"Talent decides everything," Ben told himself after winning easily. In March he lost to Ada, who had practiced all summer. He now stays late in the gym every night. How does the later event refine the early idea?

A storm cut the town's power for three days. Neighbors shared freezer space, the bakery gave away its bread, and the mayor thanked them at a meeting. Which sentence is the best objective summary?

Early on, Nadia says courage means never feeling afraid. At the hearing her hands shake so hard she grips the rail, she speaks anyway, and she later calls it her bravest hour. What does the later scene do to her early idea?

At first Theo thinks a small lie hurts no one, so he says nothing about the broken window. Weeks later his sister is grounded for it, and he finally tells his mother the truth. How is the theme developed?

The city added a bike lane on Third Street. Crashes there fell by a third, but delivery drivers lost their parking and now double-park. Council members are studying a fix. Which sentence best summarizes the passage?

New at school, Iris decides belonging means being liked by everyone. By spring she has two friends who argue with her about nearly everything, and she says she finally fits here. How does the ending refine the theme?

Coach Ruiz opens the season saying the scoreboard is the only honest judge. In the last game he benches his best scorer for shoving a teammate, and the team loses by two. What does that choice add to the theme?

The Ashford library began lending tools ten years ago. Borrowing a drill costs nothing, and repairs that once went out of town now stay local. Staff say the shelves need constant sorting. Which sentence best summarizes it?

Early, Sam calls the old apartment "just walls." A month after the move he still wakes at five, the hour the bakery below used to open, and he writes the old address inside his notebook. How does the later detail develop the theme?

Early in the passage Grandma calls the video app "a toy for children." By fall she opens it every Sunday to watch her grandson's cello lesson and asks him to hold the camera lower. How does the theme develop?

Dev fed a stray dog and taught it to sit. When flyers went up on the poles that week, he walked it to the address printed on them, handed over the dog, and asked if he could keep the leash. Which sentence best summarizes the passage?

Early, the narrator says giving is easy when you have plenty. Later, with one bus fare left in her coat, she pays a stranger's fare and walks the two miles home, humming. What does the later event add to the theme?

As the festival opens, Uncle Bo insists the stew recipe must never change. When the market stops carrying one spice, he substitutes another, and the family says the stew tastes like his father's. How is the theme refined?

A town replaced its streetlights with dimmer, warmer bulbs. Residents say they now see stars from their yards, and the electric bill fell. Two drivers have asked for brighter light at one crossing. Which sentence best summarizes it?

Priya says all year that she wants the solo more than anything. On audition day her friend's mother collapses; Priya drives her to the hospital and misses her slot. How does the later event refine the theme?

Early, Cal says his brother's room will stay exactly as it was. In October he carries the desk to the window, where the light is better, and does his homework there most evenings. What does the later action add?

Ms. Okafor handed her class an unlabeled map and forty minutes. Groups argued, redrew their borders twice, and finished after the bell. She then set a printed map beside their work. Which sentence best summarizes the passage?

In June, Ada writes that a real friendship survives any distance. By December she and Nell text far less, but Nell still knows which questions to ask, and Ada writes that this is enough. How does the theme develop?

Early, Marcus decides the new neighbor is unfriendly because she never waves. Later he learns she works nights and sleeps through the mornings, and he begins tucking her mail under the mat. How does the later information develop the theme?

Jonah keeps a list of what he is owed: a ride, two favors, an apology. On his birthday nobody mentions any of it, and he finds he does not want to open the list. Which statement is the theme the passage supports by its end?