What the reader knows that the character does not

Grade 8 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   The Green Circle (story)

   [1] On a cloudless Sunday, Zee and Pia waded out to the sandbar at Gull Point, carrying a bucket, two nets and a wrinkled printout from the harbor office. [2] The printout was a tide table, and Zee, who held it, had circled the low-tide time of 1:40 p.m. in green marker and scrawled "plenty of time!" in the margin. [3] At the bottom of the sheet, in print too small to catch the eye, a note warned that during this weekend's unusually strong spring tides the water would return two hours earlier than the times listed above. [4] The sandbar was a wonderland of shining pools, and the pair soon filled the bucket with periwinkles, hermit crabs and one remarkably ugly sea cucumber. [5] At half past one, Pia noticed that the channel on the shore side looked a little broader and a little darker than before, but a gull landed in the shallows, and the thought drifted off. [6] "We have until four," Zee said happily, tapping the green circle, "so let's go all the way to the end." [7] The two walked farther out, until the beach behind them shrank to a thin gold line. [8] Somewhere beyond the dunes a boat horn sounded twice, and neither of them glanced up. [9] The pools began to feel a little deeper around the ankles. [10] Pia mentioned it, and Zee said it was probably only the splashing. [11] Then a thin sheet of water slid across the sand in front of them, silent and shining and a good deal faster than a walk. [12] Zee looked down at the green circle on the printout, and then slowly back toward the beach, which was now a very long way off.

2. 1.

   Ari reads sentences [3] and [6]. When Zee says "We have until four," which effect does the line create, and why?

   • Relief: Zee's confidence reassures the reader that the friends are safe.
   • Suspense: the reader knows from [3] that the deadline is wrong, so Zee's confidence causes worry.
   • Terror: the reader is sure the friends will be swept away.
   • Surprise: the reader learns for the first time that the tide may come early.
3. 2.

   Bo imagines the story without sentence [3], so the printout gives no warning and the water simply arrives early. How would the effect change?

   • The suspense would grow stronger, because nothing would warn anyone about the water.
   • The story would become a comedy, because the reader would have nothing left to worry about.
   • The reader would be surprised along with Zee and Pia, so the dread of watching a mistake grow would be lost.
   • Nothing would change, because Pia's doubts in [5] would still tell the reader the same thing.
4. 3.

   Esme writes two margin notes for sentences [2] and [3]. Which pair is correct?

   • Reader and Zee: both know the printed times may be wrong and go out anyway.
   • Reader: trusts the circled times and thinks there is plenty of time. Zee: knows the water will return two hours early.
   • Reader: knows the water will return two hours early. Zee: has read the warning and decides to ignore it.
   • Reader: knows the water will return two hours early. Zee: trusts the circled times and thinks there is plenty of time.

5. The Understudy (story)

   [1] Three days before opening night, Zee sat alone in the back row of the auditorium with an envelope in hand, rehearsing a resignation speech. [2] As understudy for the lead in the school play, Zee had memorized every line and endured every rehearsal while Kira collected every compliment. [3] The experience had left a quiet ache that no amount of applause was likely to cure. [4] The envelope held a letter addressed to the director, Ms. Abara, that began: "I regret to say I will not be needed." [5] Backstage, Ms. Abara was speaking quietly with the stage manager, Luz, while holding a small bottle of honey-lemon syrup that Kira had left behind with a note. [6] The note, which Luz read aloud, said that Kira's voice had vanished completely and that the doctor had ordered a week of silence. [7] "Then there is only one person who knows the part well enough," Ms. Abara said, and she tucked the note into a pocket and straightened her shoulders. [8] "I will tell the cast at the end of rehearsal. [9] Please say nothing until then; I want to see the look on that face when it happens." [10] Out in the auditorium, Zee smoothed the envelope on one knee and swallowed hard, working out exactly how to hand it over without the voice cracking. [11] When the final scene ended, the cast gathered at the lip of the stage, and Ms. Abara raised both hands for quiet. [12] "I have an announcement," she began, "and it concerns the lead." [13] Zee stood, crossed the aisle with the envelope held out like a small white flag, and said, "Before you say anything, Ms. Abara, there's something I need to give you."

6. 4.

   Kira imagines the story without sentences [5] to [9], so the reader hears the news only when Ms. Abara announces it. How would the effect change?

   • Nothing would change, because the reader could still guess from the letter that the plan will fail, so the scene would play out the same way.
   • The humor would increase, because a bigger surprise is funnier.
   • The story would turn sad, because Zee would hand over the letter before learning the truth.
   • The reader would share Zee's surprise instead of seeing the mistake coming, so the humor would be lost.
7. 5.

   Luz writes two margin notes for sentence [10]. Which pair is correct?

   • Reader: knows Zee is about to be named the lead. Zee: thinks the part is out of reach and the letter is needed.
   • Reader: thinks the resignation letter is needed. Zee: knows Zee is about to be named the lead.
   • Reader and Zee: both know Kira cannot perform and that Zee will be asked to take the part.
   • Reader: knows Zee is about to be named the lead. Zee: has guessed the news but wants to resign anyway in order to leave before the announcement.

