Mixed Bag
Here’s how to make a delicious fruit smoothie. First, put some ice in a blender. Then add some plain yogurt. You can also add a little honey if you’d like a sweeter smoothie. Next, put a banana in the blender. After that comes the real fun. You get to decide what other fruits go in your smoothie: strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, mango, or kiwi. There are so many choices of fruit! You can even mix a bunch of different fruits if you like. Now, run the blender until everything is well mixed and frothy. Great! You’re almost finished. But there’s one last, important step: Drink your delicious smoothie.
What is the text structure of this passage?
Sequencing
Brrrring! goes my lousy alarm clock. Time to get up. Did I mention that I detest Mondays? First, I get dressed. Man, these clothes are uncomfortable. Next, Mom tells me to brush my teeth. How can a toothbrush be so bristly? Then I eat breakfast. Yuck! These cornflakes are soggy. Now, I’m on the bus. The view out the window is always the same: boring! Now, I’m walking into my school. Why are other kids so noisy? Now, I’m sitting down at my desk. This chair is too low. Here comes my teacher handing back papers. Hmmmm, I got an A. Okay, that is . . . totally spectacular! I guess Mondays can be pretty awesome after all.
What is the tone.
cranky
My little brother is such a scaredycat. When my mom told him he had to get a shot at the doctor’s, you should have seen his face! He looked like he was going to run out of the building screaming. I told him to stop being such a chicken. “I’ve had shots before,” I told him. “It’s no big deal.” While he saw the doctor, I waited in the waiting room. Then my mom came out and said, “Now it’s your turn, Adam.” My heart started beating fast and my knees began to tremble. “You m-m-mean I have to get a shot, too?” I stammered.
How does Adam feel about getting the shot?
Adam is scared
Kara chose a difficult piece to play for the piano recital. Her teacher advised her to select an easier one, but Kara knew she could do it. Kara practiced every day after school. When her friends called to see if she could play, Kara told them that she couldn't and continued to practice. Even with all that practicing, a week before the recital, Kara still could not play the piece without making mistakes. Kara thought about giving up and switching to an easier piece, but instead she decided to double her practice time. The night of the recital arrived. Kara was the last student to play. As she walked onto the stage to take her place at the piano, she remembered the long hours she had spent practicing. Kara began to play. Her hands danced across the keyboard. She knew the piece so well! When the final note faded, the room erupted in applause. She had played the piece perfectly!
What is the theme?
Persistence pays off
Jazmín’s friends were in the pool, swimming and splashing. She waded in slowly, until the water reached her tummy. Brrrr! How could her friends be enjoying this too-cool pool? “You just have to go under,” shouted Mira. “Try counting to three,” offered Halle helpfully. “1 . . . 2 . . . 3.” But Jazmín just stood there, immobile, waist-deep in the water. Finally, she inched forward. Suddenly, she lost her balance, and found herself submerged. For a moment, she felt shockingly cold. But she quickly grew acclimated, and the water felt just fine. Soon, Jazmín was swimming and splashing and having fun with her friends.
What does the word submerge mean
Below the water
Some types of garbage, like potato skins and apple peels, quickly rot away. Other things, such as metal, glass, and plastic, break down much more slowly. It takes about 100 years for an empty soup can to decompose. A plastic water bottle takes about 450 years. During that time, dangerous chemicals get released into the ground or water. Fortunately, metal, plastic, and glass can be melted down and turned into new cans and bottles. That’s called recycling. Recycling really rocks!
What is the text structure of this text?
Problem/Solution
Some people in my class think math is hard. I guess not everyone can be as smart as I am, but I don’t see what they f ind so difficult. Math is a snap! And when some people complain about all the homework our teacher gives us, I just roll my eyes. Maybe if they were as smart as I am, it wouldn’t take them so long to finish! Luckily, I’m so brilliant that I can f inish my homework really fast. That leaves me plenty of time to hang out with friends. I don’t really have any friends, though. I think I must intimidate people!
What is the Tone?
Braggy
Jaycee was up next to bat. It was the bottom of the seventh inning. Her softball team was losing, 10 to 9. There was a runner on first base. If Jaycee could hit a home run, her team would win. Jaycee stepped up to home plate. The pitcher tossed the ball. Jaycee swung her bat hard. Crack! Jaycee took off running and just kept going . . . until she reached home plate. Soon, everyone on her team was jumping up and down. Jaycee’s coach was so proud. Even Jaycee’s grumpy little brother, sitting in the stands, let out a hearty cheer.
What happened when Jaycee had her turn at bat?
Jaycee hit a home run.
evin wasn't worried about his book report. He had three whole weeks to get it done. There was no reason to get started right away, especially when he had just gotten a new video game! The next day, Kevin thought about going to the library to pick out a book for his report, but decided to play with his friends instead. He could go to the library on the weekend instead. The weekend came and rather than going to the library, Kevin spent the whole weekend at his cousin's farm. He didn't go to the library the next week either; there was always something fun to do instead. Two weeks passed and Kevin still hadn't picked out a book. By the time he finally got to the library, there was not enough time to read the book and write the report. Kevin tried to write the report without reading the whole book, but it did not go very well. Kevin failed the assignment
What is the theme?
