Analyzing​​Diction​ ​and Syntax​​in R

​ efugee Name: _________________

Use pages 1-17 of Refugee to complete the language analysis questions below. You may work 
with a partner. 
 
1. Find specific examples of ​sensory images/sensory details f​ rom the book. You should 
find a quote for ​at least​ four of the five senses. 
 
  Example from Refugee  Explanation/analysis of example 

Sight  17   
 
 
 
 

Touch  Page 7   
 
 
 
 
 
 

Smell  9   
 
 
 
 

Sound    Showing the intensity and suspense of the book. 

“CRACK! BANG!” “It was like someone had  It’s sta1.rtling sound to hear in the middle of 
kicked in the front door.”  night.  
 
 
 
 
 

Taste     
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. ​A vivid verb, is a verb that is really descriptive. Instead of w
​ alk ​you could use stroll, 
scuff or stride instead. A ​person​ can stroll, which implies a slow, even indicate a lazy 
pace. A ​person​ can scuff (drag your shoes on the ground). 
 
Find 5 verbs using the first 17 pages of ​Refugee. W ​ rite down the sentence below and 
underline the vivid verb. W​ hy was the verb a good choice for that sentence? 
 
 
1. “He l​ eaped​ to his feet.” pg 4 
2. “The Nazis ​trashed​ the rest of Josef’s house.” 5 
3. “Josef s ​ crambled ​backwards on his bed.” 1 
4. “His stomach p ​ urred​ like a board motor.” 
5. “Towering shadows ​burst ​into the room.” 
6. “They ​cowered t​ ogether on the floor.”  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. Analyze the sentence on page 13 that reads  
 
“ The war had made Mahmoud nervous. Twitchy. Paranoid. It had made his little brother a 
robot. “   
 
Ex​plain why the author may have used one word sentences​.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. Identify one specific h ​ istorical allusion​.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5. Identify one strong use of metaphor or simile. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6. Explain the overall t​ one​ of each of the first three sections of the book. Tone words are 
adjectives. 
 
 
Josef’s Story Isabel’s Story Mahmoud ’s Story 
Pages 1-6 paes 7-11 pages 12-17 
Fearful, nervous, scared