Who are the characters in this passage? Jeri was amazed at the number of animals in the shelter. As she passed a striped kitten, she sighed. She really wanted a dog, but she wasn't certain that her dad would allow her to have one. A woman dressed in jeans and a hoodie appeared. She smiled at Jeri and set her clipboard down. "Can I help you?" she asked.

Serena had clipped her hair back, but it needed to be brushed. Her shirt was wrinkled, and her jeans were torn. What clues help the reader infer she is sloppy?

Tony had never snowboarded before, but that didn't stop him from trying. He leaped onto his board and shot forward. (Reader's Inference: Tony is courageous—he seems like a person who's eager to try new things.) What type of clue does the reader use?

Looking at the river, Ronnie saw that the water was already rising. It would soon be too dangerous to cross. Picking up his bike, he began to walk carefully across the slippery rocks. Nothing will keep me from seeing Letisha again, Ronnie thought to himself. Not even a flood.

The writer shows Ronnie's traits by describing—

Al was usually silent and moody, and today was no exception. He blamed today's foul mood on his most recent argument with his mother. Direct or indirect characterization?

Emily looked at her neighbor, Mr. Winston, and smiled. Direct or indirect characterization?

Read the passage again. Looking at the river, Ronnie saw that the water was already rising. It would soon be too dangerous to cross. Picking up his bike, he began to walk carefully across the slippery rocks. Nothing will keep me from seeing Letisha again, Ronnie thought to himself. Not even a flood. How would I describe this person? What are Ronnie's character traits?

Kristie is hungry for attention. She's constantly cracking jokes and making crazy faces. Deep down, though, she's really just insecure. Direct or indirect?

"We'll make it," Ginny said, spreading out the map. She was a smart hiker—clever, too. The others were happy to gather around. "We can get to camp by sunset," Ginny said. "Let's go," they replied. Ginny's green eyes sparkled. "OK, then," she announced. "Let's do it!" Ginny was confident in her plan.

Which of Ginny's traits is NOT directly stated?

Does the writer directly tell you about Tony's personality?

Behind Tony's innocent eyes lay the mind of the state's most aggressive and ruthless chess player.

Does the writer directly tell you about Tony's personality?

Tony stared at Jack's photo. Jack was a star athlete. He got top grades in everything. He now had a high-paying job. Tony tore the photo to shreds.

"Hey, did you hear? There's a plan to build a basketball court in our neighborhood!" said Jerome.

Chris just shrugged. "So what? You know I'm a skateboarder. If it's not a skateboard park, they can forget about it." Based on his speech, how would you describe Chris?

Lori's thoughts churned angrily in her mind: Dan is responsible for my twisted ankle. If it doesn't heal by next week, I won't play in the game. That's so unfair! As she thought about her situation, Lori vowed never to forgive her brother.

Which method of characterization does the passage use?

Grandma left me a lot of money, Sheila thought. Now I can buy Uncle Nick a decent car and put his kids through college. I'm glad to help them! Behind her back, Sheila's cousins whispered, "Why do you think Sheila got all that money? She was the only one who acted like she cared about Grandma all these years."

You can infer that Sheila is—

At summer camp, Rosa loved water sports. Deanne, who was in the same cabin, enjoyed the craft activities. At dinnertime, these cabin mates told each other about the things they'd done that day.

Is there an external conflict?

Soon after Gwen and Avery entered the essay contest, high tension arose. The competition was on! Avery believed he was the better writer; Gwen believed she was.

Is there an external conflict?

"How's it going, Moe?" greeted Andy. "I just saw that ‘Summer Job' sign, so I'm here to fill out an application." Moe frowned. "Well, you can forget about it. I'm about to turn in my application." "Doesn't sound like you've got a lock on it to me," said Andy. "I'll submit mine, too."

Why is there a conflict between Andy and Moe?

Linda knew her story was good—and funny. She had really captured the personality of her classmate Anita. The story showed all of Anita's annoying qualities. Suddenly, Linda felt a pang of guilt. What if Mr. Patterson made her read her story aloud? How would Anita feel? Linda didn't know what to do.

Linda's internal conflict stems from her—

The rivalry between Chu and Jin made Chu uncomfortable. Jin talked loudly and quickly as he worked math questions. He jumped up and waved papers in the air when he was finished. Chu worked quickly but preferred to figure things out quietly and without fuss. One student would represent each school at the state math competition. Mrs. Dowd sent for Chu and Jin. "Are you sure that you don't want to go?" she asked Chu with a worried smile. "I'm sure," said Chu. "Jin's math skills are good, and he'll represent us well."

The resolution happens because of—