What are so good 6-8th grade informative/expository writing prompts?

Nazim hikmet wrote: "living is no laughing matter: you must live with a great seriousness like a squirrel for example—i mean without looking for something beyond and above living, i mean living must be your whole occupation." explain, in at least one hundred words, how this quote relates to hikmet's unique experiences and point of view.

When gatsby was in europe after world war i and circumstances forced daisy and him to face unpleasant realities about their relationship,

What details of the first two paragraphs convey a sense of the ordinary, behind the scenes routines of film critics?