Reading: Big Fish

Read paragraph 15.

His old scaly hand crawls over to touch my knee. His fingers are white, the nails cracking and dull, like old silver.

In this paragraph, the author uses imagery to —

• H. Emphasize how aged and decrepit the father appears to his son

• J. Suggest that the son has little respect for his father

• G. Imply that the father may not really be dying after all

• F. Show the son's fear of being touched by his father

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CCSS.RI.11-12.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

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What does paragraph 16 reveal about the son?

(16) “I’d say I’d missed you,” I say, “if I knew what I was missing.”

• A. He blames himself for his father’s long absences.

• B. He thinks his father never gave them the opportunity to be close.

• C. He is too willing to forgive his father for lying.

• D. He is unwilling to share what he knows with his father.

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CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.2.6

Which line of dialogue provides the best evidence that the father is questioning his priorities?

• G. “Remembering a man’s stories makes him immortal, did you know that?”

• H. “I had dinner with a prime minister once, William.”

• F. “Now all that seems so unimportant, you know?”

• J. “I wasn’t going to tell you about the two-headed lady, Mr. Smarty-pants,” he says.

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CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.2.6

In paragraphs 3 through 5, the phrases “Let me guess” and “no doubt” give the son’s dialogue a tone that is —

3 “Let me guess,” I say. “He planted them and a huge vine grew up into the clouds, and at the top of the clouds was a castle, where a giant lived.”

4 “How did you know?”

5 “And a two-headed woman who served him tea, no doubt.”

• A. Naive

• B. Hypercritical

• C. Indignant

• D. Sarcastic

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CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.2.6

Paragraph 17 suggests that the son is motivated to listen to his father because —

15 His old scaly hand crawls over to touch my knee. His fingers are white, the nails cracking and dull, like old silver.

• H. He believes his father is dying

• J. He believes his father will tell him a secret

• G. He regrets not paying attention to his father in the past

• F. He values his father’s advice

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CCSS.RL.11-12.2

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Which sentence best describes the father’s moral dilemma?

• A. He must choose between impressing his son with outlandish stories and admitting that he is a financial failure.

• B. He must resolve feelings about his failure to persuade his son to follow in his footsteps.

• C. He must decide whether to continue to pursue his dreams or devote himself to helping his son.

• D. He must reconcile his lifelong desire to be important with the knowledge that he neglected his family.

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CCSS.RL.8.3

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CCSS.RL.6.3

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Paragraph 20 reveals that the father views his childhood home of Ashland as —

20 “Really,” he says. His words come slow and weak but steady and strong in feeling and thought. “Can you believe it? I thought it was my destiny. A big fish in a big pond—that’s what I wanted. That’s what I wanted from day one. I started small. For a long time I worked for other people. Then I started my own business. I got these molds and I made candles in the basement. That business failed. I sold baby’s breath to floral shops. That failed. Finally, though, I got into import/export and everything took off. I had dinner with a prime minister once, William. A prime minister! Can you imagine, this boy from Ashland having dinner in the same room with a—. There’s not a continent I haven’t set foot on. Not one. There are seven of them, right? I’m starting to forget which ones I . . . never mind. Now all that seems so unimportant, you know? I mean, I don’t even know what a great man is anymore—the, uh, prerequisites. Do you, William?”

• F. a place of tremendous comfort

• G. a place with limited opportunities

• H. the best place to raise a family

• J. a place of haunting memories

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CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.2.6

The story explores the theme of a son —

• A. disappointing his father

• B. imitating his father

• C. trying to impress his father

• D. making peace with his father

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CCSS.RL.11-12.2

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