Context Clues
Main Idea
Inferencing
Reading Between the Lines
Logic and Reasoning
100
Joanne said that she would be at my house at approximately four o’clock. She said that she wasn’t sure how long it would take to get to my house. I knew that she might get there a little earlier than four or a little later than four. Approximately means…
What is about?
100
We know that an echo comes from sound waves that bounce back from a surface. The sound can bounce again and again between two or more surfaces so that we hear the sound two or more at a time. Long ago people didn’t understand this. They told a story of a sad fairy. The man she loved didn’t love her. She was so sad, she faded away to nothing but a voice. But she really used her voice. The sad fairy talked and talked. At last the goddess Juno grew so angry with the fairy that she punished her. The fairy would never again speak first. She would only be able to repeat what other said. Have you guessed the name of the sad fairy? Of course you have. It was Echo.
What is A Sad Fairy
100
Students show their manners in a cafeteria. Some have very good manners. They do not spill food all over the table. They do not leave milk cartons on the table. They do not leave napkins on the floor. They clean everything up when they are done. Some students spill food and do not clean it up. They leave empty milk cartons on the table. They leave napkins on the floor. It is likely that...
What is students who do not clean up have bad manners?
100
Olaf directed his men to sail for the island and to drop anchor. “Somewhere on this island is the castle of King Bragin,” Olaf said. “And somewhere in the castle is a lost treasure,” one of his men said. Olaf and his men walked through the thick forests of the island until they spotted a large, old castle. “Here, we will find the treasure,” Olaf said. Whose castle did Olaf think he found?
What is he thought it was King Bragin’s castle?
100
An archeology lab is usually full of all kinds of scientists. Some study plant remains. Others study human and animal remains. There is often a person who draws the artifacts and makes models, too. These scientists spend many hours together working. Together, they make a great team. Where do you think the team spends most of its time?
What is in the lab?
200
This summer I learned how to ride a horse. The hardest part was mounting because I am very short. A riding teacher came and showed me where to put my right foot. I could swing my other foot over the horse’s back. Mounting means…
What is getting on top?
200
Have you ever gone fishing with grass? Maybe you have and don’t know it. Have you ever used a bamboo fishing pole? The bamboo tree is a member of the grass family. Unlike most other grasses, bamboo grows very tall. It may grow to be one hundred feet tall. The young bamboo shoots can be used as food. When the trunks are large, they can be used for fishing poles. Some are even used as water pipes. The leaves of bamboo make good food for cattle. The leaves can also be used in making paper.
What is Bamboo trees have many uses?
200
Typing is taught in many high schools. In typing class, each student sits at a desk. Each desk has a typewriter. But the keys on these typewriters are blank! There are no letters printed on the keys! Students must learn how to type without looking at the keys.
What is poeple who can type do not have to look at the keys?
200
Dylan and his mother had been in the car for nearly two hours. Dylan was anxious to get to his friend’s house. “How far away is Sam’s house?” asked Dylan. “We still have another hour to drive,” Dylan’s mother said. “I wish Sam’s father hadn’t gotten a new job,” Dylan said sadly. Why did Dylan and Sam live so far apart?
What is Sam’s family had moved after his father got a new job?
200
Gene wondered how many of the kids in his class had been born in Texas. He had every student fill out a paper saying where he or she was born. Out of 32 students, 10 had been born in Texas. The rest had come from all over the country. There was even a girl who moved all the way from India. What did Gene’s survey show?
What is most kids came from elsewhere?
300
My brother and I always used to fight over television. We asked our parents to buy another TV. They said that if we continued to quarrel, they would get rid of the one we had. Now we don’t quarrel. Instead, we take turns watching shows. Quarrel means…
What is fight?
300
The name Atlas is often given to a strong man in a circus. Atlas was a Greek god who took care of the pillars that held heaven and earth apart. Later people drew pictures and made statutes of Atlas holding the world on his back. (The Greeks didn't know that the earth is shaped like a ball.) In the 16th century, a mapmaker used a picture of Atlas holding up the globe. Since that time, a book of maps has been called an atlas. What is another title for this selection?
What is What's in a Name?
300
A sophomore is a person who is in the 10th grade. Tenth graders are called sophomores. A junior is a person who is in the 11th grade. Eleventh graders are called juniors. A senior is a person who is in the 12th grade. Twelfth graders are called seniors.
What is sophomores are younger than juniors.
