Develop Thesis: Short Fiction Practice Test

Read the following excerpt from a short story: After a storm, the protagonist walks the beach collecting shards of sea glass. He calls each piece "a softened injury" and keeps them in labeled jars: “Green,” “Brown,” “Clear.” When his sister asks why he doesn’t throw them away, he answers, "Because they’ve already survived the breaking." Which thesis statement offers the most arguable interpretation of the excerpt’s treatment of recovery?

Read the following excerpt from a short story: A boy practices piano scales while his older brother plays video games in the next room. The boy describes the metronome as "a judge with a wooden face." When he misses a note, his brother calls out, "Start over," without looking away from the screen. Which thesis best argues how the excerpt portrays performance and judgment?