In "Mr. Linden's Library," Carol's curiosity serves as a driving force that influences the events of the narrative. Her inquisitive nature leads her to question the mysteries surrounding the peculiar book she encountered at Mr. Linden's house, which is reminiscent of another book she had read but diverges in its conclusion. This initial sense of curiosity prompts her to delve deeper into Mr. Linden’s library and explore its secrets. For instance, after experiencing dreams filled with curiosity about Mr. Linden's life and the library’s contents, Carol is determined to find out more about the changing story. Her decision to visit Mr. Linden alone demonstrates her desire to satisfy her curiosity, leading her to take risks, such as sneaking around the library to investigate the book further. In her exploration, she discovers that the book keeps altering its narrative, which only intensifies her resolve to uncover the mystery. Therefore, Carol’s curiosity not only propels her actions but also enriches the storyline, showcasing how an inquisitive mind can uncover the unknown and provoke personal growth through exploration and discovery.
Read the excerpt “from Mr. Linden’s Library.” Based on the information in the article, write a response to the following:
Explain how Carol’s curiosity influences events in the excerpt.
Write a well-organized informational composition that uses specific evidence from the excerpt to support your answer.
Remember to-
>>Clearly state your thesis
>>Organize your writing
>> Develop your ideas in detail
>> Use evidence from the selection in your response
Only a introduction adn 1 body paragraph
>> Use correct spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar
It looked the same as the book she had handled before, but the ending of the story
had changed.
2 Taking a deep breath, she calmed down. There had to be a logical explanation. It
was as if she had remembered a previous day but had mixed that day with another.
3 “I’m glad to discover another reader,” Mr. Linden said downstairs in the kitchen. He
cradled a cup of tea in his hands. “We are a dying breed, I’m afraid.”
4 That night Carol’s sleep was disturbed by troubled dreams. Carol dreamt of sitting in
Mr. Linden’s library, questioning him about his life and all the books in his library. Then
she awoke and lay in the darkness of her room, thinking of the book on the window
seat and how she must have allowed her imagination or some random thought to
change the way she remembered the page.
5 All things made sense. There were no mysteries in the real world. She thought of
mentioning the book to her mother but decided against it. It was her mystery, and she
rather enjoyed the curiousness of it all.
6 The next time they were supposed to visit Mr. Linden, Carol’s mother wasn’t feeling
well. She had one of the headaches that plagued her when the weather grew heavier,
just before the late fall and temperatures plummeted the town into its annual winter
doldrums. Now that her mother knew more about Mr. Linden, she was fine to let Carol
go by herself.
7 As she made her first trip alone to Mr. Linden’s house, turning aside from the wind
that rippled the bay, Carol thought about asking him directly about the book. Perhaps
she would start by talking about the last book she had borrowed. But not at first, of
course. First she had to get her hands on his book and check it out.
8 She hoped he would allow her to go into the library alone, and he did. She held her
breath and walked more softly, almost sneaking up on the books that awaited her.
9 She glanced at the window seat. The book was still there, angled so that the sun
cast a shadow diagonally across the title. She turned away from it, allowing her glance
to capture it now and again as she read the titles of the shelved books.
10 She found a book with small drawings of ships and islands, The Traveler’s Guide to
Madeira and the West Indies, and leafed casually through it, all the time listening for
sounds from below. When she heard the clinking of the metal teakettle against the
stove, she moved quickly to Mr. Linden’s book.
Grade 8 Reading Language Arts
Constructed-Response Scoring Guide
Texas Education Agency
Student Assessment Division
2024 5
11 Esteban told himself that he had been swimming long enough. He had already gone
much farther than anyone he knew, even farther than men with strong legs. No one
swam all the way to the island. Now he was nearer than he had ever been, but it no
longer seemed important to him. It was as if he were swimming not for himself but for
the dolphin that went before him most of the time but sometimes behind him, nudging
him forward.
12 He began breathing hard, showing the dolphin how tired he was, how afraid he was
to keep going when he wasn’t at all sure of himself. He was not that strong and had
already done more than he had ever done in his life. He stopped and treaded water for
a while, with the dolphin only a few feet away. Esteban felt that he and the dolphin
were on a mission together, that they were proving something. But what were they
proving, and where would it lead?
13 Again Carol checked the number on the page, even looking at the numbers of the
pages before and after the one she was reading. She was right; the story had changed.
It was changing from day to day! The boy in the story was swimming out farther each
time, and the dolphin swam with him, as if it knew something special about the boy’s
mission. But how could the story be different each time she read it?
14 She grabbed the book she would borrow, holding it with both hands, and carried it
down to Mr. Linden.
15 “Ah, George Miller’s travel adventure from the age of sail.” Mr. Linden examined
the book over the rimless glasses he wore. “Excellent choice.”
16 “What are you reading?” Carol asked. “Something about dolphins, I think.”
17 The old black man looked quickly away. For a long moment the room was engulfed
in silence. In the distance, barely audible, the gentle lapping of the low tide on the
graveled shore came rhythmically.
18 “It's not a very good book.” His voice was lower than it had been. “You wouldn’t be
interested.”
From “Mr. Linden's Library” by Walter Dean Myers, from THE CHRONIC
1 answer