Use this short story, An Unexpected Trip, to complete the activity.
An Unexpected Trip
Sarah wasn’t quite sure what was going on. She had been sitting in the back of the car for hours as it rumbled up the highway’s six spotless lanes. There were not many other cars. When they turned off the main highway, Sarah wasn’t very worried. This was the way to the house her parents had far, far out in the country. She’d been before, for summers. Sometimes she got to bring her friend, Sam. Going to the house by itself did not worry Sarah. The chains rattling around the back seat next to her, though, were a different story.
Sarah’s mom and dad had said not to worry and that everything was fine. If everything was fine, though, why had they gotten so upset when the phone had rung last night? This time of month, Sarah usually spent the night with her grandmother, watching old movies and eating popcorn that Grandma made on the stove in a pot (not in the microwave). It was delicious. She couldn’t quite make out what her mom had been saying into the phone. Something like, “What do you mean, you can’t come, Mom? I need you. No, you don’t understand; it has to be tomorrow night!” Later, her mom and dad told her that Grandma wasn’t coming, and that she’d have to come on a little car ride with them.
“Can I still have popcorn the way Grandma makes it?” Sarah had asked. Her parents had seemed nervous before, but when she asked this, they’d looked at each other and had a nice, loud laugh, collapsing into a hug.
“We’ll see what we can do, ladyface,” her dad said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
Today her parents had woken her up very early in the morning. They’d told her they’d only be gone for a night but let her pack as many toys and movies as she wanted. Sarah was a little confused—normally one night meant two toys and two movies. Her mother was very strict about this, and Sarah had often gotten a stern talking-to when her mother found an extra game or stuffed animal packed in-between her sweaters.
Today, however, there weren’t any toy restrictions. There were no restrictions on soda, junk food or TV watching. Her parents didn’t seem to be paying much attention to her. They weren’t doing much of anything, actually, except staring out the windows as the flat countryside rolled past.
When they made it to the cottage, it seemed strange. It was fall, and what looked beautiful in the summertime seemed odd and spooky now. The friendly green trees had lost their leaves, and now had sharp-looking branches pointing in every direction. In summer, Sarah loved playing in the little barn-shaped garage. Today Sarah couldn’t tell what was hiding in its shadows. She hurried out as soon as the car engine shut off.
True to their word, Sarah’s parents made her popcorn as soon as they got to the house in the late afternoon. Her mom put one of her favorite movies on the TV, covered her in a blanket and sat in the kitchen. Her father brought things into the house, and then disappeared into the garage for a long time. She heard banging. She could not imagine what was going on. Eventually, she fell asleep.
When she woke up, the sun was setting. Her mom sat in a chair across the room, looking her in the face. It was not usual for Sarah’s mom to be there when she woke up, lovingly looking into her eyes. Tonight she seemed nervous.
“Where’s Dad?” Sarah asked, rubbing her eyes.
Her mom looked down, and twisted her fingers together. “Your dad … he has some things he has to do. Alone. We’ll see him in the morning.” Suddenly, she stood up. “Sarah, it’s time for bed.”
“Mom! It’s not even dark out!”
“Sarah.”
“And I’m not tired! I just woke up!”
“Don’t argue with me!” Sarah’s mom yelled. She hardly ever yelled. Sarah was a little scared. Mom let out a deep sigh. “Sarah, honey, we should go to bed. It’s been a long day. I’ll lie down with you.”
They went to her room, and read books together. Sarah was not tired. They talked and read for a long time. Eventually, Sarah’s mom fell asleep. Sarah tossed and turned, burrowing her head into her mom or rolling far across the bed. She decided she needed to walk around a bit. Her legs were crampy. Plus, she had had an awful lot of soda to drink. She got up to walk to the bathroom.
The bedroom door opened with a long, low creaking sound. All the lights in the house were off. Sarah could only see because of the big full moon shining through the windows. She put her hands on the wall, feeling her way forward, bumping into tables and tripping on shoes. Just as she got near the bathroom, she realized she could hear a sound. It was like a wailing, crying sound. It was like a dog that was hurt, but also somehow … different. Mixed in with the howls and yelps were the sounds of the chains rattling. Sarah remembered that sound—the one the chains next to her in the car made every time it hit a bump in the road. What was going on?
