Question

fiction, day 1
grade 8
excerpt from adventures of huckleberry finn by mark twain
1 the widow douglas she took me for her son, and allowed she would sivilize me; but it was rough living in the house all the time, considering how dismal regular and decent the widow was in all her ways. so, when i couldn’t stand it no longer, i lit out. i got into my old rags and my sugar - hogshead again and was free and satisfied. but tom sawyer he hunted me up and said he was going to start a band of robbers, and i might join if i would go back to the widow and be respectable. so i went back.
2 the widow she cried over me, and called me a poor lost lamb, and she called me a lot of other names, too, but she never meant no harm by it. she put me in them new clothes again, and i couldn’t do nothing but sweat and sweat, and feel all cramped up.
this text is in the public domain.
adapted by lowman
reading - use the text above to answer the following questions.

1. read this sentence from paragraph 1.

the widow douglas she took me for her son, and allowed she would sivilize me; but it was rough living in the house all the time, considering how dismal regular and decent the widow was in all her ways.
the narrator’s description of the widow douglas as being “dismal regular” and “decent” suggests that the narrator -
select two correct answers.
a. doesn’t find the widow to be typical
b. is bored in the presence of the widow’s company
c. is mistreated by the widow
d. is polar opposite of the widow
e. was asked to leave because he didn’t meet the widow’s expectations

1. read this sentence from paragraph 1.

so, when i couldn’t stand it no longer, i lit out.
the author’s use of figurative language in this sentence emphasizes the narrator’s -
a. struggle to help the widow
b. appreciation for the widow
c. willingness to please the widow
d. eagerness to leave the widow’s house
names are used for many different reasons. (2) some authors use them for marketing purposes and feel that a distinctive name will catch more attention. (3) an author might use one to disguise their gender. (4) some authors use a pen name if they write more than one genre and wish to distance themselves from their other works. (5) they propose to publish under a pseudonym to protect themselves from retribution. (6) some of the most notable authors with pen names include stephen king, j.k. rowling, and mark twain.
use the text above to answer the following question.

1. the author would like to add a more effective sentence to help introduce the ideas in this paragraph. which of the following sentences should be inserted before sentence 1?

a. successful authors spend a lot of money to make it difficult for their readers to unveil the identity behind their pen names.
b. it is often difficult to be a successful author without adopting a pen name.
c. a pen name is a pseudonym adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by - line of their work.
d. a shocking number of authors, ranging from both classical to modern, attribute their success to their pen names.

Explanation:

1. The narrator finds the widow's regular and decent ways dismal, showing they are very different in nature (polar - opposite), and also seems bored with her company as the living situation is rough. There is no indication of mistreatment or being asked to leave.
2. "lit out" is a figurative way of saying leaving quickly. It emphasizes the narrator's eagerness to leave the widow's house.
3. The paragraph is about pen - names and their uses. A good introductory sentence should define what a pen - name is, which option C does.

Answer:

1. B. is bored in the presence of the widow’s company, D. is polar opposite of the widow
2. D. eagerness to leave the widow’s house
3. C. A pen name is a pseudonym adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by - line of their work.