A Chance in the World

The author justifies deception and stealing by —

• explaining that he used dishonest methods to cope with the Robinsons’ abuse

• suggesting that his young age excused him from responsibility for his actions

• saying that it was the only way to attract the Robinsons’ attention

• emphasizing how carefully he thought through his schemes

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

The Robinsons’ rules for the author during this period of his life cause him to —

• rebel against all kinds of authority

• equate reading with painful memories

• value books because they are forbidden

• report the Robinsons to the authorities

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.9

CCSS.RI.9-10.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.9

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

CCSS.RL.K.6

Read the excerpt from paragraph 10. I loved the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves of the large oak, the smell of freshly cut grass brought on by neighborhood lawn mowers, the cacophony of birds that twittered as they flew by, the bumblebees that hovered by my head before moving on to more interesting things. What is the effect of the sensory details in this excerpt?

• They distract the reader from unpleasant experiences the author describes.

• They allow the reader to imagine the setting the author is describing.

• They foreshadow future significant events in the author’s life.

• They emphasize how much time the author spends outside.

Tags

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

Read the sentence from paragraph 32. I became a fearless explorer, a brilliant scientist, and a master riddle solver. Which form of the word explorer is a verb?

• Explore

• Exploration

• Explorative

• Exploratory

Tags

CCSS.RF.3.3B

CCSS.RF.3.3C

CCSS.RF.3.3D

CCSS.RF.4.3A

CCSS.RF.5.3A

Read the excerpt from paragraph 32. My books became my shelter, protecting me as the Robinsons’ slings and arrows rained overhead. Which idea is the author conveying through this use of metaphor?

• Reading makes living with the Robinsons bearable.

• He builds forts in the cellar where he hides and reads.

• The books give him the strength to stand up for himself.

• He uses the books as a shield when the Robinsons attack.

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

How do Mrs. Levin’s books provide Steve with the “chance” the babysitter and others said he didn’t have?

• They show him how different his life is from most people’s.

• They allow him to use his imagination for the first time in his life.

• They give him hope and provide a way to deal with his current situation.

• They inspire him to become an author and write about his experiences.

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.9

CCSS.RI.9-10.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.9

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

CCSS.RL.K.6

The author thinks the Robinsons are —

• cheap

• cruel

• greedy

• insincere

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RI. 9-10.6

CCSS.RI.8.6

CCSS.RI.8.9

CCSS.RL.9-10.6

Which excerpt from the selection best supports the answer to Part A?

• I settled into a routine at the house on Arnold Street, to the degree one can ever become comfortable with monsters who disguise themselves as human beings. (paragraph 1)

• From time to time, they would realize that they had come up a bag or two short and would fume at the person who had bagged their groceries. (paragraph 4)

• These abandoned items had served their purpose, but the Robinsons held on to them, believing that someday someone foolish enough to value them would come along and take them off their hands. (paragraph 7)

• “Stevie!” Betty said, the sweet, melodic voice, and use of a nickname, telling me that she was “onstage.” (paragraph 22)

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

Choose the phrase that uses the correct punctuation to introduce a quote in the underlined section in the sentence below.

I felt sympathy for Steve when I was reading this story, especially when he writes “One way I dealt with these monsters was to become a thief, and a very good one at that.”

• especially when he writes,

• especially when he writes;

• especially when he writes . . .

• correct as is

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

Which two strategies help the author survive the part of his life described in the selection?

• Learning to forgive the Robinsons

  Scrounging and stealing food to stay fed

• Reaching out for help from Mrs. Levin

  Scrounging and stealing food to stay fed

• Scrounging and stealing food to stay fed

  Telling social workers about the cellar and lack of food

• Telling social workers about the cellar and lack of food

  Learning to forgive the Robinsons

• Reading stories that help him understand his experiences

  Scrounging and stealing food to stay fed

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RI.7.2