Literary Elements
Title: The Great Contest
Characters:
NINA, a clever rabbit
LION, king of the forest
EAGLE, queen of the skies
NARRATOR
ACT 1, SCENE 1
(The forest is peaceful. Nina is hopping along a path, nibbling on some berries. Suddenly, Lion appears, roaring as he stomps through the forest.)
LION: (growling) I am the king of the forest! All the berries belong to me!
NINA: (surprised) But I was just eating these berries. I didn’t know they were yours.
LION: (roaring) Everything in the forest is mine. Don’t ever eat here again!
(Nina hops away sadly. She looks around for a new place to eat and sees a tall tree by the edge of the forest. She decides to climb up the tree and munch on some leaves. Just as she starts nibbling, Eagle flies down.)
EAGLE: (flapping wings) As queen of the skies, I control the air and all the trees. You are not allowed to eat here!
NINA: (sighing) I can’t eat on the ground because Lion controls the forest, and I can’t eat in the trees because Eagle controls the skies. What do I do now?
(That night, Nina lies down to sleep, hungry and frustrated. She dreams of a giant vine, with Lion pulling on one end and Eagle pulling on the other. The vine tightens, and Nina feels trapped. She wakes up with a sudden idea.)
ACT 1, SCENE 2
(The next morning in the forest, Nina is determined. She hops over to Lion, who is resting in the sun.)
NINA: Lion, I’ve had enough of your rules. I challenge you to a contest to see who is truly the strongest in the forest.
LION: (laughing) You? A tiny rabbit? You can’t challenge me!
NINA: I may be small, but I am clever. Let’s have a vine-pulling contest. If I win, you must share the forest with me. If you win, I’ll leave.
LION: (grinning) I accept your challenge!
(Nina hops over to the tall tree and calls up to Eagle.)
NINA: Eagle, I’ve had enough of you ruling the trees. I think I would be a better ruler. Let’s settle it with a vine-pulling contest. If you win, I’ll find a new tree. If I win, I can eat in the trees in peace.
EAGLE: (smiling) I accept. You’ll see who’s the strongest!
(Nina ties a vine to Lion’s paw and the other end to her own leg. She then walks over to the tree, ties the vine to Eagle’s talon, and walks away.)
NARRATOR: Nina had a clever plan. As soon as she was out of sight of both Lion and Eagle, she tugged on the vine. Lion pulled hard, thinking he was pulling against Nina. Meanwhile, Eagle pulled on the other end of the vine, thinking she was pulling against Nina. Neither could see the other, and both struggled. They were both so tired that they finally agreed to stop.
(Nina hops over to Lion first.)
NINA: (smiling) You see, you are not stronger than me. Let’s call it a draw. We can both share the forest and the trees, and everything will be peaceful.
LION: (panting) Alright, Nina. You win. We’ll share the forest.
(Nina then hops over to Eagle.)
NINA: We both can live here without fighting. Let’s agree to leave each other alone and share the trees.
EAGLE: (nodding) Fine. We’ll share.
(Nina looks out at the forest, feeling proud of her cleverness. She watches the sun rise over the trees, now peaceful and happy.)
In Act 1, Scene 1, why does Nina go to the tree?
A. She is looking for a new place to eat.
B. She goes every day to watch the sunset.
C. She wants something other than berries.
D. She is going to challenge Eagle to a contest.
A. She is looking for a new place to eat.
What is dialogue?
A. the text of the entire play
B. a smaller section of the play made of lines
C. explains how the characters should say their lines or what action is taking place in the scene.
D. the lines of text that characters speak in the play.
D. the lines of text that characters speak in the play.
Here’s a sentence with a shade of meaning word and four answer choices for a similar question:
Sentence:
The car zoomed down the highway, speeding past the other vehicles.
Why does the author use "zoomed" instead of "moved" in the sentence above?
A. "Zoomed" shows the car was moving very quickly.
B. "Zoomed" suggests the car was moving slowly.
C. "Zoomed" means the car was moving in circles.
D. "Zoomed" shows the car was parked.
A. "Zoomed" shows the car was moving very quickly.
If he doesn’t already have an owner, you can keep him.
