Show:
Vocabulary In Context
Character Traits
Literary Devices
Drawing Conclusions
Surprise Me
100
Which of the words below BEST defines the underlined word in the sentence?

"Before he shut the door I could see that Momma and Dad and Joey were standing there in a little knot trying not to let me know they were eavesdropping."

A) listening
B) watching
C) excited
A) listening
100
Which character most closely depicts the following traits:

Confused
Angry
Traumatized
Kenny Watson
100
Which literary device is being used by the author in the following sentence:

"I looked into the church and saw smoke and dust flying around like a tornado was in there."

A) Onomatopoeia to emphasize the sound the tornado made.
B) Simile to compare the smoke and dust to a tornado.
C) Alliteration to emphasize the amount of smoke and dust.
B) Simile to compare the smoke and dust to a tornado.
100
What type of conflict is being described in the following text clues?

"All the hair on my head jumped up to attention. The light flickered back on and the smoke cleared and I could see that hanging on to the other end of the shoe was a giant gray hand with cold, hard square fingers...The Wool Pooh...I got real scared. I walked as slowly and as quietly as I could... Maybe if I moved quietly he wouldn't come for me.

A. Character vs. Character
B. Character vs. Self
C. Character vs. Society
A. Character vs. Character
100
Which literary device is being used by the author in the following sentence:

"Hold on Kenny. Watch some cartoons with me." "O.K., I will in a minute." Byron grabbed my arm before I could crawl behind the couch. "Naw, man, at least stay for Felix the Cat."

A) Allusion to reference a popular television show.
B) Imagery to paint a picture of the scene for the reader.
C) Alliteration to emphasize how much Byron wanted Kenny to sit with him.
A) Allusion to reference a popular television show.
200
Which of the words below BEST defines the underlined word in the sentence?

"Grown-ups were kneeling down by them and the adults’ hands fluttered down toward the little girls, then, before they touched anything, fluttered back up, over and over."

A) gently touch
B) wave rapidly
C) dance slowly
B) wave rapidly
200
Which character most closely depicts the following traits:

A Joker
A Liar
Protective
Byron Watson
200
Which literary device is being used by the author in the following sentence:

"A few minutes ago I’d been crying on the floor like a kindergarten baby and now I was looking in the mirror laughing."

A) Simile to compare the crying to a kindergarten baby.
B) Allusion to reference an important moment in a kindergartener's life.
C) Onomatopoeia to emphasize the sound a baby makes when he/she is crying.
A) Simile to compare the crying to a kindergarten baby.
200
What can you infer about Mr. Watson from the following text clues?

"Dad came to the back door, in pajama pants and a T-shirt. “What was that? Was that back here?” I shook my head. He looked like a bell went off in his head and said, “Oh Lord, where’s Byron?"

A. He always blames Byron because Byron is typically responsible for "trouble."
B. He is worried that Byron got hurt and wants to make sure he is safe.
C. He is hoping that Byron went to church with Joetta to confess for his bad behavior.
A. He always blames Byron because Byron is typically responsible for "trouble."
200
Which literary device is being used by the author in the following sentence:

"I leaned back against the tree and closed my eyes. I don't know if I got to sleep or not but Momma's scream made me jump nearly to the magnolias top branch. I'd never heard Momma's voice sound so bad."

A) Alliteration to emphasize how loud Momma's scream was.
B) Hyperbole to over-exaggerate Momma's scream.
C) Allusion to reference an important moment in Birmingham history.
B) Hyperbole to over-exaggerate Momma's scream.
300
Which of the words below BEST defines the underlined word in the sentence?

"I walked past people lying around in little balls on the grass crying and twitching, I walked past people squeezing each other and shaking, I walked past people hugging trees and telephone poles, looking like they were afraid they might fly off the earth if they let go."

A) spasming
B) hiding
C) screaming
A) spasming
300
Which character most closely depicts the following traits:

Whiney
A Snitch
Honest
Joetta (Joey) Watson
300
Which literary device is being used by the author in the following sentence:

"Pull-whisshh-stop, pull-whisshh-stop. Up ahead someone else was in the water."

A) Metaphor to compare the different sounds the water made.
B) Onomatopoeia to emphasize the sound the water made.
C) Hyperbole to over-exaggerate the sounds of the water.
B) Onomatopoeia to emphasize the sound the water made.
300
What can you infer about Kenny Watson from the following text clues?

