Plot Devices

When a narrator interrupts a plot to describe a part of the story that happened in the past, it is called _____________.

• foreshadowing
• flashback
• suspense
• cliffhanger

A series of events of plot points that causes the reader to feel anxious are used to build __________.

• foreshadowing
• flashback
• suspense
• cliffhanger

A technique called ______________ gives the reader a clue about what will happen later in the story.

• foreshadowing
• flashback
• suspense
• cliffhanger

A _____________________ is a story device that leaves the reader wondering what will happen next.

• foreshadowing
• flashback
• cliffhanger
• suspense

For the passage, determine which story device is being used.Carlos laughed when he thought about how scared he was in the haunted house at the carnival last year.  HE had no way of knowing he was about to face a fright that wasn't meant to be fun.

• foreshadowing
• 
  flashback
• suspense
• cliffhanger

For the passage, determine which story device is being used
.  Cassie poised at the end of the diving board, ready to plunge into the water.  Suddenly, she was five years old again, standing on the edge of a dock and falling backward, unable to control her fall, and unable to swim.

• foreshadowing
• flashback
• suspense
• cliffhanger

Lee approached the teacher's desk.  He held his forged note in his hand.  If she believed his mother had writtin it, he would get another day to finish his book report.  If she didn't believe it, he would probably end up in detention.  The teacher studied the note and finally looked up.  She sighed and began to speak.

• foreshadowing
• flashback
• suspense
• cliffhanger

Suddenly, Timothy noticed that all the birds had stopped singing.  The air was very still, and not a single branch moved on a single tree.  He looked up at the sky.  In the distance, he saw a funnel cloud forming.  He thought he might have about ten minutes to get home before getting caught in the tornado.  He began to run, his feet pounding on the pavement.  He could hear the wind begin to howl behind him.  Finally, he dove through the front door of his house and tumbled down the stairs.

• foreshadowing
• flashback
• suspense
• cliffhanger

The family gathered around the television to watch the lottery drawing.  The TV announcer drew the first number and said, "6."  Mom yelled, "Six! We have six!" The announcer drew the second number, "10." Mom yelled again, "Yes! We have ten!"  The announcer said, "And the final number is...." Suddenly the TV went black and the room plunged into darkness. "The last number! What is the last number?" exclaimed Mom.

• foreshadowing
• flashback
• suspense
• cliffhanger

As the old men watched the boys playing baseball in the vacant lot, he thought back to his own boyhood and the friends he's had in his home town.  They'd cleared debris and stray bushes from a lot and built their own baseball diamond, complete with an elevated pitcher's mound.  The old man remembered the feeling of standing on that mound, exchanging signals with the catchers, and winding up to throw a pitch.

• foreshadowing
• flashback
• suspense
• cliffhanger