Lesson 8 Skills in Context

Read the passage "Myra's Canvas."

How does Myra feel at the beginning of the passage?

• excited about a new life

• sad about moving to a new state

• angry that her mother wants to move

• happy her team won a game

Read this sentence from the passage "Myra's Canvas".

She felt like someone had yanked her heart in two.

What is the meaning of the word yanked as used in the sentence above?

• drew

• left

• moved

• pulled

Read "Myra's Canvas". Which words below describe the passage's point of view and narrator?

• third-person, not a story character

• third-person, Mom

• first-person, Myra

• first-person, Mom

Which sentence BEST expresses the passage's theme, or main message?

• Artists are sensitive people who react badly to changes in life.

• Parents should not force their children to move.

• Change is hard, but you can cope with it in positive ways.

• If you know how to draw, you can solve almost any problem.

Now answer Numbers 5 through 8. Base your answers on the passage "Making the Team."

In the first journal entry, what can the reader tell about Caroline?

• She will not try out for the team.

• She feels confident.

• She has many friends.

• She will make the team.

Now read this sentence from the passage "Making the Team."

She told me I was a skilled basketball player, but she was concerned my attitude was not good.

What is the meaning of the word concerned as used in the sentence above?

• excited

• worried

• angry

• curious

Read the passage "Making the Team."

What happens on November 18 that surprises Caroline?

• Coach Hang tells her she is a good basketball player.

• Coach Hang puts the players into groups.

• Coach Hang chooses her to be on the team.

• Coach Hang tells her she does not have a good attitude.

Read the passage "Making the Team."

What can the reader tell about Caroline from what she has written in her journal?

• She will not play basketball again.

• She is not a good basketball player.

• She should have made the basketball team.

• She learned a lesson about being a team player.

Now answer Numbers 9 and 10. Base your answers on the passages "Myra's Canvas" and "Making the Team."

Which one of these ideas is present in BOTH passages?

• Girls usually adjust to changes better than boys do.

• Sometimes a difficult event can help you change and grow.

• Adults can teach young people many important lessons about life.

• People can learn important lessons by working with others as a team.

What is one DIFFERENCE between the two passages?

• The girl in the story changes her attitude about a problem, but the girl in the journal does not.

• The story is written in first-person point of view, but the journal is written in third-person point of view.

• The girl in the journal changes her attitude about a problem, but the girl in the story does not.

• The story is written in third-person point of view, but the journal is written in first-person point of view.