The Glowing Box - Hyperbole in literary text (Grade 6)
Passage
•
English
•
6th Grade
•
Practice Problem
•
Hard
Angela Lock
FREE Resource
8 questions
Show all answers
1.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
30 sec • 1 pt
Which phrase does James use to show he is extremely excited about the television?
“a giant wooden box”
“the tinny sound of horses”
“the greatest invention in the history of the world!”
“a commercial for soap”
Answer explanation
This phrase is a hyperbole, or an exaggeration, that James uses to express his immense excitement and amazement for the new television. The other options are simple descriptions from the passage.
2.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
30 sec • 1 pt
What does Herbert most likely mean when he says, “We haven’t said two words to each other in a thousand hours”?
That they have been silent for exactly one thousand hours.
That he feels they haven't talked in a very long time because of the TV.
That he is angry that James is not helping with chores.
That he cannot hear James over the sound of the television.
Answer explanation
This is a hyperbole used to express frustration. Herbert is exaggerating the amount of time to emphasize that the television is taking up all of James's attention and preventing them from interacting as a family.
3.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
30 sec • 1 pt
When James says, “I’ll die if I miss what happens next!”, what is he really saying?
That the show is dangerous to watch.
That he is not feeling well.
That he is extremely eager to see the end of the show.
That he thinks the hero of the show is about to die.
Answer explanation
James is using hyperbole to show how important it is to him to see the conclusion of the cowboy show. He is not speaking literally.
4.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
30 sec • 1 pt
What does Herbert warn will happen to James's eyes if he keeps watching the television?
They will get blurry.
They will turn to mush.
They will get stuck.
They will pop out of his head.
Answer explanation
Herbert uses the hyperbole “Your eyes will pop out of your head” to warn James about staring at the screen for too long. This is a direct recall from the text.
5.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
30 sec • 1 pt
Why does James say he could watch the television “for a million years”?
To show how incredibly fascinated and entertained he is.
Because he literally believes he could watch it for that long.
To annoy his father who wants to play a game.
Because the cowboy show is a million years long.
Answer explanation
James uses this exaggeration to express the depth of his fascination with the new television. He is not making a literal statement about time but is conveying his strong feelings of enjoyment.
6.
CATEGORIZE QUESTION
1 min • 1 pt
Sort the following exaggerated statements from the story into the categories based on which character said them.
Groups:
(a) Statements by James (Excited)
,
(b) Statements by Herbert (Frustrated)
“...the greatest invention in the history of the world!”
“...will turn your brain to mush.”
“...in a thousand hours.”
“...for a million years!”
“Your eyes will pop out of your head.”
“I’ll die if I miss what happens next!”
Answer explanation
The statements are sorted based on the character who spoke them. James's statements are all hyperboles showing his excitement and wonder. Herbert's statements are all hyperboles showing his frustration and concern about the new television.
7.
MATCH QUESTION
1 min • 1 pt
Match the exaggerated phrase with its more realistic meaning.
It feels like a very long time.
“...for a million years!”
I really want to see what happens.
“I’ll die if I miss what happens next!”
I find this extremely interesting.
“...in a thousand hours.”
Staring at a screen for too long is bad for you.
“Your eyes will pop out of your head.”
Answer explanation
Each exaggerated phrase (hyperbole) is matched with the underlying, non-literal meaning the character intended to communicate. 'I'll die' means 'I really want to see.' 'A thousand hours' means 'a very long time.' 'Eyes will pop out' means 'it's bad for you.' 'A million years' means 'it's extremely interesting.'
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