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Worksheets

Characteristics of Genres of Literature

Total questions: 41

Worksheet time: 57mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

A story that takes place in a timeless past;

from all cultures all over the world . . .

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

2.

A story that has a mythical setting and usually a happy ending . . .

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

3.

This story may use real settings and characters; exxagerated but told as if true . . .

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

4.

This story is set in a specific time in the past; embellished characters who are thought to be real . . .

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

5.

This story may have mythical creatures such as dragons or unicorns; the society represented is ruled by royalty. . .

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

6.

This story shows what can happen if you disobey the gods . . .

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

7.

Which of these genres are known for being humorous?

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

8.

"once upon a time"

"happily ever after"

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

9.

Which (sub) genre do these belong to?

Fable, Tall Tale, Legend, Fairy Tale, Myth

(a)  

10.

Which genre are these stories from?

"The Grapes and the Fox," "The Tortoise and the Hare"

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

11.

Which genre are these stories from?

"Prometheus," "Cupid and Psyche"

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

12.

What genre is "Orpheus and Eurydice?"

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

13.

Which genre are these stories from?

"Robin Hood"

"The Knights of the Round Table

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

14.

Which genre are these stories from?

"Hansel and Gretel"

"Sleeping Beauty"

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

15.

Which genre are these stories from?

"The Bundle of Sticks"

"The Dog and his Reflection"

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

16.

Aesop is a famous writer of which genre?

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

17.

The Brother's Grimm are famous writers of which genre?

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

18.

Which genre was originally written for children to scare them into behaving?

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

19.

What genre is Kumak's Fish?

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

20.
A traditional story handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth. Types include fables, myths and fairy tales
a)
mystery
b)
fantasy
c)
folktale
d)
realistic fiction-adventure
21.

The Hard Way Out by Terry Vaughn


In this novel, Brian is struggling. After losing both of his parents in a tragic car accident, Brian is living at his Aunt's house and sharing a room with his cousin. Basketball is his only escape. But after getting benched for low progress report grades, Brian's world shatters. Does he have it in him to improve his grades? Will Brian come to peace with his emotions? Can anyone help him?

a)

Historical Fiction

b)

Realistic Fiction

c)

Drama

d)

Autobiography

22.

Newton's Law by Morton Mallon


After a life of studying the nano-transportation sciences, Professor Melton stumbles upon a major breakthrough. On April 20th, 2042, Melton discovers a way to transport particles at light-speed across fixed distances. Now he can teleport from one location to another. But Professor Melton soon discovers that there is no such thing as a free lunch. He learns that the body ages relative to the distance travelled, not just the time. This means that a teleporting body ages very rapidly. Can Melton solve this problem before his time is up?

a)

Science Fiction

b)

Informational Text

c)

Fantasy

d)

Realistic Fiction

23.

"If a Tree Falls" adapted by Stan Tanner


This is the very short story of a buck. The buck was admiring his horns in the water's reflection and feeling bad about his skinny legs. Then a hunter tries to kill him. As the buck tries to escape, his big horns get stuck in some tree branches, but his skinny legs manage to pull him free. The moral is that what is truly valuable is often unappreciated.

a)

Fairy Tale

b)

Fable

c)

Fantasy

d)

Realistic Fiction

24.

The Tinfoil Key by Rob Burnside


When young Ian Bradley accidently switches suitcases with an intergalactic space explorer, he ends up going on the trip of a lifetime. Now that he's left holding the bag, Ian must deliver it to the light scientists on Gamma Outpost 9 in time. Every life form in the galaxy is unknowingly depending on the success of Ian's efforts.

a)

Fantasy

b)

Mythology

c)

Science Fiction

d)

Fairy Tale

25.

Bronze Star by Irwin Keene


World War II has been hard for Mama Conner. While her husband and three sons have been away at war, Mama Conner has had to fend for herself. She keeps the house together, raises money, and provides for Baby Maple. The mood in town suddenly darkens when her neighbor Betsy loses one of her loved ones in battle. At Mama Conner's ladies club, several upstanding ladies of the town are on edge. They heard a garbled news report announcing that a man from their town was lost in battle. But the man's name went unheard and the women are left to speculate. This novel ends in a surprising twist.

a)

Historical Fiction

b)

Tall Tale

c)

Realistic Fiction

d)

Biography

26.

"Rapunzel" adapted by Craig Hooper


Once upon a time a young girl named Rapunzel was running an errand for her mother. An evil witch kidnaps Rapunzel and imprisons her in the tower of a castle. After years in the tower, Rapunzel grew long, beautiful hair. Having seen nobody but the evil witch her whole life, Rapunzel is very lonely. One day a prince wanders by and climbs up her hair. The witch doesn't like this and action ensues. Eventually the prince and Rapunzel live happily every after.

a)

Fairy Tale

b)

Poetry

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Myth

27.

