"Sweetheart" Close-Reading Quiz

You will complete this quiz with your shoulder partner. Read the passage from the section of The Things They Carried entitled “Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong” which begins “At daybreak” and ends “‘She’s already gone’” (pages 102-107) carefully before you choose your answers.

 This quiz has a similar format to what you will see on our final test for the book. It is also very similar to the reading/questions you will encounter on the ACT.

A few tips to help you (from Princeton's website):

1. Read the Questions First

Reading actively means knowing in advance what you’re going to read. So, before you start in on the passage, take a look at the questions. You’ll know what important details to look for, and you won’t waste time on details that never appear in a question.

2. Keep Moving

If you read something you don’t understand, do not reread it. Just keep going, and worry about it later only if you have to. Learn more about finding the right  ACT pacing for you.

3. Don't Panic if You Don't Know the Word

In some questions, you’ll have to determine the meaning of a word or phrase as it’s used in context. Most of these questions use relatively common words, but their meaning in the passage can be figurative more than literal. If the question asks you about an unfamiliar word, try to come up with your own word that fits the context, and then use process of elimination on the answers. If you can’t eliminate three choices, guess from what’s left and move on.