Conflicts & Motivations
He loses control of his home when his smart appliances take over.
What is Mister Toussaint’s conflict?
This is the time period of the story’s setting.
What is the near future?
“Retract” in the story means to do this.
What is to draw back or in?
“Mr. Russell plays many instruments.” is this type of sentence.
What is a simple sentence?
Mister Toussaint calls things “stupid” because of this.
What is they are not connected to the internet?
At the start of the story, Mister Toussaint confronts his refrigerator because of this.
What is frustration over wasted groceries?
These two details show the story belongs to science fiction.
What are advances in technology and non-humans with human traits?
In paragraph 11, “manually” means this.
What is by hand rather than automatically?
“Mr. Russell plays many instruments, but the saxophone is his favorite.” is this type of sentence.
What is a compound sentence?
The toaster destroys LOONY GOONY because of this.
What is it does not receive messages from other devices?
His refrigerator orders more food because this character tells it the food is spoiled.
Who is LOONY GOONY?
Science fiction stories often speculate on this kind of world.
What is a world that might one day be possible?
“Chafe” is explained in the story when this character’s singing voice annoys Mister Toussaint.
Who is LOONY GOONY?
“Although Mr. Russell is able to play many instruments, the saxophone is his favorite.” is this type of sentence.
What is a complex sentence?
This event is the climax of the story.
What is Mister Toussaint destroying LOONY GOONY?
Mister Toussaint is arrested because police believe this about the energy drink.
What is that it’s hazardous material?
This detail about LOONY GOONY makes the story fit science fiction.
What is a non-human machine acting with human traits?
This is the most effective way to combine: “It was almost empty. There was a single pouch of energy drink.”
What is: It was almost empty, since there was a single pouch of energy drink sitting on a shelf in the back?
“Although Mr. Russell is able to play many instruments, the saxophone is his favorite, and he plays it very well.” is this type of sentence.
What is a compound-complex sentence?
This is the resolution of the conflict in the story.
What is the toaster saving the day by destroying the toxic pouch?
By the end, his attitude toward the toaster changes because of this realization.
What is that the “stupid” toaster actually saves the day?
Science fiction explores unexpected possibilities using these two things.
What are known scientific data and imagination?
This is the most effective way to combine: “Mister Toussaint tried the microwave. Even the cleverest squeezy-pouch couldn’t survive a good nuking.”
What is: Mister Toussaint tried the microwave, for even the cleverest squeezy-pouch couldn’t survive a good nuking?
This kind of sentence uses an independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
What is a complex sentence?
This event at the train station sets up Mister Toussaint’s arrest.
What is the evacuation caused by the energy beverage?