Sensory and Figurative Language

His call clamors through the countryside, crying out to all creatures that morning has come.

The descriptive language in this sentence -

• gives Alyssa’s post a dramatic effect

• shows how Alyssa’s attitude has changed throughout the story

• mimics the sound of the rooster’s call

• emphasizes that hearing the rooster is an important event in the plot

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.5

My carrying the little puppy in the length of my arm from wrist to elbow for two months, like a running back with a football, went a long way toward forging our relationship and deciding how things would be for years to come.

The author includes a simile to help the reader understand that the author –

• enjoys finding time to play with her dog

• wants her dog to grow to be strong

• thinks her dog is a better pet than most dogs

• feels responsible for protecting her dog

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5A

CCSS.L.5.5A

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.W.11-12.2D

Then I heard a whining sound from a corner of

the barn and almost vaulted to the ceiling.

The author includes the figurative language in this sentence to show that Alyssa —

• feels excited about her discovery

• is startled by the unexpected noise

• has a sudden inspiration for an online post

• thinks she should not be in the barn

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.5A

He would need the touch of a surgeon, the

alertness of an owl, the cunning of three foxes, and

the foresight of a grand master in chess.

The author uses figurative language in this sentence most likely to —

• identify the variety of people who have attempted the task

• explain the help the character needs from others in order to accomplish the task

• demonstrate the qualities possessed by others who have attempted the task

• exaggerate the skills the character needs in order to accomplish the task

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.5A

He always had a jawbreaker in his mouth, and when he wasn’t clacking it against his teeth he kept up a constant mutter about everything he did, as if he were a play-by-play announcer describing a game.

What does the simile in paragraph 3 suggest about this person?

• He wishes he knew someone who shared his passion.

• He approaches his work with intense focus.

• He is interested in both science and sports.

• He usually makes up experiments as they occur to him.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5A

CCSS.L.5.5A

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.W.11-12.2D

And he would explain it to me, and though I

couldn’t really understand, still I would feel

something, a cool fizzing behind my ears,

because I was feeding off his astonishment.

The sensory language in this sentence highlights the narrator’s —

• optimism

• confusion

• excitement

• discomfort

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5

CCSS.L.5.5

CCSS.L.6.5

CCSS.L.7.5

CCSS.L.8.5

Because that’s when I heard the growl. Deep, low, and gurgling, like a water heater about to blow. I knew that growl.

The figurative language in these sentences emphasizes that Kirby thinks Coach Armstrong is —

• arrogant

• spiteful

• mysterious

• intimidating

Tags

CCSS.L.3.3A

CCSS.L.4.3A

CCSS.L.5.3A

CCSS.L.6.3A

CCSS.L.6.3B

To the ordinary person, Cobble’s Knot was

about as friendly as a nest of yellowjackets.

The author uses the comparison to help the reader understand —

• how impossible the task of untying the knot appears

• that the knot is a dangerous object

• that trying to untie the knot is physically painful

• how dirty the knot seems to be

Tags

CCSS.L.3.5A

CCSS.RL.3.4

As it flows beneath me it seems to say

hello and goodbye at once—

“Must be moving,

there is so much to see!”

It reminds me that life is an adventure

The poet uses personification to show that the river teaches the speaker about —

• appreciating the beauty of nature

• enjoying the experience of living

• making good decisions

• protecting an important resource

Tags

CCSS.L.6.5A

And if you try to push

my mood swing, I’ll only drag my feet.

The poet includes these lines most likely to suggest that the speaker —

• is not physically strong

• wants to deal with the situation alone

• does not often receive help from others

• does not wish to be pushed on a swing

Tags

CCSS.L.3.5A

CCSS.RL.3.4