1. the narrator and his four friends share living quarters with (1 point)
-many others.
-each other.
-their parents.
-the sixth.

2. in this selection, the narrator asks himself (1 point)
-why there are five friends and not six.
-why people began to notice the five friends.
-why the five friends are constantly together.
-why the five friends do not live somewhere else.

3. the five friends do not want to explain to the sixth why he is not wanted because (1 point)
-it might be a way of accepting him.
-it would take too long.
-the sixth is too dense to understand.
-they are afraid of the sixth.

4. by referring to each character by number, the author shows that (1 point)
-the story is like a math problem.
-they are all afraid to give their names.
-each friend is similar to the other.
-it is difficult to maintain a group.

5. which of the following statements is the only one the reader can be sure of? (1 point)
-the five friends want to exclude the sixth.
-the five friends want to include the sixth.
-the five friends dislike explaining things.
-the five friends genuinely like one another.

6. when the narrator says “it could be said that” (p. 87), he means (1 point)
-despite what most people think . .
-the truth of the matter is . .
-however wrong it seems . .
-it would not be wrong to say. .

7. another way to say that the sixth one “pouts his lips” (p. 88) is to say he (1 point)
-grins.
-cries.
-sneers.
-sulks.

8. which event happens earliest in the story? (1 point)
-people begin to notice the five friends.
-the sixth comes back for more elbowing.
-the second glides through the gate.
-the five friends stand in a row.

9. which event happens last in the story? (1 point)
-the sixth one gets pushed away by the five’s elbows.
-the sixth one begins to interfere with the group of five.
-the narrator comments on how well the five know one another.
-the narrator says it is pointless for the five to continually be together.

10. choose the best answer to complete this summary: five friends live together, but conflict arises when (1 point)
-they question their friendship.
-a sixth wants to join the group.
-one of them wants to leave.
-people begin to notice them.