What are two characteristics of a personal narrative? (Select all that apply.)
When Peg won’t eat or drink in Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio, her mother asks Peg what she wants. Then her mother ignores the rules and gives Peg a milkshake so she will drink something. What character traits best describe Peg’s mother?
Peg Kehret uses each chapter of Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio to tell her story from before her diagnosis to when she goes back home and to school. What story or text structure does she use?
What two sentences use sensory details? (Select all that apply.)
The article “Introduction to Polio” and the personal narrative Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio both share information about polio. What was the author’s purpose for writing “Introduction to Polio”?
“our questions exploded like a string of firecrackers”
What does this simile from Small Steps mean?
Small Steps ends with Peg in her chorus class at school which is where her story began. Why might that be considered a strong conclusion?
Which sentence uses the word iron lung correctly?
Which sentence is written in first person?
Which sentence uses the word diagnosed correctly?
Helen Keller was born in Alabama in 1880. She lost her sight and hearing due to an illness in early childhood. Helen learned to read and write using her hands with the help of her teacher, Anne Sullivan. This excerpt describes some of her experiences at the Cambridge School for Young Ladies. She was later admitted to Radcliffe College at Harvard where she became the first deafblind person to earn a bachelor’s degree. She went on to become a famous author and speaker who inspired many people around the world.
Excerpt from The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
For the first time in my life at Cambridge, I enjoyed the companionship of seeing and hearing girls of my own age. I lived with several others in one of the pleasant houses connected with the school. It was the house where Mr. Howells used to live. We all had the advantage of home life. I joined them in many of their games, even blind man’s bluff and frolics in the snow. I took long walks with them. We discussed our studies and read aloud the things that interested us. Some of the girls learned to speak to me, so that Miss Sullivan did not have to repeat their conversation . . .
I took my preliminary examinations for Radcliffe from the 29th of June to the 3rd of July in 1897. The subjects I offered were Elementary and Advanced German, French, Latin, English, and Greek and Roman history. This totaled nine hours in all. I passed in everything, and received “honours” in German and English.
The first day I had German. Mr. Gilman sat beside me and read the paper through first, then sentence by sentence. I repeated the words aloud to make sure that I understood him perfectly. The papers were difficult. I felt very anxious as I wrote out my answers on the typewriter. Mr. Gilman spelled to me what I had written. Then I made such changes as I thought necessary, and he inserted them. I wish to say here that I have not had this advantage since in any of my examinations. At Radcliffe no one reads the papers to me after they are written. I have no opportunity to correct errors unless I finish before the time is up. In that case I correct only such mistakes as I can recall in the few minutes allowed. I make notes of these corrections at the end of my paper. If I passed with higher credit in the pre-tests than in the finals, there are two reasons. In the finals, no one read my work over to me. In the pre-tests, I had some subjects with which I was in a measure familiar before my work in the Cambridge school. At the beginning of the year I had passed examinations in English, History, French and German, which Mr. Gilman gave me from previous Harvard papers.
Mr. Gilman sent my written work to the examiners with a certificate that I, candidate No. 233, had written the papers.
All the other pre-test examinations were conducted in the same manner. None of them was so difficult as the first. I remember that the day the Latin paper was brought to us, Professor Schilling came in and informed me that I had passed satisfactorily in German. This encouraged me greatly! I sped on to the end of the ordeal with a light heart and a steady hand.
What was the author’s purpose for writing The Story of My Life?
Choose the description that best completes the sentence.
The author uses to organize this passage.
Put the events from Helen Keller's story in order from first (top) to last (botttom)
Mr. Gilman reads the German exam paper aloud to Helen.
Helen joins the other girls at Cambridge in games and activities.
Professor Schilling tells Helen she passed her German exam.
Mr. Gilman sends Helen’s work to the examiners.
Professor Schilling tells Helen she passed her German exam.
I sped on to the end of the ordeal with a light heart and a steady hand.
What does the sentence tell us about Helen Keller’s character?
What is the main idea of this excerpt from The Story of My Life?
Helen Keller received honours for which two preliminary examinations in 1897?
What does Helen Keller mean when she says that some of the girls learned to speak to her at Cambridge?
What is the difference between when Helen Keller took her examinations at Cambridge and when she took them at Radcliffe?
Why might Mr. Gilman send a certificate along with Helen’s papers to the examiners?
Reread the paragraph that appears in italics before the title of the passage. What is the purpose of this paragraph?
Helen Keller was born in Alabama in 1880. She lost her sight and hearing due to an illness. Helen learned to read and write using her hands with the help of her teacher, Anne Sullivan. This excerpt describes some of her experiences at the Cambridge School for Young Ladies. She was later admitted to Radcliffe College of Harvard where she became the first deafblind person to earn a bachelor’s degree. She went on to become a famous author and speaker who inspired many people around the world.
Which sentence from the third paragraph gives evidence that Helen was nervous and unsure on her first day of German class?
What is the overall tone of this passage?