Reading & writing · Grades 9–12
The unreliable clock · reading guide
An original passage with comprehension, reasoning and a marking guide.
The unreliable clock
“I was never late,” the narrator insisted, though the kitchen clock had stopped the previous winter. When the station bell rang, the narrator described it as unusually early. At the end of the passage, an unopened letter on the table was dated a week before the day the narrator believed it to be.
Read, think and respond
- Identify two clues that invite the reader to question the narrator.
- How does the insistence in the opening sentence function?
- Does the passage prove deliberate dishonesty? Explain.
Suggested answers and marking notes
Identify two clues that invite the reader to question the narrator.
Rubric: Cite the stopped clock, dismissal of the station bell or mismatch between the letter date and the narrator’s belief. Explain the tension.
How does the insistence in the opening sentence function?
Rubric: Discuss a plausible effect such as irony, defensiveness or foreshadowing, supported by later details.
Does the passage prove deliberate dishonesty? Explain.
Rubric: Explain that inaccurate perception or confusion are alternatives. The text invites doubt but does not alone prove intent to deceive.
Learning preview · teacher review required. Grade bands are approximate, not official curriculum alignment.