Mood/Tone
The children laughed, played, and ran through the sunny park. What is the mood?
Happy or Joyful
Why does the narrator claim he wants to kill the old man even though he says he loves him?
He is obsessed with the old man's pale blue eye.
“Although the weather was frigid, Mia wore shorts and a T-shirt.” What does frigid mean?
Extremely cold
In “Sympathy,” what does the caged bird wish it could do?
Fly freely outside its cage.
The reporter wanted to ______ the unfair treatment of patients in the asylum.
Expose
“You did an excellent job on your project. I am proud of your hard work!” What is the tone?
Encouraging or supportive
How does the narrator use the lantern to avoid waking the old man?
He opens it slowly and allows only a tiny ray of light to shine on the old man's eye.
“The student was reluctant to present in front of the class, so she asked if she could go last.” What does reluctant mean?
Unwilling or hesitant
Why did Nellie Bly pretend to have a mental illness?
To get admitted to an asylum and investigate how patients were treated.
The teacher will ______ the students during the test to make sure they are following the rules.
monitor
A girl sat alone, remembering the fun times she used to have with her best friend. What is the mood?
Sad or Lonely
Why does the narrator finally confess to the murder?
He believes he hears the old man's heart beating and cannot handle his growing guilt and anxiety.
Read the sentence: “Mia was exhausted after running five miles, so she went straight to bed.” What context clues help you understand exhausted?
She ran five miles and went straight to bed; exhausted means very tired.
What do the patients in Nellie Bly’s book and the bird in “Sympathy” both want?
Freedom and better treatment.
After noticing a mistake, the student decided to ______ her essay by changing a few sentences.
amend
“Oh, great! Another homework assignment. Just what I needed!” What is the tone?
Why does the narrator believe his careful planning proves that he is sane?
He thinks his patience, caution, and ability to plan the murder show that he is intelligent and in control.
Read the sentence: “The narrator crept quietly into the room so the old man would not wake up.” What is one detail you could underline when annotating, and why?
“Crept quietly” because it shows the narrator is trying not to make noise.
How do Nellie Bly's investigation and the caged bird in “Sympathy” connect?
Both reveal suffering and a lack of freedom. Bly exposes the mistreatment of asylum patients, while Dunbar's bird expresses the pain of being trapped and unable to live freely.
The sun began to ______ from behind the clouds after the storm.
emerge
What is the difference between mood and tone?
Mood is how the reader feels; tone is the author's attitude.
What causes the narrator's confidence to change while the police are in the house?
He believes he hears the old man's heart beating louder and louder, which increases his anxiety.
Read the sentence: “The old man trembled when he heard a strange noise coming from the hallway.” Give one annotation you could write in the margin and explain why.
Example: “The old man is scared because he trembles after hearing a strange noise.”
In Sympathy, what does the cage represent?
The government
The students will ______ the classroom while they complete their group project.
Occupy