"The Curse of the Poisoned Pretzel"

Part A: Which sentence best describes the point of view of the narrator of the story?

• He has full knowledge of the characters’ thoughts so he can predict future events.

• He is one of the minor characters watching Skidmore and Manchester and takes part in the action.

• He is aware of what Skidmore is thinking, but he is not aware of what Manchester is thinking.

• He knows most of what happens in the story and why, but he does not know everything.

Part B: Which part of the text best describes how the author develops the point of view in Part A?

• The author has the narrator explain how Manchester felt about baseball and how he treated his players.

• The author has the narrator describe a night that occurred 107 years ago but not what happened later.

• The author has the narrator show how Sluggers fans responded to the team’s record over many years.

• The author has the narrator tell how Manchester died but not whether the pretzel was poisoned.

How do paragraphs 5 and 6 contribute to the story?

• They hint at some ways that the baseball team can eventually get rid of the curse.

• They help establish that some of the events in the story take place outside of a baseball park.

• They start introducing the reason for the troubles described in paragraphs 1 and 2.

• They challenge the claim in paragraph 1 that the Sluggers will always lose.

Part A: The author uses the word “crept” in paragraph 8 instead of a word like “walked” or “marched.”

• that Skidmore is sly and sneaky

• that Skidmore is old and shrunken

• that Skidmore is cautious and careful

• that Skidmore is mean and grouchy

Part B: Which detail from the story best supports the same conclusion about Skidmore?

• “He always wore a black overcoat . . .”

• “. . . his eyes were hidden in shadow.”

• “. . . he was violently allergic to bubble gum.”

• “. . . saw his brother’s sweet, chewable candies as a personal insult.”

Part A: Which statement best expresses a main theme of the story?

• Not all families are happy ones.

• Playing the game counts for more than winning.

• Some things in the universe cannot be explained.

• There are two sides to every story.

Part A: Which statement best expresses a main theme of the story?

• It suggests that things are always changing, and consequently the Sluggers will eventually win the World Series.

• It suggests that the past century has seen many achievements, but the Sluggers still have not been able to win another World Series.

• It suggests that disappointment is just part of life, but the bitter sadness the Slugger fans feel is greater than normal.

• It suggests that baseball is not really important, and Sluggers fans should realize that their team’s fate does not matter.