Determine Theme Practice 4

Read the following story. Going the Distance Leyanna spent the first week of high school trying to keep her head above water. She was overwhelmed by the huge building. She decided that she would memorize where her classes were and then pretend that the rest of the place didn't exist. All the different hallways and wings were too much to think about, let alone commit to memory. In P.E., Coach Wallace sent her reeling when he announced that everyone had to run one mile around the track outside. Leyanna searched the faces of her classmates for signs of panic. There was nothing she dreaded more than having to run a whole mile. To Leyanna, a mile was used to describe long distances. It was ten miles to her grandfather's house, and that always seemed like a long way, even in a car! When Coach Wallace blew his whistle, Leyanna figured she would be left in the dust. However, while some of her classmates edged ahead, others actually lagged behind. It's just the beginning, she thought. I'll come in last for sure. Leyanna started using a mind trick on herself. She stopped thinking about the word mile. Instead, she focused on reaching the shadow cast on the track by an oak tree up ahead. Then she concentrated on jogging to the spot where the track curved. After that, she tried to see if she could complete her first lap. One lap turned into two, then three, then four. When Coach Wallace gave her a high five and said, "Nice work," Leyanna was shocked. She never would have guessed that she had just run a whole mile. As Leyanna walked back to the school building after P.E., she noticed that she felt less overwhelmed by its size. Maybe she would come to know the place, one lap at a time. Which of the following best describes the main theme or lesson of the story?

Select the quotation from the story that most strongly suggests that the theme is Goals are easier to achieve in small steps.

Read the following story. The Pedal Boat Ms. Padilla walked up and down the aisles at Costello's Watercraft. She wanted something she and her husband, Mr. Lippett, could enjoy during their summer at the family lake house. The clerk pointed to a brand-new canoe. "This is our top seller. Dependable, good reviews, comes with a ten-year warranty." But while Ms. Padilla was inspecting the canoe, another customer approached her. "Are you sure you want to spend all that money on a canoe? I've got an old pedal boat I could sell you for a quarter of the price," he offered. Later that day, Ms. Padilla and Mr. Lippett went to the man's house to check out the pedal boat. It had a lot of dents, and the man admitted that he hadn't taken it out on the water in three years. But the price was too good to beat. "The boat would be sold in the condition it's in," the man warned. "All sales final." But Ms. Padilla and Mr. Lippett were already talking about the fishing gear they could buy with the money they would be saving. They bought the pedal boat immediately. When summer arrived, Mr. Lippett took the boat for a test run on the lake, while Ms. Padilla watched from the shoreline. The boat hardly went fifty feet before the front started sinking. Ms. Padilla's summer fantasy sunk along with it. She remembered the brand-new canoe she'd passed up and felt foolish. The pedals stuck as the boat sunk deeper, and Mr. Lippett had to swim back to shore. At least the fishing rods worked. Ms. Padilla and Mr. Lippett spent the summer catching perch and shaking their heads over their mistake. Which of the following best describes the main theme or lesson of the story?

Select the quotation from the story that most strongly suggests that the theme is Trying too hard to save money can cost you.

Read the following story. Super Star "Take five, Lena!" Coach Ramirez shouted. Lena stomped off the soccer field in frustration. She had missed another easy shot at the goal, and when the coach noticed her shaking her fists, he gave her a time-out. "Kate, you're in," he added, replacing Lena as forward. Kate was the best player on the team. She ran faster and scored more goals than anyone else and could do fancy tricks like the soccer stars on TV. The other players nicknamed her "Super Star." Yet she didn't brag or act like a big shot at all. She was kind and encouraging to the other girls, which only made Lena envy her more. Lena watched from the sidelines, feeling glum. Why is Kate so terrific? she wondered. She noticed how Kate kept her eyes darting around so she knew which players were open, and she noticed how precisely Kate sent the ball flying to her teammates. Soccer seemed to come naturally to Kate in a way that it didn't for Lena. When the game ended with a win for their team, Lena swallowed her pride and walked up to congratulate Kate. "You had some great moves today," Lena told her. "Thanks. It was a solid game," Kate replied. "Hey, before I forget—can I ask you a favor?" "Sure. What?" Lena asked, surprised. "I bombed the French test last week," Kate said, "and my parents are making me quit soccer if I don't do better." She took a deep breath. "You're, like, the best student in class. Would you study with me sometime?" "Of course," Lena said. "Whenever you want." Kate thanked her and jogged away. Lena shook her head in disbelief. Maybe no one in French class called her "Super Star," but she felt like one all the same. Which of the following best describes the main theme or lesson of the story?

Read the following story. Super Star "Take five, Lena!" Coach Ramirez shouted. Lena stomped off the soccer field in frustration. She had missed another easy shot at the goal, and when the coach noticed her shaking her fists, he gave her a time-out. "Kate, you're in," he added, replacing Lena as forward. Kate was the best player on the team. She ran faster and scored more goals than anyone else and could do fancy tricks like the soccer stars on TV. The other players nicknamed her "Super Star." Yet she didn't brag or act like a big shot at all. She was kind and encouraging to the other girls, which only made Lena envy her more. Lena watched from the sidelines, feeling glum. Why is Kate so terrific? she wondered. She noticed how Kate kept her eyes darting around so she knew which players were open, and she noticed how precisely Kate sent the ball flying to her teammates. Soccer seemed to come naturally to Kate in a way that it didn't for Lena. When the game ended with a win for their team, Lena swallowed her pride and walked up to congratulate Kate. "You had some great moves today," Lena told her. "Thanks. It was a solid game," Kate replied. "Hey, before I forget—can I ask you a favor?" "Sure. What?" Lena asked, surprised. "I bombed the French test last week," Kate said, "and my parents are making me quit soccer if I don't do better." She took a deep breath. "You're, like, the best student in class. Would you study with me sometime?" "Of course," Lena said. "Whenever you want." Kate thanked her and jogged away. Lena shook her head in disbelief. Maybe no one in French class called her "Super Star," but she felt like one all the same. Select the quotation from the story that most strongly suggests that the theme is Everyone struggles with something.

Read the following story. Super Star "Take five, Lena!" Coach Ramirez shouted. Lena stomped off the soccer field in frustration. She had missed another easy shot at the goal, and when the coach noticed her shaking her fists, he gave her a time-out. "Kate, you're in," he added, replacing Lena as forward. Kate was the best player on the team. She ran faster and scored more goals than anyone else and could do fancy tricks like the soccer stars on TV. The other players nicknamed her "Super Star." Yet she didn't brag or act like a big shot at all. She was kind and encouraging to the other girls, which only made Lena envy her more. Lena watched from the sidelines, feeling glum. Why is Kate so terrific? she wondered. She noticed how Kate kept her eyes darting around so she knew which players were open, and she noticed how precisely Kate sent the ball flying to her teammates. Soccer seemed to come naturally to Kate in a way that it didn't for Lena. When the game ended with a win for their team, Lena swallowed her pride and walked up to congratulate Kate. "You had some great moves today," Lena told her. "Thanks. It was a solid game," Kate replied. "Hey, before I forget—can I ask you a favor?" "Sure. What?" Lena asked, surprised. "I bombed the French test last week," Kate said, "and my parents are making me quit soccer if I don't do better." She took a deep breath. "You're, like, the best student in class. Would you study with me sometime?" "Of course," Lena said. "Whenever you want." Kate thanked her and jogged away. Lena shook her head in disbelief. Maybe no one in French class called her "Super Star," but she felt like one all the same. What is the theme of the story?