Analyze How Dialogue Propels Action Practice Test
•10 QuestionsRead the excerpt and answer the question.
The creek behind the neighborhood dipped low from summer heat, exposing muddy banks. Harper balanced on a rock, looking at the half-submerged shopping cart.
“Bet you won’t climb in and pull it out,” Ben said, grinning.
Harper rolled her eyes. “It’s gross.”
“It’s a challenge,” Ben insisted. “Plus, the cleanup crew meets in an hour. If we bring it, we’ll look like legends.”
Harper glanced at the water, then at her scraped knee from last week’s bike crash.
Ben’s grin widened. “What, scared?”
Harper’s voice went quiet. “I’m not scared. I’m… thinking.”
Ben hopped closer. “Thinking is what people do when they want an excuse.”
Harper’s cheeks burned. She took a slow breath. “No. An excuse is what you’re doing so you don’t have to get wet.”
Ben blinked. “Me?”
Harper stepped off the rock and handed him her gloves. “You want legends? Go first.”
Ben stared at the gloves, then at the cart. “Fine,” he said, but his voice cracked.
Question: How does Harper’s line, “You want legends? Go first,” affect Ben and propel the action forward?
Read the excerpt and answer the question.
The creek behind the neighborhood dipped low from summer heat, exposing muddy banks. Harper balanced on a rock, looking at the half-submerged shopping cart.
“Bet you won’t climb in and pull it out,” Ben said, grinning.
Harper rolled her eyes. “It’s gross.”
“It’s a challenge,” Ben insisted. “Plus, the cleanup crew meets in an hour. If we bring it, we’ll look like legends.”
Harper glanced at the water, then at her scraped knee from last week’s bike crash.
Ben’s grin widened. “What, scared?”
Harper’s voice went quiet. “I’m not scared. I’m… thinking.”
Ben hopped closer. “Thinking is what people do when they want an excuse.”
Harper’s cheeks burned. She took a slow breath. “No. An excuse is what you’re doing so you don’t have to get wet.”
Ben blinked. “Me?”
Harper stepped off the rock and handed him her gloves. “You want legends? Go first.”
Ben stared at the gloves, then at the cart. “Fine,” he said, but his voice cracked.
Question: How does Harper’s line, “You want legends? Go first,” affect Ben and propel the action forward?