Think about the suffix -er. What is the meaning of owner above?
A. the person that a thing belongs to
B. the person who does a certain job
C. a person who is better at something
D. a person who has more of something
A. the person that a thing belongs to
Cousin Frances
(1) Last week, my uncle called to give me some exciting news. (2) “You have a new cousin,” he said, “and her name is Frances.” (3) Usually, I am not that interested in babies, but Frances is different. (4) She is my first cousin! (5) Before Frances was born, there were only two children in our family—my sister, Kayla, and me. (6) “I can’t wait to see Frances!” Kayla said. (7) Mom showed Kayla and me some pictures of our cousin. (8) Frances is very small, with dark hair and light eyes. (9) Kayla asked my mom when we will get to meet Frances in person. (10) My aunt and uncle live far away in Denver, but Mom says we will go visit them soon. (11) I am ready to go. (12) My suitcase is already packed.
What is the correct way to write sentence 2?
A. “You have a new cousin,” he said, “and her name is Frances.”
B. “You have a new cousin,” he said. “and her name is Frances.”
C. “You have a new cousin.” he said, “and her name is Frances.”
D. “You have a new cousin”, he said, “and her name is Frances”.
A. “You have a new cousin,” he said, “and her name is Frances.”
Title: The Great Contest
Characters:
NINA, a clever rabbit
LION, king of the forest
EAGLE, queen of the skies
NARRATOR
ACT 1, SCENE 1
(The forest is peaceful. Nina is hopping along a path, nibbling on some berries. Suddenly, Lion appears, roaring as he stomps through the forest.)
LION: (growling) I am the king of the forest! All the berries belong to me!
NINA: (surprised) But I was just eating these berries. I didn’t know they were yours.
LION: (roaring) Everything in the forest is mine. Don’t ever eat here again!
(Nina hops away sadly. She looks around for a new place to eat and sees a tall tree by the edge of the forest. She decides to climb up the tree and munch on some leaves. Just as she starts nibbling, Eagle flies down.)
EAGLE: (flapping wings) As queen of the skies, I control the air and all the trees. You are not allowed to eat here!
NINA: (sighing) I can’t eat on the ground because Lion controls the forest, and I can’t eat in the trees because Eagle controls the skies. What do I do now?
(That night, Nina lies down to sleep, hungry and frustrated. She dreams of a giant vine, with Lion pulling on one end and Eagle pulling on the other. The vine tightens, and Nina feels trapped. She wakes up with a sudden idea.)
ACT 1, SCENE 2
(The next morning in the forest, Nina is determined. She hops over to Lion, who is resting in the sun.)
NINA: Lion, I’ve had enough of your rules. I challenge you to a contest to see who is truly the strongest in the forest.
LION: (laughing) You? A tiny rabbit? You can’t challenge me!
NINA: I may be small, but I am clever. Let’s have a vine-pulling contest. If I win, you must share the forest with me. If you win, I’ll leave.
LION: (grinning) I accept your challenge!
(Nina hops over to the tall tree and calls up to Eagle.)
NINA: Eagle, I’ve had enough of you ruling the trees. I think I would be a better ruler. Let’s settle it with a vine-pulling contest. If you win, I’ll find a new tree. If I win, I can eat in the trees in peace.
EAGLE: (smiling) I accept. You’ll see who’s the strongest!
(Nina ties a vine to Lion’s paw and the other end to her own leg. She then walks over to the tree, ties the vine to Eagle’s talon, and walks away.)
NARRATOR: Nina had a clever plan. As soon as she was out of sight of both Lion and Eagle, she tugged on the vine. Lion pulled hard, thinking he was pulling against Nina. Meanwhile, Eagle pulled on the other end of the vine, thinking she was pulling against Nina. Neither could see the other, and both struggled. They were both so tired that they finally agreed to stop.
(Nina hops over to Lion first.)
NINA: (smiling) You see, you are not stronger than me. Let’s call it a draw. We can both share the forest and the trees, and everything will be peaceful.
LION: (panting) Alright, Nina. You win. We’ll share the forest.
(Nina then hops over to Eagle.)
NINA: We both can live here without fighting. Let’s agree to leave each other alone and share the trees.