8. The Cake for Birch Street (story)

   [1] On Saturday morning, Mrs. Quill pressed a cake box into Luz's hands and asked for a small favor. [2] "Take this to the new family on Birch Street," she said. "Number twenty-one, the green door. The card says it all." [3] Luz, who had a sharp memory for numbers but a poor eye for house colors, walked off with a happy swing in each step and a growing certainty that the green door belonged to number twelve. [4] Number twelve, as it happened, belonged to Mr. Pell, who had lived there for thirty years and had spent twenty-nine of them in a quiet war with Mrs. Quill over a hedge that leaned a few inches across the property line. [5] When Luz rang the bell, Mr. Pell opened the door in his slippers and regarded the cake box with the suspicion of a man examining a ticking parcel. [6] "Mrs. Quill asked me to bring this," Luz said. "The card says it all." [7] Mr. Pell lifted the lid and read the card, which was written in curly purple ink: "Welcome to the neighborhood! We hope you'll be very happy here." [8] His eyebrows climbed slowly toward his hairline. [9] "Welcome to the neighborhood," Mr. Pell repeated, in the flat voice of someone tasting a lemon. "After thirty years. How thoughtful." [10] Luz, delighted by the gratitude, replied that Mrs. Quill had been looking forward to this all week. [11] "I am sure she has," said Mr. Pell, and the corner of his mouth twitched in a way that could have been a smile or a snarl. [12] He tucked the box under one arm and added, "Tell her the hedge and I will be thinking of her." [13] Luz skipped down the walk, certain that peace had come to Birch Street at last.

9. 6.

   Noah imagines that Mrs. Quill's cake had reached the right house. What would the story lose?

   • Nothing important, because Mr. Pell would still resent Mrs. Quill and say so.
   • The whole story, because Luz would have no other reason to appear.
   • The clash between the friendly card and Mr. Pell's sour reading of it.
   • It would gain suspense, because the reader would not know who the new family was.
10. 7.

    Pia reads Mr. Pell's lines in sentences [9], [11] and [12] beside Luz's replies. Which effect do they mainly create?

    • Humor: Luz hears gratitude while the reader hears the sting, and the clash is funny.
    • Suspense: the reader fears that Mr. Pell will confront Mrs. Quill about the hedge once Luz has left the porch.
    • Anger: the reader sees that Mr. Pell is furious with Luz for delivering the cake.
    • No effect: Mr. Pell's replies are sincere thanks and add nothing to the scene.

11. Across the Table (story)

    [1] Every day at lunch, Tala sat at the end of the long table by the window, and every day Ari sat two seats away, looking carefully at a sandwich. [2] Tala had decided in September that Ari disliked the whole idea of talking, because Ari answered every friendly remark with a nod and never started a conversation. [3] On Thursday, Tala resolved, the pattern would finally be broken, since Tala had brought a deck of strategy cards to share and was prepared to be bold. [4] Meanwhile, Ari had memorized the sandwich, the napkin and the weave of the tablecloth. [5] Ari had spent two weeks practicing a single sentence, "Want to play something after school?", and had never once managed to say it aloud. [6] Tala slid the deck of cards halfway across the table and said, brightly, "I found these. They're probably boring." [7] Ari's whole face lit up for an instant, and then, because the word boring had landed like a stone, the light went out. [8] "Probably," Ari agreed, in a voice so small that it seemed to come from another table. [9] Tala nodded slowly, tucked the cards back into the bag and told the sandwich that this was exactly what had been expected. [10] Ari watched the bag close and decided that the cards had been a polite gesture from someone who was glad to be rid of them. [11] The bell rang. [12] They rose at the same moment, each holding the strap of a bag, and each waited just a second too long for the other to speak. [13] Then both turned toward the doors, and the table fell silent.

12. 8.

    Ren writes two margin notes for sentences [6] to [10]. Which pair is correct?

    • Reader: thinks neither wants to talk. Tala and Ari: each knows the other wants to connect.
    • Reader: knows both want to connect. Tala and Ari: Tala knows Ari is shy, but Ari thinks Tala is uninterested.
    • Reader, Tala and Ari: see that each is waiting for the other to speak first.
    • Reader: knows both want to connect. Tala and Ari: each thinks the other has no interest.
13. 9.

    Tala imagines the story told only from Tala's side, without sentences [4], [5], [7] and [10] about Ari. How would the effect change?

    • The reader would misread Ari as Tala does, so the sadness of the missed friendship would be lost.
    • Nothing would change, because Ari's nod and whisper in [8] would still show what Ari feels.
    • The story would become a mystery, because the reader would need to solve why Ari stays silent at the lunch table day after day.
    • The scene would be more ironic, because the reader would know less than the characters.
14. 10.

    Zee reads sentences [11] to [13]. Both wait a second too long and then turn away. What effect does the ending have?

    • Gentle suspense: both want to speak, and the reader waits to see who will.
    • Humor: the reader laughs at two people who are too silly to say a simple hello.
    • Dread: the reader fears that the two will not speak to each other again.
    • Relief: the reader is sure that the friendship has already begun at the lunch table.