WorksheetsJunior High Theme
Total questions: 26
Worksheet time: 2hrs 31mins
A theme is the big idea in a story. It's the message about people or the world that the author is trying to get across. Themes are universal, which means they are true in all times and all places. They apply to many different types of people.
Read the following passage from a story.
Rohan triumphantly lifted the trophy above his head. Despite all the obstacles, he had won. Beneath his cheerful exterior, he felt a twinge of the constant pain he’d learned to live with. Almost unconsciously, Rohan removed one hand from the trophy and rubbed the thin red scar that snaked around his ankle. He thought back to the surgery and the weeks spent lying in his bed, unable to compete. The months of exercises to strengthen his leg. “Rohan!” he heard the crowd scream, as if in slow motion. A smile broke across Rohan’s face, shattering his thoughts. He returned his hand to his trophy, firmly grasping it.
Which of the following is most likely a theme of the story?
Some goals are too hard to achieve even if you try many times.
Through determination, you can overcome big challenges.
You need the support of your family to overcome challenges.
When you achieve a goal, you shouldn’t brag about it.
Themes are about universal topics. For example, a topic could be compassion, relationships or fate. A theme is often stated as a judgment about one of these topics. For example, a theme about the topic of relationships could be "relationships teach you important lessons."
Which of the following could be the theme of a story?
You can never turn your back on your family.
A young girl returns to her family after moving far away.
Most people have at least one brother or sister.
“I’ll never speak to you again,” she said quietly to her mother.
Stories that come from different parts of the world, cultures or time periods can have the same theme. Read the following passage from a story.
Eriene gazed across the field, noticing how peaceful Creature's Cove seemed now. The only evidence of the battle were the scorched patches of earth dotting the landscape like a sunburn. Eriene clasped the jade pendant that dangled heavily under her robe. Her great-aunt's words echoed in her head. "This necklace has always belonged to the protector of what is good and just in the kingdom. Now, it belongs to you."
Eriene had passed her first test, the dragon no longer a threat to the kingdom's way of life. Wisps of smoke drifted up from the land that its poisonous breath had burned. Soon, new grass would poke through, and memories of the battle would recede into the past. But Eriene knew this was not the end. This dragon lay slain in the Yonderland. But its spirit would return again and again in different forms.
Which of the following is most likely a theme of the story?
Evil can easily be defeated.
Good people are difficult to find.
Good and evil always exist together in the world.
People often forget the things they don't want to remember.
The last time George saw Charity, they were eight years old, building forts of dirt and sticks in the corner lot. When Charity's family moved to Texas, George was heartbroken. There were 500 miles between them, but to George, she may as well have moved to the moon. For a time, George mourned the loss of their friendship. But much to his surprise, a letter appeared in his mailbox the next week. It was the first of many sharp, funny letters in which Charity's unique personality lept off the page. Through this correspondence, George followed six years of events in Charity's life: her family's many moves, her struggles in school, her triumphs playing the violin. He hoped that she looked forward to his responses as much as he looked forward to hers.
What is the main idea of the passage?
In most stories, you have to analyze the characters' traits and the events of the plot to infer the theme. Characters are the people, animals or creatures in stories. The plot is the sequence of events in the story. Read the following passage from a story.
Marta was stumped. She had turned the details of the case over and over in her head, trying to figure out the answer. The suspect had somehow entered the store, stolen the artwork and exited without leaving any trace or fingerprints. Marta paced, her movements matching her storm of thoughts. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the new technological device she had been given to use, which she'd been avoiding like the plague. "I wonder…" she thought.
Hesitantly, Marta typed the details of the case into the device's keyboard. It whirred and spat out a list of similar cases and how they'd been solved. Reading through the information, Marta was amazed. She had been pondering for hours, but 30 seconds with this device, and she could find answer! With new respect, she rushed off.
Which detail from the passage provides the best clue that a theme of the story is "technology can have good effects"?
"The suspect had somehow entered the store, stolen the artwork and exited without any trace or fingerprints."
"Marta paced, her movements matching her storm of thoughts."
"Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the new technological device she had been given to use, which she'd been avoiding like the plague."
"She had been pondering for hours, but 30 seconds with this device, and she could find her answer!"
Read the following passage from a story.