EAGLE: (nodding) Fine. We’ll share.
(Nina looks out at the forest, feeling proud of her cleverness. She watches the sun rise over the trees, now peaceful and happy.)
Why is the dream Nina has important?
A. It shows why Nina is mad at Lion and Eagle.
B. It shows that Nina is still feeling hungry.
C. It shows what Nina is going to do next.
D. It shows how Nina thinks of an idea.
D. It shows how Nina thinks of an idea.
The New Puppy
By Jennifer Jamson
Setting: On the Jackson's Farm in the country
Characters: Sofia, Nathan, their father, and Farmer Jackson
(Farmer Jackson had promised to give one of the new puppies to Nathan and Sofia, and they were anxious to choose one and take it home.)
SOFIA: (running out of the car towards the barn) Hi, Mr. Jackson. Are the puppies still in the barn?
FARMER JACKSON (smiling): You betcha! Come on in, and take a look.
SOFIA: Nathan, can you believe how cute they are? How are we ever going to decide?
NATHAN: I think we should take them all!
NATHAN and SOFIA'S FATHER: Aw, I wish we could, but one is enough for us. Which one will it be?
SOFIA: I know which one. We'll take the runt. He looks like he needs us the most (wrapping the tiniest puppy in her arms while Nathan looks on and nods in agreement).
Look in the "stage directions" for Sofia's first line. Why do you think she got out of the car and started running towards the barn?
A. Her legs were restless, so she wanted to run.
B. She wanted to see the barn owl.
C. She was afraid of the mean rooster.
D. She was excited about the puppies.
D. She was excited about the puppies.
"She peeked around the corner, hoping no one would see her."
Why does the author use peeked instead of looked in the sentence above?
A. to show she was curious
B. to show she was cautious
C. to show she was angry
D. to show she was excited
B. to show she was cautious
Sentence:
If she practices every day, she will become a faster runner.
What is the meaning of "runner" in the sentence above?
A. A person who runs.
B. A thing that runs.
C. A place where running happens.
D. A tool used for running.
A. A person who runs.
(1) Last week, my uncle called to give me some exciting news. (2) “You have a new cousin,” he said, “and her name is Frances.” (3) Usually, I am not that interested in babys, but Frances is different. (4) She is my first cousin! (5) Before Frances was born, there were only two children in our family—my sister, Kayla, and me. (6) “I can’t wait to see Frances!” Kayla said. (7) Mom showed Kayla and me some pictures of our cousin. (8) Frances is very small, with dark hair and light eyes. (9) Kayla asked my mom when we will get to meet Frances in person. (10) My aunt and uncle live far away in Denver, but Mom says we will go visit them soon. (11) I am ready to go. (12) My suitcase is already packed.
What is the correct way to write the underlined word in sentence 3?
A. baby's
B. babys'
C. babies
D. No change is needed.
C. babies
Title: The Great Contest
Characters:
NINA, a clever rabbit
LION, king of the forest
EAGLE, queen of the skies
NARRATOR
ACT 1, SCENE 1
(The forest is peaceful. Nina is hopping along a path, nibbling on some berries. Suddenly, Lion appears, roaring as he stomps through the forest.)
LION: (growling) I am the king of the forest! All the berries belong to me!
NINA: (surprised) But I was just eating these berries. I didn’t know they were yours.
LION: (roaring) Everything in the forest is mine. Don’t ever eat here again!
(Nina hops away sadly. She looks around for a new place to eat and sees a tall tree by the edge of the forest. She decides to climb up the tree and munch on some leaves. Just as she starts nibbling, Eagle flies down.)
EAGLE: (flapping wings) As queen of the skies, I control the air and all the trees. You are not allowed to eat here!
NINA: (sighing) I can’t eat on the ground because Lion controls the forest, and I can’t eat in the trees because Eagle controls the skies. What do I do now?
(That night, Nina lies down to sleep, hungry and frustrated. She dreams of a giant vine, with Lion pulling on one end and Eagle pulling on the other. The vine tightens, and Nina feels trapped. She wakes up with a sudden idea.)
