May Testing Practice Quiz

Select two statements that describe the themes found in "Knock, Knock: What's Funny?"

• Honesty is always the best policy

• It is important to always be yourself

• A little bit of laughter goes a long way.

• Keep your family close but your friends closer.

How does the author develop Ava's character?

• by how she interacts with others in the dialogue

• by how she talks about the other characters in the dialogue

• by descriptions of her physical appearance in the stage directions

• by descriptions of her thoughts and actions in the stage descriptions

Read the excerpt from the play.

AVA: Yes, it was so chilly that— (She deliberately stops mid-sentence and sips her water.)

DEE: What was that, dear?

AVA: Nothing, um, just that I had to wear my heavy sweater. (paragraph 4-6)

Which word could replace the word deliberately without changing the meaning of the sentence?

• easily

• indirectly

• intentionally

• unconsciously

Read the excerpt from the play.

SETTING: Ava's colorful, neat bedroom. The girls sit on Ava's bedroom floor. They're all on their phones, simultaneously reading and talking. (paragraph 15)

Which word or phrase could replace the word simultaneously without changing the meaning of the sentence?

• concurrently

• sporadically

• secretly

• mindlessly

Read the excerpt from the play.

DEE: What could be wrong about being funny or silly?

AVA: Some families are more serious about life. They discuss things as they are without painting what happens in different colors.

JON: So, what you’re saying is we’re bland, like milk or eggs. (paragraph 51-53)

Which word could replace the word bland without changing the meaning of the sentence?

• weak

• unappealing

• flat

• boring

How do the words formal, private, and quietly affect the tone in the beginning of the play?

• They create a serious tone

• They create an energetic

• They create a mysterious tone.

• They create a disengaged tone.

How do the phrases "colorful, neat" and "sit on Ava's bedroom floor" in Scene 2 differ from the mood in Scene 1 which has phrases like, "formal" and "quietly"?

• They reveal a shift in the mood from serious to casual.

• They reveal a shift in the mood from energetic to relaxed.

• They reveal a shift in the mood from disengaged to engaged.

• They reveal a shift in the mood from mysterious to comfortable.

Based on Ava's behavior at the beginning of the play, what does she believe her parents value most?

• charisma

• honesty

• intelligence

• seriousness

How does the setting develop the theme in the play?

• Ava's bedroom is a place where Ava can relax and be herself. Her parents overhear her telling her friends jokes.

• Ava's friends get stuck at her house because of her snow, so Ava's parents see her silly personality.

• The snow day inspires Ava to tell her parents a few jokes. This makes Ava realize that they appreciate her sense of humor.

• The formal dining room stifles Ava's personality until her parents invite her friends over for dinner and she is able to showcase her acting skills.

What effect does Ava acting silly have on the play?

• It creates excitement.

• It creates humor.

• It creates tension.

• It creates mystery.