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?

   • Terror: the reader is sure the friends will be swept away.
   • Relief: Zee's confidence reassures the reader that the friends are safe.
   • Surprise: the reader learns for the first time that the tide may come early.
   • Suspense: the reader knows from [3] that the deadline is wrong, so Zee's confidence causes worry.
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 story would become a comedy, because the reader would have nothing left to worry about.
   • Nothing would change, because Pia's doubts in [5] would still tell the reader the same thing.
   • The suspense would grow stronger, because nothing would warn anyone about the water.
   • The reader would be surprised along with Zee and Pia, so the dread of watching a mistake grow would be lost.
4. 3.

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

   • Reader: knows the water will return two hours early. Zee: trusts the circled times and thinks there is plenty of time.
   • Reader: knows the water will return two hours early. Zee: has read the warning and decides to ignore it.
   • 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.

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.

   Jun reads sentences [5] to [13]. Which effect does the gap between Zee's plan and Ms. Abara's news mainly create, and why?

   • Humor: the reader knows the news is good and enjoys watching Zee offer the wrong letter.
   • No effect: the reader learns the news at the same moment as Zee.
   • Suspense: the reader fears that Zee will lose the part before opening night arrives, with no chance to act.
   • Sadness: the reader feels that Zee has been treated unfairly throughout the rehearsals.
7. 5.

   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?

   • The humor would increase, because a bigger surprise is funnier.
   • The reader would share Zee's surprise instead of seeing the mistake coming, so the humor would be lost.
   • 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 story would turn sad, because Zee would hand over the letter before learning the truth.
8. 6.

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

   • 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.
   • Reader: knows Zee is about to be named the lead. Zee: thinks the part is out of reach and the letter is needed.

9. 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.

10. 7.

    Milo writes two margin notes for sentence [9]. Which pair is correct?

    • Reader and Mr. Pell: both know the cake was meant for the new family on Birch Street.
    • Reader: reads the card as a taunt from Mrs. Quill. Mr. Pell: knows the cake was meant for another family.
    • Reader: knows the cake was meant for number twenty-one. Mr. Pell: knows it was a mistake and is teasing Luz.
    • Reader: knows the cake was meant for the new family at number twenty-one. Mr. Pell: reads the card as a taunt from Mrs. Quill.
11. 8.

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

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

12. 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.

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.
    • 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.
    • Nothing would change, because Ari's nod and whisper in [8] would still show what Ari feels.
14. 10.

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

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