ACT 1, SCENE 2
(The next morning in the forest, Nina is determined. She hops over to Lion, who is resting in the sun.)
NINA: Lion, I’ve had enough of your rules. I challenge you to a contest to see who is truly the strongest in the forest.
LION: (laughing) You? A tiny rabbit? You can’t challenge me!
NINA: I may be small, but I am clever. Let’s have a vine-pulling contest. If I win, you must share the forest with me. If you win, I’ll leave.
LION: (grinning) I accept your challenge!
(Nina hops over to the tall tree and calls up to Eagle.)
NINA: Eagle, I’ve had enough of you ruling the trees. I think I would be a better ruler. Let’s settle it with a vine-pulling contest. If you win, I’ll find a new tree. If I win, I can eat in the trees in peace.
EAGLE: (smiling) I accept. You’ll see who’s the strongest!
(Nina ties a vine to Lion’s paw and the other end to her own leg. She then walks over to the tree, ties the vine to Eagle’s talon, and walks away.)
NARRATOR: Nina had a clever plan. As soon as she was out of sight of both Lion and Eagle, she tugged on the vine. Lion pulled hard, thinking he was pulling against Nina. Meanwhile, Eagle pulled on the other end of the vine, thinking she was pulling against Nina. Neither could see the other, and both struggled. They were both so tired that they finally agreed to stop.
(Nina hops over to Lion first.)
NINA: (smiling) You see, you are not stronger than me. Let’s call it a draw. We can both share the forest and the trees, and everything will be peaceful.
LION: (panting) Alright, Nina. You win. We’ll share the forest.
(Nina then hops over to Eagle.)
NINA: We both can live here without fighting. Let’s agree to leave each other alone and share the trees.
EAGLE: (nodding) Fine. We’ll share.
(Nina looks out at the forest, feeling proud of her cleverness. She watches the sun rise over the trees, now peaceful and happy.)
What lesson does Nina learn in the play?
A. Don’t put off what can be done today.
B. Being smart is as useful as being strong.
C. Physical strength is the only thing that matters.
D. Teamwork is important.
B. Being smart is as useful as being strong.
The New Puppy
By Jennifer Jamson
Setting: On the Jackson's Farm in the country
Characters: Sofia, Nathan, their father, and Farmer Jackson
(Farmer Jackson had promised to give one of the new puppies to Nathan and Sofia, and they were anxious to choose one and take it home.)
SOFIA: (running out of the car towards the barn) Hi, Mr. Jackson. Are the puppies still in the barn?
FARMER JACKSON (smiling): You betcha! Come on in, and take a look.
SOFIA: Nathan, can you believe how cute they are? How are we ever going to decide?
NATHAN: I think we should take them all!
NATHAN and SOFIA'S FATHER: Aw, I wish we could, but one is enough for us. Which one will it be?
SOFIA: I know which one. We'll take the runt. He looks like he needs us the most (wrapping the tiniest puppy in her arms while Nathan looks on and nods in agreement).
Why did Sofia want the runt?
A. He was the best behaved.
B. He had the cutest spots.
C. He looked like he needed them the most.
D. He walked up to her and jumped on her leg.
C. He looked like he needed them the most.
Read this sentence from Act 2, Scene 1.
The bird fluttered over to the window.
Why does the author use fluttered instead of flew in the sentence above?
A. to show the bird was large
B. to show the bird was scared
C. to show the bird was graceful
D. to show the bird was tired
C. to show the bird was graceful
Nola and I bake cookies together. (They/We/Us) love to bake.
Which is the correct pronoun here:
A. They
B. We
C. Us
B. We
The Missing Homework
Characters
ACT 1, SCENE 1
Jamie’s bedroom, evening.
(Jamie is at their desk, working on homework. A loud bark is heard from offstage.)
JAMIE: (muttering to themselves) Almost done… just one more math problem.
(MOM enters the room.)
MOM: Jamie, don’t forget to pack up your homework! You have school tomorrow.
JAMIE: I know, Mom! Just finishing up.
(MOM exits. JAMIE yawns, stretches, and places their homework on the edge of the desk. They leave the room. Lucky, the dog, sneaks in, sniffs around, grabs the homework with his mouth, and runs off.)