She realized the sound was coming from the garage, which connected to the house via a small door. As Sarah crept towards the door, the howling stopped. What was in there? It sounded hurt and afraid. Maybe Sarah could help it?
She eased open the door, which made its own low creak, like a very old ghost waking up in the morning. At first, Sarah saw nothing. Then out of the darkness, a huge shape lunged at her. It was covered in wild, dark fur. It had a huge snout full of long, sharp teeth that snapped and trailed froth. It made the loudest sound Sarah had ever heard as it came at her. Then at the last minute, she heard the sound of chains, and the animal seemed to snap backwards. Sarah screamed as loud as she could. The thing came at her again and snapped back towards the wall a second time. Then a lot of things happened at once: Sarah heard her mom yell her name. She fell to the floor. Things started to go dark. Just before they did, Sarah noticed something very odd. The thing was wearing a torn up pair of red pants. “Just like my dad’s,” she thought as she drifted off.
The next morning, Sarah was in bed. Birds chirped. Sun streamed in the window. Had it all been a dream? Sarah stood up and went into the house. Everything looked normal. She smelled bacon and heard it sizzle and pop in the pan. She made her way to the kitchen where her mom was happily frying up eggs and bacon. The waffle maker was out too, sending steam up towards the ceiling. Her dad sat at the table sipping coffee. When he saw her come into the room, he put down the paper he was reading. He motioned for her to come over.
Sarah hesitated a little, and went over and sat. Her dad looked at her kindly. “Hey, ladyface,” he said. “Do you know what a werewolf is?”
in 3-5 sentences, write a summary of this short story An Unexpected Trip.
(4 points)
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Question 11
Use the paragraph to complete the activity.
Melanie walked out onto the stage, and her stomach dropped like a free-falling elevator. She crept slowly over to the podium and bent the microphone toward her mouth, like the straw in her pink lemonade. She gathered up all of her courage and began to speak, her voice an impostor as it boomed through the microphone. She flinched at its unfamiliarity and scanned the room for her mother's face.
In three to five sentences, identify two examples of figurative language from the passage above and explain what each example of figurative language means.
(4 points)
0Word(s)
Question 12
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 to 5 sentences, describe the effect of word choice on the tone of the paragraph, including any analogies or allusions that were used.
(4 points)
1 answer
Summary of "An Unexpected Trip"
In "An Unexpected Trip," young Sarah embarks on a seemingly innocent car ride with her parents to their country cottage, but things take a strange turn as Sarah begins to notice her parents' anxious behavior and the mysterious chains in the backseat. After an unsettling night filled with a strange noise from the garage, she encounters a terrifying creature that resembles a werewolf before losing consciousness. When she wakes up the next morning, everything appears normal, but her father’s inquiry about werewolves hints at the unusual events of the previous night and leaves her wondering if it was all a dream.
Examples of Figurative Language
"My stomach dropped like a free-falling elevator."
This simile compares Melanie's nervous feelings to the sensation of an elevator plummeting, conveying the intense anxiety and fear she feels as she steps onto the stage. It effectively illustrates how overwhelming her stage fright is, creating a vivid image of her emotional state.
"Gathered up all of her courage and began to speak, her voice an impostor as it boomed through the microphone."
The metaphor here suggests that Melanie's voice feels foreign to her, as if it is not truly representative of herself. It emphasizes her struggle with self-doubt and the disconnect she feels in that moment, making her anxiety more relatable to the reader.
Analysis of Word Choice in the Paragraph about Nani
The writer uses a warm and affectionate tone when describing Nani, using terms like "affectionately," "best," and "queen of the kitchen." Analogies comparing Nani to a queen and her recipe box to a "treasure chest" evoke a sense of admiration and respect for her baking skills. Phrases like "soft, warm chocolate chip cookies" and "made with love" enhance the emotional warmth of the paragraph, making the reader feel the comfort and nostalgia associated with Nani's baking. Overall, the careful word choice cultivates a tone of love and reverence for Nani and her culinary talents.
3 answers