"Byron, I left Joey. I thought the Wool Pooh had her and instead of fighting him like you did, I left, I ran from him. How come you were brave enough to fight him and all I could do was run? All I could save was a shoe, a stupid ripped-up shoe."

A. Kenny is happy that Joey is safe but feels bad he took someone else's shoe.
B. Kenny is happy that Joey is safe, but embarrassed that he didn't save her.
C. Kenny doesn't realize that he is responsible for saving Joey from the Wool Pooh.
B. Kenny is happy that Joey is safe, but embarrassed that he didn't save her.
300
The bombing of the church in chapter 14 could also be considered as:

A) A made-up event in the novel.
B) The reason Byron goes back to Flint.
C) The climax of the novel.
C) The climax of the novel.
400
Which of the words below BEST defines the underlined word in the sentence?

"“Naw, Joey, the Wool Pooh don’t come on public beaches, he just grabs folks that are too stingy to let peons come on their land, like this Collier guy."

A) cheap
B) mean
C) angry
A) cheap
400
Which character most closely depicts the following traits:

Worried
Protective
Troubled
Mr. OR Mrs. Watson
400
Which literary device is being used by the author in the following sentence:

"I walked past people lying around in little balls on the grass crying and twitching, I walked past people squeezing each other and shaking, I walked past people hugging trees and telephone poles, looking like they were afraid they might fly off the earth if they let go."

A) Alliteration to emphasize how far Kenny walked.
B) Repetition to emphasize what Kenny saw.
C) Irony to show how Kenny's behavior was opposite to everyone else's.
B) Repetition to emphasize what Kenny saw.
400
What can you infer about Kenny Watson from the following text clues?

When Byron and Joetta won’t join Kenny at Collier’s Landing he calls them “a couple of jive squares.” What does he really mean?

A. He means they should dance instead.
B. He means that they shouldn't listen to the warnings and go swimming.
C. He means he doesn't want them to come with him because they're chickens.
B. He means that they shouldn't listen to the warnings and go swimming.
400
Which type of irony is being used by the author in the following sentence:

"The people that came to get her saw me and one of them said, “How come you ain’t coming to Sunday school, young man?”

I smiled and said, “I forgot to get up in time.”

Everybody in the house knew that was a lie but no one seemed to care."

A) Situational Irony
B) Dramatic Irony
C) Verbal Irony
C) Verbal Irony
500
Which of the words below BEST defines the underlined word in the sentence?

"The one pointing to the left said “Public Swimming” and the other one, pointing to the right, looked like it had been on the post for a million years but if you got close to it you could read, "WARNING! NO TRESPASSING! NO SWIMING! NO PUBLIC ENTREE! Signed Joe Collier."

A) walking
B) entering
C) eating
B) entering
500
Which character most closely depicts the following traits:

Evil
Hateful
Ignorant
The men who bombed the church
500
Which literary device is being used by the author in the following sentence:

"I started throwing up a ton of water and food. If there was a forest fire somewhere all they would have to do is hold me over it and I would have put it out! I threw up and coughed and choked and vomited about a million times, and all this just because I'd breathed in some air!"

A) Imagery to paint a picture of what the scene looked like.
B) Allusion to reference an important moment in history.
C) Hyperbole to over-exaggerate what happened to Kenny.
C) Hyperbole to over-exaggerate what happened to Kenny.
500
What can you infer about Byron Watson from the following text clues?

"Byron dropped me on the ground right on top of all the water and junk that I’d thrown up. I knew he was going to make a stupid joke about me landing face-first in all that mess but he didn’t, he just wrapped his arms around my shoulders real tight and put his mouth right on top of my head! Byron was shaking like he was getting electrocuted and crying like a baby and kissing the top of my head over and over!"

A. Byron is angry that Kenny didn't listen to him and almost got himself killed.
B. Byron is scared that his parents are going to find out about what Kenny did.
C. Byron is thankful that he was able to save Kenny before he drowned and died.
C. Byron is thankful that he was able to save Kenny before he drowned and died.
500
How did going to Birmingham, Alabama change the relationship between:

1. Byron & Kenny

2. Kenny & Joetta

1. Byron realizes how fragile life really is when he saved his brother Kenny from drowning in the whirlpool at Collier's Landing. He also realizes that he is lucky that none of his family were hurt at the bombing at the church. Because of this, he is being kind and supportive towards Kenny.

2. Kenny is starting to get more mature, especially after experiencing the bombing at the church in Birmingham. He is becoming more serious and isn't really at the same child-like level as Joetta is.