ACT 1, SCENE 2
The kitchen, the next morning.
(Jamie is searching frantically around the kitchen. MOM and DAD are sitting at the table.)
JAMIE: (panicking) I can’t find my homework! It was right here last night!
DAD: Well, things don’t just disappear. Are you sure you didn’t move it?
JAMIE: (sighing) Yes, I’m sure! I left it on my desk.
(Lucky enters, wagging his tail. Jamie notices something sticking out from Lucky's collar—it’s part of their homework, a little crumpled but mostly okay.)
JAMIE: (laughing) Lucky! You’re the one who took it!
MOM: Oh, Lucky! (smiling) He just wanted to help you study, I guess.
JAMIE: Well, Lucky, next time, let’s stick to your own toys. (to MOM and DAD) I’ll be more careful with my homework from now on.
What is the main conflict in the play?
A. Jamie’s parents are upset that Jamie didn't finish their homework.
B. Jamie loses their homework and doesn't know where it went.
C. Lucky the dog wants to play with Jamie but Jamie is too busy with schoolwork.
D. Jamie's parents think Jamie is spending too much time playing with Lucky.
What is the main conflict in the play?
B. Jamie loses their homework and doesn't know where it went.
The Disappearing Treats
Characters
ACT 1, SCENE 1
Lucy’s kitchen, evening.
(Lucy opens the cupboard and pulls out a plate of cookies, setting them on the table. She leaves the room to grab a glass of milk.)
LUCY: (calling from offstage) Almost ready for dessert, Mom!
(While Lucy is gone, Sparky sneaks into the kitchen and grabs a cookie, running off. Lucy returns, looking puzzled.)
LUCY: (confused) I thought there were more cookies here...
ACT 1, SCENE 2
Lucy’s living room, the next morning.
(Lucy is on the couch, looking around the room. She places a small bag of treats next to her and leaves the room to get her backpack.)
(Sparky sneaks in and snatches a treat from the bag. Lucy returns, looking around.)
LUCY: (to herself) Where did that treat go? This keeps happening...
MOM: (entering the room) Lucy, did you leave any treats out again?
LUCY: I just don’t know, Mom! It’s like the treats are disappearing all over the house!
What is the most likely reason there are two different settings in the play?
A. to show that the house has several rooms
B. to show that the play takes place over three days
C. to show that odd things are happening all over the house
D. to show that nobody is in the rooms when things fall down
C. to show that odd things are happening all over the house
The Mess in the Classroom
Characters: Jenna & Samuel
Scene: A classroom with papers scattered all over the floor. Samuel and Jenna are standing near the mess, looking at it.
Jenna:
(With arms crossed) Samuel, do you have any idea who made this mess? Look at all these papers on the floor!
Samuel:
(Shakes head) I’ve tried to think of a reason for it, but my mind is a blank page.
Jenna:(Sighs) That’s the third time this week! We can’t keep ignoring it.
Samuel:(Looks at the mess, confused) I just don’t understand. The papers weren't here earlier. How did they get like this?
Jenna: Maybe someone is just being careless.
Samuel: (Shakes head again) I don’t know. I don’t have any ideas about who is making the messes.
What do the words “my mind is a blank page” show about Samuel?
A. He does not think the papers on the floor are important.
B. He does not have any ideas about who is making the messes.
C. He cannot come up with an excuse to avoid cleaning up the mess.
D. He cannot stop thinking about the papers that have been knocked over.
B. He does not have any ideas about who is making the messes.
Think about the Latin root "aud." What is the meaning of the word "audio?"
A. to be able to see an object
B. to not be able to see an object
C. to hear
D.) to not be able to hear
C. to hear
What is the correct way to write the sentence with quotations?
A.) "What time is school over," asked the tired teacher?
B.) "What time is school over," asked the tired teacher.
C.) "What time is school over?" asked the tired teacher.
C.) "What time is school over?" asked the tired teacher.
The Missing Homework
Characters
ACT 1, SCENE 1
Jamie’s bedroom, evening.
(Jamie is at their desk, working on homework. A loud bark is heard from offstage.)
JAMIE: (muttering to themselves) Almost done… just one more math problem.
