Homographs
The bat flew out of the cave.
What does bat mean here?
A. A wooden stick used in baseball
B. A small flying mammal
C. To hit something
B. A small flying mammal
The frigid air made her shiver and pull her coat tighter.
What does frigid mean? and what clues tell you?
very cold. (Clue: “air made her shiver and pull her coat tighter.”)
Passage: It rained heavily all night. In the morning, the soccer field was covered with puddles. The coach had to cancel practice.
Question: What caused the coach to cancel practice?
Answer: The heavy rain caused the coach to cancel practice.
Which comes first in most stories?
A. Solution
B. Problem
C. Climax
B. Problem
I love reading books because they take you to new places without leaving home. When you read, you can explore jungles, sail on ships, or meet characters who become your friends. Everyone should make time to read each day.
Question: What is the author’s opinion?
a) Books are boring.
b) Reading is fun and important.
c) You can only read at school.
d) Reading doesn’t help you.
b) Reading is fun and important.
The judge asked the witness to object when something in the lawyer’s argument seemed unfair.
What does object mean here?
A. A thing you can see or touch
B. To argue against or disagree
C. A goal or purpose
B. To argue against or disagree
The man felt reluctant to speak in front of the large audience, but finally he forced himself to stand and share.
What does reluctant mean? And what clues tell you?
not wanting to / unwilling. (Clue: “he forced himself to stand.”)
Ava studied every night for her spelling test. She made flashcards, asked her parents to quiz her, and even practiced on the bus. On Friday, she earned a perfect score.
Question: What caused Ava to get a perfect score?
Ava's studying and practice caused her to get a perfect score
What do we call putting events in the order they happened?
Sequencing
Many kids think chores are annoying, but chores actually teach responsibility. When you do things like wash dishes, fold clothes, or take out the trash, you’re learning how to care for yourself and your family. That’s an important skill you’ll need your whole life.
Question: What is the author’s perspective about chores?
The author believes chores are helpful and important because they teach responsibility and prepare kids for the future.
The man decided to fine the factory because it was polluting the river.
What does fine mean here?
A. Very small or thin
B. A penalty or money paid for breaking a rule
C. Of high quality
B. A penalty or money paid for breaking a rule
The student’s handwriting was so illegible that the teacher could not grade the paper.
What does illegible mean, and what clue helped you?
impossible to read. (Clue: “teacher could not grade the paper.”)
The power went out in the neighborhood. Without electricity, the refrigerators stopped working, the lights went dark, and people had to use flashlights.
Question: What caused the refrigerators to stop working, the lights to go dark, and people to use flashlights?
Answer: The power going out caused all of those effects.
Passage 2: The Broken Bike
Zoie was riding her bike to her friend’s house when the chain slipped off. She tried to fix it, but she didn’t know how. Frustrated, she sat down and thought for a minute. Then she remembered that her brother had taught her how to put the chain back on. She followed his instructions carefully, and soon the bike was working again. Zoie finished her ride to her friend’s house and told her story.
How did Zoie’s actions contribute to solving the problem?
She remembered her brother’s lesson, fixed the chain, and solved the problem so she could keep riding.
Some people don’t like the idea of wearing school uniforms, but I think they are helpful. Uniforms save families money because kids don’t need to buy as many outfits. They also make mornings easier since students don’t waste time deciding what to wear. Best of all, uniforms help everyone feel equal, without worrying about clothing brands or styles.
Question: What argument is the author making about school uniforms?
Answer: The author argues that school uniforms are a good idea because they save money, make mornings easier, and help students feel equal
The coach told the players they would need to pitch their tents before the camping trip could begin.
What does pitch mean here?
A. To throw a ball
B. A thick, sticky substance from trees
C. To set up a tent
C. To set up a tent
The loud thunder and lightning made the little boy timid, and he hid under his blanket.
What does timid mean, and how do you know?
shy or fearful. (Clue: “hid under his blanket.”)
Because the family wanted to save money for vacation, they stopped eating at restaurants and cooked meals at home instead. After several months, they had enough money for a trip to Disneyland.
Question: What was the effect of the family cooking at home instead of eating out?
Answer: They had enough money for a trip to Disneyland.
Passage 1: The Lost Puppy
Nyjah was walking home from school when he heard a whimpering sound. He looked around and found a small puppy hiding under a bush. Nyjah picked up the puppy and tried to find its owner, but no one seemed to be missing a dog. Nyjah decided to take the puppy home. He gave it food, water, and a warm blanket. The next day, Nyjah put up flyers in the neighborhood, and soon the puppy was reunited with its owner.
Question: Put the events in order:
1. Nyjah gives the puppy food, water, and a blanket
2. Nyjah hears a whimpering sound
3. The puppy is reunited with its owner
4. Nyjah tries to find the puppy's owner
2 → 4 → 1 → 3
Recycling is one of the easiest ways to protect our planet. Every bottle, can, or piece of paper that we recycle can be used again instead of being thrown away. If we don’t recycle, landfills will fill up, and animals may lose their homes. If everyone does a small part, together we can make a big difference for the Earth.
Question: What evidence does the author give to support the perspective that recycling is important?
Answer: The author says recycling is important and supports it with evidence:
It reduces trash in landfills.
It protects animals’ homes.
It reuses materials like bottles, cans, and paper.
The student was excited to play the bass in the school orchestra, even though it was much larger than the violin.
What does bass mean here?
A. A deep voice or low musical instrument
B. A type of fish
C. To shout loudly
A. A deep voice or low musical instrument
The villagers were self-sufficient, growing their own food and making their own clothes without needing help from others.
What does self-sufficient mean, and what clues tell you?
able to provide for yourself without outside help. (Clue: “growing their own food… making their own clothes.”)
The author filled her essay with strong evidence, including facts, statistics, and expert opinions. Because of this, her readers found her argument convincing and even changed their own opinions.
Question: What was the effect of the author using strong evidence?
Answer: The readers were convinced and changed their minds.
Passage 3: The Surprise Birthday
Liam wanted to throw a surprise party for his sister. He invited her friends, decorated the living room, and baked a cake. On the day of the party, his sister came home early. Liam felt nervous, but he quickly hid and told everyone to be quiet. When his sister walked in, she was shocked and smiled brightly. Everyone cheered, and the party was a success.
How did Liam’s actions contribute to solving the problem of making it a successful surprise?
He told everyone to be quiet and hid, so the surprise worked.
In 1960, a 6-year-old girl named Ruby Bridges became the first African American student to attend an all-white elementary school in New Orleans. Even though some people yelled at her and didn’t want her there, Ruby kept walking into school each day. She showed courage and helped open doors for other children to get a fair education. Ruby Bridges is remembered as a hero because she stood up for what was right, even when it was difficult.
Question: What is the author’s perspective about Ruby Bridges, and what reasons are given to support it?
Perspective: The author’s perspective is that Ruby Bridges is a hero.
Reasons:
She was only 6 years old and showed bravery.
She went to school despite people being unkind.
She helped other children gain fair access to education.