1. The Flame of a Candle
by Marci Stillerman

2. 1 Which sentence best states the main idea of this story?
A. People who gossip end up losing friends.
B. People can stay warm even in the cold.
C. People can be both foolish and wise.
D. People who brag end up in trouble.
LC01: Demonstrate understanding of theme or message and supporting details
(Reading GLE 2.1.3)

3. Clever Foolish Boastful
2 Any of these words could be used to describe Hodja in the story. Choose the word you think best describes Hodja in the story.
Clever Foolish Boastful
Provide two details from the selection to support your choice.
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Strand LA05: Apply understanding of literary elements, features, and graphics (genre, plot, character, setting, conflict, resolution, simile, metaphor, graphic elements, illustrations, captions) (Reading GLEs 2.2.2, 2.2.3, 2.3.3)

4. 2
A 2-point response states or implies which word best describes Hodja in the story, and provides two text-based details to support the choice.
Examples:
Hodja was clever. He looked at the candle from a hundred yards away to keep himself warm through the night. He also cooked his friends dinner with a candle to show his friends the candle in the window didn’t really give him heat. OR
Hodja was foolish to say he could stay out all night in the cold with nothing to keep him warm. He was also foolish to stay outside all night in the cold.
Hodja was boastful. He bragged that when he was a child, it was so cold that the clouds froze in the sky. He also said he used to cut a hole in the ice over the river and go for a swim. 1
A 1-point response states or implies which word best describes Hodja in the story, and provides one text-based detail to support the choice.

5. Text-based details may include, but are not limited to:
Clever or Foolish or Boastful
“You think this is cold?” / said that it wasn’t that cold that night
When I was a child it was so cold that clouds froze in the sky
I’d go down to the river, cut a hole in the ice, and go for a nice swim
Hodja was known to brag
I could stay out on a night like this with nothing to keep me warm
If I can’t stay outside all night without a fire or any protection, I’ll invite you to a feast at my house
Wished he’d never made such a foolish offer / he was about to give up/he shivered mightily / he thought he would freeze to death
He fastened his gaze on the candle flame and was able to endure the bitter cold / using the flame (heat) of the candle to help him to survive the night / stared at the candle
Following through on the bet by staying outside all night in the cold / stayed out in the cold
He told his friends he kept warm by fixing his eyes on a candle flame burning in a window a hundred yards away
Heating the pot with the candle to show his friends that what he’d done outdoors that night had not really given him heat / tried to cook dinner with a candle

6. Clever Foolish Boastful
2 Any of these words could be used to describe Hodja in the story. Choose the word you think best describes Hodja in the story.
Clever Foolish Boastful
Provide two details from the selection to support your choice. 2
C. “he said that when he was a child he would go to the frozen river, cut a hole in the ice and go for a swim”
E. “he said he could stay out all night in the freezing weather with no protection or a fire”

7. Clever Foolish Boastful
2 Any of these words could be used to describe Hodja in the story. Choose the word you think best describes Hodja in the story.
Clever Foolish Boastful
Provide two details from the selection to support your choice. 1
H. “Hodja was clever to keep his eye on the candle to stay warm.”

8. Clever Foolish Boastful
2 Any of these words could be used to describe Hodja in the story. Choose the word you think best describes Hodja in the story.
Clever Foolish Boastful
Provide two details from the selection to support your choice.
This response is a 0. The response does not use specific text-based details.

9. 3 Which sentence tells how Hodja and his friends are similar?
A. They were wonderful cooks.
B. They had important jobs.
C. They liked to gossip.
D. They liked to brag.
LA06: Compare/contrast elements within and between text(s) (Reading GLEs 2.3.1,
2.4.6)

10. A. To entertain with a story about a man who is foolish
4 Which sentence best states the author’s purpose for writing this story?
A. To entertain with a story about a man who is foolish
B. To describe how extreme cold weather affects daily activities
C. To demonstrate how the mind can be more powerful than reality
D. To explain how coffeehouses are an important part of Turkish life
LT08: Analyze author’s purpose in a text and/or effectiveness for different
audiences, and/or identify facts and opinions, and/or author’s assumptions and beliefs (Reading GLEs 2.4.2, 2.4.3, 2.4.4)

11. 5 What does the author mean in the introduction when she says, “In some he’s wise, in some he’s foolish, and in some—as in this tale—he’s a little of both”? Provide two details from the story to support your answer.
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LC03: Make inferences or predictions based on the reading (Reading GLE 2.1.5)

12. Text-based details may include, but are not limited to:2
A 2-point response provides two text-based details to show what the author means in the introduction when she says, “In some he’s wise, in some he’s foolish, and in some—as in this tale—he’s a little of both.”
Example: He used a candle to keep him warm all night. He was known to brag. 1
A 1-point response provides one text-based detail to show what the author means in the introduction when she says, “In some he’s wise, in some he’s foolish, and in some—as in this tale—he’s a little of both.”
Text-based details may include, but are not limited to:
You think this is cold? / said it wasn’t cold that night
I’d go down to the river, cut a hole in the ice, and go for a nice swim / said he swam in the river on nights like that
Hodja was known to brag / he brags
Bragging (making a bet) that he could survive outdoors on a winter’s night with nothing to keep him warm
He wished he’d never made such a foolish offer / he thought he would freeze to death
Fastened his gaze on the candle flame burning in a window and was able to endure the bitter cold the rest of the night / using a flame (heat) of the candle to help him to survive the night / stared at the candle
Stayed outside all night in the cold / stayed out in the cold
In the morning he told his friends he kept warm with candlelight
Heating the pot with the candle to show the friends that what he’d done outdoors that night had not really given him heat / tried to cook dinner with a candle

13. 5 What does the author mean in the introduction when she says, “In some he’s wise, in some he’s foolish, and in some—as in this tale—he’s a little of both”? Provide two details from the story to support your answer. 2
F. “He is wise by focusing on the candle to keep his mind of the cold”
D. “but he is very foolish for bragging.”

14. 5 What does the author mean in the introduction when she says, “In some he’s wise, in some he’s foolish, and in some—as in this tale—he’s a little of both”? Provide two details from the story to support your answer. 1
F. “He was wise because he looked at the candle to distract himself from the cold.”

15. 5 What does the author mean in the introduction when she says, “In some he’s wise, in some he’s foolish, and in some—as in this tale—he’s a little of both”? Provide two details from the story to support your answer.
This response is a 0. This response does not use specific text-based details.

16. LT10: Extend information beyond text—make generalizations, draw
6 Based on information from the story, what generalization can you make
about bragging?
A. Bragging can lead to new inventions.
B. Bragging can lead to closer friendships.
C. Bragging can lead to a life of loneliness.
D. Bragging can lead to unexpected events.
LT10: Extend information beyond text—make generalizations, draw
conclusions, apply information, give a response to a literary text (Reading GLEs 2.4.1, 2.4.5)