(MOM enters the room.)
MOM: Jamie, don’t forget to pack up your homework! You have school tomorrow.
JAMIE: I know, Mom! Just finishing up.
(MOM exits. JAMIE yawns, stretches, and places their homework on the edge of the desk. They leave the room. Lucky, the dog, sneaks in, sniffs around, grabs the homework with his mouth, and runs off.)
ACT 1, SCENE 2
The kitchen, the next morning.
(Jamie is searching frantically around the kitchen. MOM and DAD are sitting at the table.)
JAMIE: (panicking) I can’t find my homework! It was right here last night!
DAD: Well, things don’t just disappear. Are you sure you didn’t move it?
JAMIE: (sighing) Yes, I’m sure! I left it on my desk.
(Lucky enters, wagging his tail. Jamie notices something sticking out from Lucky's collar—it’s part of their homework, a little crumpled but mostly okay.)
JAMIE: (laughing) Lucky! You’re the one who took it!
MOM: Oh, Lucky! (smiling) He just wanted to help you study, I guess.
JAMIE: Well, Lucky, next time, let’s stick to your own toys. (to MOM and DAD) I’ll be more careful with my homework from now on.
How is the problem in the play solved? Use details from the play to support your answer.
The problem in the play is solved when Jamie finds out that Lucky, the family dog, took the homework. Lucky comes into the kitchen, and Jamie sees part of the homework sticking out from his collar. Jamie realizes that Lucky must have taken the homework as a toy. Jamie laughs and decides to be more careful with their homework in the future.
Max the Clever Mouse
Characters
ACT 1, SCENE 1
A grassy forest near the edge of a beach.
(NARRATOR: Max the mouse loved living in the forest, where he would nibble on berries and watch the waves from the beach. One day, Max found a juicy berry bush and started munching. Suddenly, Lion appeared.)
LION: (roaring) I am the king of the forest! That’s MY berry bush!
MAX: (nervously) Oh, I didn’t know, Lion. I’ll stop eating here.
LION: Good. Remember, everything here is mine.
(NARRATOR: Lion strutted away, and Max decided to find a new place to eat. He scurried down to the beach and began nibbling on some seaweed. Just then, Shark swam close to shore.)
SHARK: I am king of the sea! Only I get to eat here! You’d better swim away, little mouse!
MAX: (sighing) I can’t eat in the forest because of Lion, and I can’t eat at the beach because of Shark. What will I do?
(NARRATOR: Max decided to find a way to fix his problem.)
In Act 1, Scene 1, why does Max go to the beach?
A. He is looking for a new place to eat.
B. He goes every day to watch the waves.
C. He wants to find different food than berries.
D. He is planning a game for the other animals.
A. He is looking for a new place to eat
Read the sentence from Act 1, Scene 1.
Elephant came crashing through the bush.
Why does the author use crashing instead of walking in the sentence above?
A. to show that Elephant is slow
B. to show that Elephant is mean
C. to show that Elephant is strong
D. to show that Elephant is little
C. to show that Elephant is strong
Read the sentence from Act 1, Scene 2.
Whale and Elephant were not visible to each other.
Think about the Latin root vis. What is the meaning of visible above?
A. able to hear
B. able to be seen
C. able to moved
D. able to understand
B. able to be seen
Cousin Frances
(1) Last week, my uncle called to give me some exciting news. (2) “You have a new cousin,” he said, “and her name is Frances.” (3) Usually, I am not that interested in babies, but Frances is different. (4) Her is my first cousin! (5) Before Frances was born, there were only two children in our family—my sister, Kayla, and me. (6) “I can’t wait to see Frances!” Kayla said. (7) Mom showed Kayla and me some pictures of our cousin. (8) Frances is very small, with dark hair and light eyes. (9) Kayla asked my mom when we will get to meet Frances in person. (10) My aunt and uncle live far away in Denver, but Mom says we will go visit them soon. (11) I am ready to go. (12) My suitcase is already packed.
What change should be made in sentence 4?
A. Change "Her" to "She."
B. Change "Her" to "Him."
C. Change "Her" to "Them."
D. No change is needed.
A. Change "Her" to "She."