INFER
Read the sentence from paragraph 5: “I bet he gets really frustrated sometimes.”
What is the most likely reason the narrator says this?
A. She thinks Stephen Hawking is too serious.
B. She feels bad that he can’t move or talk.
C. She thinks people ignore him on purpose.
D. She knows what it feels like to have thoughts but not be able to express them.
D. She knows what it feels like to have thoughts but not be able to express them.
What does the word frustrated most likely mean in paragraph 5?
A. Tired of waiting
B. Upset because something is difficult
C. Bored from doing nothing
D. Happy about solving a problem
B. Upset because something is difficult
Which sentence from the story best supports the idea that Mrs. V is determined to help Melody communicate?
A. “She gave me a snack of ice cream with caramel sauce.”
B. “She ripped all the words off my communication board and started from scratch.”
C. “She scratched her head and said she didn’t understand.”
D. “She turned on the TV and flipped through the channels.”
B. “She ripped all the words off my communication board and started from scratch.”
How does Mrs. V change by the end of the story?
A. She becomes unsure about helping Melody.
B. She learns to stop teaching and listen more.
C. She becomes more determined to help Melody express herself.
D. She decides Melody doesn’t need help anymore.
C. She becomes more determined to help Melody express herself.
In the selection, which key idea about communication do the details in paragraph 16 support?
A. Communication is confusing and frustrating.
B. People don’t need to express themselves clearly.
C. Communication allows Melody to share her thoughts and ideas.
D. Talking boards are only helpful for asking questions.
C. Communication allows Melody to share her thoughts and ideas.
Read the sentence from paragraph 25: “It was like stringing the beads of a necklace together to make something really cool.”
What is the most likely reason the author included this sentence?
A. To describe a necklace Mrs. V gave Melody
B. To show how difficult it is to learn new vocabulary
C. To explain how Melody felt putting sentences together
D. To teach the reader how to make jewelry
C. To explain how Melody felt putting sentences together
In paragraph 25, what does the word cool most likely mean?
A. Cold or chilly
B. Boring and ordinary
C. Unusual or strange
D. Fun or impressive
D. Fun or impressive
Which sentence best explains why Melody wants to learn to talk more than anything else?
A. “I like rhyming words—They’re easy to remember.”
B. “I bet he gets really frustrated sometimes.”
C. “Talk. I pointed to my board. I hit the word again and again. Talk. Talk. Talk.”
D. “It felt so good.”
C. “Talk. I pointed to my board. I hit the word again and again. Talk. Talk. Talk.”
By the end of the story, Melody has gone from feeling frustrated to feeling—
A. Angry at Mrs. V
B. Bored with learning
C. Proud and excited about expressing herself
D. Nervous about going outside
C. Proud and excited about expressing herself
In paragraph 23, what key idea do the details about rhyming words support?
A. Rhyming words make learning fun and easier to remember
B. Rhyming words are hard for Melody to read
C. Mrs. V does not use rhyming words
D. Rhyming words are the only words Melody can say
A. Rhyming words make learning fun and easier to remember
Read the sentence from paragraph 39: “I nodded my head. Yes, yes, yes.”
What is the most likely reason Melody responded this way?
A. She was scared of the rain and wanted to go inside.
B. She was excited to fully experience the rain.
C. She wanted to get wet so Mrs. V would dry her off.
D. She thought Mrs. V would be upset with her.
B. She was excited to fully experience the rain.
What is the meaning of the word confused in paragraph 32?
A. Feeling sad or disappointed
B. Feeling nervous and shy
C. Not understanding something clearly
D. Not wanting to answer a question
C. Not understanding something clearly
Which detail from the story best shows that Melody is learning a lot of new words?
A. “She gave me a cup of chocolate milk.”
B. “I wanted her to understand that music was colorful when I heard it.”
C. “Every single day I learned new words. I sucked them in and gobbled them up like they were Mrs. V’s cherry cake.”
D. “I bet he gets really frustrated sometimes.”
C. “Every single day I learned new words. I sucked them in and gobbled them up like they were Mrs. V’s cherry cake.”
Read this sentence from paragraph 37: “It felt so good.”
