Determine the Theme

Self-Portrait

Alia was dismayed to find herself in the drawing studio. She had been sick with the flu during the week when everyone else got to pick their classes. She had hoped for Astronomy or Marine Biology, but they were full by the time she got to choose. She loved everything about science, from the way it used facts and formulas to how it revealed the basic nature of things. But art was so . . .un-scientific.

The first class project was self-portraits. Some students were drawing self-portraits using mirrors. Others were working from photographs. Alia glanced at the incomplete sketches, feeling like a cat in a dog show.

The teacher came up to Alia's easel and sat next to her.

"Every portrait begins with a circle," he said. "Then you create a series of lines."

To demonstrate, he drew a group of small, quick portraits. He began each one with a circle, some straight lines, and a triangle to determine where the eyes, nose, and chin should go. Alia had never thought about it, but the features of everyone's face were in the same spots.

Hesitantly, Alia began her own self-portrait. She drew the basic form of a head, the way she had been shown. From there, she used lines to plot the features of her face. The process took patience and precision. She had to take note of each detail. One wrong measurement could throw off the whole portrait.

Alia was surprised by the structure and discipline involved in drawing a portrait. Measuring, studying details, revealing the basic nature of something—it reminded her of what she loved about science.

Which of the following best describes the main theme or lesson of the story?

• Don't assume you won't like something until you try it.

• It's important to know what your strengths are.

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

The Tradition

Luis's whole family gathered every June to celebrate Grandpa's birthday. Before everyone sat down to eat, each person had to recite a personal story they had about Grandpa. Some family members told the same story year after year. Luis, for example, had his usual story about the time Grandpa taught him how to take care of a vegetable garden.

The stories were a tradition, and now that most of the grandchildren were old enough to participate, the tradition could go on for quite a while. Last year, it took three hours. Luis battled the need to yawn as he listened to all the familiar old tales.

This year, Uncle Frank and Aunt Teresa had dinner ready early and called everyone to eat.

"What about the stories?" Luis asked.

"There's just not enough time this year, with so many people," Uncle Frank said.

As he sat down at the long dining room table, Luis was relieved. Yet he also felt a pang of disappointment. In the absence of the tradition, Grandpa's birthday felt like any other holiday the family shared.

Luis eyed the platter of chiles rellenos. "You know, I wouldn't know how to pick a pepper right if it wasn't for Grandpa," he mused.

"I wouldn't know how to drive a car," said Aunt Teresa.

"I wouldn't have known how to turn a paperclip into a safety pin," added Uncle Felix. "That sure saved the day at Edna's wedding!" Everyone laughed and smiled at each other at the reminder of that well-known family story.

It was a pleasant birthday. Conversations flowed like water, and the food was superb. But something told Luis that next year, the tradition of telling stories would return.

Which of the following best describes the main theme or lesson of the story?

• Traditions can bring people together in unique ways.

• A person cannot control the way traditions come and go over time.

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

Going the Distance

Riya spent the first week of high school trying to keep her head above water. She was overwhelmed by the huge building. She decided that she would memorize where her classes were and then pretend that the rest of the place didn't exist. All the different hallways and wings were too much to think about, let alone commit to memory.

In P.E., Coach Wallace sent her reeling when he announced that everyone had to run one mile around the track outside.

Riya searched the faces of her classmates for signs of panic. There was nothing she dreaded more than having to run a whole mile. To Riya, a mile was used to describe long distances. It was ten miles to her grandfather's house, and that always seemed like a long way, even in a car!

When Coach Wallace blew his whistle, Riya figured she would be left in the dust. However, while some of her classmates edged ahead, others actually lagged behind. It's just the beginning, she thought. I'll come in last for sure.

Riya started using a mind trick on herself. She stopped thinking about the word mile. Instead, she focused on reaching the shadow cast on the track by an oak tree up ahead. Then she concentrated on jogging to the spot where the track curved. After that, she tried to see if she could complete her first lap. One lap turned into two, then three, then four. When Coach Wallace gave her a high five and said, "Nice work," Riya was shocked. She never would have guessed that she had just run a whole mile.

As Riya walked back to the school building after P.E., she noticed that she felt less overwhelmed by its size. Maybe she would come to know the place, one lap at a time.

Which of the following best describes the main theme or lesson of the story?

• Goals are easier to achieve in small steps.

• Try not to measure yourself against other people.

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2