Big Talkers
The Gift of Rhyme
The Broken-Crayon Solution
The Red River
from
Phineas L. MacGuire Gets Cooking!
100

This prefix means “not,” as in the word unfamiliar.

What is “un-”?


100

How does Mom help Bella solve her problem?

What is she convinces Bella that her rapping is a special talent?

100

What can the reader tell from the title “The Broken-Crayon Solution”?

What is that the article explains an answer to a problem?

100

Which definition of scale fits how it’s used in the poem?

What is a tool for measuring heaviness (definition 2)?

100

What can the reader infer about Phineas?

What is he is excited about making the meal for his family?

200

What is the best summary of “Big Talkers”?

What is that elephants use sound, touch, smell, and movement to communicate?

200

Which line shows that Scott disagrees with Amy’s opinion of Bella?

What is “You should just keep on rapping”?

200

Why does the author include paragraph 1 of “The Broken-Crayon Solution”?

What is to explain why Cassidy wanted to make her invention?

200

Based on the poem, how does the speaker feel about Max?

What is she admires him?

200

What conclusion is supported by the list at the end?

What is he realizes he made some mistakes while cooking?

300

Why does the author include the photograph of the baby elephant standing close to its mother?

What is to show the baby feels safe and protected near its mother?

300

In line 28, what does excel mean?

What is “to do better than others”?

300

Which sentence shows Cassidy’s invention made her money?

What is “She was able to pay for most of her college education out of her earnings”?

300

Why does the poet include the seasons?

What is to highlight when the speaker observes changes in the river?

300

Which line shows Phineas is embarrassed to ask for help?

What is “I felt my face turn red”?

400

How do the subheadings help the reader understand the text?

What is they identify the ways elephants communicate?

400

What feature shows that “The Gift of Rhyme” is a play?

What is it has a list of characters?

400

In “Bouncing Around,” what does refining mean?

What is making improvements?

400

In line 2, “like a fat brown thread” means the river —

What is it makes a wide path through the land?

400

Sarah’s conversations with Phineas show that she —

What is doesn’t mind helping him in the kitchen?


500

Which sentence supports the idea that elephants guard themselves from danger?

What is “They think it may help the elephants focus all their attention on the sounds and smells around them”?

500

Why does the playwright include stage directions at the beginning of each scene?

What is to identify the time and place?

500

What is one way Cassidy’s crayon holders differ from Nissen’s trampoline?

What is only the crayon holders help make a common object easier to use?

500

Lines 13–14 show that the speaker —

What is uses creativity and imagination?

500

Which sentence proves the story is told in first person?

What is “The stove was a giant Bunsen burner, and the pots and pans were beakers and flasks”?

M
e
n
u