Passage 1
According to paragraph 1, what are the old man's first words when he enters the room?
"Peace be with you, fair lords."
According to paragraph 12, name ONE of the two types of documents Graham is reviewing at the kitchen table.
Crop reports OR bank statements.
Read the excerpt from Passage 1.
"Sir, I bring here a young knight, the which is of king's lineage, whereby the marvels of this court shall be accomplished, and the trial of this thy kingdom shall be brought to a happy end, if that may be. And the name of him is Galahad."
What does the use of the word "trial" suggest in this excerpt?
○ A The kingdom is under pressure from enemy countries.
○ B The kingdom has endured many hardships and is being tested.
○ C The old man will judge those who fail to obtain the Graal.
○ D The knights have a legal responsibility to pursue the Graal
B — The kingdom has endured hardships and is being tested.
This word from Passage 1 means "to declare or assert openly and firmly." Gawaine does this when he pledges to pursue the Graal
AVOW
$100 — Question 2A: What theme is suggested by Graham's situation in "Walcott Farm"?
A) First instincts are usually correct.
B) A sense of adventure can solve many problems. C) Planning ahead can help one understand a situation more clearly.
D) People will do whatever is necessary to keep what is important to them.
D) People will do whatever is necessary to keep what is important to them.
In paragraph 22, Graham says one sentence that explains why the stranger's knowledge of the chair is so shocking. What does he say
"Nobody outside of this family knows about that chair." The chair is a family secret — only a real family member could know about it.
[ELA.8.R.1.3]
Read this excerpt from Passage 1.
""Sir king," said the old white man, "none may tell you what shall be the end of this quest of the Holy Graal, . . . ye war with each other, and are evil livers and full of pride and mastery, and if ye do not repent and stay your dishonour, then shall the Holy Vessel pass from Britain, and ruin and death and civil war shall stalk through the land and leave it desolate.""
How does the speaker's point of view in this excerpt increase the tension of Passage 1?
○ A by showing that the power of the Graal has the potential to do harm
○ B by showing that the Graal has likely been lost to the kingdom forever
○ C by showing that Britain is less powerful than the knights believe it to be
○ D by showing that the knights share responsibility for the condition of Britain
Answer: D — By showing that the knights share responsibility for the condition of Britain.
This word from Passage 2 is Graham's immediate thought in paragraph 20 when the stranger claims to be his uncle. It means "completely absurd; contrary to reason.
PREPOSTEROUS
Question 4A: How is the structure of Passage 2 different from Passage 1?
A) Passage 2 ends by foreshadowing what will happen next.
B) Passage 2 builds toward a climax as the story progresses.
C) Passage 2 describes the characters' thoughts and actions in between dialogue.
D) Passage 2 introduces the main character's conflict before anything else occurs.
C) Passage 2 describes the characters' thoughts and actions in between dialogue.
According to paragraph 8, name TWO specific consequences the old man says will come to Britain if the knights do not repent.
The Holy Vessel will pass from Britain. (2) Ruin, death, and civil war shall stalk the land and leave it desolate.
According to paragraph 24, what TWO logical explanations does Graham consider for the stranger's behavior before deciding to trust him?
Answer: (1) The man is delusional. (2) He is a thief running an elaborate scam.
Fill in the circles before TWO details from Passage 1 that show why Gawaine chooses to pursue the Graal.
A Then uprose Sir Gawaine, B who was a faithful knight and true man to his king, C though a proud one and a hasty. D He was filled with sorrow for the ruin that threatened his fair land.
E "Now I do here avow," he said, F "that to-morrow, without fail, I shall set forth, G and I shall labour with all the strength of my body and my soul H to go in quest of the Holy Graal, I so that if I be fit to see it and to bring it hither, J this dear land may be saved from woe."
K So hot were his words L that many of the better knights rose also, M and raising their right hands did make a like avowal; . . .
D — "He was filled with sorrow for the ruin that threatened his fair land." J — "this dear land may be saved from woe."
