A teenager receives a text message, pauses for a moment, then quickly types a reply and walks away from the group they were talking to. They don’t make eye contact with anyone as they leave.

Sophie was excited about meeting her friends for a movie. She texted them to ask where they wanted to sit, but no one responded. Later, she saw pictures on social media of them at the movie theater—without her. Question: What can Sophie in

"The sunset painted the sky with hues of red and purple, but Max didn’t notice, his mind preoccupied with the text message he had just received." Why is he distracted by a text message?

“The squishy mud made it difficult to walk, but Rachel laughed as she tried to avoid stepping into the puddles.” What does the word squishy tell you about the mud? How does Rachel feel about the situation?

"After the long meeting, Sarah felt utterly exasperated and retreated to her office, shutting the door behind her." Why might she have chosen to retreat to her office?

Ben was upstairs doing homework when he heard a loud thump from the kitchen. When he ran downstairs, he saw his cat standing on the counter, looking at an overturned cereal box with spilled milk. Question: What can Ben infer about the nois

"The monotonous hum of the factory machines made the workers feel trapped in a never-ending cycle of repetition." What can you infer about the workers’ emotional or mental state based on the word monotonous?

"Lena had a perplexed expression on her face as she stared at the complex math problem, unable to find a solution." What does the word perplexed suggest about Lena’s feelings toward the math problem?

"Despite the noise and the chaotic crowd, Sarah stood at the back of the room, her arms crossed tightly, her eyes focused on the door." How does she feel being in that room?

"The teacher’s stern tone silenced the room immediately, and every student sat upright, waiting for further instruction." What does the word stern suggest about the teacher’s approach to discipline?

"He had walked this path hundreds of times before, but tonight, the rustling leaves and distant sounds of footsteps made him hesitate." What are his feelings? Why did the walk make him feel different?

"After the argument, Claire sat by the window, watching the rain as her phone buzzed repeatedly, but she didn’t reach for it." Why is she not responding? What is their relationship?

"Anna felt elated when she saw her name at the top of the list, her heart pounding with excitement." What can you infer about Anna’s reaction to seeing her name based on the word elated?