Reading Standards for Literature > Determining Theme Through Character or Speaker Responses (CCSS.RL.5.2) Practice Test

Maya's hands shook as the curtain opened for the class play. In the bright lights, her mind went blank, and the line she had practiced all week slipped away. A hush fell over the gym. Maya stared at her shoes until a whisper from backstage reached her ear: 'You've got this.' She mumbled an apology and hurried off, cheeks burning. All afternoon, Maya wanted to pretend the play didn't exist. But her friend Jonah stopped by with hot cocoa and a stack of flashcards. 'We can try again at the evening show,' he said. They practiced until the words felt steady, and Maya added little motions to remember each cue. That night, when the curtain rose, her heart thumped, but the lines came. The audience laughed in the right places, and Maya even helped a classmate who stumbled. On the bus home, she smiled, thinking, 'Messing up once doesn't mean I should quit.'

On his way home, Jordan kicked a soccer ball along the sidewalk. The ball bounced wrong and cracked the glass of Mrs. Lee's garden lantern. Startled, Jordan glanced around. No one was outside. He set the lantern upright and whispered, 'Must've been the wind,' though he knew it wasn't. All evening, the lie sat like a pebble in his shoe. When he smelled Mrs. Lee's cinnamon rolls drifting from next door, he remembered how she always waved to his dog and asked about his day. Jordan sighed and knocked. 'I broke your lantern,' he blurted. 'I'm sorry. I can pay you back or help fix it.' Mrs. Lee studied his worried face, then smiled gently. 'Thank you for telling me the truth. I have extra glass. Bring your gloves tomorrow, and we'll fix it together.' Walking home, Jordan's steps felt lighter. The wind hadn't changed—but something inside him had.