Once, there was a great mystery in our town. Every lawn on the main street turned brown overnight. There’d been no strange weather, no unseasonable chill nor oddities in rainfall. The neighborhood was abuzz with rumors. Some thought it was just an odd case of bad luck, but others believed it was an intentional act.

Question

The town called on a local detective to investigate. At the town meeting, there were hours of citizens sharing their thoughts, suspicions, and ideas. At the end of the meeting, a citizen asked the detective what she knew based on all the testimony.

“If there’s one thing I know, it’s that I know nothing,” she said.

There was some grumbling at that. Almost everyone in the room but the detective seemed to be pretty sure they knew what had happened. But a week later, the detective determined that the issue was the result of an underground pipe break. No one had guessed that.

Question
Use the story to answer the question.

How does the paradox function in the story.

Answer 1

The paradox in the story revolves around the detective's claim, "If there’s one thing I know, it’s that I know nothing." This statement highlights a few key themes and functions within the narrative.

1. Contradiction of Knowledge: The detective, who is expected to be an authority on solving mysteries, asserts her ignorance, which contradicts the audience's typical expectation of a detective. This creates a sense of irony, as her role is to provide clarity, yet she emphasizes uncertainty.

2. Undermining Assumptions: The townspeople come to the meeting with their preconceived notions about the cause of the brown lawns, believing they have enough evidence or intuition to conclude what happened. The detective's statement serves to challenge these assumptions and suggests that the truth may not be as straightforward as public opinion might indicate.

3. Foreshadowing: The paradox also foreshadows the eventual revelation of the true cause (the broken pipe) that no one anticipated. It hints that the real explanation lies beneath the surface and cannot be easily discerned, much like how the detective’s admission implies that true understanding requires deeper investigation rather than surface-level speculation.

4. Humility in Inquiry: By declaring her ignorance, the detective embodies a crucial principle of investigation—maintaining an open mind and being willing to question one’s assumptions. This humility contrasts with the confident assertions of the townsfolk and emphasizes the importance of thorough investigation over hasty conclusions.

In essence, the paradox functions to highlight the tension between perceived knowledge and the reality of understanding, ultimately leading to the detection of an unexpected and overlooked truth.

Answer 2

what is the answer

Answer 3

The paradox in the story functions to illustrate the contrast between the expectations of authority and the reality of knowledge. The detective's statement, "If there’s one thing I know, it’s that I know nothing," serves to:

1. Challenge Assumptions: It undermines the confidence that townspeople have about their theories, suggesting that true understanding requires deeper inquiry.

2. Highlight Irony: The detective, expected to provide clarity and answers, claims ignorance, which is ironic given her role.

3. Foreshadow Revelation: It hints that the true cause of the problem (the underground pipe break) is something no one considered, emphasizing that understanding often lies beneath the surface.

4. Promote Humility: The statement reflects the importance of remaining open-minded and not jumping to conclusions, contrasting with the assumptions held by the townspeople.

Overall, the paradox emphasizes that genuine insight often comes from questioning what we think we know.

Answer 4

Use the sentence to answer the question.

The old mountains had none of the glitz and glam boasted of by the towering Rockies out west, but these rugged hills had a worn, ancient secrecy about them.
What effect does the language have on the historic setting?

(1 point)
Responses

Location-specific details indicate a specific region.
Location-specific details indicate a specific region.

Imagery helps engage the reader’s senses.
Imagery helps engage the reader’s senses.

Items from the past reveal the time period.
Items from the past reveal the time period.

The word choice reflects the time period.

Answer 5

The most appropriate response is:

Imagery helps engage the reader’s senses.

The phrase "worn, ancient secrecy" evokes a sense of age and mystery about the mountains, encouraging readers to envision these rugged hills and feel their historical weight. This vivid imagery gestures toward the historic setting by creating a visual and emotional connection.

Answer 6

Yamanba of the Mountain
by Cathy Spagnoli

The help of elders supports harmony in society, and friends can come in many forms, as this tale suggests. A yamanba, found in Japanese folklore, usually lives on mountains, is quite fierce, and can change shapes.

