Section 1: "That's Not What Happened"

Question

Read the selection and choose the best answer to each question.

That’s Not What Happened

Characters
LINA:
A girl in her late teens
JOELLE:
Also a girl in her late teens, and Lina’s best friend
FRIEND 1
FRIEND 2

{Lights come up on two bedrooms. In one, stage right, Lina
sits on the end of herbed, playing guitar. Her strumming
is intense. In the other bedroom, stage left, Joelle, holding her phone, hesitates and then dials
a number. Lina’s phone rings. She stops playing long enough to lean over,
glance at the screen, and decline the call with one
flick of her finger. She resumes playing, angrily, and Joelle
drops her phone onto her bed in frustration. Lights go down on Lina’s bedroom and her guitar playing fades out.]

JOELLE: [ Addressing audience.] What did I do wrong? She won’t answer my calls, she won’t answer my texts. Last night we were hanging out
with friends, having a great time, and then she just left all of a sudden, without even saying goodbye.

[Joelle crosses to center stage and joins Friend 1, Friend 2,
and Lina, who sits cross-legged, playing guitar. Lights as from a campfire
flicker on their faces. When Lina
finishes the song, Friend 1, Friend 2, and Joelle applaud and make
appreciative noises.]

JOELLE: Isn’t she great?

FRIEND 1: Yeah, definitely. I love that song, Lina. Did you write it yourself?

[ Lina smiles shyly and shrugs, but she doesn’t answer.]

JOELLE: [Turning to Lina, encouragingly.] She sure did, didn’t you, Lina.

[ Lina turns red and, her eyes huge, looks completely mortified but says nothing.]

JOELLE: [ A little exasperated .] She’s written quite a few, actually, and they’re all really good. She’s just too modest to talk about it. Here, let me play some of the songs she sent me. Lina doesn’t mind. They’re amazing!

[ Joelle takes out her phone and starts tapping and scrolling. Meanwhile, Lina sits by the fire a while, looking uncomfortable, until she finally gathers her things and goes back to her bedroom, stage right. When Joelle
and the others finish listening to the songs, they finally notice Lina is gone.]

FRIEND 2: Where’s Lina?

FRIEND 1: Her stuff is gone too.

JOELLE: She just left without saying a word?

[ Lights go down on Joelle, Friend 1, and Friend 2 and come up on Lina in her bedroom, annoyed.]

LINA: [Addressing the audience.] Except that’s not what happened at all!

[She begins to play guitar again, the same song she was playing at the campfire, losing herself in it for a little bit before remembering that the audience is there, listening. She stops playing.]

LINA: [ A little shyly. ] Mostly, I play for myself, not for an audience, but they asked me to bring my guitar. They asked me to play. So I played the song I’ve been working on the longest, the one I’m most sure of.

[She begins to play again, crossing to center stage and rejoining the group. When the song ends, Friend 1, Friend 2, and Joelle applaud and make appreciative noises.]

JOELLE: [ To the group.] She’s gotten so much better, right?

LINA: [A little sarcastically , with a sidelong glance at Joelle.] Thanks.

JOELLE: [Sincerely.] I mean it!

FRIEND 1: That was really great, Lina. Is that one of your own songs?

[Lina opens her mouth to speak, but Joelle interrupts.]

JOELLE: It sure is! She’s written quite a few, actually—

LINA: Yeah, I’ve been—

JOELLE: [ Whipping out her phone and beginning to scroll.] Here, I’ll play you a song she sent me last week—

LINA: Joelle, those are— Please don’t—

JOELLE: You’re too humble! Listen.

[The Two Friends gather near Joelle to listen to a recording of Lina
playing guitar while Lina sits by the fire, guitar in her lap, looking uncomfortable.]

JOELLE: Let me play you the other one—it’s even better.

[Lina, frustrated, puts away her guitar and rises.]

LINA: [Quietly as she passes the group.] I’ve got to go. [No one notices her leave.]

[ Lights go down center stage and come up on Lina’s bedroom. She sits on her bed, playing guitar. There is a brief
knock at her bedroom door, but before she can answer, Joelle pokes her head in.]

JOELLE: Why won’t you answer my calls?
LINA:[Frustrated.] I wanted some time to myself.

[Lina begins to play again as Joelle settles herself tentatively and awkwardly
in a chair beside the bed. Joelle hums along for a few bars and then waves her hand in front of Lina’s face.]

JOELLE: Hey. You just left last night without saying a word.

LINA: That’s not what hap—

JOELLE: I looked up and you were gone, and you aren’t answering my calls or my texts. I’ve spent the whole day wondering what I did—

LINA: Well, I’ll tell you if—

JOELLE: [ Speaking over Lina.] —to make you so mad, when all I wanted to do was show people—

LINA: Joelle—

JOELLE: —how talented you are, and you acted like—

LINA: [Sharply.] Joelle! You never let me talk!

[ Joelle, suddenly silent, looks as though she’s had a bucket of cold water
flung in her face.]

JOELLE: [Sulky.] So talk.

LINA: I asked you not to share those songs with anyone—

JOELLE: I know, but—

LINA: —and you did it anyway.

JOELLE: Because they’re really good!

LINA: But they aren’t yours to share.

