Every day after work Paul took his muddy boots off on the steps of the front porch.  Alice would have a fit if the boots made it so far as the welcome mat.  He then took off his dusty overalls and threw them into a plastic garbage bag; Alice left a new garbage bag tied to the porch railing for him every morning.  On his way in the house, he dropped the garbage bag off at the washing machine and went straight up the stairs to the shower as he was instructed.  He would eat dinner with her after he was "presentable," as Alice had often said.  
Based on the text, how do you know Paul works in construction?

Crack!  Thunder struck and rain poured.  Max stared blankly out the window, trying to contain his emotions that raged like the weather.  He was beginning to lose it.  Dropping the kite from his hand, Max broke out into full sob.  His mother comforted him, "There, there, Max.  We'll just find something else to do."  She began to unpack the picnic basket that was on the counter and offered him a sandwich.  Max snapped, "I don't wanna sand-mich!"  A flash from the sky lit up the living room.  Boom!  Mom sighed.
Why is Max upset?

Crack!  Thunder struck and rain poured.  Max stared blankly out the window, trying to contain his emotions that raged like the weather.  He was beginning to lose it.  Dropping the kite from his hand, Max broke out into full sob.  His mother comforted him, "There, there, Max.  We'll just find something else to do."  She began to unpack the picnic basket that was on the counter and offered him a sandwich.  Max snapped, "I don't wanna sand-mich!"  A flash from the sky lit up the living room.  Boom!  Mom sighed.
What was Mom planning on doing with Max today?

Which piece of evidence could be used to BEST support this claim:
High school students should be required to wear uniforms.

It's no surprise that exercise enhances energy. The physical challenge primes your body. Blood sugar is more readily converted to fuel. Greater amounts of oxygen are supplied to your cells. Fight-or-flight hormones are released. Instead of leaving you depleted, exercise invigorates. One way to get the body going is an early morning or late afternoon exercise routine. It's perfect for a pick-me-up.
What can the reader infer from this paragraph?

“A dare is a dare,” Ben heard his friend Tony say behind him as he walked up the creaking steps.
The October wind started blowing harder the closer Ben got to the front door. Old, grey wood covered in spider webs surrounded him.
There’s no way out this now, he thought. Why did I make up that story in the first place?
“Come on, man!” Tony called to Ben. “I don’t have all day!”
Ben glanced down at the rusted, metal door handle. He could see teeny bumps covering his skin like the chicken he sometimes saw his mom making for dinner.
He closed his eyes, grabbed the cold, metal handle, and pushed the door open.
The author focuses on the thoughts and feelings of only one character. By doing so, the author helps the reader understand

What clues best show Second person POV? 

The point of view where the narrator is telling his or her own story. Uses words such as I, me, we, our, etc.

Conflict that involves an outside force

When a character changes throughout a story due to the events of the plot, he or she is considered to be a 

"True love can conquer anything" is an example of a story's what?

The type of conflict that involves one's battle within one's self.

"I'd catch a grenade for ya."

"Hello from the other side
I must have called a thousand times."
Is an example of...

"My heart's a stereo"

"The stars will cry."

"My life has been a ship sailing sea to sea."

"You, with your voice like nails"

A word’s denotation is its dictionary definition. But a word can also evoke certain thoughts and feelings. The thoughts and feelings associated with a certain word are called the connotation of the word. Words with the same denotation can have different connotations. Connotations can be positive, negative or neutral.
Which of the following has a positive connotation?

Which of the following has a negative connotation?

Which of the following has a positive connotation?

There is a legal battle raging and the judges are concerned that time is running out. Lawyers are being asked to expedite the matter by getting their paperwork in early. What does “expedite” mean?

We walked slowly down the trail with great trepidation. No one who had gone this way had ever been heard from again. Had they simply found a better place to settle on this dark planet? We doubted that. Which word is a synonym of “trepidation”?

No one suspected that Jerry was a spy. On the surface he behaved like any normal citizen. When his covert activity was discovered and announced to the world, we were all shocked. What does covert mean?

The boys wanted pizza, _________ they looked up the number for Marcos.

You can come with us if you are ready; ________________ you will have to ride the bus.

Myra and her team didn't finish the project; _____________ they did work hard.

There is no practice tonight; ____________ there has been no practice all week.