Wind whipped at Vanessa, Mo and Jaime's faces as they trudged up the mountain. "Do you have the ice samples?" Vanessa questioned Mo again."Why don't you carry them the rest of the way?" he responded irritably. Mo was digging into his backpack to retrieve the samples when suddenly, a gust of wind snatched them out of his hands, sending them tumbling down the mountain."
If we lose those, this was all for nothing!" Vanessa cried. The wind roared angrily, churning flakes of snow that had newly begun to fall. How far had the samples gone? The three scientists stared at each other in horrified silence."
I'll go back for them," Jaime spoke up quietly.
Vanessa and Mo looked at Jaime. He was the smallest and youngest of the group, barely strong enough to carry his large backpack.
"I'll go," he said louder.
Which sentence from the passage provides the best clue that a theme of the story is "Courage can be found in the people you least expect it"?
"'Why don't you carry them the rest of the way?'" he responded irritably.
"How far had the samples gone?"
"The wind roared angrily, churning flakes of snow that had newly begun to fall."
"He was the smallest and youngest of the group, barely strong enough to carry his large backpack."
A toad and a lizard learn to get along while on a journey through the wilderness.
The sentence above is an example of a
Friendship helps people get through hard times.
The sentence above is an example of a
A woman risks her life to spy for the Union during the Civil War.
The sentence above is an example of a
As Tai strummed the guitar, Charlesa looked at her with pride. For so long, Tai's fingers had clumsily tripped over the strings, but now she played the song with ease. Getting to this point hadn't been easy for Charlesa, either. She sighed, trying to bury the memories of all the screaming tantrums Tai had thrown. Once, she nearly threw her guitar against a wall. But now when Tai smiled, and the tune of "Sweet Home Alabama" floated out of the instrument, Charlesa smiled, too. It had been worth it.
Which of the following is most likely a theme of the story?
"Ajit is so excited to see you," he heard his mother shout into the phone. She always spoke louder on long-distance calls, as if raising her voice would help it travel across the Atlantic. "Aren't you, Ajit?" she demanded.
Ajit slumped in his chair, pushing wrinkled peas around his plate. His suitcases stood at attention in the hallway, holding eight weeks worth of shirts, pants and socks. Suddenly, a loud crash sounded.
"Patches!" his mother shrieked.In the hallway, Patches the cat stood next to an overturned suitcase and the remnants of a shattered vase. As Ajit's mother rushed to assess the damage, Patches sidled up to Ajit, rubbing his face against Ajit's leg. Ajit reached down to stroke him, and Patches looked up, blinking his green eyes. He stared at Ajit with his knowing look—a look that seemed to offer so much and ask for so little in return.
Which of the following is most likely a theme of the story?
A Dog, to whom the butcher had thrown a bone, was hurrying home with his prize as fast as he could go. As he crossed a narrow bridge, he looked down and saw his reflection in the quiet water as if in a mirror. But the greedy Dog thought he saw a real Dog carrying a bone much bigger than his own. If he had stopped to think he would have known better. But instead of thinking, he dropped his bone and sprang at the Dog in the river, only to find himself swimming for dear life to reach the shore. At last he managed to scramble out, and as he stood sadly thinking about the good bone he had lost, he realized what a foolish Dog he had been.
What is the theme?
Be honest.
Don't be greedy.
Always share your things with others.
Be respectful to others.
During a baseball game, Tanner tried to tag a player leaving first base. When the umpire called the player out, Tanner immediately informed the umpire that he in fact did not tag the runner. Two weeks later, the very same umpire was at another one of Tanner’s baseball games. Tanner was playing short stop and tagged a runner as they approached third base. When the umpire called the player safe, Tanner didn’t say a word, but the umpire noticed the surprised look on Tanner’s face. “Did you tag the runner?” she asked Tanner. When Tanner told her that he did tag the runner, the umpire changed her decision and called the player out. The coaches and parents were furious, but the umpire stood by her decision.
What is the theme?
Teamwork is best.
You should cheat to win.
It pays to be honest.
Always work hard.
One summer's day, a merry Grasshopper was dancing, singing and playing his violin with all his heart. He saw an Ant passing by working hard to store food for the winter. “Come and sing with me instead of working so hard,” said the Grasshopper “Let’s have fun together.” “I must store food for the winter,” said the Ant,“ and I advise you to do the same.” “Don’t worry about winter, it’s still very far away,” said the Grasshopper, laughing at him. But the Ant wouldn’t listen and continued to work. When winter came, the starving Grasshopper went to the Ant’s house and humbly begged for something to eat. “If you had listened to my advice in the summer you would not now be in need,” said the Ant. “I’m afraid you will have to go without supper,” and he closed the door.
