemed to be getting worse. He needed medical attention right away, so leaving him there was their only choice.

“Jeffrey? Jeffrey, could you do it? Could you make it to the road without me if you had to?”

Jeff blinked and looked past his father’s eyes to the end of the canyon, several miles away. He nodded slowly as the path and the plan began to take hold in his mind. “What was the name of that little town we stopped in to get matches, Dad?”

His father smiled and responded, “Flint. After we left Flint, we parked at the side of the road a few miles out of town. When you see which way our car is facing, you’ll know that the town is back the other direction.” Jeff thought about this and then nodded. They both drank water and then continued scrambling over the rocks.

Nothing was as pretty as it had seemed when they first hiked this way to their campsite. Before, the boulders and rocks had been an interesting challenge. Now, they were obstacles that threatened their footing and their velocity. Overhanging limbs had earlier been natural curiosities in the cliffs. But now they were nature’s weapons, slapping and scratching the boy and the man who crashed by and pushed through as quickly as they could.

Stone by stone, they made their way up the canyon. Jeff’s father grew smaller and smaller in the distance. “He must be stopping a lot,” Jeff thought. He waved to him from a bend in the canyon wall. His father waved back. Jeff turned and made the final ascent up an easier slope toward the road and spotted his father’s car. He lurched toward it, half stumbling, and leaned on the hood, breathless.

“Can’t stop,” he thought. “Mark’s in big trouble. Gotta keep going.” The fast, loud thudding in his ears was deafening, and as he pulled himself upright, he was surprised as a car sped by, heading toward Flint. “Hey, mister!” he shouted, waving both arms. He began to walk, faster and faster until he was jogging. Then he quickly crossed the highway and broke into a full-speed run, holding his left arm straight out, his thumb up.

His chest was burning with every breath when he suddenly heard several loud honks from behind. He turned as the brakes squealed and saw “Bob’s Towing & Repair, Flint” right behind him. “Jump in, boy! What’s up?” Jeff explained between gasps as the truck picked up speed. The driver reached for his two-way radio as soon as he heard about Mark. “Better get the helicopter in there,” he seemed to be shouting into his hand. But Jeff wasn’t sure about that because everything got fuzzy and then went black and quiet.

Hours later, Jeff opened his eyes to find strange surroundings and his father on a chair nearby.

“You’re a hero, son,” his father said with a smile. “You saved Mark.”

“What happened?” Jeff asked through a wide yawn. “Where are we?”

“This is a motel room in Flint. You made it into town and sent the helicopter into the canyon after Mark. I can’t tell you how happy I was when I saw it overhead. I’m so proud of you!”

Jeff sat up suddenly. “Where’s Mark? Is he OK?”

“They airlifted him out and got him to the hospital. His leg’s still in bad shape, but he’s going to be just fine in a couple of days. Thanks to you, son.”

Jeff’s worried face relaxed as his father spoke. “How about you, Dad? How did you get out?”

“Well, I finally hiked myself out of that canyon and to the road. I won’t be going back there any time soon. That’s for sure. Anyway, I couldn’t see the car, and as I headed for Flint, I got lucky and was able to hitch a ride from a fellow named Bob in a tow truck.”

Jeff laughed out loud. “I guess Bob makes a good living going up and down that road. I hope you gave him a good tip, Dad!”

1. This passage is an example of which of the following genres of writing?

A. a narrative short story

B. an informational text

C. a persuasive essay

D. a biographical essay

In your own words explain why you chose your answer.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Define genre.

_____________________________________________

2. Which of the following sentences BEST explains Jeff’s biggest problem in the passage?

A. He needed to face his fear of losing his father’s respect.

B. He needed to find someone to take him to the town of Flint.

C. He needed to climb the rock-covered hill to get to the top.

D. He needed to face his fear in order to help his brother.

In your own words explain why you chose your answer.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. What kind of person is Jeff’s father in the passage?

A. understanding and motivating

B. aggressive and annoying

C. humorous and entertaining

D. impatient and anxious

Use process of elimination (P.O.E.) to answer this question. On the lines below, briefly explain how you were able to eliminate the three wrong answers.

Wrong Answer #1 ________________________________________________

Wrong Answer #2 ________________________________________________

Wrong Answer #3 ________________________________________________

STUDY FOR YOUR WORD DISSECTION TEST!!!!!!

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download