Analyze How Dialogue Propels Action Practice Test
•10 QuestionsRead the excerpt.
The rain had turned the back field into pudding. Eli’s cleats sank with every step as he and Serena carried the bin of donated books toward the storage shed.
Serena squinted at the dark sky. “If this gets any worse, we should go back.”
Eli tightened his grip. “We can’t. Coach said the library drive ends today.”
A crack of thunder made Serena jump. “Eli, you’re shaking.”
“I’m not,” he snapped, then immediately lowered his voice. “Okay—maybe a little.”
They reached the shed. The padlock hung open.
Serena stopped. “That wasn’t open yesterday.”
Eli set the bin down slowly. “Maybe the custodian forgot.”
From inside, a soft scraping sound.
Serena whispered, “Did you hear that?”
Eli swallowed. “We should tell an adult.”
Serena’s eyes narrowed. “Or we check. If someone’s stealing the books, we’ll lose everything we collected.”
Eli backed up a step. “I don’t do ‘check.’ I do ‘not get in trouble.’”
Serena grabbed a flashlight from her pocket. “Fine. Stand there and be responsible. I’m going in.”
Which dialogue line most clearly provokes an immediate decision and action that moves the scene into the shed?
Read the excerpt.
The rain had turned the back field into pudding. Eli’s cleats sank with every step as he and Serena carried the bin of donated books toward the storage shed.
Serena squinted at the dark sky. “If this gets any worse, we should go back.”
Eli tightened his grip. “We can’t. Coach said the library drive ends today.”
A crack of thunder made Serena jump. “Eli, you’re shaking.”
“I’m not,” he snapped, then immediately lowered his voice. “Okay—maybe a little.”
They reached the shed. The padlock hung open.
Serena stopped. “That wasn’t open yesterday.”
Eli set the bin down slowly. “Maybe the custodian forgot.”
From inside, a soft scraping sound.
Serena whispered, “Did you hear that?”
Eli swallowed. “We should tell an adult.”
Serena’s eyes narrowed. “Or we check. If someone’s stealing the books, we’ll lose everything we collected.”
Eli backed up a step. “I don’t do ‘check.’ I do ‘not get in trouble.’”
Serena grabbed a flashlight from her pocket. “Fine. Stand there and be responsible. I’m going in.”
Which dialogue line most clearly provokes an immediate decision and action that moves the scene into the shed?