RL5 Author's Choices "The Plant"

ELAGSE9-10RL5: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.

Author's Choices Lesson
"The Plant"
by Petra Engisch

Match

Match the literary term with the definition.

• foreshadowing

• flashback

• tone

• tension

• characterization

hints or clues about future events

depict events that happened in the past

author's attitude towards the subject

uncertainty, anticipation, or unease

portray personaly & reveal motivation

• hints or clues about future events

• depict events that happened in the past

• author's attitude towards the subject

• uncertainty, anticipation, or unease

• portray personaly & reveal motivation

The Plant

Derek found himself in his grandma's backyard, sentenced to a week of gardening as punishment. The thought of spending his Saturdays knee-deep in dirt made him shiver. His grandma, Nana Marna, had rough hands and sharp eyes, instructing Derek to prepare the soil for planting tomatoes. As they worked, Derek felt uneasy, sensing an unusual stillness in the garden.

​Read the story and answer questions about the author's choices.

Multiple Select

Which of the author's words from this first paragraph of "The Plant" foreshadow with an ominous tone? (choose 3)

• punishment

• shiver

• instructing

• uneasy

• unusual

While digging, Derek accidentally struck something hard with his shovel. To his surprise, he uncovered a small, twisted plant with purple leaves and shiny flowers that looked peculiar. Curiosity got the better of him, and he showed the mysterious plant to his grandma. Nana Marna stared at it for a moment before advising Derek not to disturb it too much.

Multiple Choice

What purpose does the author achieve by advising Derek not to disturb the mysterious plant too much?

• To highlight Derek's curiosity and adventurous nature.

• To foreshadow potential dangers or consequences related to the plant.

• To introduce a new character into the narrative.

• To provide background information about Nana Marna's past experiences.

However, Derek couldn't resist his curiosity. When Nana Marna wasn't looking, he dug around the plant and discovered roots that seemed to possess a strange energy. Wondering what it could be, Derek whispered to his grandma, who wore a mix of worry and nostalgia on her face. She suggested it might be something rare and promised to keep an eye on it.

Multiple Choice

What does the author reveal about the character of Nana Marna in this paragraph?

• She is strict and authoritarian, disapproving of Derek's curiosity.

• She is indifferent and uninterested in the mysterious plant.

• She is protective and concerned about Derek's well-being.

• She is secretive and hides her knowledge about the plant's origins.

As Derek examined the plant, memories flooded Nana Marna's mind. She recalled a summer from her own youth when she stumbled upon a similar mysterious plant in the woods near her childhood home. Intrigued by its twisted leaves and glowing flowers, she approached it cautiously, feeling both fascinated and slightly scared by its power.

Multiple Choice

What word does the author use to indicate a flashback?

• examined

• recalled

• intrigued

• approached

Nana Marna's grandmother, a wise woman who knew much about nature, joined her in studying the plant. She revealed that it was a plant spoken of in secret, believed to hold the knowledge of the earth and stars. Nana Marna spent days observing the plant, noting how it grew and moved under the moonlight. However, the plant vanished as quickly as it appeared, leaving behind a sense of wonder and a warning from her grandmother: some things are better left alone, as not everything in the universe can be understood.

Categorize

Options (6)

vanished

secret

wonder

knowledge

warning

better left alone

Organize these words according to tone.

negative (ominous)

positive (intriguing)

Now, as Derek gazed at the same captivating plant that had fascinated Nana Marna years ago, she hoped her grandson would learn from her past. She cautioned, "Some mysteries should remain unsolved."

Multiple Choice

What is the author's main message conveyed by Nana Marna's cautionary statement at the end of the passage?

• Curiosity is always rewarded with new discoveries.

• The unknown should be explored without hesitation to uncover hidden truths.

• Some mysteries hold dangerous secrets and should be destroyed.

• Learning from the past is important in dealing with the unknown.