Hallway Dilemma

This short fiction passage challenges students to make inferences based on a character’s inner conflict and body language. Students read about Marcus witnessing bullying and must interpret his thoughts, fears, and reactions without explicit statements in the text. They answer open-ended questions that prompt evidence-based reasoning and emotional insight. The exercise develops inferential comprehension, empathy, and textual analysis by encouraging students to read beyond literal meaning. This activity also deepens students’ understanding of how authors reveal emotion through tone, dialogue, and description.

Curriculum Matched Skills

English Language Arts – Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions

English Language Arts – Analyzing Character Development and Motivation

English Language Arts – Using Textual Evidence to Support Analysis

English Language Arts – Understanding Emotional and Ethical Conflicts in Fiction

This worksheet is part of our Grade 9 Reading Comprehension collection.