The Gift of the Magiby O. Henry 29-  "You've cut off your hair?" asked Jim, laboriously, as if he had not arrived at that patent [obvious] fact yet even after the hardest mental labor. 30-  "Cut it off and sold it," said Della. "Don't you like me just as well, anyhow? I'm me without my hair, ain't I?" 31-  Jim looked about the room curiously. 32-  "You say your hair is gone?" he said, with an air almost of idiocy. 33-  "You needn't look for it," said Della. "It's sold, I tell you--sold and gone, too. SkipThe narrator is describing the thoughts and actions of which characters in this section?Della and Madame SofronieJim and DellaMadame Sofroni

The Gift of the Magiby O. Henry (adapted excerpt)Della had been saving every penny she could for months, but twenty dollars a week didn't go far. Expenses had been greater than she had calculated, and she had only $1.87 to buy a present for Jim. Many a happy hour she had spent planning for something nice for him, something fine and rare and sterling—something just a little bit near to being worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim.There was a pier-glass between the windows of the room, and Bella suddenly whirled from the window and stood before the glass. Her eyes were shining brilliantly, but her face had lost its color within twenty seconds. Rapidly she pulled down her hair and let it fall to its full length. Had the queen of Sheba lived in the flat across, Della would have let her hair hang out the window just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts.So now Della's beautiful hair fell about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters. And then she did it up again nervously and quickly, and once she faltered for a minute and stood still while a tear or two splashed on the worn red carpet.2Select the correct answer.Which statement best describes how Della's love for Jim affects the plot? A. It causes Della to quit her job in order to spend more time with Jim. B. It makes Della realize that she loves her own looks more than she love Jim. C. It makes Della want to go out for shopping to buy pretty things for herself. D. It motivates Della to sell her hair so that she can buy a gift for Jim.

The Gift of the Magi (excerpt)O. Henry1One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies. Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one's cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. Three times Della counted it. One dollar and eighty-seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas.2There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl. So Della did it. Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating.3While the mistress of the home is gradually subsiding from the first stage to the second, take a look at the home. A furnished flat at $8 per week. It did not exactly beggar description, but it certainly had that word on the lookout for the mendicancy squad.4In the vestibule below was a letter-box into which no letter would go, and an electric button from which no mortal finger could coax a ring. Also appertaining thereunto was a card bearing the name "Mr. James Dillingham Young."5The "Dillingham" had been flung to the breeze during a former period of prosperity when its possessor was being paid $30 per week. Now, when the income was shrunk to $20, though, they were thinking seriously of contracting to a modest and unassuming D. But whenever Mr. James Dillingham Young came home and reached his flat above he was called "Jim" and greatly hugged by Mrs. James Dillingham Young, already introduced to you as Della. Which is all very good.6Della finished her cry and attended to her cheeks with the powder rag. She stood by the window and looked out dully at a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard. Tomorrow would be Christmas Day, and she had only $1.87 with which to buy Jim a present. She had been saving every penny she could for months, with this result. Twenty dollars a week doesn't go far. Expenses had been greater than she had calculated. They always are. Only $1.87 to buy a present for Jim. Her Jim. Many a happy hour she had spent planning for something nice for him. Something fine and rare and sterling--something just a little bit near to being worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim.QuestionWhich BEST describes the effect of sections one and two?ResponsesA The lack of dialogue reveals the loneliness, but also the selfishness of Della.The lack of dialogue reveals the loneliness, but also the selfishness of Della.B Fragments and short sentences create a sense of urgency or intensity in the reader.Fragments and short sentences create a sense of urgency or intensity in the reader.C Short sentences and formal diction reveal a comical aspect to the information shared.Short sentences and formal diction reveal a comical aspect to the information shared.D Formal diction and fragments cause the reader to see the impatient disposition of Della.Formal diction and fragments cause the reader to see the impatient disposition of Della.

A boy stood before the kitchen glass combing his hair. He combed slowly and painstakingly, arranging his brown hair in a smooth hillock over his forehead. He did not seem to pay any attention to the conversation. “Sammy, did you know father was goin' to build a new barn?” asked the girl. The boy combed assiduously. “Sammy!” He turned, and showed a face like his father's under his smooth crest of hair. “Yes, I s'pose I did,” he said, reluctantly. –“The Revolt of Mother,” Mary E. Wilkins Use context clues to figure out the meaning of the phrase "smooth hillock." Write one to three sentences explaining your definition and the context clue that helped you.

