Question 1

Who is the narrator of the story?

Accepted Answer

LaShana Mae

Answer

Mr. Nibbles

Answer

Tucker

Answer

Richard

Question 2

What details describe the setting of the story?

Accepted Answer

It looked cold outside, clear skies and a light northerly wind.

Answer

Hotshot shortstop, jump like a flea, and smart in school.

Answer

One day Tucker did something that made everybody stop calling him name he didn't like.

Question 3

How did the other children originally treat Tucker?

Accepted Answer

They made fun of him for being short.

Answer

They thought he was a great athlete.

Answer

They looked up to him like a role model.

Answer

They knew he was a great fisherman.

Question 4

What nickname did the narrator have for Tucker?

Accepted Answer

Tootsie Roll

Answer

Short stack

Answer

Beanstalk

Answer

Tugboat

Question 5

Which event is the climax of the story?

Accepted Answer

When the man knocked Tucker off the surfboard and grabbed hold of him in the water.

Answer

When Tucker was able to ride in the parade with the mayor.

Answer

When Tucker pulled in four more waves and noticed a tall purple thunderhead rising up on the southwest horizon.

Answer

When an arrow of lightning whizzed across the pier into the water and lit up the whole ocean.

Question 6

What was Richard's job?

Accepted Answer

He was part of an ocean rescue squad.

Answer

He managed the bait stand near the pier.

Answer

He owned a fishing vessel.

Answer

He was a professional surfer.

Question 7

One day Tucker did something that made everyone stop calling him names he didn’t like. I think it helped him grow a few inches too . The above excerpt foreshadows...

Accepted Answer

Tucker gaining fame and respect from others.

Answer

Tucker swimming really hard against the water.

Answer

Tucker beating Richard at saving the drowning man.

Answer

Tucker winning the race to the shore and saving the man.

Question 8

What was Tucker's reward for saving Mr. Nibbles?

Accepted Answer

&#36;100

Answer

A new jacket

Answer

A new fishing rod

Answer

A book signed by Richard

Question 9

Which line reveals a reason for Tucker to stop talking about Richard's involvement in the rescue?

Accepted Answer

"Etheridge's headstone was marked 1844-1900."

Answer

"You're kinda small to be way out here, ain't ya, squirt."

Answer

"Richard told him it wasn't the size of a person that got the job done."

Answer

"He'd been a commercial fisherman before he became a captain in the lifesaving service."

Question 10

Tucker really enjoyed _______________ and _________________.

Accepted Answer

fishing, surfing

Answer

sailing, swimming

Answer

baseball, soccer

Answer

running, duck hunting

Question 11

Where does Tucker see a picture of Richard?

Accepted Answer

in a book about the Coast Guard

Answer

in a picture of the local Coast Guard in the newspaper

Answer

in a yearbook

Answer

in a museum

Question 12

After the rescue...

Accepted Answer

people start calling Tucker "Tugboat."

Answer

Tucker is not known for what he did.

Answer

people start making fun of Tucker again.

Answer

Tucker tries to swim to Richard.

Question 13

The title of the story hints at...

Accepted Answer

a theme of the story.

Answer

an eerie, ghostly feeling.

Answer

the main character's personality.

Answer

the setting of the story.

Question 14

How was Tucker’s conflict finally resolved?

Accepted Answer

Tucker gained respect after saving a man three times his size.

Answer

Tucker asked La Shana Mae to marry him.

Answer

Tucker got taller and people respected him because he wasn’t short anymore.

Answer

Tucker walked with Richard, who was already well respected.

Question 15

How does the author build up and develop
suspense in the story?

Accepted Answer

by having the possibility of drowning go from possible to probable

Answer

by having Tucker go from being teased to not

Answer

by having Tucker save the man

Answer

by describing the choppy, dangerous waters

Question 16

La Shana Mae saying Tucker was “the cutest thing” foreshadows what event?

Accepted Answer

It foreshadows Tucker one day being her husband.

Answer

It foreshadows Tucker saving Lashana Mae.

Answer

It foreshadows their families liking each other.

Answer

It foreshadows she and Tucker becoming enemies.

Question 17

What is a tugboat?

Accepted Answer

a boat with a powerful engine that can change direction easily and is used to pull large ships into and out of port

Answer

a flat floating structure for travelling across water, often made of pieces of wood tied roughly together and moved along with a paddle

Answer

a sailing ship with two or more masts and with its sails parallel to the length of the ship, rather than across it

Answer

a boat with sails and sometimes an engine&#44; used for either racing or travelling on for pleasure

Question 18

Why does the author use the word "posthumously" to refer to the acknowledgement Etheridge and his men received?

Accepted Answer

The acknowledgement was given after they died.

Answer

The acknowledgement was too little, too late.

Answer

The acknowledgement was given to them by the United States president.

Answer

The acknowledgement was undeserved.

Question 19

Match the elements from the story.

Question 20

What did LaShana Mae and Tucker have in common? Check all that apply.

Question 21

Match the words to their definitions.

Question 22

Sort the words according to the categories.

Question 23

The ending of the story implies that Richard was a ghost.

Accepted Answer

true

Answer

false

Question 24

A headstone is a large stone that is put at one end of a grave with the name of the person who has died and other details such as the year they died.

Accepted Answer

true

Answer

false

Question 25

How does the setting affect the plot in this story? Check all that apply.

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