A Door Left Open

• ○A. Saira sees it as something to prevent; Dorian sees it as something to enjoy.
• ○B. Saira considers it embarrassing; Dorian considers it a way to avoid arguments.
• ○C. Saira considers it unsafe; Dorian considers it necessary for finishing homework.
• ○D. Saira sees it as a chance to rest; Dorian sees it as a missed opportunity.

• ○A. Saira says nobody would have to sit alone; Dorian says he was enjoying sitting alone.
• ○B. Saira assumes Dorian is joking; Dorian shakes his head when she suggests gathering.
• ○C. Saira smiles while speaking to Dorian; Dorian puts his hand on the back of his chair.
• ○D. Saira reaches toward a folding chair; Dorian has found a quiet place where he can draw.

• ○A. It makes her eager to impress neighbors with an organized activity.
• ○B. It makes her believe that Dorian needs advice about the building.
• ○C. It makes her value a gathering where people can approach one another.
• ○D. It makes her think the neighbors expect her to provide information.

Saira pulled her hand away.She had lived here for several months, yet she still recognized more delivery drivers than neighbors.During the last outage, she had listened to footsteps outside without knowing whom she could ask for news.Tonight, an open landing seemed better than a row of closed doors.“You could bring your notebook,” she offered.

• ○A. Dorian hears a request for supplies where Saira intends a personal invitation.
• ○B. Dorian hears continued pressure where Saira intends a welcoming solution.
• ○C. Dorian thinks she doubts whether he can finish drawing without electricity.
• ○D. Dorian thinks she wants him to entertain the neighbors with his drawings.

Dorian heard that as another way of saying he should come.At school, quiet usually meant someone would ask what was wrong.Nothing was wrong now.He liked hearing his pencil move across the page without a screen humming nearby.“Could you ask before deciding where my chair belongs?” he said.Saira looked down at the chair, then back at him.

• ○A. He concludes that Saira prefers his company to the neighbors’.
• ○B. He realizes Saira is worried about the building’s other residents.
• ○C. He decides that Saira needs his chair more than he does.
• ○D. He recognizes that Saira meant to include him, not criticize him.

• ○A. “I don’t mind being asked,” he answered.
• ○B. He had mistaken her invitation for a complaint about his choice.
• ○C. “I thought you might not want to be left out,” she said.
• ○D. She had been treating an empty chair as a problem to solve.

• ○A. They postpone their disagreement by avoiding further contact with each other.
• ○B. They remain different but find a connection that allows each a choice.
• ○C. They reach the same view that joining the gathering is the better choice.
• ○D. They exchange preferences, with Saira seeking quiet and Dorian seeking company.

• ○A. Saira shares his drawing with the group; Dorian stays seated with his door open.
• ○B. Saira returns for a sweater; Dorian holds his sketch up for her to see.
• ○C. Saira notices an open doorway in the sketch; Dorian hands the page over to her.
• ○D. Saira recognizes the landing in the sketch; Dorian asks her to return the drawing.

• ○A. It suggests that the characters hide their real disagreement when they speak aloud.
• ○B. It reveals that the neighbors understand the disagreement before the characters do.
• ○C. It makes Dorian’s account seem more reliable than Saira’s account of events.
• ○D. It explains how reasonable intentions can lead the characters to misread each other.

• ○A. Saira suggests a place that leaves the stairs clear; Dorian keeps a chair beside his door.
• ○B. Saira offers to include the notebook; Dorian asks her to seek permission about his chair.
• ○C. Saira thinks the silence needs filling; Dorian privately values the quiet around his drawing.
• ○D. Saira carries out a battery lantern; Dorian holds a flashlight against his notebook.