theme

It was Sean's first day at a new high school. Most of the students had been nice to him, until he got into gym class. The coach had assigned two captains, Mike and Malik, and they were picking teams from the boys in Sean's class. As Mike and Malik made their picks, it became pretty clear to Sean who was popular and who was not. Since Sean was short for his age, Mike and Malik just assumed that Sean could not play basketball. As Mike and Malik's choices dwindled, Sean still remained amongst an ever-slimming pool of struggling athletes. Now there were only two students left: Sean and another kid who seemed nice but was reading a book. Mike and Malik joked about who was going to get stuck with whom, and then Mike made his last pick. It was not Sean. Sean sighed and reluctantly joined Malik's team. As soon as the game began, Mike became aware of the error that he had made. Sean quickly stole the ball from him and ran it back for a layup. "The new kid got lucky," Mike remarked, but it soon became clear that Sean had more going for him than luck. What Sean lacked in height, he made up for in speed, and he continued to dominate the action on the court for the remainder of the game. With Sean's blazing speed and crazy crossovers, Malik's team devastated Mike's.

What is the theme of the story?

• Playing basketball is fun for everyone.

• Hard work pays off.

• Don't be too quick to judge someone based on appearances.

• People should be fair when they pick people for teams.

It was Sean's first day at a new high school. Most of the students had been nice to him, until he got into gym class. The coach had assigned two captains, Mike and Malik, and they were picking teams from the boys in Sean's class. As Mike and Malik made their picks, it became pretty clear to Sean who was popular and who was not. Since Sean was short for his age, Mike and Malik just assumed that Sean could not play basketball. As Mike and Malik's choices dwindled, Sean still remained amongst an ever-slimming pool of struggling athletes. Now there were only two students left: Sean and another kid who seemed nice but was reading a book. Mike and Malik joked about who was going to get stuck with whom, and then Mike made his last pick. It was not Sean. Sean sighed and reluctantly joined Malik's team. As soon as the game began, Mike became aware of the error that he had made. Sean quickly stole the ball from him and ran it back for a layup. "The new kid got lucky," Mike remarked, but it soon became clear that Sean had more going for him than luck. What Sean lacked in height, he made up for in speed, and he continued to dominate the action on the court for the remainder of the game. With Sean's blazing speed and crazy crossovers, Malik's team devastated Mike's, and that was the only time that Sean would be last pick at that high school.

What is the main problem in the story?

• No one wanted to pick Sean for their team.

• Sean wanted to be popular in school.

• Malik and Mike did not want to pick teams.

Which is correct about theme?

• It is the lesson the author wants the reader to learn.

• It is the main problem of the story.

• It is what the story is mainly about.

It was Sean's first day at a new high school. Most of the students had been nice to him, until he got into gym class. The coach had assigned two captains, Mike and Malik, and they were picking teams from the boys in Sean's class. As Mike and Malik made their picks, it became pretty clear to Sean who was popular and who was not. Since Sean was short for his age, Mike and Malik just assumed that Sean could not play basketball. As Mike and Malik's choices dwindled, Sean still remained amongst an ever-slimming pool of struggling athletes. Now there were only two students left: Sean and another kid who seemed nice but was reading a book. Mike and Malik joked about who was going to get stuck with whom, and then Mike made his last pick. It was not Sean. Sean sighed and reluctantly joined Malik's team. As soon as the game began, Mike became aware of the error that he had made. Sean quickly stole the ball from him and ran it back for a layup. Mike and Malik just assumed that Sean could not play basketball. but it soon became clear that Sean had more going for him than luck. What Sean lacked in height, he made up for in speed, and he continued to dominate the action on the court for the remainder of the game. With Sean's blazing speed and crazy crossovers, Malik's team devastated Mike's, and that was the only time that Sean would be last pick at that high school.

Which evidence best supports the theme? Remember the evidence should indicate a lesson as been learned.

• "Mike and Malik just assumed that Sean could not play basketball."

• "With Sean's blazing speed and crazy crossovers, Malik's team devastated Mike's,"

• "Now there were only two students left: Sean and another kid"

• "As Mike and Malik made their picks, it became pretty clear to Sean who was popular and who was not."

Jimmy and Eric were huddled by the tire swing. "Why did Scott have to take the kickball? He knows we play kickball at recess." Jimmy whined. "Maybe we could just do something else." Eric suggested. "No, I'm going to get back our kickball," countered Jimmy. Scott was bouncing the kickball against the wall by himself when Jimmy approached him. "Give us back our kickball, Scott!" Jimmy shouted. Scott looked up and down at Jimmy and then continued bouncing the ball against the wall. Jimmy ran up to Scott and tried to snatch the ball as it passed from the wall back to Scott, but he was too slow. He missed and fell onto the gravel and cried out, "Ow! See what you did, Scott!" By now Eric had joined the other two boys and he made a suggestion: "Hey, Scott, maybe we could all play together." Scott looked at him skeptically, but Eric's warm expression convinced him of his sincerity. "Ok," Scott muttered as he helped Jimmy back to his feet and asked, "What do you want to play?" The boys agreed on kickball and used the remaining recess time to play. Jimmy and Eric agreed that it was a lot more fun to play with three people and Scott became a regular addition to their recess activities.

What is the main problem in the story?

 

• Jimmy fell onto the gravel.

• Jimmy and Eric wanted to play kickball, but Scott took the ball.

• Jimmy and Scott needed three people to play kickball.

