Benchmark Unit 2 Review

What is the theme of this poem?

Based on except from the poem below, which sentence shows the speaker's opinion of Jamie?

Ready as always, Rick’s joke is an effortless home run:

“That should be a hoot to watch,” he says, and I laugh.

The betrayed look in Jamie’s eyes, before he looks away,

makes me regret laughing, as I’ve regretted it before.

Yet I feel impatient with Jamie for taking such offense;

Rick has always been a true friend to us both.

I wish Rick weren’t so eager to light Jamie’s kindling,

and Jamie had the confidence to laugh off Rick’s jokes

Based on except from the poem below, which sentence shows the speaker's opinion of Rick?

Ready as always, Rick’s joke is an effortless home run:

“That should be a hoot to watch,” he says, and I laugh.

The betrayed look in Jamie’s eyes, before he looks away,

makes me regret laughing, as I’ve regretted it before.

Yet I feel impatient with Jamie for taking such offense;

Rick has always been a true friend to us both.

I wish Rick weren’t so eager to light Jamie’s kindling,

and Jamie had the confidence to laugh off Rick’s jokes

Reread lines 1-4 of the poem. Identify the 2 metaphors used:

“At lunch, when Jamie eagerly says that he’s trying out for baseball, Rick perks up. Jamie’s announcement is a slow, easy pitch.

Ready as always, Rick’s joke is an effortless home run:

‘That should be a hoot to watch,’ he says, and I laugh.”

In line 10, what does the speaker mean when he describes Jamie "as an open book"?

"Once again, I'm caught between two friends:

Rick, who has wit and words, and Jamie an open book."

What message is expressed in lines 9-12 of the poem?

Once again, I’m caught between two friends:

Rick, who has wit and words, and Jamie, an open book.

I wish Rick weren’t so eager to light Jamie’s kindling,

and Jamie had the confidence to laugh off Rick’s jokes.

Which line in the poem suggests that Jamie has recovered from his

hurt feelings?

What inference can you make about the boy's relationship from lines 15–16?

He grins and nods, and we make a plan for the next day.

Rick says he’ll help, too; if I pitch to Jamie, he’ll catch.