300
It was now 8:20 and Hector’s appointment with Dr. Moban was supposed to be at 8:00. An old woman carrying a mop and a dust rag appeared in the doorway of the doctor’s office. “You’re the doctor’s first patient,” she said to Hector. “Don’t worry, he’ll be here soon. He’s just late.” Hector didn’t know what to say to the woman who appeared in the doorway like a ghost. Who was the old woman?
What is the cleaning woman?
300
Wendy put the finishing touches on the mobile of the solar system that she made for science class. She had painted each planet very carefully and had found a way to put rings around Saturn. The Sun was in the middle, surrounded in the right order by all the planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Just then, her brother Don walked into the room. “Great mobile,” he said. “But you forgot one thing.” What do you think Wendy forgot?
What is Jupiter?
400
I was running down the hall. When I got to the corner, Jill was there. She had been running too. We collided and we both fell. It’s a good thing we didn’t get hurt. Collided means…
What is bumped into?
400
For many years people knew about gum. They knew that some trees had a gum inside. It could be chewed and chewed. It never got smaller. It was in the United States that gum was first produced to be sold. Gum was taken from Black Spruce trees. It was boiled and sugar was added. Other kinds of tree gums were tried. At last the gum of the Sapodilla tree was tried. It seemed to be better than any other. This tree grows in Central and South America. Its gum is called chicle. Many thousands of tons of chicle are made into chewing gum each year. People are spending millions of dollars a year on chewing gum. But the cost of chicle is going up. Scientists are looking for new ways to make chewing gum. What is another title for the selection?
What is All About Gum
400
The teacher spoke to the boys and girls. “Now remember, children, you must take these cards home. Your parents must sign them. Tomorrow you must bring the card back. Do you understand that?” The boys and girls nodded their heads up and down. “Remember what the ‘S’ and the ‘U’ mean,” said the teacher. “An ‘S’ means ‘Satisfactory.” That is good. ‘U’ means ‘Unsatisfactory.’ That means you must work harder.” What is the teacher referring to?
What is a report card?
400
Cathy’s class was having a Cinco de Mayo party. She volunteered to bring torilla chips and homemade salsa. She went to the store after school and bought tomatoes, onions, green peppers and seasonings. It wasn’t until she got home that she realized she had forgotten something. If she didn’t go back, the kids would have to eat their salsa with spoons! What did Cathy forget?
What is to buy the tortilla chips?
400
Ned was helping Mrs. Clark, his mother, look through the classified ads. Mrs. Clark wanted to find a part-time job that she could do in the mornings. She didn’t know much about computers. She had worked in sales before and had been quite good at it. She was very friendly and great at meeting new people. What job do you think would be best for Mrs. Clark?
What is a salesperson?
500
No one had lived in the old house for many years. When we walked in, it was very dark. The windows were dirty and no light was able to penetrate. Penetrate means…
What is get in?
500
Three types of individuals are always found in th ant community: the males, the females, and the workers. The workers are wingless, but the males and females both have wings. When swarms of winged ants are seen, it is mating flight of the males and females. After the flight they land on the ground and the males die soon after. The females tear off their own wings and lay eggs. Workers come to them and take them as their queen. The queens doesn't rule the ant colony in any way, but lays eggs to maintain the population of the colony. What is another title for the selection?
What is an Insect Community?
500
Donald smiled as he walked home. He carried a shoe box. The shoebox was covered with white paper. Donald had pasted shiny red hearts all over the white paper. That morning, Donald had taken the empty box to school. Now, the box was full of cards. There were more than 25 cards in the box! Donald’s favorite cards were the ones that had jokes inside. What day is it?
What is Valentine’s Day?
500
Dee had landed on the planet Earth and was digging for old objects on a deserted beach. It was the year 3033. “Many of the things here are from the year 1983,” Dee said. “Even this?” Ray asked, holding up a soggy and dirty object by its string. “Even that,” Dee answered as she looked carefully at the object. “It had rubber soles and was used for running.” What was the object Ray had found?
What is a sneaker?
500
Mack threw the ball as hard as he could in his brother Toby’s direction. The boys had been playing on the same football team for the last year. Toby caught the ball and ran hard toward the end zone. He dodged around anyone coming his way and in a few seconds, he had done it. The crowd roared and Mack was the first one to give him a thumbs up. What do you think that Toby just did?
What is made a touchdown?
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