The Ravine Reading Check

At the start of the story, what does the reader learn is significant about the ravine?

• It's where Vinny and his friends like to swim.

• It's where Vinny and his friends first met in kindergarten.

• It's where a missing boy may have drowned.

• It's a dangerous place, but it's where Vinny dared his friends to go.

In the beginning of the story, what does Joe-Boy tease Vinny about the most?

• Vinny's fear of the possibly dead boy.

• Vinny's clumsiness and dropping his towel in the mud.

• The fact that no one wants Vinny to be there.

• Vinny's secret crush on Starlene.

How does Vinny feel about the missing boy Butchie?

• Guilty

• Unbothered

• Upset and Scared

• Angry and Resentful

Which quote from the story best supports the correct answer to #3?

• "Joe-Boy's an idiot. Sure I'm going to jump."

• "Vinny felt at peace. Totally calm and at peace."

• "He waved to Vinny, grinning like a fool, then followed Starlene up the zigzag trail."

• "Vinny winced. He didn't want to be here. It was too soon, way too soon. Two weeks and one day."

How does Vinny feel when the group first gets to the pond?

• jealous of Starlene and Joe-Boy

• excited to jump off the waterfall ledge

• fearful because Mo threatened to beat Vinny up if he doesn't

• hesitant because of where and how the boy died

In paragraph 50, it is clear that Vinny’s mother wants him to stay away from the pond...

• but his friends push him to go.

• and his father will ground him for going.

• because she knows his friends are too reckless.

• because it is a privately owned part of the island.

Who has more influence over Vinny's decisions? How do you know?

• His mother. She doesn't want Vinny to go to the ravine so, he listens so as to not upset her.

• Butchie. Vinny thinks Butchie died when jumping off of the cliff, so he refuses to watch his friends jump as well.

• The goddess. Vinny is frightened of the haunted pond so he avoids the ravine all together.

Why is Vinny afraid when Starlene climbs the zigzag trail?

• He fears his mother will find out he went to the pond with Starlene and punish him for hanging out with a girl.

• He fears Starlene will get hurt jumping from the big ledge.

• He is afraid Stalene will slip and fall on her way up the zigzag trail.

• He is afraid Joe-boy will push Starlene off of the edge.

What does Starlene say she believes happened to the missing boy?

• He died in the ravine.

• He died in the waterfall.

• He was taken by a goddess.

• He was scared away by a ghost.

Climbing the trail to the high ledge, Vinny is plagued by thoughts of...

• Starlene jumping.

• the stone goddess.

• his parents and his dog.

• the dead boy in the ravine.