Short Story Skills Quiz

Read the story and decide what conflict type is represented:

After years of saving money, John bought his dream home. It was a two-story beach house in a secluded area. John thought it was absolutely perfect, until he noticed the termites. First there were just a few, nibbling away at the back deck, but soon there were thousands. This is the story of how John went to war with the termites, a war that he eventually won, but one that cost him his dream home.

• Person vs Person

• Person vs Self

• Person vs Society

• Person vs Nature

• Person vs Supernatural

Read the story and decide what conflict type is represented:

It's Carly's 8th grade year and she wants to graduate more than anything else. Unfortunately she's been playing in her reading class and now she's backed into a corner. She has to get a perfect score on the final exam or she won't graduate. With the help of a foreign exchange student whom she calls Beans, Carly studies harder than ever before. Will it be enough?

• Person vs Person

• Person vs Self

• Person vs Nature

• Person vs Supernatural

• Person vs Technology

Read the story and decide what conflict type is represented:

When Diego and his buddies accept a dare to stay in an old abandoned house, they knew that it would be scary, but they had no idea just how scary it would be. As his friends begin disappearing one by one, Diego learns that the house is not abandoned at all, but inhabited by a vampire. Diego no longer cares about spending the night in the house. All he cares about now is getting out alive. Will he escape or be a vampire's lunch?

• Person vs Self

• Person vs Society

• Person vs Nature

• Person vs Supernatural

• Person vs Technology

Read the story and decide what conflict type is represented:

Linda wants nothing more than to see her children happy, but her youngest has asked for a Robo-Kite, the hottest toy of this holiday season. After many hours of searching, Linda finally finds one at a department store, but Bruce finds it at the same time, and his son Robert wants it equally bad. Join Linda as she battles with Bruce to acquire a hot consumer item and learns a lesson about life and the holiday spirit along the way.

• Person vs Person

• Person vs Self

• Person vs Nature

• Person vs Society

• Person vs Technology

Read the story and decide what conflict type is represented:

Karla deals with anxiety but loves ballet. She has been practicing her routine for months and the recital is just around the corner. She wants badly to go on with the rest of her ballet girls, but is scared she will be awful or worse yet screw everything up for the other girls. Will Karla be able to overcome her anxiety or will she choose to sit on the sidelines.

• Person vs Person

• Person vs Self

• Person vs Nature

• Person vs Supernatural

• Person vs Technology

Read the story and decide what conflict type is represented:

All of a sudden nuclear power plants are melting down across the world. Washington quickly discovers that a dangerous virus has been leaked into their system and appears to have a mind of its own. Every attempt to stop it has been stopped. Will the team be able to beat the virus before it is too late and millions of lives our lost.

• Person vs self

• Person vs nature

• Person vs technology

• Person vs Person

• Person vs Supernatural

Read the following story and decide what Point of View we are reading:

"Can you make the pass Vince?" Coach asked me. I looked into his eyes and then those of my teammates. They were all looking at me with a sense of hope and I knew I couldn't let them down. "Yes, coach I can!" I said. Well now I had to go out there and prove it. The state championship was on the line.

• 1st person

• 2nd person

• 3rd person omniscient

• 3rd person limited

• 3rd person objective

Read the following story and decide what Point of View we are reading:

The two little girls silently drew chalk pictures on the sidewalk. The one with the pink ribbon in her hair suddenly got up and walked over to the tree. A soft purr was coming from up amongst the branches. After looking for a few moments, she quickly called to her mother, "Mom I think mittens climbed the tree again." Her mother replied, "That darn cat, okay I will call your father." The two girls giggled and tried to call Mittens down as they awaited the arrival of their father.

• 1st person

• 2nd person

• 3rd person omniscient

• 3rd person limited

• 3rd person objective

Read the following story and decide what Point of View we are reading:

You silently walk across the empty cafeteria. All around you there is silence, but you know that you are not alone. They may be hiding but you can sense you are being watched. As you lift the flashlight to the corner of the room, a movement to your left catches your eye. As you swing around, you see the other team members racing to your flag. If you don't catch them they will win and capture flag. You turn and run.

• 1st person

• 2nd person

• 3rd person omniscient

• 3rd person limited

• 3rd person objective

Read the following story and decide what Point of View we are reading:

Susan was ecstatic to finally cross the finish line. She had been training for this half-marathon for the past year, but she never thought she would actually do it. Suddenly her best friend Tiffany is wrapping her in her arms. "You did it, you did it! Congratulations, I knew you would!" said Tiffany. Tiffany had watched her friend painfully come back from a foot injury 2 years ago and was suddenly filled with pride. It almost felt like a mini-victory for the both of them.

• 1st Person

• 2nd Person

• 3rd Person Omniscient

• 3rd person limited

• 3rd person objective