Author's Purpose
Context Clues
Misc.
Inference
Mixed Bag
100

Tommy was not happy one little bit. His sister, Susan was making honor roll... again! His parents would let her do anything she wanted to do. Tommy was not making honor roll this time and he was not going to be allowed to do all the things he wanted to do. Poor Tommy! He decided he would just have to study harder and get back on the honor roll. He’d show them!

entertain

100

Many people wear black as a sign of morning. In China the color for death is while. People in Turkey wear purple. But everywhere people follow special customs when someone dies.

showing sadness

100

In his sophomore year of high school, Michael Jordan tried out for the varsity basketball team at Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. But at five feet and eleven inches tall, the coach believed that Jordan was too short to play at that level, so Jordan was cut from the team. Jordan didn’t let this obstacle defeat him. In fact, it pushed him to work even harder. He trained vigorously and grew another four inches the following summer. When he finally made the varsity squad, Jordan averaged 25 points a game and went on to become one of the greatest basketball players in history. What is the theme of this story?

D. Never give up. Persistance pays off.

100

Sam looked through the window at the city far below. The light came on informing all those on board to fasten their seat belts. They were about to land. Where was Sam?

In an airplane

100

The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France for our 100th birthday. It was shipped to America in 350 pieces. America celebrates its independence on July 4th. Lady Liberty looks grand with her crown and torch. Which sentence states an opinion?

Lady Liberty looks grand with her crown and torch.

200

HAMSTERS FOR SALE: Humble Pet Store, in the mall: We have a large selection of hamsters for sale this week. They are interesting pets, and you will enjoy having one! They are only $17.99 this week!! Come and buy yours today!

persuade

200

Read the passage then answer the question England has been ruled by monarchs for hundreds of years. The youngest was Henry VI, who became king at age one. Queen Victoria ruled the longest.

rulers

200

Tammy and Sammy were both students in Mr. Morton’s reading class. Mr. Morton wasn’t too strict about deadlines, and Sammy took advantage of that. He did all of his homework in his other classes but never bothered to complete Mr. Morton’s reading assignments, figuring that he could complete them later. Tammy, on the other hand, completed each assignment Mr. Morton assigned the night that he assigned it. She had to stay up a little later, but she didn’t want to get a penalty for turning in her reading work late. Tammy knew reading was a core subject and that she had to keep “C” average for the entire year or she would have to go to summer school. When the end of the quarter came, Tammy and Sammy had both planned on going to the Enchanted Castle amusement park, but Mr. Morton called Sammy’s mother, and she grounded Sammy until he turned in all of his work. That weekend was horrible for Sammy. He stayed up until 2:00 AM each night and still couldn’t complete all of the assignments. The whole while, Tammy had a great time eating pizza at Enchanted Castle, watching movies late at night, and enjoying her weekend free of stress and pressure. At the end of the quarter, Sammy was lucky to squeak by with a “C” minus in reading while Tammy earned an “A.” Sammy still hasn’t learned his lesson and probably won’t complete this activity either. What is the theme of this story?

It is better to do things right the first time.

200

David through the yellow ball above his head and whacked it with the racket. The ball landed in the middle of the net 'Fault', said the umpire. What was David doing?

Playing Tennis

200

Tiny algae live inside some fish. A glow-in-the-dark mushroom is an amazing light sight. Having a built-in flashlight is a cool idea. Fireflies are wonderful to see.

Which sentence states a fact?

Tiny algae live inside some fish.

300

The Missing Pencil Matt was ready to do his homework. "I am going to ace my math test," he said. Matt opened up his math book and grabbed his notebook. "Uh oh," Matt said as he looked in his pencil case. His pencil was not there. "Where is my pencil?" Matt asked. "I need my pencil to do my homework." Matt looked in his book bag. His pencil was not there. Matt looked around his desk. He did not see his pencil. Matt looked at the floor. His pencil was nowhere to be found! "Mom, I cannot find my pencil," Matt yelled. Mom walked into his room and pointed to the mirror. She said, "Look over there." "What? My pencil is not over there," Matt said. When Matt looked in the mirror, he blushed. His pencil was behind his ear! 

entertain 

300

Once a man checked out a book from a library. He neglected to return it. The book was finally returned by his great-grandson 145 years later. Although the fine came $2,264, the great grandson did not have to pay it.

failed

300

Nina raced her brother Carlos down the sidewalk. “I’m going to win!” Nina laughed, peeking back at him. Then Nina ran right into a spider web. She jumped around, screaming. “Is it on me? Get it off of me! Get the spider off of me!” Nina slapped her hair. She pulled off the sticky web. “Where’s the spider?” Nina cried. Nina swiped at her face and arms. “I think it’s crawling all over me. It must be huge! Do you see it?” She asked Carlos. “Do you see the spider?” Carlos smiled. He pointed to the sidewalk. “There’s your spider,” he said. They watched a baby spider hurry away. “And guess what.” Carlos laughed. He dashed past the finish line. “I won!” What could be a theme of this sotry?

