Practice Makes Perfect!

Author's Purpose

100

Wait! Don't do it! Don't drink that soda! So what if your favorite singer is drinking it in a commercial? So what if it tastes good? Studies show drinking soda, even diet soda, increases your chances of having a heart attack or stroke. Soda intake also leads to unhealthy pounds. Your health is way more important than a fleeting taste of sweetness or a chance to look cool!

What is persuade?

200

A story written about a young boy who moves to a new school and is bullied, but he gains self-confidence by joining a sports team and learns to stand up for himself.

What is entertain?

300

Rohini and her brother Rakesh sat under the shade of the huge oak tree in their backyard. They were taking a break from playing basketball. "It's so hot!" Rakesh said. "I'm going inside to get a nice cold soda. Do you want one?" "Why would you want a soda?" Rohini asked. "Do you know how much sugar there is in it? It's just going to make you thirstier!"

What is entertain?

400

In 1767, Joseph Priestley discovered how to combine water with carbon dioxide to make carbonated water. People believed that this water had healing powers. They called it "soda water." It didn't take long for people to begin inventing machines to mass-produce it. In 1819, a man named Samuel Fahnestock received the first soda fountain patent.

What is inform?

500

Think about the great health benefits of fruit. Fruit is made of 80% water, and water is needed for healthy bodies. Fruit has no "bad cholesterol," which is also very good news for our bodies. On the other hand, many other foods do contain "bad cholesterol." Many people say that fruit is good brain food and that it helps people think more clearly. Fruit also contains fiber. Fiber is good for digestion. Fruit always makes people feel better, too.

What is persuade?

Inference

100

Every day after work Paul took his muddy boots off on the steps of the front porch. Alice would have a fit if the boots made it so far as the welcome mat. He then took off his dusty overalls and threw them into a plastic garbage bag; Alice left a new garbage bag tied to the porch railing for him every morning. On his way in the house, he dropped the garbage bag off at the washing machine and went straight up the stairs to the shower as he was instructed. He would eat dinner with her after he was "presentable," as Alice had often said. What type of job does Paul work?

Paul works some kind of job that requires him to get dirty: ditch digger, miner, laborer, etc.

200

Crack! Thunder struck and rain poured. Max stared blankly out the window, trying to contain his emotions that raged like the weather. He was beginning to lose it. Dropping the kite from his hand, Max broke out into full sob. His mother comforted him, "There, there, Max. We'll just find something else to do." She began to unpack the picnic basket that was on the counter and offered him a sandwich. Max snapped, "I don't wanna sand-mich!" A flash from the sky lit up the living room. Boom! Mom sighed. Why is Max upset?

It is raining and he cannot go outside to play.

300

"Tommy!" Mom called out as she walked in the front door. "Tommy," she continued shouting, "I sure could use some help with these groceries. There was still no reply. Mom walked into the kitchen to put the grocery bags down on the counter when she noticed shattered glass from the picture window all over the living room floor and a baseball not far from there. "I'm going to kill you, Tommy!" Mom yelled to herself as she realized that Tommy's shoes were gone. What happened to the window?

Tommy broke the window playing baseball.

400

Today was a special day in Ms. Smith's class. Some of the children were walking around the room, some of them were standing in small groups, and some of them were at their desks, putting finishing touches on cardboard mailboxes. After coloring a cool flame on the side of his racecar mailbox, Johnny hopped out of his chair, strutted over to Veronica's desk, and dropped a small white envelope into her princess castle mailbox. Veronica blushed and played with her hair. While this was happening, Bartleby was frantically trying to put a small white envelope into everyone's mailbox. After giving one to Ms. Smith, Bartleby pulled out a medium-sized red envelope from his pocket. He blushed and tried to put it in Veronica's mailbox, but it wouldn't quite fit. Bartleby struggled with it for a few seconds and then ran off with the envelope. Veronica rolled her eyes and popped her gum. Why is today a special day?

Today is Valentine's Day and the children are allowed to distribute cards.

500

Today was a special day in Ms. Smith's class. Some of the children were walking around the room, some of them were standing in small groups, and some of them were at their desks, putting finishing touches on cardboard mailboxes. After coloring a cool flame on the side of his racecar mailbox, Johnny hopped out of his chair, strutted over to Veronica's desk, and dropped a small white envelope into her princess castle mailbox. Veronica blushed and played with her hair. While this was happening, Bartleby was frantically trying to put a small white envelope into everyone's mailbox. After giving one to Ms. Smith, Bartleby pulled out a medium-sized red envelope from his pocket. He blushed and tried to put it in Veronica's mailbox, but it wouldn't quite fit. Bartleby struggled with it for a few seconds and then ran off with the envelope. Veronica rolled her eyes and popped her gum. Which boy does Veronica like?

Veronica likes Johnny.

Point of View

100

Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar Leslie sat in front of Paul. She had two long, brown pigtails that reached all the way down to her waist. Paul saw those pigtails, and a terrible urge came over him. He wanted to pull a pigtail. He wanted to wrap his fist around it, feel the hair between his fingers, and just yank. He thought it would be fun to tie the pigtails together, or better yet, tie them to her chair. But most of all, he just wanted to pull one.

