11-12 Theme | Central Idea | Plot | Finding Evidence | Summary

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24 questions

Note from the author:

Instructions

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Here is the pre-assessment for 11th and 12th grade over identifying a theme, finding evidence, plot, and summarizing.

Read the text, and then answer the questions that follow.

A Sound of Thunder 
by Ray Bradbury
Fiction 
Published 1952

Click Here to access the short story.

Which statement identifies the main theme of the short story?

It is impossible to predict and prepare for every possible outcome, no matter how careful you are.

Everything that has taken place in the past is intricately connected, and one small action can have major consequences.

Technology should be used to advance the world, and should not be wasted on trivial leisure pursuits.

Humans tend to be careless in their treatment of the environment and unaware of the consequences of
their actions.

Which detail from the text best supports the previous answer?

"His feet sank into green moss.  His legs moved him, and he felt alone and remote from the events behind." 

"'Time doesn't permit that sort of mess--a man meeting himself.  When such occasions threaten, time steps aside.'" 

"The stomp of your foot, on one mouse, could start an earthquake, the effects of which could shake our earth ad destinies down through Time, to their very foundations" 

"This way, we will kill only animals with no future, that are never going to mate again.  You see how careful we are?" 

Which statement identifies a secondary theme from the story?

Humans should not use technology to frivolous ends.

Always follow a leaders orders or the consequences will be devastating.

Stay on the path so you don't kill things unnecessarily.

Presidential elections are dependent on small, seemingly unimportant, things.

Which evidence best supports your answer to the previous question?

The hunters find their prey, a massive, terrible Tyrannosaurus Rex. Eckels becomes overwhelmed with fear, and in his retreat, he steps off the path.

The men return to the present to find that the future has been altered and an authoritarian is now the president.

Mr. Travis shoots Eckels in retaliation for altering the future.

Time Safari Inc. is a farcical company that represents the misuse of technology, an establishment that harnesses the stupendous and consequential power of time travel to lead ego-boosting hunting trips for the wealthy.

How are the details of Travis' explanation about how they should behave in the past important to the story's main theme?

Travis reveals how much he cares for the environment and animals by emphasizing how important it is to protect them.

Travis stresses how delicate the balance between the past and the future is by discussing how small changes can have big consequences.

Travis emphasizes how the smallest creatures in the world are the most important ones when it comes to survival of humankind.

Travis shows how he thinks time travel is too risky, as he goes over the rules of time travel in great detail.

How is Ray Bradbury's, the author, plot development important to the development of the secondary theme?

Not following orders will cause unimaginable consequences and the tinest result from disobeying orders can lead to catastrophic outcomes.

Cowering under streuss, and losing yor composure often leads to negative consequences.

Technological advancement continues to accelerate in the modern age, and through this technology, mankind can affect massive changes that were only fantasy in the past.

Pathways are created so people need to stay on them.  If they do not, then horrible things can happen to society.

How do Eckel's actions while he is in the past develop the plot of the passage?

Eckels breaks the law of time travel by stepping off the Path, so in the future only non-hunters will be allowed to time travel.

Eckels puts the safety of himself above his fellow hunters when he steps off the Path, making them more willing to dispose of him.

Eckels carelessly steps of the Path out of fear, and disrupts the past ina way that will likely impact the future.

Eckels disobeys Travis' instructions and steps off the Path, resulting in Travis' decision to leave him in the past.

Which quote from the text best supports your answer to the previous question?

"Billings and Kramer sat on the pathway and threw up.  Travis and Lesperance stood with smoking rifles." 

"The Monster twitched its jeweler's hand down to fondle at the men, to twist them in half, to crush them like berries, to cram them into its teeth and its screaming throat." 

"He had his rifle pointed.  'You're not backing back in the Machine.  We're leaving you here!'" 

"Oh, the fool!  I'll have too report to the government.  They might revoke our license to travel.  Who knows what he's done to Time to History!"

Complete the plot diagram (Freytag's Pyramid) for A Sound of Thunder.

