What does "Predatory" mean, and how is it used in the story?
Given to stealing from or hurting others for one’s own gain; the gangs are predatory in that they take advantage of weaker people to get money and food.
100
What does the phrase "the wrong side of the tracks" mean, and how is it used in the story?
The bad part of town; the author is from the wrong side of the tracks.
100
What is an objective summary?
It has no opinion; it is based only on evidence from the story or article.
100
Fill in the blank:
I had a better time on vacation_______she did; her glasses fell off on the roller coaster and_______she couldn't see the animals at the zoo.
than
then
200
How does the author come by the hamburger he ends up feeding Dirk?
A man who bowled a perfect game bought all of the pit boys hamburgers and cokes.
200
What is a "forerunner", and how is the word used in the story?
A person or thing that came before; the gangs are forerunners to the gangs of today (they have knives, not guns).
200
What does the phrase "stay above water" mean, and how is it used in the story?
Survive; the author's job allows him to stay above water.
200
What are the two types of evidence?
Explicit, which is directly stated in the text, and implicit, which requires you to "read between the lines" or, in other words, to think more deeply about what you're reading.
200
Fill in the blanks:
There were_____ many bricks in my new Lego set for me___ keep track of; I thought at first that I must have enough for ____ entire sets.
too
to
two
300
Why does the author name the dog Dirk?
He is reading a detective novel where the main character is named Dirk, and he thinks the dog looks tough like the character.
300
What is an "impasse", and how is it used in the story?
A situation in which no progress can be made; when the author first meets Dirk by the alley, he traps Dirk under the ladder, and cannot move because Dirk will bite him.
300
What do we know about Happy from the author's comparing him to "an upright freezer"?
He is large, muscular, and not very smart.
300
What are the three criteria for determining the moral, or theme, of a fictional text?
1. It needs to be a direct statement.
2. It needs to be universal (no specific names).
3. It is a lesson that we learn.
300
Fill in the blanks:
I don't really like my neighbors; I only went into _________yard to get the ball I threw over________, but they saw me and told my mom anyway.
their
there
400
What animal does Dirk protect the sheep from for Olaf?
Coyotes
400
What is a "decoy", and how is it used in the story?
A person or thing used to distract others or lead them in a different direction; the author uses the hamburger as a decoy to escape from Dirk.
400
What does the author indicate about the way Dirk eats the hamburger when he says that it,"disappeared down
his throat as if a hole had opened into the universe"?
The dog eats it quickly and in one bite; Dirk is probably also starving.
400
How does an author communicate the moral of a work with the reader?
The author uses the characters and plot; the characters' decisions, their reasons for making them, and the consequences thereof, indicate what the author wants us to learn.
400
Fill in the blanks:
I wanted to adopt one of my neighbor's dog's puppies; _______ a shame the dog wouldn't let anyone near ______ new family.
it's
its
500
What is the name of the bar over which the bowling alley is located?
Four Clover Bar
500
What is a "cohort", and how is it used in the story?
A companion or associate; Happy is with only two of his cohorts, or fellow troublemakers, when he meets Dirk and the author for the second time.
500
What does it indicate about their relationship when the author says that having Dirk was,"as close to having a live nuclear weapon as you can get"?
Dirk was good for protection, but you also had to be very careful because the dog was dangerous.
500
What four things do you have to include in the opening sentence of your summary?
Author, title, verb, main idea(s)
500
Fill in the blanks:
I didn't expect my decision to leave my bike on the stairs to ________ anything too much, but it had the_________ of tripping up my dad and getting me grounded for a month.