Name: ______________________ Class: _________________ Date: _________

Great Writing 2: Great Paragraphs Unit 9: Narrative Paragraphs

INSTRUCTIONS: Choose the correct word or phrase to complete each sentence about
narrative paragraphs. You will not use all the words.

beginning descriptive words end main idea middle story topic sentence

1. A narrative paragraph tells a(n) ________________ or describes an event.

2. A narrative paragraph has a clear beginning, a(n) ________________, and an end.

3. A narrative paragraph uses ________________ to help the reader understand exact feelings and events.

4. The ________________ explains the main idea of the story that will follow.

5. The final action or result is given in the ________________ of the story.

INSTRUCTIONS: Read the paragraph and answer the questions. You will not use all the
answers.

Bargaining in the Marketplace

I will never forget my experience of shopping alone in Marrakech, Morocco. I was living in
Marrakech as an exchange student where I was studying Arabic. On one Saturday afternoon, I wanted to
take a break from my studies, so I went shopping in the old marketplace. I felt confident navigating the
narrow streets lined with vendors selling their colorful, woven rugs and piles of sweet-smelling herbs and
spices. I was hoping to buy some traditional Moroccan leather slippers, and one intricately embroidered
pair caught my eye. I stopped to look at them, and the vendor suggested a price to me in French. I knew
that the price was at least double what I should pay, so I said to the vendor, in Arabic, “You’re not being
straight with me!” and walked away. The vendor quickly realized I was not just a French-speaking tourist,
but also someone who knew about bargaining prices in Arabic. He asked me in Arabic to come back and
look at the slippers, and we began bargaining respectfully until we agreed upon a fair price. I ended up
walking away with a beautiful pair of Moroccan slippers, and a story to go along with them!

a. to share the advantages of studying abroad

b. in the old marketplace in Marrakech, Morocco
c. the writer purchased a pair of slippers
d. the writer negotiated a fair price in Arabic
e. to share a story about bargaining in Morocco
f. the writer paid too much for the slippers
g. the writer was living and studying in Marrakech
____ 6. What is the purpose of this paragraph?
____ 7. Where does the story take place?
____ 8. What background is given in the beginning?
____ 9. What is the main action in the middle of the story?

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Great Writing 2: Great Paragraphs, Fifth Edition Unit 9 Test

Name: ______________________

____ 10. How does the story end?

INSTRUCTIONS: Read the sentences. Look at the underlined words and choose more precise
descriptive language.

____ 11. The family enjoyed a great vacation skiing in the mountains.
a. interesting
b. fantastic
c. shocking

____ 12. The food at the restaurant was nice.

a. relaxed
b. empty
c. superb

____ 13. This movie is really bad.

a. horrible
b. anxious
c. thrilling

INSTRUCTIONS: Read the sentences. Choose the simple past or past progressive form of the
verb in parentheses.

14. We __________________ (follow) the map when we suddenly realized we were completely lost.

15. As soon as Hakim heard the noise outside, he quickly __________________ (go) to the window to look.

16. While they __________________ (drive) to work, a dog suddenly ran into the street in front of them.

17. Mark __________________ (wait) at the airport when the plane landed.

INSTRUCTIONS: Fill in the blank with the word that most naturally completes the phrase.
You will not use all the words.

casually documents get over incredibly realize relationships valid

18. a ________________ excuse

19. to ________________ make a suggestion

20. official government ________________

21. to ________________ a bad cold

22. to ________________ you forgot something

© 2020 National Geographic Learning, a Cengage Learning company 2

Great Writing 2: Great Paragraphs, Fifth Edition Unit 9 Test

Name: ______________________

INSTRUCTIONS: Complete the sentences with the best word in parentheses.

23. Taku never watches horror movies. They are too ________________ (frightened / frightening).

24. The speaker asked the audience to __________________ (silence / silently) their phones at the
beginning of her presentation.

25. One way to find a roommate is by placing an __________________ (advertising / advertisement) in the
local newspaper.

26. Miriam is __________________ (incredible / incredibly) talented. She plays three musical instruments
and writes her own songs.

INSTRUCTIONS: Choose the correct word or phrase to complete each sentence.

