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Short Story Elements

Total questions: 11

Worksheet time: 19mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which is NOT an example of setting?

a)

Deserted Island--Five Years Ago

b)

Honolulu, Hawaii--Present Day

c)

Mexico City--400 years ago

d)

Planet Mars--1000 years in the future

e)

All of these are examples of settings

2.

Which is not a part of the Plot Diagram/Summary/Freytag's Pyramic?

a)

Exposition

b)

Conflict

c)

Rising Action

d)

Climax

e)

Short Story

3.

Which part of the story's plot usually introduces the characters and setting?

a)

Exposition (beginning)

b)

Climax (middle)

c)

Resolution (end)

d)

None of these

4.

Which point of view makes the narrator a character in the story?

a)

third-person omniscient: he, she, they, him, her, it/narrator knows all characters' thoughts and feelings

b)

third-person limited: he, she, they, him, her, it/narrator tells the story from the actions of the characters but does not know what characters are thinking and feeling

c)

second-person: you; narrator tells the story from the actions of the characters but does not know what characters are thinking and feeling

d)

first-person: I, me, narrator knows own thoughts and feelings but not those of the other characters

5.

(1) In the summer, Jenna went to the town pool with her brother Jake nearly every day. (2) The pool was open to all town residents. (3) Nevertheless, very few adults went in the pool. (4) Mrs. Dillard was an exception. (5) A middle-aged woman, she came to the pool almost daily–always alone. (6) Jenna did not like Mrs. Dillard. (7) She complained when Jenna and her friends splashed too much as they dove off the diving board, and she complained when Jake and his younger friends made too much noise playing Marco Polo. (8) Jenna thought someone with so many complaints had no business hanging around a pool full of kids. (9) When the old woman swam by, Jenna stuck her tongue out behind her back, making all her friends laugh. (10) Then, one day as he sat by the pool, Jake let out a terrible scream. (11) Jenna ran over to see what was wrong and realized that a wasp had stung him. (12) Neither she nor the lifeguards knew what to do. (13) But Mrs. Dillard came over with a special medicine that she put on the sting, and soon Jake was back to his old self. (14) After that, Jenna knew that she would never again make fun of Mrs. Dillard.


What is the MAIN conflict of this passage? What is this passage mostly about?

a)

Jenna's struggle to take care of her brother

b)

Jenna's struggle with her attitude toward Mrs. Dillard

c)

Mrs. Dillard learning to swim

d)

Mrs. Dillard saving Jake

6.

(1) In the summer, Jenna went to the town pool with her brother Jake nearly every day. (2) The pool was open to all town residents. (3) Nevertheless, very few adults went in the pool. (4) Mrs. Dillard was an exception. (5) A middle-aged woman, she came to the pool almost daily–always alone. (6) Jenna did not like Mrs. Dillard. (7) She complained when Jenna and her friends splashed too much as they dove off the diving board, and she complained when Jake and his younger friends made too much noise playing Marco Polo. (8) Jenna thought someone with so many complaints had no business hanging around a pool full of kids. (9) When the old woman swam by, Jenna stuck her tongue out behind her back, making all her friends laugh. (10) Then, one day as he sat by the pool, Jake let out a terrible scream. (11) Jenna ran over to see what was wrong and realized that a wasp had stung him. (12) Neither she nor the lifeguards knew what to do. (13) But Mrs. Dillard came over with a special medicine that she put on the sting, and soon Jake was back to his old self. (14) After that, Jenna knew that she would never again make fun of Mrs. Dillard.


Which part of the plot is sentence 1?

a)

Exposition

b)

Rising Action

c)

Climax

d)

Falling Action

7.

(1) In the summer, Jenna went to the town pool with her brother Jake nearly every day. (2) The pool was open to all town residents. (3) Nevertheless, very few adults went in the pool. (4) Mrs. Dillard was an exception. (5) A middle-aged woman, she came to the pool almost daily–always alone. (6) Jenna did not like Mrs. Dillard. (7) She complained when Jenna and her friends splashed too much as they dove off the diving board, and she complained when Jake and his younger friends made too much noise playing Marco Polo. (8) Jenna thought someone with so many complaints had no business hanging around a pool full of kids. (9) When the old woman swam by, Jenna stuck her tongue out behind her back, making all her friends laugh. (10) Then, one day as he sat by the pool, Jake let out a terrible scream. (11) Jenna ran over to see what was wrong and realized that a wasp had stung him. (12) Neither she nor the lifeguards knew what to do. (13) But Mrs. Dillard came over with a special medicine that she put on the sting, and soon Jake was back to his old self. (14) After that, Jenna knew that she would never again make fun of Mrs. Dillard.


Where does the climax (big BOOM of the story) of the story take place?

a)

Sentences 1-4

b)

Sentences 5-6

c)

Sentences 7-9

d)

Sentences 10-12

e)

Sentences 13-14

8.

