wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

NEW

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Oranges

Total questions: 12

Worksheet time: 24mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

In “Oranges,” what problem must the speaker solve?

a)

He cannot figure out the best way to meet a girl he likes.

b)

He does not like the girl but is forced to spend time with her

c)

He has trouble staying warm because he does not have a heavy coat.

d)

He does not have enough money to pay for the candy the girl chooses.

2.

In “Oranges,” why does the speaker put one orange on the counter of the drugstore?

a)

He wants to throw it away because it isn't ripe.

b)

He wants to give it to the girl he brought to the store.

c)

He wants to use it to help pay for the candy the girl chooses.

d)

He wants to be friendly by giving the unfriendly saleslady a gift.

3.

Read these lines from “Oranges.” Then, choose the answer that gives the most likely definition of released, based on the context clues.

I took my girl’s hand

In mine for two blocks,

Then released it to let

Her unwrap the chocolate

a)

helped

b)

let go of

c)

squeezed

d)

played with

4.

The word bright has several meanings. Which meaning does the author use in these lines from “Oranges”? Use context clues to help you.

I peeled my orange

That was so bright against

The gray of December

That, from some distance,

Someone might have thought

I was making a fire in my hands.

a)

very cheerful

b)

filled with light

c)

intelligent or clever

d)

having a strong color

5.

The following question has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B.

Part A What does the context suggest is the most likely meaning of tiered in these lines from “Oranges”?

I turned to the candies

Tiered like bleachers,

And asked what she wanted -

Light in her eyes, a smile

Starting at the corners

Of her mouth.

a)

arranged according to length

b)

lined up side by side, based on color

c)

arranged in rows one above the other

d)

presented in a variety of arrangements

6.

Part A answer: Tiered means arranged in rows one above the other.

Part B Which group of words from these lines best supports the answer to Part A?

I turned to the candies

Tiered like bleachers,

And asked what she wanted -

Light in her eyes, a smile

Starting at the corners

Of her mouth.

a)

the candies

b)

like bleachers

c)

her eyes, a smile

d)

at the corners

7.

The following question has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B.

Part A Which statement about the speaker in “Oranges” is most likely true?

a)

He lives in a city but dislikes the winters there.

b)

He is hungry but is willing to let the girl eat first.

c)

He is a preteen and is becoming interested in girls.

d)

He feels nervous around animals in the neighborhood.

8.

Part A Answer: The Speaker likely is a preteen and is becoming interested in girls.

Which quotation from the poem best supports the answer to Part A?

a)

The first time I walked / With a girl, I was twelve….

b)

A dog barked at me, until / She came out pulling / At her gloves…

c)

…And when she lifted a chocolate / …I didn’t say anything.

d)

...Fog hanging like old / Coats between the trees.

9.

The following question has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B.

Part A Which word best describes the saleslady in “Oranges”?

a)

unhelpful

b)

suspicious

c)

judgmental

d)

understanding

10.

Part A Answer: The saleslady was understanding.

Part B When in “Oranges” do you learn this about the saleslady's character?

a)

when she comes down the aisle at the sound of the bell

b)

when her eyes meet the speaker’s eyes in a certain way

c)

when the girl chooses a piece of chocolate that costs a dime

d)

when the girl eats the chocolate the speaker has bought for her

11.

Which sentence best explains how this description from “Oranges” contributes to the overall meaning of the poem?

I peeled my orange

That was so bright against

The gray of December

That, from some distance,

Someone might have thought

I was making a fire in my hands

a)

It emphasizes the role that the cold plays in the poem

b)

It suggests that the speaker has failed to impress the girl.

c)

It presents a plot twist that ends the story told in the poem.

d)

. It reflects the speaker's feelings of satisfaction and adoration.

12.

Which of the following best describes the setting of “Oranges”?

a)

summer, in a park

b)

fall, by the ocean

c)

spring, in a store

d)

winter, in a city