Mukashi, mukashi ... Long ago in a quiet Japanese village, people feared the yamanba who lived at the top of a nearby mountain.

When rains fell too hard on their crops, people said, "It's her fault, that yamanba. She likes to make trouble."

When snows piled up high on their houses, people said, "It's her fault, that yamanba. She loves to make trouble."

1 of 7
Question
Use the passage to answer the question.

Based on the author’s use of figurative language in the passage, what can a reader determine about the cultural setting of the story? Select the two correct answers.

(1 point)
Responses

The story is set in a place where babies can fly at birth.
The story is set in a place where babies can fly at birth.

Answer 7

Based on the passage you provided, likely correct answers concerning the cultural setting of the story would include:

1. The story is set in a place where belief in folklore is significant.

   • The reference to yamanba, a creature from Japanese folklore, indicates that the community holds beliefs in supernatural beings and legends that influence their understanding of natural events.

2. The story reflects a society that attributes misfortunes to external forces.

   • The villagers blame the yamanba for their troubles with the weather (e.g., heavy rains and snow), suggesting a cultural tendency to assign responsibility for natural events to mythical figures rather than viewing them as part of the natural cycle.

Please check your sources to ensure these interpretations align with your context as you evaluate the answers to the question.

Answer 8

Use the paragraph to answer the question.

Kade and Lula took slow, careful steps. All around them, the moonlight kissed the red ivy. The ivy stretched out, strangling the garden bench, the fountain, and the gate—taunting them with its omnipresence. How could they possibly get around without touching it? A few droplets of chilly rain splattered down. Each icy drop seemed to say, “Hurry, hurry. You don’t have long.”

In 3–5 sentences, explain how the author used figurative language to create a specific effect. Make sure to explain what kind of figurative language the author used and the effect it had. Provide samples from the text to support your answer.

(4 points)
BoldItalicUnderlineBullet listNumbered list

Short Answer Rubric (4 points)
Points Awarded Criteria
4
The answer is very clear.

The answer is fully supported by details.

There may be a few errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics. Errors do not interfere with meaning.

3
The answer is mostly clear.

T

Answer 9

The author uses personification and vivid imagery to create a tense and atmospheric setting in the paragraph. For example, the phrase “the moonlight kissed the red ivy” gives the moonlight an affectionate quality, while the ivy is described as "strangling" the garden bench, fountain, and gate, which conveys a feeling of entrapment and danger. Additionally, the chilling raindrops that seem to say, “Hurry, hurry. You don’t have long,” enhance the sense of urgency and impending peril that Kade and Lula face as they navigate through this ominous environment. Overall, the use of figurative language immerses the reader in a suspenseful scene, emphasizing the characters' anxiety and the foreboding nature of their surroundings.

Answer 10

In 3–5 sentences, explain an object to someone who is unfamiliar with the object using an analogy that clarifies the object’s function or makes the explanation easier to understand.(4 points)
BoldItalicUnderlineBullet listNumbered list

Short Answer Rubric (4 points)
Points Awarded Criteria
4
The answer is very clear.

The answer is fully supported by details.

There may be a few errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics. Errors do not interfere with meaning.

3
The answer is mostly clear.

The answer is supported by mostly relevant details.

There are a few errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics. Errors do not interfere with meaning.

2
The answer is somewhat clear.

Details are weak or not related.

There are some errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. Errors interfere with meaning.

1
The answer is not clear.

There are few or no supporting details.

There are many errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. Errors interfere with meaning.

0 The que

Answer 11

Imagine a pair of scissors; they might seem simple at first, but they serve an important purpose. Just like a chef uses a knife to chop vegetables, scissors allow you to cut through materials with precision. The two blades work together, similar to how a bird flaps its wings to gain lift and control in the air. Just as the chef relies on a knife to prepare ingredients, someone using scissors can easily cut paper, fabric, or other materials to create or fix things. In this way, scissors are essential tools that enable creativity and functionality in daily tasks.