Unit 4 Week 3 Skills Test

Characters

ELLIE

AMIR: a friend

MRS. ROGAN

 

Act I

[Early evening. The kitchen at the Rogan house. Ellie and Mrs. Rogan are eating dinner at the table.]

 

MRS. ROGAN: What time do we have to be at the book store tomorrow morning?

 

ELLIE: Nine o’clock sharp. If we’re late, we’ll have to wait in a long line and I might never get to the table to see Mara Mason.

 

MRS. ROGAN: I know, honey. After all, the early bird gets the worm. Right? [Mrs. Rogan and Ellie both smile just as the phone begins to ring.]

 

ELLIE: [answering the phone] Hello?

 

AMIR: [speaking to Ellie from his own home phone] Hi, Ellie, it’s Amir. I’m just checking to see what time you’re picking me up for the book signing.

 

ELLIE: Well, we need to be there at nine, so how about we get you at eight-thirty?

 

AMIR: Great! Are you excited about seeing our favorite author of all time?!

 

ELLIE: Are you kidding? I’ve been waiting for this day all month! I even hung up the flyer in my bedroom so that it’s the first thing I see when I wake up every day.

 

AMIR: Me, too! I’m going to have Mara Mason sign all my books tomorrow. I can’t wait! Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.

 

Act II

[The next morning. Mrs. Rogan’s car. Mrs. Rogan is driving Ellie and Amir to the book store. They are happily flipping through their collection of Mara Mason books.]

 

MRS. ROGAN: [laughing] I see you both remembered to bring your books to be signed
today. Do you know what you’re going to ask her when you get to the table?

 

ELLIE and AMIR: [replying together] When will your next book be out?

 

AMIR: [looking at Ellie] Great minds think alike! [The two friends break into laughter.]

 

[Mrs. Rogan pulls into the parking lot. All three get quiet as they look out the windows.]

 

ELLIE: Where is everyone? I don’t understand. The parking lot should be packed.

 

[Mrs. Rogan notices the flyer for the book signing in the front passenger seat. She picks it up and scans it quickly, then sighs.]

 

MRS. ROGAN: Uh-oh.

 

ELLIE: [starting to panic] What is it, Mom? Did I get the time wrong?

 

MRS. ROGAN: [sighing again] No, the book store opens at nine o’clock for the book signing, but it says here that it’s tomorrow, not today.

 

[Mrs. Rogan leans over to show the kids the flyer. It says SUNDAY in big letters.]

 

AMIR: [throwing his arms up] How on Earth could we have missed that? I mean, it’s in big, bold letters!

 

ELLIE: [shaking her head with wide eyes] I must have looked at that flyer a million times this past month.

 

AMIR: I guess we didn’t really look at it at all though, did we?

 

MRS. ROGAN: Oh, don’t be so hard on yourselves. You live, you learn. Now you know the importance of reading information carefully. Besides, we can come back tomorrow.

 

AMIR: [suddenly perking up] And there is that new book out in the Windswept series by Yuri Bantam. Remember, Ellie? I think it goes on sale today!

 

ELLIE: You’re right! Mom, can we go in and see it?

 

[Mrs. Rogan laughs and turns off the car as Ellie and Amir begin to talk about the books that Yuri Bantam has written.]

• I read the text

• I didn't read the text

Read this line from the passage.

 

AMIR: [looking at Ellie] Great minds think alike! [The two friends break into laughter.]

 

What does this adage show about Ellie and Amir?

• They have the same idea.

• They read the same books.

• They go to the same event.

• They wake up at the same time.

Read this line from the passage.

 

AMIR: [throwing his arms up] How on Earth could we have missed that? I mean, it’s in big, bold letters!

 

How do the stage directions in the line help readers understand Amir?

• They show Amir’s shock.

• They show what Amir says.

• They show who talks to Amir.

• They show Amir’s excitement.

Read this line from the passage.

 

MRS. ROGAN: Oh, don’t be so hard on yourselves. You live, you learn. Now you know the importance of reading information carefully. Besides, we can come back tomorrow.

 

Why does Mrs. Rogan use the adage “You live, you learn”?

• She thinks Ellie and Amir learn best in school.

• She thinks Ellie and Amir can learn from their mistake.

• She thinks Ellie and Amir need to live a long time to learn.

• She thinks Ellie and Amir can learn new things from each other.

How do the structural elements of the play contribute to the plot? Support your answer with evidence from the passage.

Match the following text evidence to each character's perspective at different points in the passage.

• “[laughing]”

• Ellie is excited about the book signing with Mara Mason.

• “I even hung up the flyer in my bedroom.

• Mrs. Rogan is pleased that Ellie and Amir remembered to bring their books.

• “[suddenly perking up]”

• Amir feels excited about going to buy Yuri Bantam’s new book.