Story Structure
Describe all of the settings in the story:
“Quickly!” whispered Yovana to the other fairies, who flitted over the terraformed surface of Mars. The deep forest was quiet as all of the animals were sleeping. Yet, Yovana and the fairies knew that it was time to put the finishing touches on the spaceship and take off to the neighboring planet, Earth. Although it was not much more than a wasteland, the fairies were tired of the constant fighting with the gremlins. “Is it ready?” Yovana asked Roger nervously, and he nodded gravely, but not without a bit of doubt. They loaded up and Roger initiated the launch sequence as they all held hands anxiously. The roar of the rockets soon overcame them all. As their beautiful world slipped away below them, they were relieved but bitterly sad that they’d soon be in a barren land. “Try to rest, we’ll need all of our energy to put into our magic when we arrive so that we can grow a forest as soon as possible,” Yovana reminded the fairies as they flew through the darkness of space.
Mars, in the deep forest, wasteland, spaceship
Which sentence from the story has the most examples of alliteration?
Leon put on a hat to cover his dirty hair and long sleeve shirt to cover his arms as though he was trying to turn a caterpillar into a butterfly. Yet, he couldn’t help but feel like he would never fit in with the other monsters at school. He didn’t have wondrous wings like the dragons or ferocious fangs like the vampires. However, that day, when a strong wind whipped through the playground and knocked everything over, Leon was the only one strong enough to put everything back in its place. Maybe it wasn’t so bad being a zombie, he thought to himself as his classmates cheered him on.
He didn’t have wondrous wings like the dragons or ferocious fangs like the vampires.
Which type of text structure is used in the passage?
Description, Compare and Contrast, Chronological order/Sequential order, Problem and solution, Cause and Effect
What starts out as a normal mosquito bite quickly turns sinister if you’ve been infected with botfly larva. First, the botfly, which live in tropical climates south of Mexico, stick their eggs onto a mosquito. Then, when the mosquito bites a person, the eggs make their way into the person’s flesh. Finally, the eggs hatch as larva, or tiny worms! At that point, people usually need to be seen by a doctor who removes the parasites and makes sure the wound heals properly.
Chronological/Sequential Order
What is the author’s purpose?
Entertain, inform, persuade, explain, describe
Tootsie Rolls are a popular chewy chocolate taffy candy that have been around since 1907. Unlike many other candies that easily melt or break into pieces, Tootsie Rolls are great for travel. For this reason, this candy was used as rations for soldiers during WWII as a way to give them a boost of energy, and perhaps even improve their moods. Experts even report that soldiers sometimes used the candy to patch holes in equipment because of its playdough like consistency.
Inform
Did you know that your nose and throat produce up to 2 quarts of mucus every day? That’s a lot! However, without mucus, our lungs would be in big trouble. It’s the job of the mucus to catch things like dust, smoke, or other things floating around in the air and keep them from entering the lungs. When you’re sick, your body makes even more mucus to help you get rid of viruses and bacteria.
Which is the best synonym for the word "mucus" as it is used in the passage?
Sweat, snot, tears, saliva
Snot
What is the conflict of this story:
Miles grabbed his duffel bag and left the police station in a hurry, ready to get out on his rounds. After driving for a while, he found his suspect. He reached into the passenger’s seat for the duffel bag and rummaged for his spy camera, only to find that it was missing! Miles specifically remembered placing the camera in his bag. Tracing his steps in his mind, he only remembered bumping into the new recruit at the front desk. Remotely, Miles activated the spy camera and was surprised to see a plate of tasty donuts in front of the camera. “Ugh, he really thought it was a pen!” Miles sighed, before turning around to return to the police station and retrieve the pen from the rooky officer.
He reached into the passenger’s seat for the duffel bag and rummaged for his spy camera, only to find that it was missing!
Which sentence from the story has an example of a simile?
Brenda the vampire sighed as she ripped out yet another seam of the suit she was sewing. It had to be as dark as midnight and impenetrable by the sun, otherwise she would turn into dust the instant a ray of sun touched her skin. Yet, Brenda was tired of being limited to going out only after the sun set. “Ouch!” she yelped, sucking blood from her finger, before returning to the sewing machine and trying again. She was bound and determined to make this suit a success. Sure enough, after three more weeks of hard work, Brenda finally finished the suit and took it out for a test drive.
It had to be as dark as midnight and impenetrable by the sun, otherwise she would turn into dust the instant a ray of sun touched her skin.
Which type of text structure is used in the passage?
Description, Compare and Contrast, Chronological order/Sequential order, Problem and solution, Cause and Effect
Did you know that fewer than one percent of tadpoles survive to become froglets? This is a problem for frogs around the world, but not for the gastric brooding frog. This unusual frog swallows its eggs, which then grow, hatch into tadpoles and grow into froglets completely protected from predators. When ready to survive on their own, the frogs simply hop out of their mother’s mouth. Unfortunately, the gastric brooding frog is now extinct due to other environmental factors.
Problem and solution
What is the author’s purpose?