____ 27. Before beginning her speech, Laura looks at the audience, smiles, and ________________.
a. captures
b. takes a deep breath
c. wonders

____ 28. Regular emails, meetings, and feedback encourage good ________________ in the workplace.
a. silence
b. advertising
c. communication

____ 29. The visit from my parents was a(n) ________________ surprise last weekend. Fortunately, I was home
and did not have any plans.
a. valuable
b. valid
c. unexpected

____ 30. It quickly became clear that the team’s ________________ was not working, so they came up with
another plan.
a. strategy
b. relationship
c. task

____ 31. Professor Kim ________________ the students to bring their homework assignment to the next class.
a. came up to
b. realized
c. reminded

© 2020 National Geographic Learning, a Cengage Learning company 3

Great Writing 2: Great Paragraphs, Fifth Edition Unit 9 Test

Name: ______________________

INSTRUCTIONS: Unscramble the words and phrases to write a complete sentence. Use every
word and do not add any words or commas.

32. in the rain / got wet / he walked home / Paul’s clothes / when

_____________________________________________________________________

33. stood up and / as soon as / the audience / applauded loudly / the play ended,

_____________________________________________________________________

34. to New York / my children / snow until / they moved / last year / never saw

_____________________________________________________________________

INSTRUCTIONS: Combine the ideas into one sentence. You may change the word forms, but
do not change or omit any ideas. There may be more than one correct answer.

35. Rita got married.

She got married in 2015.
This happened on October 3.
She got married to Adam.
They got married in Madrid.

_____________________________________________________________________

36. There was a car accident.

The car accident was this morning.
It was during rush hour.
People witnessed the accident.
There were at least five witnesses.

_____________________________________________________________________

37. I was eating some spaghetti.

The spaghetti was delicious.
I was at a restaurant.
The name of the restaurant was The Taste of Rome.
This was on Wednesday evening.

_____________________________________________________________________

© 2020 National Geographic Learning, a Cengage Learning company 4

Great Writing 2: Great Paragraphs, Fifth Edition Unit 9 Test

Name: ______________________

38. INSTRUCTIONS: Write a narrative paragraph about how you and your family or friends
spent a special holiday in your country. Brainstorm the events in your story. Write a topic
sentence with a controlling idea. Give enough background information to help your readers
understand the setting. Write supporting sentences for the middle of your narrative, and
write the end of the story. Give your paragraph a title. Use descriptive words and at least two
of the vocabulary words or phrases from Unit 9.

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

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Great Writing 2: Great Paragraphs Unit 9: Narrative Paragraphs

Answer Section

1. ANS: story

PTS: 2 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Elements

2. ANS: middle

PTS: 2 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Elements

3. ANS: descriptive words

PTS: 2 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Elements

4. ANS: topic sentence

PTS: 2 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Elements

5. ANS: end

PTS: 2 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Elements

6. ANS: E PTS: 2 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Elements
7. ANS: B PTS: 2 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Elements
8. ANS: G PTS: 2 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Elements
9. ANS: D PTS: 2 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Elements
10. ANS: C PTS: 2 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Elements
11. ANS: B PTS: 2 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Elements
12. ANS: C PTS: 2 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Elements
13. ANS: A PTS: 2 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Elements
14. ANS: were following

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Grammar

15. ANS: went

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Grammar

16. ANS: were driving

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Grammar

17. ANS: was waiting

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Grammar

18. ANS: valid

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Vocabulary MSC: AW

19. ANS: casually

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Vocabulary

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20. ANS: documents

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Vocabulary MSC: AW

21. ANS: get over

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Vocabulary

22. ANS: realize

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Vocabulary

23. ANS: frightening

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Vocabulary

24. ANS: silence

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Vocabulary

25. ANS: advertisement

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Vocabulary

26. ANS: incredibly

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Vocabulary MSC: AW

27. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Vocabulary
28. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Vocabulary
MSC: AW
29. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Vocabulary
30. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Vocabulary
MSC: AW
31. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Vocabulary
32. ANS:
Paul’s clothes got wet when he walked home in the rain.

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Sentences

33. ANS:
As soon as the play ended, the audience stood up and applauded loudly.

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Sentences

34. ANS:
My children never saw snow until they moved to New York last year.

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Sentences

35. ANS:
Answers will vary. Suggested answers include:
Rita and Adam got married on October 3, 2015 in Madrid.
On October 3, 2015, Rita and Adam got married in Madrid.

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Sentences

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36. ANS:
Answers will vary. Suggested answers include:
At least five people witnessed the car accident during rush hour this morning.
There were at least five people who witnessed the car accident this morning during rush hour.

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Sentences

37. ANS:
Answers will vary. Suggested answers include:
I was eating some delicious spaghetti at a restaurant called The Taste of Rome on Wednesday evening.
On Wednesday evening I was eating delicious spaghetti at The Taste of Rome.

PTS: 1 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Sentences

38. ANS:
Answers will vary.

PTS: 20 REF: Unit 9 TOP: Writing

© 2020 National Geographic Learning, a Cengage Learning company 3