Jimmy and Eric were huddled by the tire swing. "Why did Scott have to take the kickball? He knows we play kickball at recess." Jimmy whined. "Maybe we could just do something else." Eric suggested. "No, I'm going to get back our kickball," countered Jimmy. Scott was bouncing the kickball against the wall by himself when Jimmy approached him. "Give us back our kickball, Scott!" Jimmy shouted. Scott looked up and down at Jimmy and then continued bouncing the ball against the wall. Jimmy ran up to Scott and tried to snatch the ball as it passed from the wall back to Scott, but he was too slow. He missed and fell onto the gravel and cried out, "Ow! See what you did, Scott!" By now Eric had joined the other two boys and he made a suggestion: "Hey, Scott, maybe we could all play together." Scott looked at him skeptically, but Eric's warm expression convinced him of his sincerity. "Ok," Scott muttered as he helped Jimmy back to his feet and asked, "What do you want to play?" The boys agreed on kickball and used the remaining recess time to play. Jimmy and Eric agreed that it was a lot more fun to play with three people and Scott became a regular addition to their recess activities.

What is the theme(cental message) of the story?

 

• Hard work pays off.

• Team work wins games.

• It is more fun to share.

• It is more fun to have three people play kickball.

Jimmy and Eric were huddled by the tire swing. "Why did Scott have to take the kickball? He knows we play kickball at recess." Jimmy whined. "Maybe we could just do something else." Eric suggested. "No, I'm going to get back our kickball," countered Jimmy. Scott was bouncing the kickball against the wall by himself when Jimmy approached him. "Give us back our kickball, Scott!" Jimmy shouted. Scott looked up and down at Jimmy and then continued bouncing the ball against the wall. Jimmy ran up to Scott and tried to snatch the ball as it passed from the wall back to Scott, but he was too slow. He missed and fell onto the gravel and cried out, "Ow! See what you did, Scott!" By now Eric had joined the other two boys and he made a suggestion: "Hey, Scott, maybe we could all play together." Scott looked at him skeptically, but Eric's warm expression convinced him of his sincerity. "Ok," Scott muttered as he helped Jimmy back to his feet and asked, "What do you want to play?" The boys agreed on kickball and used the remaining recess time to play. Jimmy and Eric agreed that it was a lot more fun to play with three people and Scott became a regular addition to their recess activities.

Which evidence best supports the theme? Remember it should be the point in the story where the lesson is learned.

 

• "Why did Scott have to take the kickball?"

• "Give us back our kickball, Scott!"

• "Scott looked at him skeptically, but Eric's warm expression convinced him of his sincerity."

• "Jimmy and Eric agreed that it was a lot more fun to play with three people and Scott became a regular addition to their recess activities."

. Blaine opened up the present and began pouting. He screamed in a high-pitched voice, "This is Captain Thunder! I wanted Captain Lightning!" His mother looked at him with dismay and handed him another present, which he greedily opened. "Why did you get me a red hat? You know I like blue more," Blaine whined as he threw the hat across the room. His mother straightened her expression and squinted at him. Earlier she had hoped to take some pictures of this moment, but by now she had put away her camera. She sighed and handed him one more present in hopes that this year wouldn't be a total bust. Blaine huffed and opened it. "A Game Box 4000… wow. Where's the Game Box 5000 that I asked for?" His mother could bear his ingratitude no longer. The next time that Blaine returned from his father's house, he was shocked to find that all of these toys and gifts, along with many other of his things, had been generously donated to needy children.

What is the main problem in the story?

• Blaine received a Game Box 4000 instead of a Game Box 5000.

• Blaine was not getting the presents he wanted.

• All of Blaines things were donated to needy children.

. Blaine opened up the present and began pouting. He screamed in a high-pitched voice, "This is Captain Thunder! I wanted Captain Lightning!" His mother looked at him with dismay and handed him another present, which he greedily opened. "Why did you get me a red hat? You know I like blue more," Blaine whined as he threw the hat across the room. His mother straightened her expression and squinted at him. Earlier she had hoped to take some pictures of this moment, but by now she had put away her camera. She sighed and handed him one more present in hopes that this year wouldn't be a total bust. Blaine huffed and opened it. "A Game Box 4000… wow. Where's the Game Box 5000 that I asked for?" His mother could bear his ingratitude no longer. The next time that Blaine returned from his father's house, he was shocked to find that all of these toys and gifts, along with many other of his things, had been generously donated to needy children.

What is the theme (cental message) of the story?

• Be thankful for things you receive.

• You should not pout and whine.

• It is important to donate things to needy children.

• Hard work pays off.

. Blaine opened up the present and began pouting. He screamed in a high-pitched voice, "This is Captain Thunder! I wanted Captain Lightning!" His mother looked at him with dismay and handed him another present, which he greedily opened. "Why did you get me a red hat? You know I like blue more," Blaine whined as he threw the hat across the room. His mother straightened her expression and squinted at him. Earlier she had hoped to take some pictures of this moment, but by now she had put away her camera. She sighed and handed him one more present in hopes that this year wouldn't be a total bust. Blaine huffed and opened it. "A Game Box 4000… wow. Where's the Game Box 5000 that I asked for?" His mother could bear his ingratitude no longer. The next time that Blaine returned from his father's house, he was shocked to find that all of these toys and gifts, along with many other of his things, had been generously donated to needy children.

Which evidence best supports the theme? Remember it is the point in the story where the lesson is learned.

• "The next time that Blaine returned from his father's house, he was shocked to find that all of these toys and gifts, along with many other of his things, had been generously donated to needy children."

• "His mother looked at him with dismay and handed him another present, which he greedily opened."

• "Blaine whined as he threw the hat across the room."

• "Earlier she had hoped to take some pictures of this moment, but by now she had put away her camera."