Writing Standards: Narrative Writing with Depth and Structure (CCSS.W.9-10.3) Practice Test

At the new school, I walked into the cafeteria feeling like I had arrived late to a movie. The tables were set in long rows, and people seemed to know exactly where to sit. I carried my tray and pretended to study the options, though I kept circling the same island of fruit cups. I planned to find a corner and read while I ate, but there wasn't really a corner, just a back wall with a recycling bin. A group laughed at one table. I considered sitting there but kept moving. The bell system here was different; lunch felt shorter than I expected. I realized I had been wandering for several minutes and hadn't taken a bite. A student in a jacket with the school logo glanced at me, then looked away. I imagined my old school's table near the windows. Finally I sat alone by the back wall. The chair scraped loudly.

Our band practiced in Eli's garage before the showcase. The air felt heavy and nothing sounded right. We ran the song a few times. I kept missing the change in the second verse, and Eli said we should simplify it. I wanted to keep it the same, but we didn't really decide. Maya checked tuning and scrolled on her phone between takes. We had a slot at the end of the second act, which made me think people might be tired by then. The neighbors banged on the wall once, and we went quieter. We were supposed to leave in fifteen minutes, but we were still trying to find the ending. We stopped and looked at each other. I said we could figure it out on stage. Eli shrugged. Maya didn't say much. We loaded the gear into the trunk and tried not to think about it.