Elements of a Drama
Making Predictions
Theme
Character Relationships
Vocabulary
100
Read this excerpt from The Golem.
EXT. STREETS OF PRAGUE. NIGHT.
All is deathly still and quiet. Hundreds of houses, shops, stables, churches, and other structures of wood, stone, and brick line narrow, cobblestone streets. The moon casts a ribbon of light on the streets.
What does the excerpt show?
A. character
B. plot
C. setting
D. theme
C. setting
100
Look at the poster for the play The Golem.
What is the best prediction can the reader make about the play from the poster?
A. The poster is of a street, suggesting a story that takes place outside.
B. The poster is dark and wavy, suggesting a theme of mystery.
C. The poster is a cityscape, suggesting that there are no human characters.
B. The poster is dark and wavy, suggesting a theme of mystery.
100
Which line from "Max in the Year 2300" helps to distinguish it as a work of science fiction from a work of fantasy fiction?
A. As he lingered over his meal, he glanced at a white square on the pale grey wall.
B. In an instant, the poem swirled on the screen and into the folder.
C. They were not actually original prints, but molecule-by-molecule reproductions.
C. They were not actually original prints, but molecule-by-molecule reproductions.
100
The words and actions of Lemon Brown in "The Treasure of Lemon Brown” makes him seem like?
A. Greg’s teacher.
B. a real person.
C. Greg’s father.
B. a real person.
100
Personification is ____________.
A. language that expresses something beyond its literal meaning
B. the lending of human qualities to animals, objects, or abstract concepts
C. a story that is shared orally and passed on through generations
B. the lending of human qualities to animals, objects, or abstract concepts
200
Read this excerpt from The Golem.
INT. THE MIND OF RABBI LOW. CONTINUOUS.
In a dream Rabbi Low sees fantastic versions of the symbols and shapes from his book, against a constantly shifting background.
Rabbi Low is surrounded by townspeople, pleading with him to help them. Their cries grow louder.
Rabbi Low reaches out for them, but his arms pass through them. They dissolve like mist. Their images are replaced by laughing, cruel faces. Rabbi Low shakes away these visions with his arms.
What do the stage directions show the reader about Rabbi Low’s viewpoint?
A. he fears symbols and shapes
B. he fears Pearl will reject him
C. he is afraid for his townspeople
C. he is afraid for his townspeople
200
Read this excerpt and look at the photo from "Max in the Year 2300."
Slumping on his low couch, Max felt restless. "What shall I do today?" he thought, bored. "I suppose I could call Zara and invite her to the Walter Museum. There's an exhibit of statues and photographs, one was striking in particular.” He thought of it and visualized the image. The face seemed so familiar, like one you had seen many times before in your life, such as an image when passing in a mirror. This is what he saw.
What can the reader best predict about Max from this excerpt?
A. Max and Zara are married.
B. Max and Zara go to the museum.
C. Max is a cat.
C. Max is a cat.
200
Read this excerpt from The Golem.
Rabbi Low looks expectantly at the Golem.
Thunder sounds in the distance. Rabbi Low checks his papers. He repeats the words, louder this time.
There's more thunder, closer this time. It begins to rain. Still nothing from the Golem. Rabbi Low shouts the words, partly in desperation, partly to be heard over the howling wind.
What is the effect of the stage directions?
A. They build suspense.
B. They build the plot.
C. They build exposition.
A. They build suspense.
200
Read the excerpt from “The Treasure of Lemon Brown.”
“When you get as old as me all you say when something hurts is, ‘Howdy, Mr. Pain, sees you back again.’ Then when Mr. Pain see he can’t worry you none, he go on mess with somebody else.”
Greg smiled.
Which types of indirect characterization are used?
A. dialogue and reaction
B. thought and action
c. action and dialogue
A. dialogue and reaction
200
Figurative language is ________________.
A. language that expresses something beyond its literal meaning.
B. a story that is shared orally and passed on through generations
A. language that expresses something beyond its literal meaning
300
Read this stage direction from The Golem.
EXT. RIVERBANK OF THE RIVER MOLDAU. – DAWN.
Rabbi Low slowly regains consciousness. He's not immediately sure where he is. He rubs the back of his head. He looks across at the spot where the Golem lay. It is gone.
He looks to his left and right. No Golem. He scrambles to his feet, moaning as he does so. He looks again. No Golem. He turns around and comes face to face with the Golem, standing without any emotion before him.
Rabbi Low screams in surprise and fear.
Based on this stage direction, readers should visualize the Golem as
A. not human.
B. not standing.
C. not talkative.
A. not human.
300
Which detail from "Max in the Year 2300” most clearly foreshadows what Max is?
A. He passed the modern bathroom which held wall-to-wall mirrors, not an appliance with water in sight.
B. Breakfast over, bowl cleared, he crossed back through his serene home, admiring the bird prints that decorated the walls.
C. He particularly liked the plump young partridges trailing behind their mother. One could touch and squeeze them.
C. He particularly liked the plump young partridges trailing behind their mother. One could touch and squeeze them.
300
Which line from Act 2 of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street helps to distinguish this teleplay as a work of science fiction rather than a work of fantasy fiction?
