Skill Builder

Skill Builder Session
RL 1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

MAAP Practice!

The Hidden Letter

Lena’s hands trembled as she unfolded the brittle parchment. The letter, sealed in an envelope marked with her grandmother’s initials, had been tucked away in an old wooden chest for decades. As her eyes skimmed the delicate handwriting, she pieced together a secret long buried—her grandmother had once been engaged to a man who had mysteriously disappeared before their wedding day. The letter ended with an unfinished sentence, leaving Lena with more questions than answers.

She glanced at the photograph inside the envelope, a young woman in a wedding dress standing beside a faceless silhouette where time had erased the man’s features. A shiver ran down Lena’s spine. Why had her grandmother kept this hidden for so long? And what had happened to the man in the photograph?

Multiple Choice

What can be inferred about Lena’s grandmother based on the passage?

•  A. She had no secrets in her past.

• B. She had once been in love with someone who disappeared.

• C. She did not care about preserving old memories.

• D. She intentionally misled her family about her past.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence best supports the inference that the letter holds an important secret?

• A. "Lena’s hands trembled as she unfolded the brittle parchment."

• B. "The letter, sealed in an envelope marked with her grandmother’s initials, had been tucked away in an old wooden chest for decades."

• C. "A shiver ran down Lena’s spine."
  

• D. "She glanced at the photograph inside the envelope."

Multiple Choice

Based on the passage, what can the reader conclude about Lena’s next actions?

• A. She will immediately throw the letter away.

• B. She will investigate the mystery behind her grandmother’s past.

• C. She will rewrite the letter to make sense of it.

•  D. She will ask her grandmother to explain the missing details.

The Lighthouse Keeper

Every evening, Mr. Graves climbed the winding staircase of the old lighthouse, his lantern casting flickering shadows along the stone walls. For thirty years, he had lit the beacon at precisely the same time, watching over the sea with unwavering dedication. The townspeople admired him, though few truly knew the sorrow that kept him tethered to the lighthouse.

One stormy night, a shipwreck survivor arrived at the town’s shores with a strange tale. He spoke of a light that had vanished just before his ship crashed against the rocks. Mr. Graves listened intently, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the lantern. No one had ever questioned the lighthouse’s flame before. But as the storm raged outside, a single doubt crept into his mind—had he, for the first time, failed in his duty?

Multiple Choice

What can the reader infer about why Mr. Graves is dedicated to the lighthouse?

• A. He enjoys the admiration of the townspeople.

• B. He is forced to do it against his will.

• 
  C. He hopes to one day become famous for his work.

• D. He sees it as his personal responsibility to prevent tragedies.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence best supports the inference that Mr. Graves is deeply affected by the shipwreck survivor’s words?

• A. "For thirty years, he had lit the beacon at precisely the same time."
  

• B. "No one had ever questioned the lighthouse’s flame before."
  

• 
  C. "Mr. Graves listened intently, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the lantern."
  

• D. "Every evening, Mr. Graves climbed the winding staircase of the old lighthouse."

Multiple Choice

Based on the passage, what might Mr. Graves do next?

• A. Quit his job at the lighthouse.
  
  

• B. Investigate whether the light truly went out.
  

• C. Argue with the shipwreck survivor.
  

• D. Tell the townspeople he made a mistake.