To not always believe others

300

Josh woke up early on Saturday morning and looked outside the window. The sun was out and it was hot. His dad called to Josh and said, “It is a perfect day, don’t forget to bring a towel!” Josh grabbed a towel and they left the house. Where do you think Josh and his dad were going?

The pool

300

Which of the following is NOT a feature that can be found in nonfiction text? a) Headings that designate sections of text b) Bullets that indicate a list c) Factual information about a topic d) Conversations between characters

d) Conversations between characters

400

What are those little green lights on the grass and flying in the yard? Are they monsters? Are they UFOs? No, they aren’t monsters and they aren’t UFOs. They’re fireflies. Fireflies are little insects that glow with a cool green light. If you touch one it won’t burn you. Some fireflies glow to warn other animals that they don’t taste good. Frogs, bats, and birds do not like to eat animals that glow. The glow helps keep fireflies safe. Sometimes we call fireflies glowworms. You can catch fireflies in a jar. Don’t forget to let them go again.

inform

400

Mustard doesn't originate in a jar. It starts out as a tiny seeds. They are inside the leaves of the mustard plant. The seeds are dried and made into powder. The powder is mixed with water and spices. This makes a spread for sandwiches.

begin


400

I have a dog named Boots. I taught him lots of tricks. When I tell him to, Boots will sit or lie down. He can also wave his paw to greet people. When I say "Dance boots", he will stand up on two legs and walk. I don't know if many dogs can do such amazing tricks. The main idea of this paragraph is?

Boots is very smart.

400

Lisa carefully examined the bug sitting on the leaf. She noticed that it had six legs and a hard shell. Lisa had never seen a bug like this before. She grabbed her magnifying glass and camera. How would you describe Lisa? 

She is very curious.

400

Marla patiently waited her turn. 

Marla patiently waited her turn. 

Marla patiently waited her turn. 

Give the part of speech for each bolded word.

Noun, verb, adverb

500

Walt Disney Without the creativity of one man, there would be no “happiest place on earth,” also known as Disneyland. Walt Disney was a creative genius who looked out on a huge orange grove and imagined building a “magic kingdom.” Disney was born in 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. As a child, he enjoyed drawing and even sold his pictures to neighbors. When he was sixteen, he joined the Red Cross and drove an ambulance in France during World War One. After the war ended, Disney started making short cartoons in Kansas City, but soon ran out of money. He decided to find his fortune in Hollywood. He came to California with a suitcase and $20 in his pocket. It was in the 1940s that Walt Disney first had his brainstorm about a fun park for families. His idea grew bigger and bigger, and he realized he needed a lot of space for his park. He wanted it to have everything—a mountain, rockets, spinning teacups, and a fairy castle! 

inform


500

Purple dye was rare long ago. Since it was hard to get, it costs a lot. As a result purple became the imperial color. It was only used by kings and queens. 

royal/ adjective

500

Peter's parents bought a new carpet for the living room. Now, he has to take his shoes off when he enters the house. He's also not allowed to eat or drink in the living room any more. Peter's furry dog isn't allowed to play ball in there either. When his parents got the new carpet, there were lots of new rules. The main idea of this paragraph is?

Peter's parents made new rules so the new carpet stays clean.

500

Abbie has her backpack on her bed. She is packing for a trip. She lays out a waterproof jacket and rain hat, extra socks, a flashlight, compass, binoculars, and water bottle. She hunts for extra batteries and decides to bring her camera. She checks on her sleeping bag and helps her parents bring out the tent. Where are Abbie and her parents are going?

Camping

500

Give an example of a simile and metaphor. 

He was as quiet as a mouse America is a melting pot. The stars twinkled in the clear night sky. Rabbits Running Over Roses.

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