What is the most likely reason the author included this sentence in the passage?
A. To show that Melody was proud of her new vocabulary
B. To describe how Melody felt while eating ice cream
C. To show that Melody enjoyed the freedom and feeling of the rain
D. To explain why Melody stayed inside during storms
C. To show that Melody enjoyed the freedom and feeling of the rain
What key idea about learning do the details in paragraph 24 support?
A. Melody is tired of studying and wants to stop.
B. Melody enjoys learning and is capable of understanding difficult words.
C. Melody prefers to learn through music only.
D. Melody does not like using flashcards.
B. Melody enjoys learning and is capable of understanding difficult words.
Read the sentence from paragraph 17: “Just my thumbs. Go figure.”
What is the most likely reason Melody says this?
A. She is angry that her hands don’t work properly.
B. She’s surprised that only her thumbs work perfectly while the rest of her body does not.
C. She wishes her thumbs didn’t work either.
D. She is explaining how she uses her feet to move the cards.
B. She’s surprised that only her thumbs work perfectly while the rest of her body does not.
What does the word irritable most likely mean in paragraph 34?
A. Happy and excited
B. Calm and relaxed
C. Easily annoyed or bothered
D. Sleepy and tired
C. Easily annoyed or bothered
Which sentence from the story best supports the idea that music has meaning for Melody beyond just sound?
A. “She also taught me words for all the music I heard at home.”
B. “I finally realized that even Mrs. V couldn’t figure out everything in my head.”
C. “I wanted her to understand that music was colorful when I heard it.”
D. “She’d pick a selection on a CD, then ask me the composer.”
C. “I wanted her to understand that music was colorful when I heard it.”
How does Melody change after watching the documentary about Stephen Hawking?
A. She feels sorry for him and forgets about her own goals.
B. She gives up because she thinks she can’t be like him.
C. She is inspired and believes she can achieve more.
D. She decides to stop learning from Mrs. V.
C. She is inspired and believes she can achieve more.
In paragraph 28, what key idea do the music examples support?
A. Melody has no interest in learning music.
B. Melody learns to describe music using only instruments.
C. Melody connects deeply to music and learns to describe it creatively.
D. Mrs. V plays music only for entertainment.
C. Melody connects deeply to music and learns to describe it creatively.
Read the sentence from paragraph 32: “I finally realized that even Mrs. V couldn’t figure out everything in my head.”
What is the most likely reason Melody feels this way?
A. She is angry that Mrs. V made a mistake.
B. She understands that her thoughts are too advanced for Mrs. V.
C. She realizes how difficult it is for others to understand her without clear communication.
D. She thinks Mrs. V doesn’t care anymore.
C. She realizes how difficult it is for others to understand her without clear communication.
In paragraph 36, what does the word bothered most likely mean?
A. Surprised or confused
B. Excited or thrilled
C. Upset or disturbed
D. Sleepy or calm
C. Upset or disturbed
Which sentence best explains why Mrs. V took Melody outside in the rain?
A. “She made up stories about clouds.”
B. “She rolled me down the ramp Dad had built, both of us getting wetter every second.”
C. “‘You want to feel it all?’ she asked.”
D. “She dried off my chair, and by the time Dad came, the rain had stopped.”
C. “‘You want to feel it all?’ she asked.”
By the end of the passage, what change does Melody experience in how she communicates?
A. She learns to speak out loud on her own.
B. She goes from using no words to building full sentences with her board.
C. She decides to stop using her communication board.
D. She writes her thoughts in a journal.
B. She goes from using no words to building full sentences with her board.
What key idea about Mrs. V is supported by the details in paragraphs 35–37?
A. She teaches Melody through fun, real-life experiences.
B. She only teaches through flashcards and worksheets.
C. She doesn’t understand how Melody feels.
D. She prefers to keep Melody inside.
A. She teaches Melody through fun, real-life experiences.