JOELLE: I don’t understand why you’re shy about sharing your songs with the world.

LINA: It’s not about being shy. They are mine. I haven’t finished writing them. I’ll show the world when I’m ready. When those songs are ready.

JOELLE: [Resigned.] All right, I won’t do that anymore. I’m sorry.

[Lina nods, smiles, and strums a major chord on the guitar.]

LINA: Want to hear something new?

JOELLE: Something in the key of forgiveness? You bet.

Question 1 (1 point)
Based on the events at the end of the play, what will Lina most likely do next?

Question 1 options:

Perform a song that she just wrote

Tell Joelle that she forgives her

Ask Joelle to help her write a song

Get tips for being comfortable on stage

Question 2 (1 point)
Which line from the play shows that Joelle is
dismissive of Lina’s wishes to keep her new songs private?

Question 2 options:

JOELLE:
She won't answer my calls, she won't answer my texts. (line 2)

JOELLE:
She's gotten so much better, right? (line 19)

JOELLE:
You're too humble! (line 28)

JOELLE:
Something in the key of forgiveness? (line 57)

Question 3 (1 point)
How do the events that happen with Lina and Joelle’s friends help develop Lina’s character?

Question 3 options:

Lina's performance for her friends indicates her desire to attract
more attention.

Lina's lack of response to the question about her songwriting reveals that she doubts her skills

Lina's objections to the recordings of her songs show that she prefers to play them live

Lina's departure from the group emphasizes her reluctance
to express strong feelings

Question 4 (1 point)
How do the stage directions and Joelle’s speech in
line 2 contribute
to the audience’s understanding of the plot?

Question 4 options:

They characterize Joelle as desperate
to be the center of attention.

They present the problem that Joelle is worried about Lina's silence

They reveal that Joelle's blaming of Lina is the source of a conflict between them.

They introduce characters with opposite interests who will eventually clash.

Question 5 (1 point)
The playwright includes the stage directions and dialogue in
lines 16 and 17 most likely to develop the idea that Lina—

Question 5 options:

worries that she will lose the audience's attention

finds it challenging to learn a musical instrument

cares passionately about the quality of her songs

gets distracted by her hobbies from time to time

Question 6 (1 point)
In line 15, the playwright’s use of the phrase “at all” emphasizes—

Question 6 options:

the little time Lina has to focus on a hobby that fosters
her creativity

the idea that Lina has a much different perspective on
an event than Joelle

the frustration Lina is feeling about her music being misunderstood by Joelle

the regret Lina is experiencing about her song choice at the campfire

Question 7 (1 point)
The playwright uses sarcasm in line 20 most likely to —

Question 7 options:

reveal that Joelle has been friends with Lina for a long time

suggest that Joelle doubts Lina's ability to perform well

indicate that Lina cares about how others perceive
her

show that Lina finds Joelle's compliment questionable

Question 8 (1 point)
In line 1, the words “intense,” “angrily,” and “frustration” contribute to the
mood of the play by emphasizing —

Question 8 options:

the irritation Lina is feeling about interruptions to her free time

the clamor Lina is producing as she practices her music

the annoyance Lina is dealing with related to a conflict with a friend

the insecurity Lina is experiencing from being unable to learn a new skill

Answer 1

Here are the best answers to each of your questions based on the provided text:

Question 1: Based on the events at the end of the play, what will Lina most likely do next?
Answer: Perform a song that she just wrote
This option aligns with the indication that Lina is now ready to share something new after resolving the conflict with Joelle.

Question 2: Which line from the play shows that Joelle is dismissive of Lina’s wishes to keep her new songs private?
Answer: JOELLE: You're too humble! (line 28)
This line reflects Joelle's disregard for Lina's feelings toward keeping her songs private by implying that Lina should be more proud of her work.

Question 3: How do the events that happen with Lina and Joelle’s friends help develop Lina’s character?
Answer: Lina's lack of response to the question about her songwriting reveals that she doubts her skills
This option highlights Lina's uncertainty and internal conflict about her songwriting abilities.

Question 4: How do the stage directions and Joelle’s speech in line 2 contribute to the audience’s understanding of the plot?
Answer: They present the problem that Joelle is worried about Lina's silence
This choice identifies the central conflict driving the interaction between Joelle and Lina.

Question 5: The playwright includes the stage directions and dialogue in lines 16 and 17 most likely to develop the idea that Lina—
Answer: cares passionately about the quality of her songs
This option emphasizes Lina's investment in her music and desire for perfection before sharing it.

Question 6: In line 15, the playwright’s use of the phrase “at all” emphasizes—
Answer: the idea that Lina has a much different perspective on an event than Joelle
This response suggests a significant misunderstanding between the characters regarding their experiences.

Question 7: The playwright uses sarcasm in line 20 most likely to —
Answer: show that Lina finds Joelle's compliment questionable
This option reflects Lina's discomfort and skepticism about Joelle's praise.

Question 8: In line 1, the words “intense,” “angrily,” and “frustration” contribute to the mood of the play by emphasizing —
Answer: the annoyance Lina is dealing with related to a conflict with a friend
This choice captures the emotional tension present in Lina's interactions with Joelle and the friends.