Name: _________________________ Class/Period: ____________________ Assignment: Unit 1 Introductory Quiz Fiction Date: _______________

The 11:59 by Patricia C. McKissack

Learning About Fiction Multiple Choice Directions: Identify the letter of the choice that best answers
the question.

___1. Which of the following best defines the literary term setting? A. the early events of a story B. the point of view from which a story is told C. the authors reasons for writing a work D. the time and place of a storys action ___2. Which of the following is a part of a storys plot? A. setting B. novella C. conflict D. narrator ___3. Which statement is true about fiction? A. It can contain only real people. B. It can contain imaginary events. C. Its characters cannot express opinions. D. It cannot contain any realistic details.
___4. Which of the following is the literary term for the concluding event in a plot? A. novella B. resolution C. introduction D. conflict ___5. Which of the following groups contains one example of fiction? A. essay, short story, biography B. reference book, editorial, speech C. autobiography, diary, letter D. travel narrative, research paper, article

Critical Reading ___6. Which phrase best describes Lester Simmons in The 11:59? A. superhuman character B. good storyteller C. retired train engineer

D. superstitious fool
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___7. What is the 11:59? A. the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters B. the time to tell stories of the old days C. the Death Train D. a passenger who tips poorly ___8. While locked in his apartment, Lester looks back over his life. Why does he do this? A. He is bored. B. He is looking for a new story idea. C. He is trying to remember what the 11:59 really is. D. He is preparing to die. ___9. Which event is the resolution of The 11:59? A. Lester hears the train whistle. B. Lester locks himself in his apartment. C. Lester meets his old friend Tip. D. Lester dies. ___10. What happens to Lesters watch at the end of The 11:59? A. It stops. B. It gets crushed. C. It gets stolen. D. It disappears. ___11. What message about death is conveyed in The 11:59? A. No one can escape death. B. Only cowards try to avoid death. C. Everyone dies at the same time. D. Dying is like a story. ___12. Which plot event best expresses the conflict in The 11:59? A. Porters love to hear Lester tell stories about the death train. B. Lester hears the whistle of the 11:59 but isnt ready to die. C. Lester dies of a heart attack when the 11:59 arrives. D. Friends find Lester on the floor of his apartment.
___13. Which of the following is the setting of The 11:59? A. St. Louis, the mid-1900s B. the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, 1926 C. a Pullman car, the mid-1800s D. the St. Louis Union Train Station, the shoeshine stand, 11:59

___14. In Patricia C. McKissacks story The 11:59, who is Lester Simmons? A. a larger-than-life railroad hero B. an old friend of the narrator C. a retired Pullman car porter D. an engineer on the 11:59

___15. Which of Lesters character traits is illustrated in this passage from The 11:59? In his creakiest voice, Lester drove home the point. All us porters got to board that train one day. Aint no way to escape the final ride on the 11:59. A. his sense of humor B. his pessimistic personality C. his punctuality D. his storytelling skills
___16. When Lester reviews his life, what does he decide? A. that examining the past is a foolish thing to do B. that he has no regrets and that he stands by his choices C. that he only had good times and that his memories are all good D. that he should have married Louise Henderson and had children ___17. Why does Patricia McKissack repeat the phrase Ticktock, ticktock near the end of The 11:59? A. to build suspense and show the passing of time B. to introduce some humor into the story C. to emphasize to the reader that the Death Train has passed D. to show that Lester is going insane ___18. Which of the following best expresses the theme of The 11:59? A. You cant escape death no matter how hard you try. B. Telling and listening to stories can save our lives. C. Train travel is a passing way of life. D. Everyone can be a hero in his or her own way.

Essay Directions: On the space provided on the following page, you will plan and write ONE (1) of the following essays. You will either be given a choice as to which essay to do OR be instructed as to which one you should do. Listen carefully to the oral directions. Use R.A.C.E. to help you formulate your answer to the question. The Delaware State Reading Rubric will be used to score your response.
19. In McKissacks story, Lester tells porters the entertaining story about the legend of The 11:59. In a brief essay, explain how this story becomes, for Lester, a reallife experience.

20. In The 11:59, the author uses the first half of the story to give important background information. In the second half of the story, she shows the unfolding of the storys plot. In an essay, do the following: explain what background information the author provides; identify the main plot events; and explain how the two parts of the story relate to each other.

Essay Planning & Response Plan your essay response in the space provided. You MUST show some evidence of planning your response in order to obtain full credit. (0 2 points)

Write your response to the essay question on the space provided. Your answer MUST fit in the space provided. Anything outside the box will not be graded. (0 5 points)