The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer Close Reading Worksheet (Chapter 8)

Prepare students to go beyond general reading comprehension and develop critical thinking skills for high school with this close reading analysis worksheet covering a chapter 8 passage from Susan Beth Pfeffer’s dystopian novel The Dead and the Gone, the sequel to Life As We Knew It. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.

This resource may serve as the basis for small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.

By completing this exercise, students will:

• Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
• Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
• Describe tone in context
• Determine the purpose of a given passage
• Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
• Discern the function of a particular character (Kevin) in context
• Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, metaphor, and situational irony
• Conduct research on a relevant topic (Yellowstone Caldera)
• Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
• Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
• Come to class better prepared to discuss literature