1. Use the story "The Landlord's Mistake" from Fifty Famous People by James Baldwin to answer the question.

Question

In one short sentence, describe a theme of the excerpt.

2. Use the excerpt from the short story, The Little Mermaid, to complete the activity (The excerpt starts at "in the morning the storm had ceased" and ends at "and where his palace stood.")
In 3 short sentences, write a summary of this excerpt from The Little Mermaid.

3. Use the paragraph to answer the question.
Melanie walked out onto the stage, and her stomach dropped like a free-falling elevator. She kept slowly over to the podium and bent the microphone toward her mouth, like the straw and her pink lemonade. She gathered up all of her courage and began to speak, her voice in imposter as it boomed through the microphone. She flinched at its unfamiliarity Scan the room for her Mothers face.
In three short sentences, identify two examples of figurative language from the passage above and explain what each example of figurative language means.

4. Use the paragraph to answer the question.
My grandmother, whom we affectionately call Nani, is the best baker I know. If Lebron James is the king of the basketball court, then she is the queen of the kitchen. Her soft, warm chocolate chip cookies are better than Mrs. Field's or Rachel Ray's. Her key lime pie is the perfect delicate balance between sweet and savory. Her recipe box is her treasure chest, full of secret recipes handwritten on colorful notecards. Nani mixes and stirs and measures with as much care as a scientist in a lab. Everything tastes better if it's made by Nani, for everything she bakes is made with love.
Analyze the writer's word choice. In 3 short sentences describe the word choice on the tone of the paragraph, including any analogies or allusions that were used.

Answer 1

1. A theme of "The Landlord's Mistake" is the consequences of misjudgment and the importance of understanding others' situations.

2. In the excerpt from The Little Mermaid, a storm has finally ceased, revealing a calm sea. A handsome prince is seen on the beach, but he is unconscious after being rescued from the water. In this moment, the beauty of the setting contrasts with the prince's vulnerability.

3. Two examples of figurative language in the passage are "her stomach dropped like a free-falling elevator" and "her voice in imposter as it boomed through the microphone." The first example is a simile that conveys Melanie's intense nervousness and fear about speaking in public. The second example uses a metaphor, suggesting that her voice feels foreign and surprising to her, amplifying her feelings of insecurity in the spotlight.

4. The writer's word choice creates a warm and affectionate tone throughout the paragraph about Nani. The analogy comparing Nani to "the queen of the kitchen" elevates her baking skills and suggests a sense of pride and admiration. Additionally, referring to her recipe box as a "treasure chest" emphasizes the value and sentimental nature of her culinary creations, which are made with love.