(1) In the summer, Jenna went to the town pool with her brother Jake nearly every day. (2) The pool was open to all town residents. (3) Nevertheless, very few adults went in the pool. (4) Mrs. Dillard was an exception. (5) A middle-aged woman, she came to the pool almost daily–always alone. (6) Jenna did not like Mrs. Dillard. (7) She complained when Jenna and her friends splashed too much as they dove off the diving board, and she complained when Jake and his younger friends made too much noise playing Marco Polo. (8) Jenna thought someone with so many complaints had no business hanging around a pool full of kids. (9) When the old woman swam by, Jenna stuck her tongue out behind her back, making all her friends laugh. (10) Then, one day as he sat by the pool, Jake let out a terrible scream. (11) Jenna ran over to see what was wrong and realized that a wasp had stung him. (12) Neither she nor the lifeguards knew what to do. (13) But Mrs. Dillard came over with a special medicine that she put on the sting, and soon Jake was back to his old self. (14) After that, Jenna knew that she would never again make fun of Mrs. Dillard.


What change or insight does the resolution of the story contain?

a)

Mrs. Dillard realizes she has been too grouchy.

b)

Jake learns to live with the pain of the wasp sting.

c)

Jenna changes her opinion of Mrs. Dillard.

d)

Jenna realizes that she needs to take better care of her brother.

9.

(1) In the summer, Jenna went to the town pool with her brother Jake nearly every day. (2) The pool was open to all town residents. (3) Nevertheless, very few adults went in the pool. (4) Mrs. Dillard was an exception. (5) A middle-aged woman, she came to the pool almost daily–always alone. (6) Jenna did not like Mrs. Dillard. (7) She complained when Jenna and her friends splashed too much as they dove off the diving board, and she complained when Jake and his younger friends made too much noise playing Marco Polo. (8) Jenna thought someone with so many complaints had no business hanging around a pool full of kids. (9) When the old woman swam by, Jenna stuck her tongue out behind her back, making all her friends laugh. (10) Then, one day as he sat by the pool, Jake let out a terrible scream. (11) Jenna ran over to see what was wrong and realized that a wasp had stung him. (12) Neither she nor the lifeguards knew what to do. (13) But Mrs. Dillard came over with a special medicine that she put on the sting, and soon Jake was back to his old self. (14) After that, Jenna knew that she would never again make fun of Mrs. Dillard.


What kind of conflict is presented in the passage? Who/what is Jenna in conflict with throughout this passage?

a)

Character v Society

b)

Character v Nature

c)

Character v Self

d)

Character v Character

10.

(1) In the summer, Jenna went to the town pool with her brother Jake nearly every day. (2) The pool was open to all town residents. (3) Nevertheless, very few adults went in the pool. (4) Mrs. Dillard was an exception. (5) A middle-aged woman, she came to the pool almost daily–always alone. (6) Jenna did not like Mrs. Dillard. (7) She complained when Jenna and her friends splashed too much as they dove off the diving board, and she complained when Jake and his younger friends made too much noise playing Marco Polo. (8) Jenna thought someone with so many complaints had no business hanging around a pool full of kids. (9) When the old woman swam by, Jenna stuck her tongue out behind her back, making all her friends laugh. (10) Then, one day as he sat by the pool, Jake let out a terrible scream. (11) Jenna ran over to see what was wrong and realized that a wasp had stung him. (12) Neither she nor the lifeguards knew what to do. (13) But Mrs. Dillard came over with a special medicine that she put on the sting, and soon Jake was back to his old self. (14) After that, Jenna knew that she would never again make fun of Mrs. Dillard.


What point of view does this story use?

a)

first person (I, me)

b)

second person (you)

c)

third person (she, him, they)

11.

(1) In the summer, Jenna went to the town pool with her brother Jake nearly every day. (2) The pool was open to all town residents. (3) Nevertheless, very few adults went in the pool. (4) Mrs. Dillard was an exception. (5) A middle-aged woman, she came to the pool almost daily–always alone. (6) Jenna did not like Mrs. Dillard. (7) She complained when Jenna and her friends splashed too much as they dove off the diving board, and she complained when Jake and his younger friends made too much noise playing Marco Polo. (8) Jenna thought someone with so many complaints had no business hanging around a pool full of kids. (9) When the old woman swam by, Jenna stuck her tongue out behind her back, making all her friends laugh. (10) Then, one day as he sat by the pool, Jake let out a terrible scream. (11) Jenna ran over to see what was wrong and realized that a wasp had stung him. (12) Neither she nor the lifeguards knew what to do. (13) But Mrs. Dillard came over with a special medicine that she put on the sting, and soon Jake was back to his old self. (14) After that, Jenna knew that she would never again make fun of Mrs. Dillard.


From whose point of view is the story being told?

a)

Narrator

b)

The Kids

c)

Mrs. Dillard