Compare Texts in Different Genres Practice Test

Read the two texts, then answer the question.

Text 1: Story

"The Lost Bracelet"

Mina found the bracelet during recess, half-buried near the swings. It was silver with a tiny blue charm. She turned it over and saw a name scratched inside: EMMA.

Mina’s fingers tightened around it. She had wanted a bracelet like this for months, but her family was saving money. She slipped it into her pocket anyway.

All afternoon, the bracelet felt heavy, as if it had its own gravity. In math, Mina kept seeing the letters E-M-M-A in her notebook margins. After school, she heard a sniffle near the cubbies.

Emma stood with red eyes, digging through her backpack. "I lost it," she whispered. "My grandma gave it to me before she moved away."

Mina’s mouth went dry. She could pretend she hadn’t heard. She could keep walking.

Instead, she pulled the bracelet out. "Is this yours?" she asked.

Emma’s face changed like a cloud moving off the sun. "Yes! Thank you!"

Mina felt her cheeks burn, but the heavy feeling lifted. Walking home, she realized telling the truth had cost her something—and given her something back.

Text 2: Poem

"Truth Tastes Like Water"

A lie is sugar on the tongue—

so quick, so bright, so sweet;

but later it turns gritty,

like sand between your teeth.

Truth is water, plain and clear;

it doesn’t try to shine.

It cools the heat inside your chest

and helps your thoughts align.

Say it, even softly.

Say it, even late.

Truth doesn’t make life perfect—

it makes your heart feel straight.

Question: Both texts address honesty and truth. What is the main difference in how each genre presents this theme?

Read the two texts, then answer the question.

Text 1: Story

"The Box in the Attic"

When Sienna’s family moved, the new house came with an attic that smelled like dry wood and old paper. On the first weekend, Sienna climbed the pull-down stairs and found a cardboard box labeled WINTER.

Inside were photos of strangers, a chipped snow globe, and a knitted hat with a pom-pom. Sienna carried the hat downstairs.

Her mom paused, holding a stack of plates. "That was mine," she said softly. "My dad made it when I was your age." She touched the pom-pom as if it might disappear.

Sienna remembered her grandpa’s laugh, how it used to fill the room before he passed away last year. She hadn’t talked about him much since.

"Do you miss him?" Sienna asked.

Her mom nodded. "Every day. But I also like remembering. It’s like keeping a light on in a new place."

That night, Sienna set the snow globe on her desk. She shook it once and watched the white flakes swirl and settle. The house was unfamiliar, but the memory inside the glass felt steady.

Text 2: Poem

"What We Carry"

We carry loss like a backpack

that rubs against the spine;

some days it feels too heavy,

some days it’s almost fine.

We carry stories, too—

stitched into hats and songs;

memory is a thread that says,

you still belong.

And when the world is moving,

when rooms are strange and new,

we set a small light on the shelf

and let it guide us through.

Question: Both texts are about loss and coping. How do they resolve the theme differently?