Passage Picker Examples

Example 1.  Page 39 Paragraphs 2,3,4

    "Army ants," said Tepui.  "The beetles have been recently killed."  He peered into the dripping jungle.  "The amts are close by.  I smell them."  Dr. Rivero knew the vicious reputation of these ants that have devoured men sleeping on hammocks, dogs on their leashes, and every other living creature that does not flee them.  "Let's get out of here," he said.

    The voices startled the jaguar.  She leaped onto the trail in front of them and crouched to spring.  Tepui lifted his blowgun, loaded it with a slender dart, and was about to shoot when the jaguar suddenly twisted to the ground, howling and biting.

    "Army ants have her," Tepui shouted. 

    The Jaguar fled into the jungle, rolling and swatting, one cub mewing at her side.

    A bloodcurdling yowl sounded on the trail behind Dr. Rivero.  Then there was silence.

I chose this passage because it was very frightening and suspenseful.  It is scary to me because the army ants are attacking the jaguar and her cub and there is nothing they can do to fight the ants off.  I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next.  At first I though Tepui was going to shoot the jaguar but then I found out the the jaguar was trying to fight of the army ants and protect her baby.  When the jaguars began to be attacked I felt like I wanted to cover my eyes!

Question:  What words in the passage allow the reader to to feel scared and how is the passage suspenseful?

Answer:  Dr. Rivero knew the vicious reputation of these ants that have devoured men sleeping on hammocks, dogs on their leashes, and every other living creature that does not flee them.  When the Dr. said "let's get out of here", I knew they were in trouble.  A bloodcurdling yowl is something you hear when an animal is dying.

I think this passage adds fear and suspense to the story.  I can see the jaguar trying to get away from the ants and I can feel his distress as he rolls around on the rainforest ground.

 

Example 2.  Page 42 Paragraphs 3,4,5

    Some of the men from the eleven bulldozers and four trucks fell asleep waiting for the floodwaters to abate.

    Tepui and Dr. Rivero heard a trumpeting sound.  It was as if crazy musicians were blowing across a forest of empty glass bottles.

    "Howler monkeys."  Tepui pointed to seven reddish-orange monkeys sitting in a nameless hardwood tree.  Their mouths were pursed into O's as they sent their voices for miles thought the forest.

I chose this passage because it was scientific, informative,  and descriptive.  This passage also contained a simile.  By reading this passage I was able to understand the noise the howler monkey makes in the rainforest.  The description of the sound the animal makes allowed me to to hear the monkeys as I was reading. The author used a simile so that the reader could relate the story to their own lives.

Question:  What two things are being compared in this simile and how does it affect the story?

Answer:  Tepui and Dr. Rivero heard a trumpeting sound.  It was as if crazy musicians were blowing across a forest of empty glass bottles. "Howler monkeys." The author made a comparison between the monkey's sound and blowing on bottles.  We have all blown across the top of a bottle and can hear the sound a howler monkey makes in the jungle!

I think this passage adds description to the story by allowing the reader to hear the sounds traveling through the rainforest.  By learning a little about science, I now understand what the  Howler monkeys look like, sound like and that they live in the rainforest.

 

Example 3. Page 53  Paragraphs 2, Page 54 Paragraph 2,3

Tepui and Dr. Rivero had arrived at the top of the largest tree in the forest.  Happy as hummingbirds, they looked out over the miles and miles of tree flowers blooming in the sun.

    Over them floated silver butterflies, metallic-blue-and-purple butterflies, white, orange, green, and yellow butterflies.  A river of checkered butterflies flowed past.  Crescent spots washed over the big tree like a waterfall.

    "Butterflies by the thousands," marveled Dr. Rivero.  "I must be in heaven."

I chose this passage because it added foreshadowing to the story. Throughout the whole story Tepui searches for an unnamed butterfly and now he is surrounded by thousands of them.  I think this passage illustrates a cause and effect which keeps the interest of the reader.  As soon as Dr. Rivero and Tepui found the butterflies I immediately wanted to find out what happens next.  The author also uses a metaphor to add description to the story.

Question:  What do you believe this passage is foreshadowing for the rest of the story.  What is the metaphor that is used to add description and what does it mean?

Answer:  Because Tepui and Dr. Rivero found the butterflies they will be able to save the rainforest.  Tepui has one day to discover an unnamed butterfly in order to save the rainforest form being destroyed.  The metaphor "Butterflies by the thousands, I must be in heaven." is making a comparison of the view Dr. Rivero sees and what he thinks Heaven must be like.  In other words, Dr. Rivero thinks the sight of the butterflies is extremely beautiful and breathtaking.

I think this passage adds foreshadowing to the story so the reader does not forget what Tepui's mission is.  It is said that if he finds an unnamed butterfly then the rainforest will be saved.  Let's keep reading and see what happens

 

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