The Reign of Attila the Hun by Ed Reaves


Attila the Hun was the scourge of both the Eastern and Western Roman Empires in the 440s and 450s. . He invaded and conquered territory in what would now be considered France and Italy, terrorizing the countryside along the way. This text tells the story of Attila's life.

a)

Autobiography

b)

Biography

c)

Historical Fiction

d)

Legend

28.

Paul Bunyan and the Seven Wonders of the World retold by Patrick Schuster


This text contains a handful of different stories about the world's largest lumberjack, Paul Bunyan, who is so big that he wrings out a handful of maple trees to make syrup for his giant waffles. He is so big that he made the Great Lakes when he couldn't find his spittoon. Read about how he met his giant blue ox, Babe, and how they became best friends and inseparable companions. Also read about how he dug the Grand Canyon by dragging his axe behind himself after a long day of work.

a)

Tall Tale

b)

Fantasy

c)

Fairy Tale

d)

Legend

29.

African Creation Story by unknown


According to this Bakuba account of the world's creation, the Earth was once just darkness and water and it was ruled by the giant Mbombo. One day Mbombo felt some sharp pains in his stomach, which caused him to vomit the sun, moon, and stars. The sun's rays evaporated the water covering the Earth, which created clouds, and soon the dry hills emerged from the water. Still feeling some pains in his stomach, Mbombo vomited again, this time expelling the world's first man and woman, all of the animals, the trees, falling stars, the firmament, and lighting.

a)

Mythology

b)

Fable

c)

Legend

d)

Fairy Tale

30.

Shooting for the Moon by Lance Legstrong


Lance tells the true story of his own adventure into outer space. Legstrong was once an underachiever with a troubled past, until one day a teacher influences him positively. Lance describes how he worked hard from that point on until getting accepted into an experimental NASA space program and going to the moon. Lance shares with readers the many life lessons he has learned in this exciting text.

a)

Biography

b)

Autobiography

c)

Historical Fiction

d)

Science Fiction

31.

Can books qualify as more than one genre?

a)

No

b)

Maybe

c)

Yes

d)

I don't know

32.
Star Wars is an example of what genre?
a)
historical fiction
b)
realistic fiction
c)
science fiction
d)
informational
33.
a)
Realistic Fiction
b)
Historical Fiction
c)
Fantasy
d)
Poetry
34.
The city was still dark and deep in a fitful sleep when Anthony and Carl trudged down the steps of their tenement. They hoped the breadline would not be too long, but they assumed they’d be waiting for hours. They had no choice. After the stock market crashed and the nation plunged into an economic depression, the only way their families could eat was if the boys made it to the line early enough to get some of the food the city was distributing to the poorest residents. Carl joked darkly, “1930 is certainly a bad year to bring an appetite to.”
a)
realistic fiction
b)
science fiction
c)
historical fiction
d)
fantasy
35.
Timmy woke up with a start. He looked around the classroom. Where was everyone? He wandered out of the room and down the deserted hall, peering into every classroom. Empty, all empty. Suddenly, he heard the sound of horses galloping. He ran to a window and peered out. The street outside the school was crowded with what could only be ...giant rabbits? Suddenly, the front doors of the school opened and hundreds of rabbits streamed out. Timmy watched in horror as he realized the rabbits had once been his classmates. Scott was now a rabbit with a blue Mohawk. Terri was a small white rabbit wearing a Harvard sweatshirt. What happened? 
a)
realistic fiction
b)
science fiction
c)
historical fiction
d)
fantasy
36.
Nonfiction texts can also be known as ___________.
a)
Poem Texts
b)
Realistic Fiction Texts
c)
Informational Texts
d)
Read-a-loud Texts
37.
I am ....
a)
Folktales
b)
Science Fiction
c)
Historical Fiction
d)
Biography
38.

Which story has a vague or unspecific setting?

a)

Fable

b)

Fairytale

c)

Tall Tale

d)

Legend

e)

Myth

39.

Which genre are these stories from?

"Jack and the Beanstalk"

"The Little Mermaid"

a)

Fable

b)

Legend

c)

Fairytale

d)

Tall Tale

e)

Myth

40.

Which genre features stories with talking animals and a clear moral lesson?

a)

Myth

b)

Tall Tale

c)

Fairytale

d)

Fable

e)

Legend

41.

Which genre is best described as stories about extraordinary people whose deeds are exaggerated over time?

a)

Myth

b)

Legend

c)

Fable

d)

Fairytale

e)

Tall Tale