Vocabulary Words
What word means “generous, kind, and doing good for others”?
Beneficent
What part of speech refers to a person, place, thing, or idea?
A noun
What type of figurative language gives human qualities to non-human things?
Personification
Which literary device is the feeling or atmosphere a story creates for the reader?
Mood
Name the two settings in the short story “The Night Face Up” by Julio Cortázar.
The modern world and the ancient Aztec world.
What word best describes a person who checks every detail of their work multiple times to ensure perfection?
Meticulous
What part of speech is the underlined word in the sentence below?
"After the storm, the dark clouds began to dissipate, revealing the bright sun."
A verb
In the sentence “The clouds hung over the city like a heavy gray blanket,” which type of figurative language is used?
What is theme in a story?
Theme is a one-word topic or subject that the text explores.
We recently read "The 100-Person Planet" infographic. What is an infographic?
An infographic is a way to present information visually, often combining text and graphics.
In the sentence “Her intrinsic motivation to learn made her stand out in class,” what part of speech is the word intrinsic?
Adjective
In the sentence below, which word is an adjective, and what noun does it describe?
"When the wind slammed the door shut, Rachel’s involuntary scream echoed through the room."
Adjective: involuntary
Noun: scream
In the sentence “School today was a nightmare!” which type of figurative language is used? How do you know?
Metaphor – it compares school to a nightmare directly, without using “like” or “as,” to show how awful the day felt.
Read the sentence: “The icy wind whipped against her face, and the crunch of snow under her boots echoed in the silent forest.”
What literary device is being used, and how does it help the reader experience the scene?
Imagery – the sentence uses descriptive details that appeal to the senses of touch (“icy wind”) and sound (“crunch of snow”) to help the reader vividly imagine the scene.
While reading Sylvia Plath’s “Mirror,” we discussed the term “speaker.”
In poetry, what does speaker mean?
In poetry, the speaker is the voice that ‘talks’ to the reader. The speaker is not necessarily the poet, even if the poem uses words like ‘I’ or ‘me.
Define the word frivolous.
Lacking in seriousness or depth
Define the word adverb.
An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. It often describes how, when, where, or to what extent something happens.
Define onomatopoeia and give an example.
Onomatopoeia is a type of figurative language in which a word imitates the sound it represents.
What is tone, and how do readers determine it?
Tone is the author’s attitude or feeling toward the subject. Readers determine tone by paying close attention to the author’s word choice.
In the short story "Superhuman" by Nicola Yoon, what was X’s motivation for wanting to destroy humanity?
X’s motivation to destroy humanity stems from the unfair treatment he has faced and personal experiences with racism and injustice, including being shot by a cop when he wasn’t in costume.
Where would the word translucent be used correctly in this sentence? How do you know?
"The curtains let in sunlight, but you couldn’t see through them clearly.”
The word “translucent” would be used to describe the curtains, because they let light pass through but do not allow you to see clear shapes.
"The translucent curtains let in sunlight, but you couldn’t see through them clearly.”
In the sentence below, which word is an adverb, and which verb does it describe?
"The magician performed the trick skillfully, leaving the audience in awe."
Adverb: skillfully
Verb: performed
How does a metaphor differ from a simile?
A metaphor directly compares two things by saying one is the other, while a simile compares two things using “like” or “as.”
In “The Lottery,” Tessie Hutchinson arrives late to the town square, which makes her stand apart from the crowd. Mr. Summers comments, “Thought we were going to have to get on without you, Tessie.” Later, she wins the lottery and dies. What literary device is being used here, and how does it affect the story?
Foreshadowing – Tessie’s late arrival and Mr. Summers’ comment hint that something significant will happen to her. It builds suspense and prepares the reader for the shocking ending.
Why is the title of Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery” ironic?
The title “The Lottery” is ironic because it suggests winning a prize, but in the story, the “winner” is actually chosen for death in a brutal human sacrifice (stoning).