RL 8.4 - Hold Fast to Dreams

1.  Read the sentence from Paragraph 21.
“You’ve got a fire for good poets, I can see that,” he said, clasping my hand with a two-handed handshake.
How does the author use figurative language in the sentence? 

• A.  to compare her enthusiasm to fire 
• B.  to relate her fire to embarrassment 
• C.  to see if she wants to speak again 
• D.  to determine if her interest is serious 

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

2.  Read the sentence from Paragraph 2.
 At first, I thought they were only gawking at my camera, but their eyes moved from my hair to my sweater, down to my shoes, then back and forth at each other.
What is the connotation of gawking? 

• A.  looking carefully 
• B.  admiring longingly 
• C.  inspecting judgmentally 
• D.  gazing dreamily 

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

3.  Read the excerpt from Paragraph 6.
When Mr. McCurdy called on me, I cleared my throat. That lump was still resting there from before.
The reader can infer from this excerpt that the narrator is 

• A.  starting to catch a cold. 
• B.  nervous about being a new student. 
• C.  having trouble swallowing her food. 
• D.  trying to remember what the teacher said. 

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

4.  I sat down, cradling my camera in my lap. I carefully looked right, then left.
What is the connotative meaning of cradling? 

• A.  carefully uphold 
• B.  safeguard and protect 
• C.  carefully hide from view 
• D.  rock back and forth 

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

5.  Read the sentence from Paragraph 15.
Mr. McCurdy and I, we were on a roll?
Which sentence best describes the meaning of this sentence? 

• A.  Both Deirdre and Mr. McCurdy moved around the room. 
• B.  The student and her teacher were having continuous success. 
• C.  Deirdre and her teacher contradicted one another. 
• D.  Deirdre and her teacher were uncomfortable being in front of the class. 

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

6.  Read this sentence from the passage.
My fidgety heart started to beat regularly again.
What does fidgety mean as used in the sentence above? 

• A.  fearless 
• B.  guilty 
• C.  nervous 
• D.  proud 

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.6.4

7.  Which word best describes the mood at the beginning of the passage? 

• A.  suspenseful 
• B.  uplifting 
• C.  tense 
• D.  angry 

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

8.  What is the strongest symbol of comfort and familiarity to Deirdre? 

• A. her desk 
• B.  her dreams 
• C.  her camera 
• D.  her shoes 

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.8.2