Analyze Word Choice Impact on Meaning Practice Test
•10 QuestionsRead the passage.
After the thunderstorm, the neighborhood looked rinsed clean. Puddles shone on the sidewalk like scattered mirrors, and the air held the sharp smell of wet asphalt. Nora stepped outside and listened. The usual traffic noise had softened into a distant hush.
A single drop slid from the maple tree and landed on her nose—cold, quick, and surprising. The leaves above her clapped softly in the breeze, as if congratulating the sky for finishing its loud performance. Farther down the street, a dog shook itself, making a spray of water sparkle.
Nora walked to the curb. The storm drain gurgled, swallowing the last muddy streams. In the west, the clouds pulled apart, revealing a pale strip of sunlight. It wasn’t bright yet, but it looked determined.
Based on the text, what does the personification “the leaves above her clapped softly” suggest?
Read the passage.
After the thunderstorm, the neighborhood looked rinsed clean. Puddles shone on the sidewalk like scattered mirrors, and the air held the sharp smell of wet asphalt. Nora stepped outside and listened. The usual traffic noise had softened into a distant hush.
A single drop slid from the maple tree and landed on her nose—cold, quick, and surprising. The leaves above her clapped softly in the breeze, as if congratulating the sky for finishing its loud performance. Farther down the street, a dog shook itself, making a spray of water sparkle.
Nora walked to the curb. The storm drain gurgled, swallowing the last muddy streams. In the west, the clouds pulled apart, revealing a pale strip of sunlight. It wasn’t bright yet, but it looked determined.
Based on the text, what does the personification “the leaves above her clapped softly” suggest?