Unit 5 Review: Literary Criticism

Adriana Gonzalez is finally turning 15. “I can’t wait to have my quinceañera!” she said as she excitedly told all her friends about the big party she was planning.

Adriana and her mom had already picked out a beautiful, flowing white dress for her quinceañera. It had a full skirt and a train. “I feel like Cinderella in this dress, Mommy,” she had whispered in the store the first time she tried it on.

Adriana’s mother’s eyes had lit up when she saw Adriana in the mirror. “Oh mija, my daughter! You have grown into such a beautiful young woman, right before my very eyes,” she said with tears in her eyes, before turning to the shop keeper. “We’ll take the dress.”

“The best part is, you all get to participate in the party too,” Adriana told her friends. “You ladies get to be on my court. You will wear beautiful dresses, too, and have escorts,” she said. “We’ll all dance a big waltz.”

The girls chattered eagerly about the party the rest of the day. Each already knew who she wanted her escort to be for the quinceañera. When she got home, Adriana found out her parents had invited family members from out of town to come for the occasion. “You can invite people from school too,” her mom said.

When they went to pick up decorations for the party with her padrinos, or god parents, Adriana got to pick out whatever she wanted. “We just want you to be happy and enjoy your special night,” her dad said. Adriana was the happiest she had ever been. Her 15th was going to be the best birthday ever!

Which sentence best supports the inference that Adriana's parents care about their daughter?

• " 'You will wear beautiful dresses, too, and have escorts,' she said."

• "The girls chattered eagerly about the party the rest of the day."

• "Her 15th was going to be the best birthday ever!"

• " 'We just want you to be happy and enjoy your special night,' her dad said."

The election had been two days ago, and after the results were announced, Marina smiled weakly at her opponent and gave him a reluctant civil handshake. Her classmates could tell that she was upset though. Marina was somewhat cold to those in the room who she was sure voted against her. She was a strong-willed girl and did not show sadness about her defeat, but everybody knew that the results killed Marina.

The passage states that Marina was "killed" over the results. How did Marina feel?

• She hurt her opponent.

• She felt relieved.

• She was devastated.

• She lost her life.

The group hanging out in front of the movies cringed when Larry sauntered around the corner. His personality was so forceful that he could hardly keep from giving everyone a hard time.

Jimmy spoke up to greet him, "Hey, Larry. I liked your speech today in class. You were quite, um, assertive when you jumped in and took Harold's turn."

Henry chimed in, "Yeah, I thought that Harold was acting a bit too modestly to get on with it."

Larry answered back favorably, "Thanks, guys. Do you mind if I join you?"

"No, not at all," said George, the group's unofficial leader. He was self-confident enough to take charge in any situation, figuring he was the best man for the job whether or not anyone else agreed.

Larry got in line behind them, and when he stepped up to the counter to purchase his ticket, the young clerk at the window nervously rang up his ticket. She fumbled with his change.

"Don't mind her," grumbled the deliberately paced veteran from the back of the booth. "She's new, but I bet she'll get the hang of things in no time," he offered with a rather unconvincing wink.

What does the veteran ticket taker suggest of the female clerk by using the word new in the paragraph above?

• She is modern.

• She is different.

• She is young.

• She is untrained.

Bessie Coleman: A Biography

Bessie Coleman, the first African American female pilot in the United States, was born in Texas, in 1892, to an African American mother and a father of Native American and African American descent. Bessie had a difficult childhood because her parents were poor and she had twelve siblings. When Bessie was still young, her father left the family and went to Oklahoma for work. Her mother then took care of the entire family.

After Bessie graduated from school, she went to Langston University. However, insufficient funds forced her to drop out of university after the first term. While still in her early twenties, Bessie moved to Chicago to live with her brothers. She developed an interest in flying after hearing inspiring stories about the Wright brothers and World War l pilots. Bessie dreamed of becoming a pilot herself. However, for African American women, becoming a pilot in those days was like going through the eye of a needle. American flying schools would not admit her. But Bessie was not one to relent so easily. She was the Rosa Parks of her time and she persisted till she found a way to fulfill her dream. She had heard that flying schools in France allowed women to pursue courses in flying. She worked hard, saved money, learned French, and gained admission to the Caudron Brother's School of Aviation in France. In a few months, she made history by being the first African American woman to earn an international pilot's license.

Bessie returned to the United States and performed many stunts to earn money. She hoped to start a flying school for African Americans. Before she could realize her dream, Bessie died in 1926, when she was only 34, while practicing for a performance. Even after her death, Bessie continues to be an inspiration for women.