A. "Steve—you know why I shot! How was I supposed to know he wasn't a monster or something?"
B. "You were so quick to kill, Charlie, and you were so quick to tell us who we had to be careful of. Well, maybe you had to kill."
C. As suddenly Charlie's lights go off and the lights in another house go on. They stay on for a moment then from across the street other lights go on and then off again.
As suddenly Charlie's lights go off and the lights in another house go on. They stay on for a moment then from across the street other lights go on and then off again.
300
Read this excerpt from The Golem.
There is wild disorder as neighbors, children, birds, cart-peddlers, other livestock, all run into each other in the frenzy caused by the chickens.
Suddenly, the people hear a loud roar, louder even than the noise they've been making. Everyone stops – even the chickens – and looks up the street to see the source of the sound.
A deep flood races around a corner and down the street toward them, several feet high and carrying away everything in its path. People, carts, animals, birds, all go flying down the street, carried by the racing current.
What do the characters’ actions and stage directions show?
A. They have planned for a natural disaster.
B. They are unprepared for this catastrophic event.
C. The village has a large population of people.
B. They are unprepared for this catastrophic event.
300
the conclusion or outcome of a plot’s conflicts
resolution
400
Read the excerpt from act 1 of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.
GOODMAN
She's crazy. Look I can explain that. Please . . . I can really explain that . . . she's making it up anyway.
(then he shouts)
I tell you she's making it up!
Which element of drama is highlighted in this excerpt?
A. the character of Goodman
B. the setting of Goodman’s house
C. the setting of Goodman’s neighborhood
A. the character of Goodman
400
Based on the events of Act I of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street, which event is most likely to happen in the rest of the story?
A. A hero will come forward and save the neighborhood.
B. Pete Van Horn will turn out to be an alien in disguise.
C. The neighborhood will become chaotic as the residents turn on each other.
C. The neighborhood will become chaotic as the residents turn on each other.
400
What is one reason that Act 2 of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street is considered science fiction as opposed to fantasy fiction?
A. It involves aliens.
B. A murder occurs.
C. It is a scary story.
A. It involves aliens.
400
Read the excerpt from “The Treasure of Lemon Brown.”
“When you get as old as me all you say when something hurts is, ‘Howdy, Mr. Pain, sees you back again.’ Then when Mr. Pain see he can’t worry you none, he go on mess with somebody else.”
Greg smiled.
Which types of indirect characterization are used?
A. dialogue and reaction
B. thought and action
C. action and dialogue
A. dialogue and reaction
400
a story with both a literal, or surface, meaning and underlying symbolic meaning that expresses a message about human life
A. allegory
b. personification
c. hyperbole
Allegory
500
Read the excerpt from act 1 of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.
42. MED. SHOT – THE PORCH 42.
As the first of the mob reaches the bottom steps. The screen door opens and Goodman comes out, a man in his early forties who first greets them smiling and then letting the smile fade as he sees the faces.
Based on the stage direction, what should the reader visualize in shot 42?
A. a group of people calmly approaching Goodman’s home
B. a group of confused people rushing to safety at Goodman’s home
C. a group of angry people approaching Goodman’s home
C. a group of angry people approaching Goodman’s home
500
Which of the excerpts from The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street best foreshadows that the residents of Maple Street will turn against Les Goodman?
A. “That's Les Goodman's house. He's got lights!”
B. “He always was an odd ball. Him and his whole family. Real odd ball.”
C. “What is this, a gag or something? This a practical joke or something?”
B. “He always was an odd ball. Him and his whole family. Real odd ball.”
500
Which line from Act 2 of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street helps to distinguish this teleplay as a work of science fiction rather than a work of fantasy fiction?
A. "Show them nothing! If they want to look inside our house – let them get a search warrant.”
B. A figure has suddenly materialized in the gloom and in the silence we can hear the clickety-clack of slow, measured footsteps on concrete as the figure walks slowly toward them.
C. “Who do I talk to? I talk to monsters from outer space. I talk to three headed green men who fly over here in what look like meteors.”
C. “Who do I talk to? I talk to monsters from outer space. I talk to three headed green men who fly over here in what look like meteors.”
500
Which statement best identifies and explains how Walter Dean Myers creates one of his characters in “The Treasure of Lemon Brown”?
A. He uses indirect characterization with the words "lecture that probably awaited him" to show that Greg is always in trouble.
B. He uses direct characterization with the words "heavily wrinkled face" to show that Lemon Brown is feeling sad and lonely.
C. He uses indirect characterization with the words "carrying a length of pipe" to show that one of the neighborhood thugs is threatening.
C. He uses indirect characterization with the words "carrying a length of pipe" to show that one of the neighborhood thugs is threatening.
500
Hyperbole is an _________________.
A. language that expresses something beyond its literal meaning
B. the lending of human qualities to animals, objects, or abstract concepts
C. exaggerating or overstating for effect
C. exaggerating or overstating for effect