Lovely-Selfieby B. K. McSwainKinsley stared at her reflection, noting the nose upturned too much, lips too thin, and wondered just how much hair one needed to cover these ears. Clearly, much more than she had, Kinsley reasoned as she glided the comb through her brown tresses. How could her fraternal twin sister be jealous of this mess? Kinsley sighed too loudly, and her bangs blew out of place and the tip of her ear emerged from her hair. Maybe she should start wearing a hat.Taking her phone, she turned her head and raised her chin, and snapped a selfie. Only seven selfies later, she took one that she deemed "postable" and uploaded it to her social media page. She was getting better at this; the last one took no less than thirteen tries to get all her disagreeable parts to appear inconspicuous enough to satisfy her discriminating eye. These ears were not going to humiliate her, and she was certainly not going to give Megan Pendergrass an opportunity to mortify her again.Meryl banged on the door, and before Kinsley could grant her permission or bar her from entering, she was breaking in and flopping onto her bed."Are you still staring at yourself? You know, in Greek mythology, Narcissus died and turned into a flower doing that," Meryl said. "It's really not good to be so in love with yourself," she offered, flipping through Kinsley's teen magazine.If only I did love myself, Kinsley thought, pulling on a pink-and-white checked hat, breaking in the floppy brim until she could make it cover her protruding ears."’Love the Body You're In’ by Rochelle Rodriguez," Meryl mused. "You certainly don't need to read this article! I'm watching TV if you want to join me." Meryl tossed the magazine, open to the article, on Kinsley's bed and left.Kinsley picked it up and began reading. Thirty minutes later, she removed the hat, positioned the camera and smiled. One ear still peeked through her thin, brown hair, but this was the body she was in, and she would love it.1Select the correct answer.How does the pacing of the second paragraph create tension in the story? A. The description of her poses and selfies slows the pacing, building Kinsley's frustration with how she looks. B. The number of selfies Kinsley has taken quickens the pace and builds the tension between her and Megan Pendergrass. C. The fast pace of taking one selfie after another shows the time Kinsley is wasting looking at herself. D. The description of the poses slows the pacing and builds the tension between Kinsley and her younger sister Meryl.

Kinsley stared at her reflection, noting the nose upturned too much, lips too thin, and wondered just how much hair one needed to cover these ears. Clearly, much more than she had, Kinsley reasoned as she glided the comb through her brown tresses. How could her little sister be jealous of this mess? Kinsley sighed too loudly, and her bangs blew out of place and the tip of her ear emerged from her hair. Maybe she should start wearing a hat.     Taking her phone, she turned her head and raised her chin, pursing her lips in a vain effort to make them look full, and snapped a selfie. Only seven selfies later, she took one that she deemed "postable" and uploaded it to her social media page. She was getting better at this; the last one took no less than thirteen tries to get all her disagreeable parts to appear inconspicuous enough to satisfy her discriminating eye. These ears were not going to humiliate her, and she was certainly not going to give Megan Pendergrass an opportunity to mortify her again.     Meryl banged on the door, and before Kinsley could grant her permission or bar her from entering, she was breaking in and flopping onto her bed.     "Are you still staring at yourself? You know, Narcissus died and turned into a flower doing that," Meryl said. "It's really not good to be so in love with yourself," she offered, flipping through Kinsley's teen magazine.     If only I did love myself, Kinsley thought, pulling on a pink-and-white checked hat, breaking in the floppy brim until she could make it cover her protruding ears.     "Love the Body You're In by Rochelle Rodriguez," Meryl mused. "You certainly don't need to read this article! I'm watching TV if you want to join me." Meryl tossed the magazine, open to the article, on Kinsley's bed and left.     Kinsley picked it up and began reading. Thirty minutes later, she removed the hat, positioned the camera and smiled. One ear still peeked through her thin, brown hair, but this was the body she was in, and she would love it.4Select the correct answer.Read the sentences from the passage.     Meryl banged on the door, and before Kinsley could grant her permission or bar her from entering, she was breaking in and flopping onto her bed.     "Are you still staring at yourself? You know, Narcissus died and turned into a flower doing that," Meryl said. "It's really not good to be so in love with yourself," she offered, flipping through Kinsley's teen magazine.     If only I did love myself, Kinsley thought, pulling on a pink-and-white checked hat, breaking in the floppy brim until she could make it cover her protruding ears.What does the phrase “breaking in” mean as it is used in the passage? A. In the first instance, it means "to enter without permission," and in the second instance, it means "to make softer through use." B. In the first instance, it means "to make softer through use," and in the second instance, it means "to enter without permission." C. In the first instance, it means "to stop doing something," and in the second instance, it means "to make something come apart." D. In the first instance, it means "to make something come apart," and in the second instance, it means "to stop doing something."