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What is the title of the text?

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What is the genre?

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What is the exposition?

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What is the initiating event?

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What is one event in the rising action?

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What is another event in the rising action?

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What is the climax?

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What is an event in the falling action?

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What is a another event in the falling action?

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What is one more event in the falling action?

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What is the resolution?

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What is the setting?

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What is the author's purpose?

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What are some conflicts in the story?

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What is a theme from this story?

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Write a two to four sentence summary of the story.

Which statement identifies the main theme of the short story?

It is impossible to predict and prepare for every possible outcome, no matter how careful you are.

Everything that has taken place in the past is intricately connected, and one small action can have major consequences.

Technology should be used to advance the world, and should not be wasted on trivial leisure pursuits.

Humans tend to be careless in their treatment of the environment and unaware of the consequences of
their actions.

Which detail from the text best supports the previous answer?

"His feet sank into green moss.  His legs moved him, and he felt alone and remote from the events behind." 

"'Time doesn't permit that sort of mess--a man meeting himself.  When such occasions threaten, time steps aside.'" 

"The stomp of your foot, on one mouse, could start an earthquake, the effects of which could shake our earth ad destinies down through Time, to their very foundations" 

"This way, we will kill only animals with no future, that are never going to mate again.  You see how careful we are?" 

Which statement identifies a secondary theme from the story?

Humans should not use technology to frivolous ends.

Always follow a leaders orders or the consequences will be devastating.

Stay on the path so you don't kill things unnecessarily.

Presidential elections are dependent on small, seemingly unimportant, things.

Which evidence best supports your answer to the previous question?

The hunters find their prey, a massive, terrible Tyrannosaurus Rex. Eckels becomes overwhelmed with fear, and in his retreat, he steps off the path.

The men return to the present to find that the future has been altered and an authoritarian is now the president.

Mr. Travis shoots Eckels in retaliation for altering the future.

Time Safari Inc. is a farcical company that represents the misuse of technology, an establishment that harnesses the stupendous and consequential power of time travel to lead ego-boosting hunting trips for the wealthy.

How are the details of Travis' explanation about how they should behave in the past important to the story's main theme?

Travis reveals how much he cares for the environment and animals by emphasizing how important it is to protect them.

Travis stresses how delicate the balance between the past and the future is by discussing how small changes can have big consequences.

Travis emphasizes how the smallest creatures in the world are the most important ones when it comes to survival of humankind.

Travis shows how he thinks time travel is too risky, as he goes over the rules of time travel in great detail.

How is Ray Bradbury's, the author, plot development important to the development of the secondary theme?

Not following orders will cause unimaginable consequences and the tinest result from disobeying orders can lead to catastrophic outcomes.

Cowering under streuss, and losing yor composure often leads to negative consequences.

Technological advancement continues to accelerate in the modern age, and through this technology, mankind can affect massive changes that were only fantasy in the past.

Pathways are created so people need to stay on them.  If they do not, then horrible things can happen to society.

How do Eckel's actions while he is in the past develop the plot of the passage?

Eckels breaks the law of time travel by stepping off the Path, so in the future only non-hunters will be allowed to time travel.

Eckels puts the safety of himself above his fellow hunters when he steps off the Path, making them more willing to dispose of him.

Eckels carelessly steps of the Path out of fear, and disrupts the past ina way that will likely impact the future.

Eckels disobeys Travis' instructions and steps off the Path, resulting in Travis' decision to leave him in the past.

Which quote from the text best supports your answer to the previous question?

"Billings and Kramer sat on the pathway and threw up.  Travis and Lesperance stood with smoking rifles." 

"The Monster twitched its jeweler's hand down to fondle at the men, to twist them in half, to crush them like berries, to cram them into its teeth and its screaming throat." 

"He had his rifle pointed.  'You're not backing back in the Machine.  We're leaving you here!'" 

"Oh, the fool!  I'll have too report to the government.  They might revoke our license to travel.  Who knows what he's done to Time to History!"