7th Character Analysis

The loud chatter made it nearly impossible for the boys to concentrate on what they were saying. They talked anyway. “Well, I think that since my parents paid for the new uniforms, I should be able to say where we should go first,” said Greg. “We all have our beliefs about our trip let’s take a vote,” added Randall. “Let’s not take a vote. I think that the water park is the best place for us to go,” said Greg. 
Which character trait best describes Greg? 

• distracted
• humbled
• self-centered

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

“I tried to warn them but they just wouldn’t listen,” Chip McGraw said as he chewed the end of a piece of wheat and adjusted his overall pants. “Strange storms. That was the only way to describe them.” When it was real quiet, and everyone thought that things were getting better, the sky belched black gusts of dirt leaving women and men alike running for cover. So much of the 1930 Nebraska prairie had been dug up. Without grass to hold it in place, soil did not stay on the ground which created one of worst dust storms in history. The dry weather made the situation worse. The soil became crumbly like powder. “Everyone was just trying to get rich. All the prairie land was dug up. Now that it’s not raining, the dirt’s so dry that it’s not staying on the ground,” Chip continued. “I don’t know what I can do. I sure will try.”
What caused the terrible dust storms to occur? 

• Black gusts of wind flying in the air.
• Strange storms and too much rain.
• Digging up the prairie and dry weather. 

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

“I tried to warn them but they just wouldn’t listen,” Chip McGraw said as he chewed the end of a piece of wheat and adjusted his overall pants. “Strange storms. That was the only way to describe them.” When it was real quiet, and everyone thought that things were getting better, the sky belched black gusts of dirt leaving women and men alike running for cover. So much of the 1930 Nebraska prairie had been dug up. Without grass to hold it in place, soil did not stay on the ground which created one of worst dust storms in history. The dry weather made the situation worse. The soil became crumbly like powder. “Everyone was just trying to get rich. All the prairie land was dug up. Now that it’s not raining, the dirt’s so dry that it’s not staying on the ground,” Chip continued. “I don’t know what I can do. I sure will try.”
What is the central idea of the text?

• Chip has dug up most of the land in Nebraska.
• Terrible dust storms caused rain.
• Nebraska faced a crisis. 

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

If it had not been for the candy bar wrapper that fell onto the floor, Kennedy would not have seen it. It was a faded piece of paper that had been stepped on at least a hundred times, but for some reason, it aroused her curiosity. The words “two wishes” were written on the mangled paper. Normally, Kennedy would have shrugged it off and thought of it as gibberish, but she decided that it would be interesting to find out what would happen if she actually wished. “I wish to be the most popular girl in school,” she said lifting the paper as though holding it this way held some power.
“At least a hundred times” is which type of literary device? What impact does it have on the text? 

• It is rhyme scheme, and it adds flow to the text.
• It is a hyperbole, and it helps the reader visualize what was said.
• It is personification, and it gives human qualities to the paper.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

If it had not been for the candy bar wrapper that fell onto the floor, Kennedy would not have seen it. It was a faded piece of paper that had been stepped on at least a hundred times, but for some reason, it aroused her curiosity. The words “two wishes” were written on the mangled paper. Normally, Kennedy would have shrugged it off and thought of it as gibberish, but she decided that it would be interesting to find out what would happen if she actually wished. “I wish to be the most popular girl in school,” she said lifting the paper as though holding it this way held some power.
Which character trait best describes Kennedy?

• inquisitive (curious) 
• rebellious (stubborn) 
• careless (not careful) 

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

What they don’t tell you when you are a young child is that you are supposed to tell the truth ̶sometimes. Like when your mother asks you who left the milk on the table overnight and she has to throw the whole gallon out, that’s when you tell the truth. Even when you borrow your younger sister’s favorite shirt without asking and get a stain on it, that’s also when you tell the truth. But no one told me that sometimes the truth hurts as bad as getting punched in the deepest part of your soul. I remember when I was ten years old and my grandmother made me a red, blue, and yellow hat for Christmas. She knitted it by hand, twisting and turning fibers for weeks. I knew that if anyone saw me in it, I would be the laughing stock of fifth grade. “I can’t wear that,” I said pointing to its edges. It looked like a squirrel that someone left on the side of the road and poured paint onto. My grandmother just looked at me and said nothing. She squinted real small and stared at the floor. My grandmother never made me another hat again. Sometimes I think about her today and wish that I had just said “thank you”.
This memoir is written using which literary device? 

