Select Relevant/Sufficient Evidence: Short Fiction Practice Test

A student argues that the narrator’s relationship with her father is defined by unspoken affection rather than open conversation. Which evidence best supports the claim?

Excerpt: The narrator and her father drive to the lake without music. She says, “We were good at silence; we wore it like coats.” When she tries to talk about college, he only nods and adjusts the rearview mirror. At the dock he hands her a sandwich wrapped in foil and says, “Eat.” She notices he has cut off the crusts, “the way he did when I was small.” On the way home he clears his throat and says, “Road’s slick,” though the sky is clear.

A student argues that the author portrays the narrator’s anger as a protective mask for fear. Which evidence best supports this interpretation?

Excerpt: When the power goes out, the narrator snaps at her roommate for lighting candles “wrong.” She paces and says, “This is stupid—nothing ever works in this apartment.” But in the dark she keeps checking her phone and admits, “I hated the quiet because it sounded like being alone.” When the roommate offers a blanket, the narrator refuses, then whispers, “Don’t leave the room.” Later she laughs too loudly at a minor joke and thinks, “If I sounded brave, maybe I’d be brave.”