Read this passage from "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." "Puppy biscuit," said Walter Mitty. He stopped walking and the buildings of Waterbury rose up out of the misty courtroom and surrounded him again. A woman who was passing laughed. "He said ‘Puppy biscuit,’" she said to her companion. "That man said ‘Puppy biscuit’ to himself." What does the dialogue in the excerpt show about Mitty?
A. He is responsible and conscientious.
B. He is sour and nasty.
C. He is awkward and absent minded.
D. He is funny and entertaining.

Read the excerpt from dominique’s personal narrative. tired of waiting for the bus, which was late for the fifth day in a row, i sat leafing through an old magazine i had stuffed in my purse the previous night. it was terribly warm for a september afternoon, and the sun cast fleeting shadows on the bus stop sign with each car that passed. i wondered when the weather would get cooler and when the new bus driver would start arriving on time. it was about then that i first noticed the apparent agitation of the man sitting next to me. finally, the bus arrived and ambled to a gradual stop directly in front of the restless man. the doors widened, and the bus driver greeted the man with his usual banter in his usual monotone. "good afternoon. how are you today? ” when writing the next few lines of dialogue, dominique should be certain that the lines provide clues about what will happen later on in the narrative. contain made-up details that make the story more exciting. include everyday language that seems real and natural. use precise words that make both men sound educated.

Skill check questions rearrange the paragraphs below into the correct sequence. that's because engineers on the ultraclean project have invented a self-cleaning, antibacterial metal surface that repels water with an intricate layer of laser-engraved valleys. when it rains, the lotus does not become damp; the water simply trickles off in fat droplets, taking any bugs and dirt with it. the drudgery may not be around much longer, however, if a team of italian scientists has anything to do with it “it's simply an amazing plant,” concluded professor luca romoli, leader of the project, “and we've succeeded in mimicking it. magnifico! ” few tasks in life hold less joy than scrubbing the ghost of somebody else’s porridge from a saucepan. the starting point for the research was the leaves of the lotus flower.

Write an explanation for how to perform some kind of physical activity, such as riding a bike or playing a sport. the explanation should be geared toward someone who has never performed the activity. be sure to explain the steps in the process clearly, organize your ideas appropriately, use text features