• onomatopoeia
• flashback
• personification

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.10

CCSS.RI.6.10

CCSS.RI.7.10

CCSS.RI.8.10

CCSS.RI.9-10.10

What they don’t tell you when you are a young child is that you are supposed to tell the truth ̶sometimes. Like when your mother asks you who left the milk on the table overnight and she has to throw the whole gallon out, that’s when you tell the truth. Even when you borrow your younger sister’s favorite shirt without asking and get a stain on it, that’s also when you tell the truth. But no one told me that sometimes the truth hurts as bad as getting punched in the deepest part of your soul. I remember when I was ten years old and my grandmother made me a red, blue, and yellow hat for Christmas. She knitted it by hand, twisting and turning fibers for weeks. I knew that if anyone saw me in it, I would be the laughing stock of fifth grade. “I can’t wear that,” I said pointing to its edges. It looked like a squirrel that someone left on the side of the road and poured paint onto. My grandmother just looked at me and said nothing. She squinted real small and stared at the floor. My grandmother never made me another hat again. Sometimes I think about her today and wish that I had just said “thank you”.
What is the theme of the text? 

• Families matter the most.
• Gifts are special.
• Always be appreciative.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RI.11-12.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Margaret neatly folded the piece of paper and hid it behind her pillow hoping that no one would discover it. She placed the quill back into the holder and put away the ink. Mother would surely think this appalling that a young lady of my sort would desire to write poetry rather than marry Charles, Margaret thought. She was the last child left at home with her sister recently marrying one of the Bradford boys and her eldest sister Matilda marrying two years prior. It was just not proper. This thought etched a tear into the corner Margaret’s eye. What if I have other dreams? What about me?
How does the setting (time period) affect the characters?

• It causes Margaret to want to write poetry.
• Their cultural beliefs affect the roles of women. 
• It makes Charles want to get married. 

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

Margaret neatly folded the piece of paper and hid it behind her pillow hoping that no one would discover it. She placed the quill back into the holder and put away the ink. Mother would surely think this appalling that a young lady of my sort would desire to write poetry rather than marry Charles, Margaret thought. She was the last child left at home with her sister recently marrying one of the Bradford boys and her eldest sister Matilda marrying two years prior. It was just not proper. This thought etched a tear into the corner Margaret’s eye. What if I have other dreams? What about me?
How does the author contrast the points of view of Margaret and her mother? 

• Margaret’s mother wants Margaret to get married. 
• In the text, Margaret began to cry. 
• The author reveals the thinking of Margaret. 

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

The last person to enter the room was a man named Arturo Snow who stood nearly half a foot taller than the other doctors. He too was frustrated with Ignaz Semmelweis and wanted to confront him. It was the year 1898 and most doctors considered themselves to be advanced compared to their predecessors of one hundred years ago. They used poultices and salves. Pills were used to treat rheumatoid and other ailments. But hand washing, this was too radical of an idea. Ignaz continued to speak and explain his discoveries from when he worked in the maternity ward and morgue of the hospital. Less women died when doctors washed their hands between patients. The men ignored Ignaz and rolled their eyes at his suggestions. His talks and workshops went beyond annoying to downright harassment, the men discussed. If they could get his medical license taken away, this would definitely cause him to be quiet and go away. 
How does the author contrast the points of view between the doctors and Ignaz Semmelweis? 

• by showing the anger of the doctors toward Ignaz
• by having Ignaz roll his eyes at the men
• by explaining new advancements in medicine

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.6

CCSS.RI.8.6

CCSS.RI.8.9

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.6