Understanding Millie's Volleyball Experience

Read this sentence from paragraph 23. In a nanosecond I had to decide whether to tell the truth and risk losing a potential friend, or lie and live with the consequences. Which characteristic of realistic fiction is most evident in this sentence?

• The setting is in a real or true-to-life location.

• The story occurs in a contemporary or near-present time period.

• The events raise questions that a reader could possibly face in everyday life.

• The narrative structure is presented with a definite beginning, middle, and end.

Emily’s willingness to talk to Millie affects the falling action because Millie —

• understands that she needs to be more physically active

• becomes certain that she and Emily will be best friends

• decides that making friends is more important than academic achievements

• realizes that a new friendship depends on a decision she must make

How are the events that occur at the volleyball game an example of irony?

• Getting the ball across the net should have been a success for Millie, but instead, it is a failure because she kicks it.

• Hearing people laugh at her should have made Millie upset, but instead, it makes her more determined to succeed.

• Avoiding eye contact should have caused Millie’s teammates to feel sorry for her, but instead, it causes them to blame her for the outcome of the game.

• Hearing silence in the gym should have made Millie worried, but instead, it allows Millie to momentarily believe she is a successful player.

Based on the interaction between Emily and Millie, what theme does the author develop?

• True friends may have different interests.

• Anger will ruin a friendship unless friends can forgive one another.

• People can become friends despite age differences.

• Friends offer support and understanding when it is needed.

The first-person point of view of this excerpt helps the reader understand how —

• Millie’s attitude affects her teammates

• Millie behaves in the classroom

• Millie’s thoughts are focused on wanting to fit in

• Millie is viewed by other characters

In paragraph 5, what is the most likely reason the author uses figurative language to describe the girl from the opposing team?

• To emphasize that Millie feels weak and helpless on the court

• To show that Millie is smaller than the other girls on the court

• To suggest that the girl has been planning to embarrass Millie since the game started

• To hint that the girl will make a mistake because she is being overconfident

Which sentence best hints that the volleyball game will not end well for Millie?

• If they are really so concerned about me, then they would get me out of volleyball and out of tutoring Stanford Wong. (paragraph 2)

• The game began auspiciously enough with the ball flying back and forth, unless, of course, it came anywhere in my vicinity. (paragraph 4)

• To everyone’s amazement, I sent the ball flying back to enemy territory. (paragraph 7)

• It landed at the feet of the server and then bounced away. (paragraph 7)

How does Millie’s behavior during the volleyball game influence the development of the plot?

• It convinces Millie’s mother that Millie should avoid playing sports.

• It leads the other players on the team to ignore Millie after the game.

• It inspires Emily to want to teach Millie how to be a better player.

• It causes Emily to notice Millie and recognize her discomfort.

What key idea does the author convey through the details in paragraph 23?

• Emily is suspicious of people who seem smarter than she is.

• Millie understands that she needs to participate more in physical education.

• Millie worries that her intelligence will cause people to dislike her.

• Emily is the first friend Millie has made who is the same age as she is.