An Invisible Thread

At the opening, Maurice makes a toast to Laura. Which statement best describes Maurice and Laura on that occasion?

• Maurice is still a young boy, and Laura is a young working woman.

  .

• Maurice has just gotten married, and Laura is attending the wedding

• Maurice is a grown man, and Laura is celebrating her fiftieth birthday.

Answer explanation

BACKGROUND

Laura Schroff and Maurice Mazyck had been friends for 15 years when he gave the final toast at the celebration of her 50th birthday. Maurice’swords, and Laura’s reaction to them, reveal what each had gained from their long friendship

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CCSS.RI.7.1

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CCSS.RL.7.2

According to the selection, what did Maurice ask Laura for on the day they met?

• money

• food

• work

Answer explanation

“Laurie, where can I start,” Maurice began. “We met . . . the way we met was so special to me. I was a young boy on the street with barely anything, and I was very hungry that day I asked this lady, ‘Miss, can you spare some change?

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CCSS.RI.6.3

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CCSS.RL.5.3

What did Laura do for Maurice on the day they first met? Choose two options.

• She introduced him to her family.

• She played some games with him.

• She helped him with his homework.

• She bought him a meal in a restaurant.

Answer explanation

she looked and came back and took to McDonald’s. We ate and then walked around Central Park; she took me to Haagen-Dazs and then we played some games

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CCSS.RI.6.3

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Which of these statements best portrays Maurice and Laura's relationship?

• Maurice benefited from the relationship much more than Laura did.

• Laura benefited from the relationship much more than Maurice did.

• Laura and Maurice both benefited enormously from the relationship.

Answer explanation

Everything I ever gave to Maurice, he gave back to me tenfold. Every meal, every shirt, every bike or toothbrush, was matched by Maurice with a more genuine appreciation than I have ever known. Every hand I ever lent him was returned with a hug; every kindness was paid back with an impossibly optimistic smile.

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CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

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CCSS.RL.9-10.3

How does someone behave if she shows resilience in the face of a problem?

• She completely ignores the problem.

• She is able to recover from the problem.

• She feels helpless about the problem.

Answer explanation

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CCSS.RL.5.3

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What kind of person most clearly displays perseverance?

• a lazy person

• an impatient person

• a hard-working person

Answer explanation

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CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

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CCSS.RL.9-10.3

Which of these people most clearly displays generosity?

• someone who donates a lot of time and money to charity

• someone who says one thing but does the opposite

• someone who displays many different skills and talents

Answer explanation

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CCSS.RL.5.3

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What main effect does Maurice believe Laura has had on him?

• She changed the direction of his life.

• She taught him the true value of money.

• She helped him get along with other people.

Answer explanation

“You know, at that moment she saved my life. ‘Cause I was going down the wrong road, the wrong hill, and, you know, my mother—bless her soul, my mother died—and the Lord sent a mean angel. And my angel was Laurie.

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CCSS.RL.5.3

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How does Laura mainly feel as she listens to Maurice's toast?

• foolish

• confused

• emotional

Answer explanation

I was so incredibly moved when I heard Maurice say I saved his life. Heck, I nearly lost it throughout his whole darn toast.

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CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

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In what main way did Maurice teach Laura about the gift of love?

• by the example of his marriage

• by giving Laura someone to love

• by always remembering his mother

Answer explanation

Maurice appeared out of nowhere and allowed me to love him, and for that, I simply can never thank him enough

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CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

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