The Echoing Cave - Making Inferences in Literary Text (Grade 7)

In the first paragraph, Conner says, 'Come on, Jesse. Don’t you want a real adventure?' This is the explicit reason he gives for entering the cave.

The phrase 'my gut says' indicates that Jesse is relying on his feelings or intuition. His hesitation and reference to the warning sign show that he is a cautious person.

The passage states that after walking for a long time, 'Conner’s flashlight beam hit a solid wall of rock. A dead end.' This is the direct consequence and proof that they chose the wrong path.

The passage explicitly states Jesse's plan: 'We need to be quiet and listen. Maybe we can hear which way the echo sounds loudest. That should be the way back to the main cavern.'

At the start, Conner is confident, saying 'Left feels right' and 'Don't be a baby.' After they hit the dead end, his voice 'trembled' and he asks, 'Jesse… what do we do?', showing he is now scared and looking to someone else for a solution.

The 'Choices' are actions the characters decided to take. The 'Consequences' are the results or events that happened because of those choices. Going past the sign was a choice, which led to the consequence of being in the damp, cold cave. Choosing the left path was a choice, which led to the consequence of a dead end.

Conner's first line is meant to persuade Jesse by appealing to adventure. Jesse's line shows his worry. Conner's command to 'Follow me' dismisses Jesse's concerns with overconfidence. Finally, Conner's question at the end reveals his fear and inability to solve the problem he created.