ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
Kath and Mouse
Read the story on page 9 in the short story booklet and then answer
the following questions on this page.
1. Fill in the plot graph below with the introduction, rising action,
climax, falling action, and conclusion of “Kath and Mouse”.
2. Who is the narrator of this story? What is the point of view?
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ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
3. How would the story be different if it were told from the point of
view of one of the other characters?
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4. What is the conflict in this story? What type of conflict is it (person
vs. person, person vs. nature, person vs. self, person vs. society,
person vs. technology)?
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5. What does it mean to play “cat and mouse” with someone? Do you
think that the title “Kath and Mouse” is appropriate for the story?
Explain.
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6. Did you enjoy this story? Why or why not?
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ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
Babysitting Helen
Read the story on page 14 in the short story booklet and then answer
the following questions on this page.
1. Do you think Trish’s mom has the right to offer her daughter’s time
and services? In point form, using the chart below, brainstorm
arguments for both sides of the issue.
Trish’s Point of View
My mom has no right to offer my time
and services without asking me!
Trish’s Mom’s Point of View
She’s my daughter, I can offer her time
and services if I want!
2. Do you think Trish finds it easy or hard to help Helen? What thing
was the most difficult for Trish to do? Why do you think so?
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3. What is the conflict in this story?
__________________ vs ____________________
ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
4. Use the chart below to describe what Trish was like at the beginning
of the story and what she was like at the end of the story. (You can
use point form).
Trish at the Beginning
Trish at the Ending
5. A the end of the story, Trish never explains why she is willing to go
back and “party with [Helen] any time.” Why do you think she’s
willing to go back? Write a diary entry written from Trish’s perspective
explaining why you are willing to go back and spend more time with
Helen.
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ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
Coffee, Snacks, Worms
Read the story on page 19 in the short story booklet and then answer
the following questions on this page.
1. Using the charts below, record the character traits of Kate and the
boy in point form:
Kate Richards
Physical Appearance
Home Life
(who does she live with?
What is their life like?)
Imaginary Life
(why do you think she
imagines being
Stephanie?)
The Boy
Physical Appearance
Problems
(why is he sticking up
the snack bar?)
Solution
(what is his plan? What
is Kate’s plan?)
2. What difference has Kate made on the boy’s life?
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ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
3. Plot Graph – map out the plot in point form on the graph below:
4. Response: Who has made a difference in your life? How would you
be different if that person was not a part of your life? Explain.
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ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
Thank You, Ma’am
Read the story on page 24 in the short story booklet and then answer
the following questions on this page.
1. The first sentence of the story suggests that it will be humorous.
What details in the story add to the humorous effect?
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2. Do you think that meeting Mrs. Jones will be a turning point in
Roger’s life? Explain.
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ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
3. What is the kindest thing a stranger has ever done for you, or
someone you know?
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4. Write a thank you letter to Mrs. Jones using the point of view
(voice) of Roger after several years have passed. In the letter, you
should review the events and the effect her kindness had on Roger.
Tell her about what has happened since. Try to include some
comments about how Mrs. Jones changed Roger’s life.
Dear ________________________,
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Sincerely,
ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
5. “Coffee, Snacks, Worms” and “Thank You, Ma’am” deal with very
similar situations, but there are also differences between them. Using
the Venn Diagram below, fill in details that are unique about each
story and details that are similar. A strong response will have 8-10
points in each section.
“Coffee, Snacks, Worms”
“Thank You, Ma’am”
ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
G. Trueheart, Man’s Best Friend
Read the story on page 27 in the short story booklet and then answer
the following questions on this page.
1. Fill in the plot graph below with the introduction, rising action,
climax, falling action, and conclusion of “G. Trueheart, Man’s Best
Friend”.
2. Do you think this story is funny? Why or why not?
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ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
3. The author describes the dog in detail. Find and explain one
metaphor (comparison not using “like” or “as”) and one simile
(comparison using like or as).
Metaphor: _________________________________________
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Explanation: _______________________________________
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Simile: ____________________________________________
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Explanation: _____________________________________________
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4. Why does Tom dislike the dog so much?
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5. The author has written this story without quotation marks for the
dialogue. In the sentences below, add the proper quotation marks.
a) Aunt Prudence said, Now you know how much she loves you,
Tommy. She saved your life.
b) Boy, oh, boy! the lumberjacks said, a fighting dog like that is
man’s best friend.
c) Tom Hamilton, his mother said, get to school!
d) The kids asked Tom, What’s she good for?
e) Boy, oh, boy! a kid said, I wouldn’t be seen with her for two
dollars a week.
ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
On the Sidewalk Bleeding
Pre-Reading Questions
1. What can be done to prevent youth from joining gangs?
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2. When teenagers feel like they don’t fit in, what are some alternative
forms of support available to them (rather than joining a gang)?
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3. Do you think Canadians should be concerned about youth gangs, or
does the media exaggerate the youth gang problem in this country?
