Writing A Narrative Application Test Questions – Flashcards

Harrison is going to write a personal narrative about his uncle and the reasons he admires him. Which sentence most effectively uses description to show the reader what kind of person Harrison's uncle is?

I could not have been more stunned. "He" was a "she"! Our new football coach was a female. My mind drifted to that day last week. We had all been waiting in the locker room to meet our new coach, secretly wondering what he would be like. Would he be tough but fair? Would he be demanding but understanding? Would he motivate us before each game with a rousing speech the way Coach Jackson always had? These thoughts were abruptly interrupted when our new coach entered the locker room, stood before us, and commanded our attention. Spencer decided to structure his narrative to start at the end. How did this affect his arrangement of the plot?

Which sentence makes the best use of descriptive language?

Standing alone in my family's barn, I thought about how much hard work and time my parents had invested—how much hard work and time we had all invested—in maintaining a fully operational farm. I did not remember a time when my clothes had not reeked of manure or my hair had not held fast to brittle pieces of straw. What would happen if my parents had to sell the farm so we could move closer to my grandparents? Just as I was attempting to imagine a life in the city, a sudden commotion erupted and interrupted my thoughts. With animals squawking and dust flying, I scrambled to pinpoint the source of this unexpected intrusion. In seconds that felt more like minutes, I was successful . . . and I could scarcely believe what my eyes were seeing. Nick uses chronological order to relate his narrative. What effect does this have on his arrangement of the plot?

Ironically, it is from my much younger—and, I used to think, less wise—brother that I learned the value of being honest even when a lie may seem far more tempting at the time. 2 I knew that what he did that day must have been extremely difficult for him. 3 Yet there he stood, taking responsibility for his actions with not a glimmer of hesitation. 4 It is this determination and resolve to do what is right—even when what is right is not what is easy—that I remembered many years later in college when faced with a similar predicament of my own. Which line would most strengthen the reflection in Kara's essay if it were added after sentence 4?

Which elements does strong narrative writing always contain? Check all that apply.

My infatuation with reading, ignited in the sixth grade, significantly changed my life. Ultimately, it was from my sixth-grade teacher that I learned the true power that lies between the covers of a book. It wasn't because she demanded we read or because she encouraged us to read or because she explained why we should read. It was because she opened the doors to reading and invited us into fantastic worlds we had never before experienced. Using books as her compass, she led the way, and all we had to do was follow. To revise his reflection and make a stronger statement, Kyle should more clearly explain

Tired of waiting for the bus, which was late for the fifth day in a row, I sat leafing through an old magazine I had stuffed in my purse the previous night. 2 It was terribly warm for a September afternoon, and the sun cast transitory shadows on the bus stop sign with each car that passed. 3 I fleetingly wondered when the weather would get cooler and when the new bus driver would start arriving on time. 4 It was about then that I first noticed the apparent agitation of the man sitting next to me. 5 Finally, the bus arrived and ambled to a gradual stop directly in front of the restless man. 6 The doors widened, and the bus driver greeted the man with his usual banter in his usual monotone. 7 "Good afternoon. How are you today?" Which sentence would best create a strong, descriptive image in the reader's mind if it were added after sentence 4?

It may have seemed like an ordinary day to everyone else, but to me, it couldn't have been further from it. 2 Today was my first day working as a waitress at Pete's Pizza Haven, and I could not have been more excited. 3 In fact, I was so excited that I rushed to get ready much faster than I typically do. 4 "I'm ready to go!" I shouted, bouncing down the stairs and flying into the kitchen, where my mom was making breakfast. 5 "I have so much to learn and don't want to be late," I declared for emphasis. 6 My mom just grinned and placed a steaming plate of eggs before me. Which should be added after sentence 6 to most effectively move the plot forward?

My grandfather used to spend hours telling me stories I loved to hear. Which best revises the sentence above to make the writing more precise?