A Chance in The World

Selection
Name: Date: Test
Read the selection in your Student Edition and choose the best answer to each question.
from A Chance in the World

by Steve Pemberton
1 The author justifies deception and stealing by —
explaining that he used dishonest methods to cope with the Robinsons’ abuse
suggesting that his young age excused him from responsibility for his actions
saying that it was the only way to attract the Robinsons’ attention
emphasizing how carefully he thought through his schemes
2 The Robinsons’ rules for the author during this period of his life cause him to —
rebel against all kinds of authority

equate reading with painful memories
value books because they are forbidden
report the Robinsons to the authorities
3 Read the excerpt from paragraph 10.
I loved the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves of the large oak, the smell of freshly cut
grass brought on by neighborhood lawn mowers, the cacophony of birds that twittered as they
flew by, the bumblebees that hovered by my head before moving on to more interesting things.
What is the effect of the use of sensory details in this excerpt?
It distracts the reader from unpleasant experiences the author describes.

It allows the reader to imagine the setting the author is describing.
It foreshadows future significant events in the author’s life.
It emphasizes how much time the author spends outside.
Grade 9 1 Selection Test
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Selection
Name: Date: Test
4 Read the sentence from paragraph 32.
I became a fearless explorer, a brilliant scientist, and a master riddle solver.

Which form of the word explorer is a verb?
Explore
Exploration
Explorative
Exploratory
5 Read the excerpt from paragraph 32.
My books became my shelter, protecting me as the Robinsons’ slings and arrows

rained overhead.
Which idea is the author conveying through this use of metaphor?
Reading makes living with the Robinsons bearable.

He builds forts in the cellar where he hides and reads.
The books give him the strength to stand up for himself.
He uses the books as a shield when the Robinsons attack.
6 How do Mrs. Levin’s books provide Steve with the “chance” the babysitter and others said he
didn’t have?
They show him how different his life is from most people’s.
They allow him to use his imagination for the first time in his life.
They give him hope and provide a way to deal with his current situation.
They inspire him to become an author and write about his experiences.

Selection
Name: Date: Test
7 This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.
Part A
The author thinks the Robinsons are —
cheap
cruel
greedy
insincere
Part B
Which excerpt from the selection best supports the answer to Part A?
I settled into a routine at the house on Arnold Street, to the degree one can ever become
comfortable with monsters who disguise themselves as human beings. (paragraph 1)
From time to time, they would realize that they had come up a bag or two short and would fume at
the person who had bagged their groceries. (paragraph 4)
These abandoned items had served their purpose, but the Robinsons held on to them, believing that
someday someone foolish enough to value them would come along and take them off their hands.
(paragraph 7)
“Stevie!” Betty said, the sweet, melodic voice, and use of a nickname, telling me that she was
“onstage.” (paragraph 22)
8 Choose the phrase that uses the correct punctuation to introduce a quote in the underlined section in
the sentence below.
I felt sympathy for Steve when I was reading this story, especially when he writes: “One way I dealt
with these monsters was to become a thief, and a very good one at that.”
especially when he writes

especially when he writes;
especially when he writes . . .
correct as is

Selection
Name: Date: Test
9 Which two strategies help the author survive the part of his life described in the selection?
Learning to forgive the Robinsons

Reaching out for help from Mrs. Levin
Scrounging and stealing food to stay fed
Telling social workers about the cellar and lack of food
Reading stories that help him understand his experiences
10 Reflecting on it years later, the author views Mrs. Levin’s gift of books as —
an important turning point in his life

simply a kind gesture from a neighbor
a way to get back at the Robinsons
something the Robinsons allowed out of kindness
11 Which two statements explain the significance of the references to Watership Down at the beginning
and end of the selection?
They show the impact that reading has on the author’s life.
They reveal the similarities between human and animal experiences.
They prove to the reader that reading is the best pastime for children.
They emphasize parallels between the author’s life and that of the characters in the book.
They remind readers of the importance of seeing their experiences described in literature.

Selection
Name: Date: Test
12 What is the author’s perspective on this period of his life? Support your response with evidence from
the text.

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Selection

Name: Date: Test

from A Chance in the World

1 The author justifies deception and stealing by —

rebel against all kinds of authority

3 Read the excerpt from paragraph 10.

It distracts the reader from unpleasant experiences the author describes.

Grade 9 1 Selection Test

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

4 Read the sentence from paragraph 32.

I became a fearless explorer, a brilliant scientist, and a master riddle solver.

5 Read the excerpt from paragraph 32.

My books became my shelter, protecting me as the Robinsons’ slings and arrows

Reading makes living with the Robinsons bearable.

Grade 9 2 Selection Test

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

especially when he writes

Grade 9 3 Selection Test

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Learning to forgive the Robinsons

an important turning point in his life

Grade 9 4 Selection Test

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Grade 9 5 Selection Test

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

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