Theme Practice

Passage D.

      Patty the Milkmaid was going to market carrying her milk in a pail on her head. As she

went along she began calculating what she would do with the money she would get for the

milk.  
   
     "I'll buy some fowls from Farmer Brown," said she, "and they will lay eggs each morning,

which I will sell to the parson's wife. With the money that I get from the sale of these eggs

I'll buy myself a new dimity frock and a chip hat; and when I go to market, won't all the

young men come up and speak to me! Polly Shaw will be that jealous; but I don't care. I

shall just look at her and toss my head like this.

      As she spoke she tossed her head back, the pail fell off it, and all the milk was spilt. So she

had to go home and tell her mother what had occurred.


1. Which of the following states a theme for the above passage?

a. Pride
b. Be careful not to spill the milk.
c. Do not let dreams of tomorrow interfere with the task of today.
b. Dreaming interfering with what you should be doing


 2. Which of the following lines is the least useful as evidence to support the theme of the 
passage? ? (The answer is provided.) 

Useful evidence:

a. As she went along she began calculating what she would do with the money she would
get for the milk.

b. With the money that I get from the sale of these eggs I'll buy myself a new dimity frock
and a chip hat; . . .

c. As she spoke she tossed her head back, the pail fell off it, and all the milk was spilt.

Least useful:
d. Polly Shaw will be that jealous;

_____________________________________

Passage C.

     Once when a Lion was asleep, a little Mouse began running up and down upon him; this

soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon him, and opened his big jaws to

swallow him.

      "Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse. "Forgive me this time. I shall never forget it.

Who knows but what I may be able to do you a turn one of these days?"

      The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he lifted

up his paw and let him go. Not too long after that the Lion was caught in a trap, and the

hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King tied him to a tree while they went in

search of a wagon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and

seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away the

ropes that bound the King of the Beasts.

     "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse.


1. Which of the following states a theme for the above passage?

a. Little friends may prove great friends.
b. Friendship
c. Never disturb a sleeping lion.
d. The lion was smart to let the mouse go.

 2. Which of the following lines is the least useful as evidence to support the theme of the 
passage? (The answer is provided.) 

Useful evidence:

a. “Who knows but what I may be able to do you a turn one of these days?"

b. Not too long after that the Lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to
carry him alive to the King tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry
him on.

c. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the
Lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the
Beasts.

Least useful:

d. The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he
lifted up his paw and let him go.


________________________________________

Passage B.

     At one time the Fox and the Stork were on visiting terms and seemed very good friends.

So the Fox invited the Stork to dinner, and for a joke put nothing before her but some soup

in a very shallow dish. This the Fox could easily lap up, but the Stork could only wet the end

of her long bill in it, and left the meal as hungry as when she began. "I am sorry," said the

Fox, "the soup is not to your liking."

     "Pray do not apologize," said the Stork. "I hope you will return this visit, and come

and dine with me soon." So a day was appointed when the Fox should visit the Stork; but

when they were seated at table all that was for their dinner was contained in a very long-

necked jar with a narrow mouth, in which the Fox could not insert his snout, so all he could

manage to do was to lick the outside of the jar.

      "I will not apologize for the dinner," said the Stork:



1. Which of the following states a theme for the above passage?

The theme could be stated as

"One bad turn deserves another."

or

Treat others as you would wish to be treated.



2. Which of the following lines is the least useful as evidence to support the theme of the 
passage?

a. At one time the Fox and the Stork were on visiting terms and seemed very good friends.

b. So the Fox invited the Stork to dinner, and for a joke put nothing before her but some
soup in a very shallow dish.

c. This the Fox could easily lap up, but the Stork could only wet the end of her long bill in it,
and left the meal as hungry as when she began.

d. So a day was appointed when the Fox should visit the Stork; but when they were seated
at table all that was for their dinner was contained in a very long-necked jar with a narrow
mouth, in which the Fox could not insert his snout, so all he could manage to do was to lick
the outside of the jar.