Last Dance and the Tree

What does the word reminisce mean in paragraph 11 of the story

“Last Dance”?

• To remember past events

• To have doubts

• To judge someone’s actions

• To resolve an issue

What can the reader infer about the narrator based on paragraph 7

of the story “Last Dance”?

• She is angry that Becca has spent the last month busy with

  friends.

• She wonders if her relationship with Becca will change after the

  move.

• She thinks that Becca is happy about leaving home to go to

  college.

• She fears that the nightly tradition is no longer important to

  Becca.

Which sentence from the story “Last Dance” best conveys the

theme?

• We took turns each night picking which song to dance to, and no

  matter what had gone on that day or how mad we would be at

  each other, we would dance. (paragraph 1)

• A few minutes in time-out had not been enough for us to stop

  being angry at each other, so before bedtime our dad took us to

  the living room and turned on his favorite song. (paragraph 2)

• Some hours passed, and I began to get ready for bed, giving up

  on the notion that a last dance party would be happening.

  (paragraph 12)

• I basked in the bittersweet, realizing that these were the

  moments to cherish. (paragraph 20)

Becca and I both started laughing and continued to

dance as our anger crept out of the living room.

What is the most likely reason the author uses personification in

this sentence?

• To suggest that the girls appreciate their dad’s suggestion.

• To show that the girls have forgotten about their argument.

• To highlight the bond the girls have with each other.

• To emphasize the girls’ willingness to work together.

What is a message in the poem “The Tree”?

• Some things in life are not fully appreciated until they are gone.

• The world is sometimes beyond our own understanding.

• Home is where people feel most comfortable to be themselves.

• It is difficult to predict the actions of our neighbors.

Which line from the poem “The Tree” best helps the reader

understand that the speaker is experiencing regret?

• Each evening for a full five minutes, (line 1)

• Upon my neighbor’s house. (line 4)

• That evening the tree was gone, (line 12)

• An emptiness, along the street: (line 15)

How does the author’s use of language in lines 14 through 16

contribute to the mood of the poem “The Tree”?

• By explaining that the speaker is surprised by feelings of

  disappointment.

• By highlighting how the speaker is frustrated with the current

  situation.

• By suggesting that the speaker is uncertain about what will

  happen next.

• By showing that the speaker is experiencing a sense of

  abandonment.

One major DIFFERENCE between the story “Last Dance” and the

poem “The Tree” is that only the story ends with a sense of —

• adventure

• fulfillment

• sympathy

• concern

What is a theme that is present in BOTH the story “Last Dance”

and the poem “The Tree”?

• Have the courage to live life to its fullest.

• Always be prepared to confide in loved ones.

• Have patience when striving to reach a goal.

• Never take for granted the small wonders of daily life.

In what way is the narrator in the story “Last Dance” UNLIKE the

speaker of the poem “The Tree”?

• The narrator spends most of her time alone, but the speaker is

  surrounded by others.

• The narrator has a lot of time to sit and think, but the speaker is

  too busy to take time for reflection.

• The narrator knows her sister has not permanently left home

  yet, but the speaker sees that the tree is already gone.

• The narrator has spent her whole life with her sister, but the

  speaker has only lived by the tree for a short amount of time.