1. PART A: Which statement best describes a major theme of the story? A. Helping others is only valuable if a person receives something in return.
B. Taking care of animals is the best way to show kindness.
C. Growing up poor prevents people from achieving any happiness in life.
D. Good things happen to caring and loyal people.
2. PART B: What quote from the story best supports the answer to PART A?
A. “And whenever he found a very big lump in his throat he swallowed it for
Methuselah’s sake, and pretended that he didn’t see anything in the world to cry
about.” (Paragraph 30)
B. “The dog whined with pain when he was moved, but still licked Gobaly’s hand, as
if he understood that he was his friend and did not mean to hurt him.”
(Paragraph 49)
C. “The doctor laughed, and said he was getting to be an old fellow, and the snow
was deep, and it was hard for him to get about; but he was sorry he hadn’t come
before” (Paragraph 74)
D. “Methuselah went to the hospital and was cured, and Gobaly—well, if I should
tell you his name, you might say that you had heard of him as a famous surgeon
doctor.” (Paragraph 84)
3. How does paragraph 4 contribute to the development of the theme of the story?
4. PART A: How does Gobaly’s attitude toward Christmas change while he is shoveling snow?
A. At first he is sad that Methusaleh will not have a happy Christmas, and he
becomes even more upset when he remembers that Mrs. Pynchum will be
grumpy.
B. At first he is excited that it is Christmas, but he becomes upset when he realizes
that the children will not receive gifts.
C. At first he is happy that Christmas is coming, but he becomes even more excited
after hearing the sounds of Christmas around him.
D. At first he is upset that it will not be a happy Christmas, but his conversation
with Methuselah reminds him to be positive.
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5. PART B: What quotation gives evidence for your answer in PART A?
A. “‘Then why don’t he ever come here and bring us some?’ said Methuselah”
(Paragraph 24)
B. “‘I wish we lived where there was a truly Christmas, like places where Uncle Sim
has been’” (Paragraph 26)
C. “he had become so accustomed to looking for a bright side that he could find
one when you wouldn’t have thought there was any there.” (Paragraph 28)
D. “As he was digging the very last shovelful of snow out of the path, he heard the
jingle of sleighbells” (Paragraph 34)
6. PART A: In paragraph 52, Dr. Carruthers calls Gobaly “an uncommon boy.” What does the
word “uncommon” mean in this context?
A. caring
B. clever
C. different
D. disobedient
7. PART B: Which quotation offers the best evidence for your answer in PART A?
A. “Gobaly answered, modestly, that he ‘fixed it as well as he could because there
wasn’t anybody else around.’” (Paragraph 52)
B. “He wondered what Squire Thorndike knew about him, and he thought of every
prank he ever had played in his life.” (Paragraph 54)
C. “He had said once in Mrs. Pynchum’s hearing that he wanted to be a doctor
when he grew up” (Paragraph 57)
D. “If he went away, who would take care of ’Thusely? And ’Thusely’s heart would be
broken.” (Paragraph 64)
8. How does the scene with the injured dog contribute to the development of the theme of
the story?