Name _______________________________________________________
Date ______________________
from The Giant’s House and “Desiderata” by Elizabeth McCracken
Learning About Fiction and Nonfiction
Identify the letter of the choice that best answers the question.
1. Which statement is always true of fiction?
A. Essays and biographies are examples of fiction.
B. Fiction tells about real people and events.
C. Examples of fiction include short stories and novels.
D. Conflict is not an element of fiction.
2. Which statement is true about nonfiction?
A. Nonfiction deals with imaginary people and made-up events.
B. Short stories are examples of nonfiction.
C. Nonfiction is intended only for entertainment.
D. Nonfiction can contain facts, opinions, and ideas.
3. Which statement correctly describes a work of fiction in which the narrator
is a character?
A. The conflict remains unresolved.
B. The plot is given in chronological order.
C. The work is in first-person point of view.
D. The work is in third-person point of view.
4. Which of the following groups contains ONE kind of fiction?
A. article, novel, essay
B. essay, biography, diary
C. journal, speech, autobiography
D. article, autobiography, research report
5. Which of the following is the definition of plot?
A. the relationships among the characters
B. the series of made-up events
C. the time and place of the action
D. the point of view of the narrator
6. Who is the narrator of the excerpt from The Giant’s House?
A. James
B. Astoria
C. Darla
D. Peggy
7. At the beginning of the excerpt from The Giant’s House, James wants to find
information on which of the following subjects?
A. ornithology
B. astronomy
C. tall people
D. medicinal plants
8. Which of the following statements most accurately describes Peggy in The
Giant’s House as she does research for James?
A. She has an eccentric sense of humor.
B. She is sympathetic and sensitive.
C. She is skeptical and pessimistic.
D. She is unhappy in her job as librarian.
9. Toward the end of the excerpt from The Giant’s House, we learn the real goal
of James’s quest. What is he looking for?
A. an illustrated book about the circus
B. memoirs written by basketball players
C. medical cures for tall people
D. instructions for studying library science
10. The theme of a work of fiction is its overall message about human life or
behavior. Which of the following sentences best states the theme of the
excerpt from The Giant’s House?
A. Being a librarian is a challenging career.
B. People with a physical abnormality may have a hard time emotionally.
C. A search for information on a topic sometimes turns up unexpected
results.
D. Telling the truth is better than beating around the bush.
11. At the beginning of “Desiderata,” we learn about the narrator. In what field
has she been trained?
A. photography
B. genealogy
C. library science
D. physics
12. In “Desiderata,” who is the nanny for the writer’s mother and aunt?
A. Dolly
B. Blanche
C. Grandmother
D. Martha