NJSLA Narrative Writing Task 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which revision best improves this weak sentence from a student narrative: 'He walked slowly to the door'?
- He shuffled toward the door, each step heavier than the last. (Correct answer)
- He walked in a very slow and heavy manner toward the door.
- His walking was slow as he went to the door carefully.
- He moved himself slowly in the direction of the door.
Correct answer: He shuffled toward the door, each step heavier than the last.
Replacing 'walked slowly' with a precise verb (shuffled) and adding descriptive detail creates a more vivid and engaging image.
Question 2: On the NJSLA Narrative Writing Task, students are often asked to write a story that is 'inspired by' a stimulus. What does this mean?
- Use the stimulus as a springboard, incorporating its ideas, characters, or themes into an original story. (Correct answer)
- Rewrite the stimulus passage in different words.
- Summarize the stimulus and then add a personal opinion.
- Ignore the stimulus and write about any topic of personal interest.
Correct answer: Use the stimulus as a springboard, incorporating its ideas, characters, or themes into an original story.
'Inspired by' means the student should draw from the stimulus material while crafting an original, creative narrative response.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of dialogue that reveals character most effectively?
- 'I don't need your help,' Maya snapped, slamming her locker shut. (Correct answer)
- 'Maya said that she was angry and did not want any help from anyone.'
- Maya told her friend she was upset about the situation.
- 'Maya was upset,' her friend noticed, 'and did not want help.'
Correct answer: 'I don't need your help,' Maya snapped, slamming her locker shut.
Direct dialogue paired with an action tag (snapping and slamming) reveals Maya's anger through both her words and behavior.
Question 4: A student's narrative includes many interesting events but lacks a clear central conflict. What is the most likely impact on the NJSLA score?
- The narrative will score lower because it lacks the tension and purpose that a central conflict provides. (Correct answer)
- The narrative will score higher because more events show stronger writing ability.
- The score will not be affected since events are more important than conflict.
- The score will remain the same as long as the writing is grammatically correct.
Correct answer: The narrative will score lower because it lacks the tension and purpose that a central conflict provides.
NJSLA scorers value a focused narrative with clear conflict; without it, the story lacks direction and the reader loses engagement.
Question 5: Which literary device is demonstrated in: 'The silence screamed louder than any alarm'?
- Oxymoron / paradox (Correct answer)
- Simile
- Alliteration
- Onomatopoeia
Correct answer: Oxymoron / paradox
Saying silence 'screamed' combines contradictory ideas (quiet and loud), creating an oxymoron/paradox that emphasizes the eerie tension.
Question 6: Why is it important to vary sentence structure in an NJSLA narrative response?
- It creates rhythm, maintains reader interest, and demonstrates writing sophistication. (Correct answer)
- It allows the writer to include more ideas without using more words.
- It ensures the narrative meets the minimum word count requirement.
- It makes the story easier to read aloud during peer review.
Correct answer: It creates rhythm, maintains reader interest, and demonstrates writing sophistication.
Varied sentence structure signals a skilled writer and keeps readers engaged by avoiding monotonous, predictable patterns.
Question 7: What is the best way to handle time jumps in a narrative to avoid confusing the reader?
- Use clear transitional phrases such as 'three hours later' or 'the following morning.' (Correct answer)
- Begin each new scene with a lengthy summary of everything that happened in between.
- Avoid time jumps entirely and only write about events in real time.
- Use parentheses to insert dates and times throughout the narrative.
Correct answer: Use clear transitional phrases such as 'three hours later' or 'the following morning.'
Transitional time phrases signal a shift smoothly and keep the reader oriented without interrupting narrative flow.
NJSLA Narrative Writing Task 4
Which revision best improves this weak sentence from a student narrative: 'He walked slowly to the door'?