Winter Driving

Read the following excerpt from "Winter Driving." Click on the ONE piece of evidence that best supports the claim that the narrator is nervous about driving in the snow.

• I tightened my grip and could feel the cold steering wheel through the fingers of my gloves

• Everything around me was covered in a fresh coat of white snow.

• The flakes suddenly became smaller, falling faster, but still I followed along at a fairly good clip.

• It had been a while since this road had seen a plow, so I was forced into the tracks of cars that had already traveled this way

The narrator’s perspective regarding driving in the snow changes throughout the story. How does this affect the events in the story?

• The narrator becomes eager to drive in the snow for the first time, which makes her forget to follow safe driving rules.

• The narrator becomes fearful of driving in the snow, panics, and causes an accident.

• The narrator becomes too confident and forgets her dad’s advice, causing her to have an accident.

• The narrator becomes afraid to drive in the snow after her accident, and vows never to do it again.

What is the main theme of this passage?

• Some people always seem to have bad luck.

• Many accidents are impossible to avoid.

• It is better to be patient than sorry.

• Teenagers make poor drivers.

Imagine that the narrator has presented this passage as an autobiographical oral report to the class. Which TWO questions should students ask to show that they were listening carefully to the report but would like more information?

• When did you get your driver's license? 

• Did you get hurt in the car accident?

• How did your dad react when he found out you had gotten into a car accident?

• Why did you decide to drive home even though it was snowing?

• How did you get your car out of the ditch?

Imagine you are giving a presentation about driving safely in snowy and icy conditions. You would like to add a media component to improve your presentation. Which choice below would be the BEST to add to your presentation?

• a slideshow that includes pictures of icy and snowy roads

• a video clip of a police officer demonstrating winter driving tips

• an animated clip of a person driving a car on a road covered with snow and ice 

• an audio clip of parents warning their teenage children to be careful while driving in the snow

Imagine you are giving a presentation about driving safely in snowy and icy conditions. You would like to add a media component to improve your presentation. Which choice below would be the BEST to add to your presentation?

• a slideshow that includes pictures of icy and snowy roads

• a video clip of a police officer demonstrating winter driving tips

• an animated clip of a person driving a car on a road covered with snow and ice 

• an audio clip of parents warning their teenage children to be careful while driving in the snow

Imagine you are giving a presentation about this passage in which you state your opinion that inexperienced drivers should not be allowed to drive in bad weather. Which TWO pieces of evidence from the passage best support your opinion?

• My father said, "Winter is a part of life. The snow won't go away, so you may as well just learn how to drive in it. Just be patient and take it slow."

• I tightened my grip and could feel the cold steering wheel through the fingers of my gloves.

• I pressed my foot to the pedal, but the tires just spun with a whirring sound that I knew was melting the snow and was creating a layer of ice beneath.

• It had been a while since this road had seen a plow, so I was forced into the tracks of cars that had already traveled this way.

• My body moved forward but stopped almost immediately, held in place by the seat belt, but the car continued its counterclockwise slide before coming to rest in the ditch.

Read the following sentences from the passage.

The clear road boosted my confidence, and I loosened my grip on the steering wheel; the blood slowly returned to my clenched knuckles. Winter driving. This wasn't so bad.

What is the meaning of the word "boosted" as it is used above?

• affected

• increased

• destroyed

• changed

Which would be the BEST source for locating instructions about how to drive in ice and snow?

• a pamphlet put out by a driving school with tips for driving in various kinds of weather

• a newspaper article about a car accident that happened on an icy road

• a web page on an online encyclopedia website dedicated to winter weather

• a friend's social media post about the car accident he got into during a snowstorm

Which sentence shows the correct verb tense?

• When mom call my name, I hurried into the kitchen for dinner.

• When mom calls my name, I hurried into the kitchen for dinner.

• When mom will call my name, I hurried into the kitchen for dinner.

• When mom called my name, I hurried into the kitchen for dinner.