What is the theme?
work before you play
don't be greedy
be respectful of others
share with your neighbor
The theme is a lesson learned; the moral of the story.
True
False
I have no idea :)
Which of the following is an example of THEME?
Carry your laptops with two hands at all times.
Cereal is the healthiest food you can eat.
You can severely break your leg while crossing the street.
Life is short; make the most of it.
In a house the size of a postage stamp
lived a man as big as a barge.
His mouth could drink the entire river
You could say it was rather large
For dinner he would eat a trillion beans
And a silo full of grain,
Washed it down with a tanker of milk
As if he were a drain.
Which BEST states the theme of the poem? (it is tricky, watch the play on words)
A)Healthy appetite can lead to power.
B)Too much appetite can leave one empty.
C)People should watch how much they eat.
D)People should feed the hungry in their communities.
The Truth About Diaries
My brother bugs me all the time about my Diary.
He wants to know what sisters write in total secrecy.
I tell him that my Diary is boring as a textbook,
but only so he doesn’t try to take a sneaky look.
The truth is that my Diary’s like a novel from the store
where I’m the leading lady whom the characters adore.
It’s amazing, how this parchment documents each thing I do:
my nightmares, observations, and my love for peach shampoo.
I explain all my misfortunes in a sister’s constitution,
where I outline all my problems and devise my own solutions.
What’s unexpected are my words on sibling rivalry;
in spite of how I act, my brother means the world to me.
That’s one fact that stays under lock and combination;
How embarrassed I would be, if he knew my admiration.
Which statement BEST describes the theme of this poem?
Hiding secrets is exciting and dangerous.
Listening to grownups is very boring.
Going on an adventure is a fun part of life.
Trying not to hurt another person's feelings is important.
"Where did your life go?"
Someone once said, “Teaching is a job for nuns and priests,” and what this person meant is that teaching is a job that consumes all of your life. Presumably, the job is perfect for nuns and priests who do not have familial obligations to distract them from giving of all their time. Because teaching doesn’t end when the bell rings at 3 pm; often that’s when clubs need sponsoring, sports need coaching, meetings need leading, and dances need chaperoning. It can seem endless. Teachers may find themselves looking a little more wrinkly and gray in the mirror much earlier than they expected. Teaching can age a person quite quickly.
Which statement BEST summarizes the section entitled,Where Did Your Life Go?
Teachers have to work in a classroom all day and often spend their afternoons and evenings doing work for the schools.
When you’re a teacher, sometimes you wonder where your life went
Sometimes teachers have to stay after school to help coach a sport.
Nuns and priests are some of the best teachers in the world.
Battling Cancer: One Woman's Journey
Julianne had never given much thought to cancer before one dismal Monday morning last April. The dawn clouds were gray and heavy, and it looked as though it might rain at any second as Julianne meandered to the mailbox at the end of the lawn. As she opened the box, the rusty hinge made a screech much like someone scraping fingernails across a blackboard. The news Julianne received in a postcard that day was much more unnerving. It was simply stated: ‘Miss Taylor, please call our office to schedule a follow-up appointment as soon as possible. Tests from your annual physical examination have revealed an abnormality.’ ‘Abnormality?’ Julianne questioned. What kind of abnormality could a 24 year old woman, who exercised religiously and consumed a healthy diet, possibly have? Within hours she learned the answer to this question only to pose a thousand more in its place.
Julianne argues that her test results couldn't show a serious abnormality because-
She is not a smoker.
She works at a hospital.
She is only 24 years-old.
There is no history of cancer in her family.
Mounds of History
Scientists who study ancient cultures discovered much information about the mounds. They believe that Mound A at Etowah was reserved for the chief of the area. The chief of the town had his home on the mound. The other citizens of the town lived around this mound. The closer a person lived to Mound A, the more significant he or she was in the society. Mound A reaches about 60 feet high. It is also more than 300 square feet wide at its base. Some scientists believe that every time a chief died, a new layer was added to mound. Then, a new house was built on the top
What caused the citizens of the Native American town to build another layer on top of the mound?
sightings of explorers
tribal religious activities
the death of a chief
illnesses in the town