Don't put things off until the last minute
Ozzy was at the big football game. He wore a shirt with the name of his favorite player. He proudly waved a pennant for the team. Ozzy even painted his face the team colors. Whenever the crowd erupted in cheering, Ozzy joined in. Whenever the crowd did the wave, Ozzy jumped to his feet. The game was very exciting and very close. His team won, 27–24. “I’m so worn out,” Ozzy announced when he arrived home. “But you didn’t play,” said his mother. “You only watched.” That was true. Simply watching had been exhausting. Ozzy brushed his teeth, washed off his face paint, and went to bed.
What does the word pennant mean?
A flag
Most people think a dog’s tail tells just one thing: A wagging tail means the dog is happy. But in fact, dogs’ tails have a lot to say. Sometimes a wagging tail does mean a dog is happy, but only when the tail wags to the right! A wag to the left, on the other hand, means the dog is upset or stressed out. A dog that’s very scared might tuck its tail under its body. And when a dog is feeling angry or aggressive, it often holds its tail straight up. Dogs may not be able to talk, but if we pay attention to their tails, we can understand them anyway!
What is the main idea?
Dog's tails have a lot to say .
I remember the day I saw the sign in front of Scooter’s house across the street: For Sale. “Is it true?” I asked him in worried barks. Scooter was a mutt just like me and my best friend. We played together in the park every day, splashing in puddles and fetching balls. He nodded mournfully. Yes, it was true. His humans were moving. A few weeks later, I sat on my front porch and watched Scooter’s family pack up the car. He waved his furry paw and hopped into the backseat. After that, the car drove away. Good-bye forever, best buddy!
What is the Tone?
Sad
Lately, Hector had trouble seeing things clearly. When his teacher wrote on the whiteboard, sometimes Hector had to squint to make it out. When he watched a movie, the people’s faces up on the screen often looked blurry. Now, Hector was at the mall with his mother. It was hard for Hector to read the store signs without walking up close to them. “Here we are. This is the store we want,” said his mother. “Good,” said Hector. “When I come back out, I hope I’ll be able to see everything more clearly.”
What kid of store does Hector go into?
Hector goes into a glasses store.
Sarah didn't play with Laila, the new girl in her class, at recess. No one did. Laila had come to their school after winter break. She wore strange clothes and she spoke with an accent. Then one day, the teacher put Sarah and Laila together as partners on a class project. At first Sarah was nervous about working with someone so different, but then they began to talk. She found out that Laila had a little brother just like she did. Not only that, they both loved to draw and they both collected sea shells. Sarah invited Laila over after school to work on the project and see her shell collection. The girls worked well together and before she left, Sarah gave Laila one of her best shells to take home for her collection. The next day, Laila invited Sarah over for dinner. The food was really different than what Sarah was used to, but it tasted really good. Laila's parents were nice too. The girls got an A on their project, but even better, they became good friends.
What is the theme?
Don't judge people before you get to know them
Peter claimed to have a magic pan. The pan could turn into a pizza. “Could you bestow some dough?” he asked Jayla. Jayla gave him some dough. Peter spread it in the pan. “Sauce would be boss,” he said to Nick. Nick gave him sauce. Peter slathered it onto the dough. “Cheese, please,” he said to Gabi. Gabi provided cheese. Peter sprinkled it over the sauce. Next, Peter popped the pan in the oven. Twenty minutes elapsed, then he pulled it out. Everyone was amazed. The magic pan had turned into a pizza!
What does the word elapsed mean?
to slip by
In some countries around the world, a disease called malaria can make people very sick. The disease doesn’t occur in the United States, but it is common in countries around the globe. The disease is carried by mosquitoes. When they bite people, they can transmit the malaria virus, and people get sick. Mosquitoes often bite at night when people are sleeping. So one way this problem has been successfully addressed is through the use of nets. The thin, lightweight nets look like tents, and people sleep inside them. These nets keep mosquitoes away, so they can’t bite people and make them sick.
What is the problem described in this passage?
The disease called malaria that is spread by Mosquitos.
Hi! Sally Sporter here. If you’ve just tuned in on your TV, this is incredible! Snail #1, with the tan shell, is in the lead. Snail #2, with the white shell, is close behind. They are nearing the finish line. Oh, my! Snail #1 has stopped. Snail #2 is still moving forward. Now Snail #2 is in the lead. What blinding speed! What determination! Snail #2 is crossing the finish line. Snail #2 is the winner! This is amazing, folks! I’ve never seen a more exciting snail race. Tune in next week for the turtle high jump.
What is the Tone?