— This word from Passage 1 describes what will happen to Britain if the knights do not repent. It means "empty of people; devastated; barren
DESOLATE
Question 2B: Which quotation best helps develop the theme identified in Question 2A?
A) "Luckily for me — for the both of us, looks like — the real fortune is right here, beneath our feet." (paragraph 19)
B) "Graham's father had never mentioned having a brother; this man's story was preposterous." (paragraph 20)
C) "Either way, somewhere out there," the man gestured grandly towards the farm outside the window, "is a treasure." (paragraph 23)
D) "Graham turned to the old man and asked, 'How are we going to find it?'" (paragraph 25)
D) "Graham turned to the old man and asked, 'How are we going to find it?'" (paragraph 25)
In paragraph 5, Galahad sits in the Siege Perilous. According to the footnote, what was expected to happen — and what is surprising about what actually happens?
the chair was supposed to slay anyone who sat in it. Surprising — Galahad survives, proving he is the greatest knight worthy of the quest.
The story begins with Graham searching for a decimal point in the wrong place. By the final line he asks, "How are we going to find it?" What does this shift reveal about how Graham has changed?
In paragraph 12 Graham is consumed by financial despair and sees no way out. By paragraph 25 he has shifted from hopelessness to actively pursuing a solution — from "the farm is lost" to planning how to find treasure.
Part B
Which aspect of the passages is affected by this difference in structure?
○ A how the reader imagines the stories will end
○ B the way the characters' goals are revealed
○ C the number of ways the stories can be understood
○ D how the reader knows what the main characters are thinking
Answer: D — How the reader knows what the main characters are thinking.
This word from Passage 1 refers to Galahad's direct line of descent from kings — the reason the old man calls him "of king's ______."
LINEAGE
Question 6: Select TWO ways the story in Passage 2 is similar to the story in Passage 1.
A) Both stories feature characters who share a common goal.
B) Both stories include dialogue between characters with conflicting views.
C) Both stories feature central characters who change their point of view in the end.
D) Both stories describe setting details to create a mysterious atmosphere.
E) Both stories present a challenge and a way for the central character to overcome it.
A) Both stories feature characters who share a common goal.
E) Both stories present a challenge and a way for the central character to overcome it.
In paragraph 21, the old man describes the carved oak chair. What does he say about it that Graham had never told him — and why is this the turning point of the story?
He says the chair is "chiseled from a tree trunk rooted forty feet into the earth" and that a twister could carry off the house but the chair would still stand. It is the turning point because it is secret family knowledge no outsider could know — Graham cannot explain it away.
Read this excerpt from Passage 1.
""Sir king," said the old white man, "none may tell you what shall be the end of this quest of the Holy Graal, . . . ye war with each other, and are evil livers and full of pride and mastery, and if ye do not repent and stay your dishonour, then shall the Holy Vessel pass from Britain, and ruin and death and civil war shall stalk through the land and leave it desolate.""
How does the speaker's point of view in this excerpt increase the tension of Passage 1?
○ A by showing that the power of the Graal has the potential to do harm
○ B by showing that the Graal has likely been lost to the kingdom forever
○ C by showing that Britain is less powerful than the knights believe it to be
○ D by showing that the knights share responsibility for the condition of Britain
Answer: The old man's speech reveals the knights are not innocent victims — they are the cause of Britain's crisis. They war with each other, are evil livers, and are full of pride. This increases tension because the threat is internal, and the knights must change themselves to save the kingdom.
This word from Passage 2 describes the way the stranger acts toward Graham — treating him with more closeness and informality than would be appropriate for a stranger. The text says this "annoyed" Graham.
FAMILIARITY
Question 4B: Which aspect of the passages is most affected by the structural difference between Passage 1 and Passage 2?
A) How the reader imagines the stories will end.
B) The way the characters' goals are revealed.
C) The number of ways the stories can be understood.
D) How the reader knows what the main characters are thinking.
D) How the reader knows what the main characters are thinking.