Why does the author compare Bessie Coleman with Rosa Parks?

• to show that Bessie and Rosa both fought for women's rights

• to show that Bessie and Rosa were both female pilots

• to show that Bessie was courageous like Rosa

• to show that Bessie and Rosa were both Americans

Bessie Coleman: A Biography

Bessie Coleman, the first African American female pilot in the United States, was born in Texas, in 1892, to an African American mother and a father of Native American and African American descent. Bessie had a difficult childhood because her parents were poor and she had twelve siblings. When Bessie was still young, her father left the family and went to Oklahoma for work. Her mother then took care of the entire family.

After Bessie graduated from school, she went to Langston University. However, insufficient funds forced her to drop out of university after the first term. While still in her early twenties, Bessie moved to Chicago to live with her brothers. She developed an interest in flying after hearing inspiring stories about the Wright brothers and World War l pilots. Bessie dreamed of becoming a pilot herself. However, for African American women, becoming a pilot in those days was like going through the eye of a needle. American flying schools would not admit her. But Bessie was not one to relent so easily. She was the Rosa Parks of her time and she persisted till she found a way to fulfill her dream. She had heard that flying schools in France allowed women to pursue courses in flying. She worked hard, saved money, learned French, and gained admission to the Caudron Brother's School of Aviation in France. In a few months, she made history by being the first African American woman to earn an international pilot's license.

Bessie returned to the United States and performed many stunts to earn money. She hoped to start a flying school for African Americans. Before she could realize her dream, Bessie died in 1926, when she was only 34, while practicing for a performance. Even after her death, Bessie continues to be an inspiration for women.

Which sentence from this story is an example of an analogy?

• She had heard that flying schools in France were more open-minded.

• However, for African American women, becoming a pilot in those days was like going through the eye of a needle.

• In a few months, she made history by being the first African American woman to earn an international pilot's license.

• Even after her death, Bessie continues to be an inspiration for women.

Jesse Owens

Jesse Owens was an Olympic legend, born in Alabama on September 12, 1913. When he was born, his parents named him James Cleveland, or "J.C." When he was nine years old, he moved to Cleveland with his family. One day, in school, his teacher mistakenly wrote down his name as "Jesse" instead of "J.C.", and he was known as Jesse Owens since then.

Owens showed great promise as an athlete right from the time he was in school. He won many races and medals, setting new records in the process. For instance, in his senior year, Owens set a new world record in the 220 yard dash, completing the dash in just 20.2 seconds. It almost seemed like he was wearing Hermes's winged sandals! Impressed by his track record, many colleges wanted to recruit him after he completed high school. Owens ultimately chose to attend Ohio State University. To pay his way through college, and to support himself and his wife, Owens took up a number of jobs. Some of these included working as an elevator operator, a page, and a waiter.

Owens's biggest claim to fame was his participation in the 1936 Olympics in Germany. He became the first American to win four gold medals at the Olympics. Owens's outstanding record remained unbeaten until 1984, when it was finally matched by Carl Lewis at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Even after his stint at the Olympics, Owens continued to work a number of jobs to support his family. One such job was working with the underprivileged youth of his community. He traveled far and wide as a motivational speaker, sharing his wisdom and inspiring people.

Jesse Owens's achievements are remembered even today. Like the tale of David and Goliath, Owens's story also serves as an inspiration to many, proving that anyone can dream big and turn his or her dreams into reality.

Why does the author compare Owens's story to the tale of David and Goliath?

• to show that Owens set many world records in his career as an Olympic athlete

• to show that Owens is remembered even today

• to show that Owens achieved success by overcoming the obstacles in his path

• to show that Owens was a very talented athlete

Jesse Owens

Jesse Owens was an Olympic legend, born in Alabama on September 12, 1913. When he was born, his parents named him James Cleveland, or "J.C." When he was nine years old, he moved to Cleveland with his family. One day, in school, his teacher mistakenly wrote down his name as "Jesse" instead of "J.C.", and he was known as Jesse Owens since then.

Owens showed great promise as an athlete right from the time he was in school. He won many races and medals, setting new records in the process. For instance, in his senior year, Owens set a new world record in the 220 yard dash, completing the dash in just 20.2 seconds. It almost seemed like he was wearing Hermes's winged sandals! Impressed by his track record, many colleges wanted to recruit him after he completed high school. Owens ultimately chose to attend Ohio State University. To pay his way through college, and to support himself and his wife, Owens took up a number of jobs. Some of these included working as an elevator operator, a page, and a waiter.