Silly
Tomás climbed inside the time machine. Whoosh! A few seconds passed, then he stepped outside. Dinosaurs were everywhere. A big, fierce-looking one came charging at him. Tomás jumped back inside the time machine. Whoosh! A few seconds passed, then he climbed out. Now, robots were everywhere. A menacing one rolled toward him, blinking its lights and saying, “Beep, bip, beep.” Tomás hurried back into the time machine once more. Whoosh! A few seconds later, he got out. Everywhere there were cars, buildings, and people texting on cell phones. “I think I’ll just stay here,” thought Tomás.
In the end, what time period did Tomas decide to stay in?
Tomas decided to stay in the present.
Cassie was having a wonderful time at summer camp. Her counselor was really nice and she had made friends with all of the girls in her cabin. One day, a package arrived for Cassie. All the girls in her cabin watched as she opened it. It was a box of homemade chocolate chip cookies. Cassie's mother made the best chocolate chip cookies in the world! Cassie took one out of the box and was just about to take a bite when one of the other girls asked if she could have a cookie. Then all the girls were asking. Cassie counted the cookies in the box. There were exactly twelve of them. There were ten girls in the cabin. If she gave a cookie to each girl, there would only be two left for herself. Cassie knew that if she shared with one girl, she would have to share with everyone, so she decided not to share at all. Cassie got to eat all of the cookies herself, but from then on the other girls hardly talked to her at all and no one wanted to be her friend anymore
What is her theme?
Selfishness leads to unhappiness
Elle received a pink sweater for her birthday. She frowned. It was a gift from her aunt, whom she hadn’t seen in several years. Pink happened to be a color Elle detested. She loved blue. So she handed the sweater down to her little sister, Gwen. Gwen adored pink. Gwen washed the sweater and it shrank. So Gwen handed the sweater down to the youngest sister, Traci. Now the sweater’s yarn was loose. The sweater began to unravel. So Traci handed the sweater up to her grandmother, who used the loose yarn to knit a brand-new sweater!
What does the word detested mean?
strongly disliked
A pearl is a round, pea-sized white gem that is used in different kinds of jewelry. Unlike most gems, which come from the earth, pearls come from the sea. In fact, they come from oysters, a type of shellfish. An oyster lives inside a hard, sealed shell. When a grain of sand slips inside this shell, the oyster considers the sand an intruder. In order to protect itself, it produces a substance that covers over the grain of sand. Over time, this substance hardens and becomes the gem we know as a beautiful pearl.
what is the Author's Purpose?
To inform
For the first time, Jose was spending the night at his grandmother’s. She lived in a dark, old house on a lonely hill. That evening, in his room, Jose heard this sound! Creak! Someone was on the stairs. He was pretty sure his grandmother had gone to bed. So who— or what—was it? The doorknob started to turn back and forth. Jose’s hair stood on end. Then the old door swung open. Screeeeech. A shadowy figure stood there. “Hello, Jose,” said the shadowy figure. “I couldn’t sleep, so I baked you some sugar cookies.” It was just Grandma! And her cookies were scrumptious.
What is the Tone?
Spooky
Anika was playing soccer when she tripped over the ball and went tumbling. “Youch!” she screamed. She ran over to her mom, trying not to cry. “My arm really hurts,” she said. Her mom touched the arm gingerly, careful not to press too hard. “Is it broken?” Anika asked. “I think we better go to the emergency room,” her mom said. The doctor at the hospital ordered an X-ray so he could see if the bone was broken. Then Anika and her mom waited. When the doctor came back, he said, “Good news! Just rest the arm for a few days and it will be just fine.”
Is Anika's arm broken?
No, Anika's arm is not broken.
Benny and Danny were twins. Each week, they each got five dollars in allowance. Benny always spent all of his allowance on candy and small toys. Every so often, Danny bought some candy, but he saved most of his money in a piggy bank that he kept on his nightstand by his bed. Sometimes, Danny did extra chores around the house to earn more money. He always put his earnings into his bank. The months passed and soon school was out for summer. One day, Danny asked his parents to take him to the bike store. He had saved enough money for a new bike! Danny picked out a red bike with blue handlebars. His parents were so impressed with how much he had saved that they bought him a helmet and a bike lock. Danny spent the summer riding his new bike around the neighborhood with his friends. Since he did not have a bike, Benny spent most of his summer alone at home.
What is the theme?
you can buy more if you save your money
Joel sat down to lunch. He had a turkey and cheese sandwich on white bread. But Joel liked to make trades. “That bagel sure looks good,” said Joel to Debbie. “I’ll trade you my bread for it.” Debbie made the trade. Joel scanned the lunch table. He noticed that Javier had beef stew. “I’ll trade you turkey for stew,” he said. Javier made the trade. Joel managed one more exchange with Rory, swapping his cheese for pickle slices. Joel assembled his various lunch items. He now had a bagel with beef stew and pickles. Joel took a bite. Mmmm, not bad at all!
What does the word exchange mean?
swap