LITERARY/ TEXT ELEMENTS NON-LINEAR PLOT DEVELOPMENT
DIRECTIONS: Read the passage. Then, answer the questions.
1 Maya and Amber wandered through the museum. Rounding a comer, Maya's eyes landed on
a wall of captivating black-and-white photographs. Mesmerized, she drifted ahead and drew
closer to one of the images. In it, Maya saw a group of children gathered on the shore of a
small lake while another group swam nearby. Maya closes her eyes and pretends to be the
child in the center of the photograph, sweeping above the water on a tire swing. She could
see it now:
2 As I swing over the water, the rush of wind whips my hair into my eyes. I squint, hoping I hide
my fear of heights. Besides being the youngest kid here, today marks my first-ever tum on the
tire swing. Although I grip the rope tightly, I know that I eventually have to let go and jump into
the water. As the crowd of kids cheers me on, I count down in my head and gather my
courage: Three, two, one...
3 Maya chuckled to herself. "What's so funny?" asked Amber, joining Maya in front of the
picture. Maya pointed. "This photo reminds me of my first time jumping off the diving board,"
she said. Now it's Amber's turn to laugh. "You're right," she agrees. "This kid looks just as
terrified as you were. But look at you now!"
1. Give the paragraph number that contains the interior story. Explain.
2. What visual clue helps the reader understand that the interior story is beginning?
3. Describe what you know and what you can infer about the setting of the frame story and
the setting of the interior story.
4. Does this excerpt contain a flashback? Explain.
5. Describe how Maya makes a connection with the interior story.