A Sound of Thunder
Modeled Answers
Rules for Answering in English Classes
• Use complete sentences or paragraphs as
appropriate.
• Avoid all indefinite pronoun usage.
• Give evidence to support your ideas.
• Use quotations to support your ideas.
• Introduce your quotations and evidence and
explain why it supports your answer.
1. What do Eckel’s actions in the second paragraph
reveal about his character?
1. In the second paragraph of “A Sound of
Thunder,” Eckle’s actions indicate that he is
scared, he is rich, and he is accustomed to
getting what he wants, especially when what he
wants is a guarantee regarding his personal
safety.
2. Find at least three examples of figurative language
(similes, metaphors, and personification). Explain how
these affect the mood of the story.
2. Three examples of figurative language in this
story so far are “_______________________,”
which is a __________; “__________________,”
which is a __________; and “______________,”
which is a __________. These comparisons help
to create a mood of ______________________.
3. Who were the two candidates for president of
the United States? Which one won the election?
3. The two candidates for president of the
United States were ___________________ and
________________. ________________ won
the election for president.
4. According to Travis, what might be a result of going
off the Path or of unintentionally killing an animal or
plant?
4. According to Travis, going off the path or
unintentionally killing an animal or plant could
____________________________ which could
ultimately ______________________________.
5. What purpose do you think Bradbury had in including
such detailed discussions of the scientific theories
between Eckels and Travis?
5. Bradbury’s emphasis on the theory of a small
change affecting the future might foreshadow
_______________________________________.
6. What descriptive details and figures of speech
make the dinosaur seem terrifying?
6. The descriptive details that make the dinosaur
seem terrifying are “_____________________”
and “_____________________.” These are
(metaphors/similes) that compare the dinosaur
to ____________ and ______________, which
create a sense of danger and fear.
7. How does Eckles react when he sees the
dinosaur? What to the guides tell him to do?
7. When Eckles sees the dinosaur he reacts by
_____________________. The guides tell Eckles
to _______________________.
8. What causes Eckles to step off the path? What
effect might this have?
8. ____________________________ causes
Eckles to step off the path. We can assume that
the effect of this will be ___________________
based off of the foreshadowing that occurred in
the conversation between Eckles and Travis at
the beginning of the story.
9. What two similes help the reader picture the falling
dinosaur? What mood does this passage create?
9. The two similes that describe the falling
dinosaur are “_____________________” and
“____________________.” These figures of
speech create a mood of _________________.
10. What does Travis fear might be the effects of
Eckles having stepped off the path?
10. Travis fears that Eckles having stepped off
the path may have ______________________.
11. What sensory images are used when Eckles returns
to the present? Why does he compare people to chess
pieces? To what do the dominos refer?
11. When Eckles returns to the present, he finds
things different and uses sensory images such as
“_____________________________________”
to describe the new world. He refers to people
as chess pieces because
_______________________________________.
The dominos refers to the chain of events that
_______________________________________.
12. What is the sound of thunder?
12. The sound of thunder is ________________.
A Sound of Thunder—Cause and Effect
Eckels signs up for a safari to the past to kill a
Tyrannosaurus Rex.
A Sound of Thunder—Plot Graphing
A Sound of Thunder—Literary Analysis
Protagonist
External Conflict
Internal Conflict
Imagery
Foreshadowing