Narrative Perspective: Third-Person Limited

200

Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes And we scrounged. Next to survival, scrounge was probably the most important word in our new vocabulary. We found a store that was throwing out water-damaged mattresses. Getting them home was a problem, since we had to make two trips, leaving Brad and Katie, armed with sticks to guard over the remained. I truly expected them to be challenged by some gang boss, but they said that the only person who came by was a scrawny little rat of a girl living alone. We let her have one of the mattresses.

Narrative Perspective: First-Person

300

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt At dawn, Mae Tuck set out on her horse for the wood at the edge of the village of Treegap. She was going there, as she did once every ten years, to meet her two sons, Miles and Jesse, and she was feeling at ease. At noon time, Winnie Foster, whose family owned the Treegap wood, lost her patience at last and decided to think about running away.

Narrative Perspective: Third-Person Omniscient

400

The Ninja Housewife by Deborah Hamlin After dropping her son off at school, Sara sat at a traffic light and waited. She was on her way to her office job as a secretary in a law office. It was mainly paperwork with very little time to interact with other people, but Sara had gotten used to that. It also gave her plenty of time to daydream, something she had also gotten quite used to. She was a woman in her mid-30s, married 13 years, with one child.

Narrative Perspective: Third-Person Limited

500

The Patchwork Girl of Oz by Lyman Frank Baum Unc Nunkie, Margolotte and the Magician all stood looking at the marvelous Powder, but Ojo was more interested just then in the Patchwork Girl's brains. Thinking it both unfair aand unkind to deprive her of any good qualities that were handy, boy took down every bottle on the shelf and poured some of the contents in Margolotte's dish. No one saw him do this, for all were looking at the Powder of Life; but soon the woman remembered what she had been doing, and came back to the cupboard.

Narrative Perspective: Third-Person Omniscient

Figurative Language

100

Like burnt-out torches by a sick man's bed

What is simile?

200

Drip-hiss-drip-hiss fall the raindrops / on the oaken log which burns, and steams, and smokes the ceiling beams. / Drip-hiss-the rain never stops.

What is hyperbole?

300

When the stars threw down their spears, / And water'd heaven with their tears,

What is personification?

400

The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,

What is metaphor?

500

The sun was shining on the sea, / Shining with all his might:

What is personification?

Inference Round 2!

100

Mr. Johnson looked up at the sky. It was clear as far as the eye could see, except for the cruel sun. The insatiable sun drained the land of all moisture. He cursed the sun. Mr. Johnson ran his fingers through one of the rows of dirt and grabbed a handful. It was bone dry, almost powdery. He let the dirt sift through his fingers and it turned to dust in the wind. Mr. Johnson put his hands on his hips and surveyed the field. It was well seeded, that he knew. He seeded it himself, yet nothing sprang from the dirt. "Well, there's only one thing left to do," he said to himself. Mr. Johnson headed to church. What does Mr. Johnson do for a living?

What is a farmer?

200

Warren pushed the back door open with his elbow. He was dragging a heavy black plastic sack behind him. Thud, thud, thud. The bag thumped each stair Warren descended. Thud, thud, rip, drip, drip. The bag got caught on a nail and a strange odorous juice poured out, covering Warren's leg. "Ew... gross!" Warren shouted as he repositioned the bag. He walked out to the alley and deposited the bag in a large plastic container, closing the lid behind him as he left, still muttering about his pants. What is Warren doing?

What is taking out the trash?

300

"Shh�" Dale whispered to his friend Jim. Jim stopped talking mid-sentence and looked at Dale. Dale was dressed in a florescent orange sweater with the hood up and camouflage vest over the sweater. He watched as Dale pointed his rifle at the horizon and squinted one eye, and then Jim followed the barrel of the rifle. A large 10 point buck trotted about thirty meters from the bushes behind which Jim and Dale were positioned. What are Jim and Dale doing in the bushes?

What is hunting?

400

Troy moved the cloth in a circular direction on his car's fender. Troy loved this car. It wasn't a race car, but he took really good care of it. Now he wiped down the trunk with the chamois and then the bumper. He put the chamois down and took a step back, putting his hands on his hips and admiring his work. The chrome bumper shined. Suddenly, Troy felt a cool breeze. He heard a distant crack of thunder and noticed a storm cloud rolling in from the west. Troy kicked the water bucket over and said, "Doggone It!" What is Troy doing?

What is washing his car?

500

Miya came out of the bathroom with tears in her eyes. She ran down to the cafeteria and asked the staff if they had any rice. Fortunately for Miya, Ms. Lucille did. Ms. Lucille filled a red plastic cup about half way with white rice grains and handed it to Miya. Miya pulled a damp phone from out of her back pocket and pushed it into the dry rice grains inside of the plastic cup. She sincerely thanked Ms. Lucille and then went back to class. She felt relieved, but she was still a little worried. Why is Miya upset at the beginning of the passage?

What is gotten her phone wet, probably in a toilet or sink?