Owens's biggest claim to fame was his participation in the 1936 Olympics in Germany. He became the first American to win four gold medals at the Olympics. Owens's outstanding record remained unbeaten until 1984, when it was finally matched by Carl Lewis at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Even after his stint at the Olympics, Owens continued to work a number of jobs to support his family. One such job was working with the underprivileged youth of his community. He traveled far and wide as a motivational speaker, sharing his wisdom and inspiring people.

Jesse Owens's achievements are remembered even today. Like the tale of David and Goliath, Owens's story also serves as an inspiration to many, proving that anyone can dream big and turn his or her dreams into reality.

Which sentence from this passage is an example of an allusion?

• Jesse Owens's achievements are remembered even today.

• Some of these included working as an elevator operator, a page, and a waiter.

• It almost seemed like he was wearing Hermes's winged sandals!

• One such job was working with the underprivileged youth of his community.

The Birthday Surprise

Isaac turned pale as he looked at the mess he had made in the kitchen. The eggs and bacon were burnt to black shards on the frying pan, cooking oil had spilled out of the broken bottle and was all over the floor, the pancake batter had turned lumpy and dry, and the washcloth had dark stains from the coffee powder that Isaac had spilled and wiped off the counter.

Oh, this is the worst morning Mom could possibly have for her birthday, Isaac thought, as he grabbed a fresh cloth to clean the oil from the floor. It was his mother's birthday, and Isaac had woken up early to prepare breakfast. He wanted to surprise Mom with breakfast in bed and tell her to take the day off. Now, looking at the mess he had created, he realized that not only would Mom not get a day off, she would also have to work extra to help him clean up the mess in the kitchen.

While he was scrubbing the floor, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching the kitchen. Mom was up! Isaac's heart began beating wildly. His mother walked into the kitchen and froze in her tracks when she saw the storm Isaac had raised in the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, Mom! I was trying to make you breakfast to surprise you for your birthday. I never stopped to think about how terrible I could possibly be at cooking," Isaac said, going red in his cheeks.

For a moment, his mother did not react. Then, a small smile appeared on her face and she hugged Isaac.

"It's alright, sweetheart. You meant well, so there is no reason to feel sorry," she said.

What is the best way to describe the theme in this story?

• Sharing household duties helps strengthen the bond between family members.

• It is important to start the day by having a hearty breakfast.

• It is the good intention behind the deed that matters more than the deed itself.

• Practice makes one perfect, and experience is the best teacher.

The Birthday Surprise

Isaac turned pale as he looked at the mess he had made in the kitchen. The eggs and bacon were burnt to black shards on the frying pan, cooking oil had spilled out of the broken bottle and was all over the floor, the pancake batter had turned lumpy and dry, and the washcloth had dark stains from the coffee powder that Isaac had spilled and wiped off the counter.

Oh, this is the worst morning Mom could possibly have for her birthday, Isaac thought, as he grabbed a fresh cloth to clean the oil from the floor. It was his mother's birthday, and Isaac had woken up early to prepare breakfast. He wanted to surprise Mom with breakfast in bed and tell her to take the day off. Now, looking at the mess he had created, he realized that not only would Mom not get a day off, she would also have to work extra to help him clean up the mess in the kitchen.

While he was scrubbing the floor, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching the kitchen. Mom was up! Isaac's heart began beating wildly. His mother walked into the kitchen and froze in her tracks when she saw the storm Isaac had raised in the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, Mom! I was trying to make you breakfast to surprise you for your birthday. I never stopped to think about how terrible I could possibly be at cooking," Isaac said, going red in his cheeks.

For a moment, his mother did not react. Then, a small smile appeared on her face and she hugged Isaac.

"It's alright, sweetheart. You meant well, so there is no reason to feel sorry," she said.

Which of the following actions contributes to the theme?

• Isaac tries to clean the spilled oil from the floor.

• Isaac apologizes to his mother for making a mess.

• Isaac wakes up early to make breakfast for his mother.

• Isaac decides to take the breakfast to his mother's bed.

Belinda was delighted when her father drove past his favorite burger joint at lunch. At last he's getting the message about how his diet affects his health, she thought. But just a few minutes later, she was disappointed when he used his cell phone to order fast-food to be delivered soon after they got home.

Which of the following can be inferred from the passage above?

• Driving and talking on a cell phone is dangerous.

• Belinda's father drives a truck for a living.

• Belinda thinks her father's diet is not healthy.

• Belinda has a job at a fast-food business.