Unpacking the Writer's Effect
A Grade 10 ELA worksheet focusing on analyzing and understanding the impact of a writer's choices on the reader.
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Unpacking the Writer's Effect
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Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. Pay close attention to the writer's choice of words, imagery, and sentence structure, and consider how these choices impact the reader.
Reading Passage: The Old House on Willow Creek
The wind howled a mournful dirge through the skeletal branches of the ancient oak that guarded the old house on Willow Creek. Dust motes danced in the slivers of weak sunlight that dared to penetrate the grimy windows, illuminating a scene of forgotten grandeur. Cobwebs, thick as shrouds, draped the once-ornate chandeliers, and the air hung heavy with the scent of decay and disuse. Each creak of the floorboards echoed like a sigh, a lament for the vibrant life that had long since departed. One could almost hear the whispers of laughter and the rustle of silk, ghosts clinging to the faded wallpaper, unwilling to release their hold.
1. What is the primary mood the writer establishes in the opening sentence?
Joyful and inviting
Mysterious and intriguing
Somber and desolate
Peaceful and serene
2. The phrase "skeletal branches" is an example of , which suggests the tree is .
3. The writer uses the sense of smell to evoke a feeling of with the words "scent of decay and disuse."
4. Analyze the effect of the simile "cobwebs, thick as shrouds" on the reader's perception of the house.
5. The writer uses personification when describing the wind as howling a "mournful dirge."
True
False
6. Discuss how the writer's choice of verbs and adverbs contributes to the overall sense of desolation and abandonment in the passage. Provide at least three specific examples from the text to support your analysis.