Analyse short stories

Key notes:

🎯 Authors don’t always tell you everything in a story. For example, they often suggest events, settings and character traits through the story’s details.

🎯 As a result, you may need to make inferences, or educated guesses, about what happens and why. When you make an inference, you use your background knowledge about people, other stories and the world to interpret the story’s details. Remember to base your inferences on specific details, or evidence, from the story.

Let’s practice!

Read the story.

The Test

Ahmet was working in the virtual collaboration studio when a hologram of a tall woman in blue robes suddenly appeared. ‘Attention, Peer Learning Group 226,’ the woman said. ‘The United Education Federation requires that you take your PUP test on 15 August. Thank you.’ Then she vanished. Ahmet and the other students looked at each other, their eyes wide.

‘We knew it was coming,’ Sarita said, ‘but that’s next week!’ She balled her hands into nervous fists. 

‘What are we even supposed to study?’ Bill said. ‘No one will tell us anything about it.’

Ahmet nodded thoughtfully.

Their teacher, Mr Jay, appeared in the room. ‘Hey, 226ers! I know you must be surprised by the PUP test. Don’t worry. We won’t be holding regular lessons. You’ll have the next few days to prepare.’

‘How?’ Sarita asked. 

‘However you want,’ replied Mr Jay. The students looked confused. ‘I will monitor your studying, but that’s all I can say. Any other questions before we finish for the day?’

Ahmet had a lot of questions, but he shook his head. He wasn’t going to get answers from Mr Jay. He knew the Ed Fed was extremely secretive about the PUP test.

That night, Ahmet couldn’t sleep. Should he study? But what? His mind kept running over the mystery of the PUP test. He got up and put on his learning suit and goggles.

‘Computer,’ he said, ‘tell me about the PUP test.’

‘I’m sorry, you don’t have permission,’ a robotic voice answered. Well, it was worth a try. 

‘Computer, show me speeches by the Minister of Education from the last ten years.’ A selection of videos popped up around Ahmet. He touched the oldest one, and it began to play.

A large man in blue robes appeared: ‘We must meet a new challenge. We must help students cultivate not only academic skills but also the best habits and dispositions . . .’

The next morning, Ahmet, Bill and Sarita met in the collaboration studio. Mr Jay was waiting for them. ‘Morning, 226ers! What are you planning on doing today?’ asked Mr Jay. ‘Have you given it any thought?’

‘What’s the point?’ Bill said. ‘No one will tell me anything.’

‘My sister said I should study,’ said Sarita. 

‘Study what?’ asked Bill. 

‘She wouldn’t say,’ Sarita replied. ‘But I think I’m going to review last year’s algebra modules. I didn’t really get them.’

‘Makes sense,’ Mr Jay nodded. ‘Bill?’

Bill threw up his hands. ‘I can’t take this! I’m going to the exercise facility to run.’

‘You can do that,’ Mr Jay said. Then he turned to Ahmet. ‘Ahmet? I saw you logged on last night to do some research.’

Ahmet smiled. ‘Yeah, I will probably do more of that today.’

‘Okay, 226ers. Thanks for the check-in. I’ll be back.’ Mr Jay’s hologram disappeared.

Sarita and Bill turned to Ahmet. ‘Research?’

‘The test,’ Ahmet said. ‘I mean—what do we know?’

‘Just that our future study modules and careers will be based on our test results,’ said Bill.

‘And no one will tell us what to study,’ said Sarita.

Ahmet nodded. ‘It’s almost as if we’re supposed to be stressing out.’ Suddenly, an idea dawned on him. ‘I think I know what the test is on.’

For the next week, Ahmet investigated his theory, telling Bill and Sarita what he learned. Bill continued exercising. Sarita studied. And every morning, Mr Jay quizzed them about their plans that day.

On 15 August, Ahmet was the last one to take the test. When he finished, Bill and Sarita were waiting for him.

‘We were right!’ exclaimed Sarita.

‘Well, Ahmet was right,’ said Bill. ‘I still can’t believe it wasn’t an academic test. But it makes sense—they already have plenty of that information from our modules.’

‘Personality Under Pressure,’ said Ahmet, mimicking Mr Jay’s voice. ‘He told me that I’ll be studying to be a detective!’