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Prior knowledge
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Connecting something new to something you
already knew

predictions

Using your knowledge and evidence presented
to you to make an estimated guess as to what
the next actions will be in a story

inferences


Using the evidences presented to you to
determine the meaning of something
(word, phrase, underlying meaning)

P. 117
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Jack Finney
(1911-1995)
Worked in advertising
Won a contest for a short story, his dream
Blended realistic and imaginary details into
tales of time travel

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
Set in the 1950’s
No computers or photocopiers
Used carbon paper- which this story is about
(black-coated sheets that transfer written or
typed marks onto blank paper below

In “Contents of a Dead Man’s Pocket,” a man’s
perception of reality shifts because of a
terrifying experience. He discovers the truth
about his life and his priorities. Use this
sentence starter to develop your ideas about
the Big Question.


Life-threatening situations may cause people to
evaluate __________ because _____________.
While you read, look for moments when the
main character experiences changes in his
understanding of reality or truth.

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What most people do for work is the most
important part of their lives.
We all struggle when making decisions.
An action we take today will not have much of
an effect on our lives in the future.
People should take risks in their lives.
Competition helps people perform their best.

P. 116
Convoluted
 Verified
 Deftness
 Imperceptibly
 Reveling
 Interminable

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P. 119
Why has Tom decided to stay at home?
What internal conflict of Tom’s does this
paragraph show?

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P. 118
Cause: Tom wanted to get some work done so
he could get recognized, promoted, and a pay
raise
Effect: Tom’s wife went to the theater, and he
had internal conflict about whether to go or not
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P. 120
Cause: The door does not close right away. An
air current suddenly rushes into the room,
creating a force that lifts papers off Tom’s desk.
The yellow paper makes its way to the window
ledge before the current dies, and then the
paper disappears outside.
Effect: the paper floats off the desk
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P. 122
Cause: Without the information on the paper
and the proposal it supports, Tom believes that
he will not get a chance to rise to the top of his
company because it will take too long to
duplicate his work.
Effect: Tom goes after the paper
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P. 122
Cause: Hopes it will make people at the office
notice him and, at the same time, add
importance to his grocery store display
proposal
Effect: Tom hopes the story of his adventure
will affect listeners
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P. 125
Cause: Tom’s glimpse of the avenue below
Effect: He begins to tremble, and he feels his
blood rush from his skin. He jerks upright. His
head scrapes against the wall, and bounces off
it, and he almost falls off the ledge. Then he
clings more strongly to the indentions in the
wall.
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P. 126
Cause: Tom is afraid that the things he
imagines will happen if he does not move, so
he forces himself not to think about anything
but moving along the ledge.
Effect: Tom begins moving