Torn Between Two Bells
October 14
I really thought I could pull this off. When Mr. Finch announced the fall play, The Phantom of the Maple Street Theater, I wrote my name on the audition sheet before my brain even caught up with my hand. I ended up landing the role of Detective Henderson, which felt incredible for about forty-eight hours. But I completely overlooked the fact that the robotics team qualifier is scheduled for the exact same week in mid-November.
Now I am trapped in a calendar disaster of my own making. Today, rehearsal ran until four o'clock in the auditorium. I spent forty-five minutes learning how to cross the stage without turning my back to an imaginary audience, all while my backpack was sitting near the stage steps, heavy with technical manuals and spare gear servos. The second Mr. Finch dismissed us, I bolted down the hall toward the STEM lab. My sneakers squeaked frantically against the floor wax, and by the time I pushed through the lab doors, sweat was stinging my eyes.
- auditorium:
- A large room or hall designed for an audience to watch performances or hear presentations.
- servos:
- Small motorized devices used to control precise mechanical movement in machines and robots.
- debugging:
- Detecting, analyzing, and removing errors or flaws in computer code.
- torque:
- A twisting or turning force that tends to cause rotation.
- chassis:
- The structural base frame of a vehicle or robot upon which other components are mounted.
- ensemble:
- A group of actors, musicians, or performers who work together as a collaborative unit.
- schematics:
- Diagrams or drawings that show the technical workings and connections of a system or machine.
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- 1What initial oversight causes Leo's schedule conflict between drama and robotics?
- 2How does the author use sensory details in the October 14 entry to convey Leo's internal stress?
About this diary entry passage for 7th Grade
“Torn Between Two Bells” is a diary entry reading passage about balancing extracurricular commitments, written for 7th Grade. It takes about 7 minutes to read (1,116 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.