Character Traits

Read the following passage from a story.

Mercy snorted. She should have known better than to challenge Victoria. Of all Mercy’s friends, Victoria talked loudest, ran fastest and took the most risks. She bragged about the time she convinced her older brothers to spend a weekend building her a fort. Mercy liked to call Victoria “Buster.” “Because you are always busting things up,” she laughed. Victoria wore the nickname with pride.

Based on the passage, which of the following is one of Victoria’s traits?

• forgetful

• confused

• bold

• shy

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Direct characterization is when the author tells us directly what the characters are like. The author may state the character’s traits: “Kareem was a polite, patient boy who always listened to his parents.”

Which of the following is an example of direct characterization?

• “Andy is such a jerk,” his sister sighed.

• Andy was rude and usually didn’t think of other people’s feelings.

• Andy knew he got to the line late but decided to skip ahead anyways.

• “I got here first!” Andy growled at the small child waiting in front of him.

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In indirect characterization, the author does not come out and tell us what the character is like. Instead, the author shows the character’s personality through things the character says, does, feels and thinks and the way other characters react to the character.

From the Wizard of Oz, Which detail best shows us that Dorothy is caring and kind?

• “‘I cannot tell,’ she returned...”

• “‘I don’t know anything. You see, I am stuffed, so I have no brains at all,’ [the Scarecrow] answered sadly.”

• “‘Oh,’” said Dorothy, “‘I'm awfully sorry for you.’”

• “Do you think,” he asked, “if I go to the Emerald City with you, that Oz would give me some brains?”

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What are traits?

• the struggles in the plot of a story

• descriptive adjectives that tell you what a character is like

• all of the events that happen in a story

• the places where a story happens

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What can you use to figure out what a character’s traits are?

• what the character says

• what the character thinks

• how other characters react to the character

• all of the above

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True or False: Characters can only be humans.

• True

• False

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An author writes, “The girl was very patient.” This is an example of ________.

• the author telling you directly what a character is like

• the author showing you indirectly what a character is like

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An author reveals that a character is courageous through the character’s words, actions and thoughts. This is an example of ________.

• the author telling you directly what a character is like

• the author showing you indirectly what a character is like

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A character, Nicki, is friendly. The author shows this by having Nicki sit down at a lunch table with a group of kids she doesn’t know and introduce herself. What is the author using to show Nicki’s trait?

• Nicki’s thoughts

• Nicki’s feelings

• Nicki’s actions

• other characters’ reactions to Nicki

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A character, Flora, goes on a field trip to an amusement park. She tells her teacher she’s scared to go on the roller coasters. “No way I’m going on those!” she thinks. Flora’s classmates comment on how she’s shaking and looks pale. Based on this evidence, one trait that describes Flora is ________.

• fierce

• cowardly

• talented

• bold

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