8. How does the sensory imagery of the sky “lit gray with early morning” contribute to the mood of the text?

Question

A) It gives a sense of foreboding.
B) It gives a sense of gloom.
C) It gives a sense of hope.
D) It gives a sense of desperation.

9. 1) Jack decided to do a little tidying up in the kitchen. The countertop looked cluttered, he felt. If he just rearranged the cabinet, he could probably fit more things in them. Then the countertop would be nice and clear.
2) He opened the cabinet, pulled out a stack of dishes, and placed them on the counter. Just for now, he thought. He was sure he could jam the toaster into the cabinet and keep it there when he wasn’t using it. He unplugged the toaster and picked it up. A spray of crumbs fell out onto the counter. An attractive addition to his kitchen décor, Jack thought. He would clean it up in just a little bit. Meantime, he would get the toaster into the cabinet. Except that there were some glasses in the way. Jack pulled the glasses out and put them next to the stack of plates on the counter. Then he realized that the toaster was too deep to fit into the cabinet, so he put that back on the counter. He sighed, and the crumbs that had spilled from the toaster blew around. This project was certainly going well!
3) Jack slid the drawer open and began pulling forks, spoons, and knives from it. Soon he had a small mountain of utensils sitting next to the plates and glasses. No matter; he would rearrange them neatly soon enough. Next, he took out some wooden spoons, a spatula, and a ladle. There was no more room for them on the counter, so he laid them on top of the stack of plates.
4) Jack surveyed the kitchen. Where, exactly, had he planned to move everything? He couldn’t remember having a plan. He figured he’d put the plates and glasses back in the cabinet, and the utensils and cooking tools back in the drawer. He could continue to keep the toaster on the counter, though he should probably do something about all those crumbs.
5) He’d do it later.
6) The kitchen, he figured, was tidy enough for now.
Use the story to answer the question.

What is ironic about the ending to the story (paragraphs 4–6)?
A) Jack did not have a plan to make his kitchen tidier.
B) Jack knew he should clean up the crumbs on his counter.
C) Jack decided his kitchen was clean enough even though it was messier than when he had started to tidy it.
D) Jack believed that the way to tidy a kitchen was to put things away even though his things were clean.
10. “Where you girls from?” I asked her. She didn’t answer me, though. She was busy looking around for old Peter Lorre to show up, I guess.

“Where you girls from?” I asked her again.

“What?” she said.

“Where you girls from? Don’t answer if you don’t feel like it. I don’t want you to strain yourself.”

“Seattle, Washington,” she said. She was doing me a big favor to tell me.

“You’re a very good conversationalist,” I told her. “You know that?”

Use the excerpt to answer the question.
What does the last line reveal about the speaker?
A) that he is confused about the girl’s intentions
B) that he is jealous of Peter Lorre
C) that he is mildly bitter and cynical
D) that he tries hard to impress others

11. Stepping off the train, Fernando’s senses were overwhelmed by the sights, sounds, and smells of the city. Sky-scraping buildings loomed overhead, seeming to look down on him and laugh at his smallness. People were moving in all directions, all living their own lives. He had never felt more alone than in this crowd. Fernando longed for the familiar faces of home, not these strange people who neither knew or cared anything for him.
What hidden truth is expressed by the paradox in this paragraph?
A) Being around strangers can be a lonely experience.
B) Existence is lonely because nobody can truly know another person.
C) The more people you know, the more alone you are.
D) People who live in small towns are generally happier than people in cities.

Answer 1

Here are the answers to the questions provided:

8. The sensory imagery of the sky “lit gray with early morning” contributes to the mood of the text by giving a sense of gloom.
Answer: B) It gives a sense of gloom.

9. The irony in the ending of the story is that Jack decided his kitchen was clean enough even though it was messier than when he had started to tidy it.
Answer: C) Jack decided his kitchen was clean enough even though it was messier than when he had started to tidy it.

10. The last line reveals that the speaker is mildly bitter and cynical about the girl's lack of engagement in the conversation.
Answer: C) that he is mildly bitter and cynical.

11. The hidden truth expressed by the paradox in this paragraph is that being around strangers can be a lonely experience.
Answer: A) Being around strangers can be a lonely experience.