Stray Comprehension Skills Test M

1. Who is the protagonist of the story?

• a. Doris
• b. Mr. Lacey

2. Which excerpt below does not include details about the setting?

• a. In January, a puppy wandered...
• b. Mr. Lacey was at the table, cleaning his fingernails with his pocketknife.

3. Which excerpt from the story best shows how Mrs. Lacey felt about allowing the stray to stay in the basement?

• a. “I don’t know where it came from,” he said mildly, “but I know for sure where it’s going.”
• b. He agreed to let it sleep in the basement while Mrs. Lacey grudgingly let Doris feed it table scraps.

4. Why won’t Mr. and Mrs. Lacey allow Doris to keep the stray?

• a. The Laceys can't afford a dog.
• b. Doris's brother is allergic to dogs.

5. What did Mrs. Lacey say to Doris after Mr. Lacey opened the trunk of his car?

• a. "It will be time for dinner soon."
• b. "You try to act more grown-up about this."

6. What connotation does the underlined word have in the following sentence? He agreed to let it sleep in the basement while Mrs. Lacey grudgingly let Doris feed it table scraps.

• a. positive
• b. negative

7. What is the denotation of the underlined word in the following sentence? Her face was wet and red, her eyes full of distress.

• a. delight
• b. extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain

8. Which sentence best describes the plot of the story?

• a. Doris wanted to keep the abandoned puppy she found, but her parents would not allow it.
• b. Doris’s father made so little money that pets were out of the question.

9. What was the first sign in the story that Mr. Lacey is sensitive to the dog’s feelings?

• a. Mr. Lacey did not take the dog to the pound right away.
• b. Mr. Lacey allowed the dog to sleep in the basement.

10. Which excerpt below does not include evidence that life is difficult for the Laceys?

• a. The woman was sensitive about throwing out food.
• b. “I wouldn’t leave an ant in that place,” he said.