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ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
Short Reading Quiz for “On the Sidewalk Bleeding”
1. What is the reason that Andy was stabbed?
a. He started a fight
b. He was robbed
c. He was wearing a gang jacket
d. Someone was jealous of Andy and his girlfriend
2. Why was Andy not frightened at first?
a. He did not know he was dying
b. He was considerably braver than most people
c. He figured that someone would help him
d. He didn’t know that he had been stabbed
3. Where had Andy been before he was stabbed?
a. Robbing a store
b. A dance
c. With the gang
d. In jail
4. Throughout the story, there are continuing references to the
time. Why do you think that is?
a. He was late for a his date with Laura
b. It just shows us that it is night time
c. The passage of time builds suspense, making us wonder
when/if Andy will be saved
d. None of the above
5. Why doesn’t the first person who finds Andy help him?
a. He doesn’t want to help a gang member
b. He is drunk and assumes Andy is drunk as well
c. He just doesn’t want to get involved
d. He is afraid of possible danger to himself
6. Why doesn’t the couple who find Andy help him?
a. They don’t want to help a gang member
b. They are drunk and assume Andy is drunk as well
c. They just don’t want to get involved
d. They are afraid of possible danger to themselves
ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
7. What is the main purpose of the italicized words throughout the
story?
a. They are for emphasis
b. They show Andy’s inner thoughts
c. They are used to show slang
d. They are used for dialogue
8. Consider this sentence from the story: “He felt alone and wet
and feverish and chilled and he knew he was going to die now,
and the knowledge made him suddenly sad.” The words in bold
are all examples of:
a. Adverbs
b. Nouns
c. Adjectives
d. Verbs
9. Consider this sentence from the story: “The knife hated only the
purple jacket.” This is an example of
a. A metaphor
b. A simile
c. Personification
d. Allegory
10. (2 marks) What shows Andy’s growing sense of panic in
the story?
11. (2 marks) Why do you think Andy wants to remove his
jacket?
12. (2 marks) What conclusions can you draw from the police
officer’s comment at the end of the story?
ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
The Day the Martian Landed
Read the story on page 39 in the short story booklet and then answer
the following questions on this page.
1. What is Fred Foster’s reaction when he meets the Martian? How
would you have reacted?
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2. Do you believe that the Prime Minister’s assistant took the phone
call seriously? Why or why not? Explain fully.
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3. What parts of this story do you find amusing? Explain. How does
the author create humour?
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ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
4. Write a news story about the Martian landing. Make sure you have a
HEADLINE, a BYLINE, a PLACELINE, that your lead sentences answers
4 w’s (who, what, where, when), and include a quotation.
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By _________________
_______________ - __________________
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ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
Bus Stop
Read the story on page 42 in the short story booklet and then answer
the following questions on this page.
1. This story is divided into two parts. Why did the author choose to
write the story this way?
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2. The second part of the story has a massive run-on sentence (where
the writer does not stop to break his or her ideas into proper
sentences). Correct the run-on sentence by breaking it up into shorter
sentences on the lines below:
She asked me where I was from and I said Gimli and she said
yes, she knew where that was, her son had been killed there
while training as a pilot, he was practising flying without
instruments and got disoriented by the snowy lake and the
clouds and dove straight into the ice, only nineteen and they’d
missed him terribly, but she doubted if after all this time I’d
remember it.
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ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
3. Why do you think the narrator responds in the way he does to the
woman at the bus stop?
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4. Why can’t the narrator forget what happened to him years earlier?
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5. Why do you think this story is so short? Would it be better if it had
been longer?
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6. In the space below, describe something that happened to you years
ago that you have never forgotten. Try to use vivid language (be
descriptive!) like the author does in the story.
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ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
R We D8ting?
1. This personal essay describes a flirtation that goes awry over text
messaging. In the chart below, describe some of the pros and cons of
text messaging. Try to list ten points on each side.
Text Messaging Pros
Text Messaging Cons
2. Do you think text messaging has brought people closer together, or
is texting causing people to become more distant? Support your
answer.
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ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
On the Bridge
1. List two ways Seth tries to be cool:
a) _________________________________________________
b) _________________________________________________
2. Why do you think Seth hangs out with Adam? Provide a reason.
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3. Who is the protagonist in the story?
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4. Who is the antagonist?
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5. State two types of conflict from the story, and give an example of
each.
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6. Provide two reasons for Seth’s disposal of the jean jacket, and
justify your reasons.
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ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
Skippin’ Out
1. In this story, C.J. is trying very, very hard to fit in with a bad crowd.
In the chart below, list ways C.J. tries to rebel, and then explain how
his attempts go wrong. I have done the first one for you as an
example.
C.J.’s rebellion
Running up the “down”
escalator
How it goes wrong
An old man gets onto the
escalator; no one notices his
attempts
ENG1P1
Short Story Unit
Name:__________________
2. This story demonstrates the problem with peer pressure. In a wellstructured paragraph below, write some advice to C.J. about how he
could make better choices in the future. Why do you think he wants to
fit in with Q-Tip and Zack so badly?
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