Entertain, inform, persuade, explain, describe
Lucy and Manuel huffed and puffed as they hiked up the hill, hoping to soon reach the top and appreciate the stunning lookout. When they finally arrived, they were very hungry and thirsty. After they had drained their water bottles, Manuel suddenly remembered that he had some trail mix in his pocket. Excitedly, he reached his hand into his pocket to grab some tasty nuts and chocolate. Yet, when he removed his hand to offer some to Lucy, she recoiled upon seeing a brown sticky mess. “No, it’s chocolate chips, the chocolate melted!” exclaimed Manuel, laughing!
Entertain
Horned lizards are known for their intimidating spikes and ability to camouflage. However, these aren’t the horned lizards’ only defense mechanisms. When they’re in real trouble, they can also discourage a predator from eating them by shooting blood at them from their eyes! This usually scares the predator and sends them running away. The horned lizard does this by pooling blood behind their eyes and then contracting certain muscles to make the blood shoot out. Would that be enough to scare you away?
Which is the best antonym for the word "discourage" as it is used in the passage?
Confuse, scare, encourage, soothe
Encourage
Which character traits would best describe Joanna?
Joanna jolted at the soft ding of the computer, knowing that the notification indicated that an email had arrived. “Bianca!” she whispered, trying not to disturb the other students who were reading quietly at the large tables. Bianca appeared from behind a bookshelf and slid into a seat beside Joanna. Eagerly, Joanna clicked on the email from their Filipino pen pal as she exclaimed “Gosh, I wonder what time it must be there, wouldn’t it be the middle of the night?” The girls quickly read the email, with Joanna muttering questions all throughout. “I wonder what her lunch is like...Do you think there’s a beach near her house?...Do you think she has her own bedroom?...How many kids do you think are in her class?” Bianca giggled and said, “You sure have a lot of questions, so why don’t you write our reply?”
curious, considerate, inquisitive
Which sentence from the story is an example of hyperbole?
The light of the full moon bathed the valley, awakening mummies buried deep in the sand hundreds of years before. They were shocked to see thousands of slaves hauling rocks the size of Everest itself to a construction site. Looking at each other, the mummies knew that they had to stop the abuse of the slaves, as they had once been poor in their lives. It was the right thing to do, even if they returned to their sand graves. After scaring the slaves to get information, they marched to the pharaoh’s palace and nearly gave him a heart attack. Yet, it was worth it as he didn’t continue building the pyramids with slave labor.
They were shocked to see thousands of slaves hauling rocks the size of Everest itself to a construction site.
Which type of text structure is used in the passage?
Description, Compare and Contrast, Chronological order/Sequential order, Problem and solution, Cause and Effect
Have you ever seen an adorable monkey eating some fruit up high in a tree? It probably looked very different from the proboscis monkey, which has very unique features that make it easy to distinguish from other species of monkeys. While most monkeys have a pronounced nose, the proboscis monkey takes this to another level with a huge nose that hangs down over its mouth. Plus, while monkeys usually have dexterous hands and feet for moving around in the trees, the proboscis monkey has webbed feet and hands. The webbed feet and hands help this monkey swim in the rivers, which are a part of its natural habitat.
Compare and contrast
What is the author’s purpose?
Entertain, inform, persuade, explain, describe
Unfortunately, candy bar manufacturers came up with the “fun size” in the 1960s. It would have been better had the “fun size” never have been invented because we could all enjoy large candy bars. A “fun size” candy bar is too small to satisfy a craving for chocolate. Plus, it only drives up the cost of candy because you have to buy at least two or more “fun size” candy bars to equal one normal sized candy bar. Everyone should protest “fun size” candy bars and buy only normal sized candy bars.
Persuade
Did you know that ancient Romans used urine and even sold it? One way they used this waste product was in farming and making juicier pomegranates. If you let urine sit for a long time, it turns into ammonia, which they used for cleaning their clothing. To collect urine, big barrels were put in the streets and passers by could simply relieve themselves. Then, the urine was processed for many of these and other even more questionable uses.
Using context clues, which is the best definition of the word “urine” as it is used in the passage?
A. liquid waste that collects in the bladder before leaving the body
B. solid waste that collects in the bladder before leaving the body
C. liquid cleaning agent
D. excess liquid not needed
liquid waste that collects in the bladder before leaving the body
What is the resolution of the story?
The Goddess Nuria looked down at the people of Earth with affection. Then, she noticed a family was trying to tell their child about how adorable they were as a baby. “Your cheeks were chubby and rosy,” the mother said. “I’ll draw a picture,” the father said, pulling out a stick and drawing something that looked more like a monster in the sand. The Goddess took pity on the many families of Earth and decided that she would give them an amazing gift. Taking the form of a scientist, the goddess spent weeks as a human, working alongside other scientists. She had to be careful, making sure that no one would know that she was among the humans. Finally, when her work was done, she returned to her home in the clouds. There, she watched as the humans enjoyed using the new device, the camera, to take pictures and make memories with their loved ones.
There, she watches as the humans enjoyed using their new device, the camera, to take pictures and make memories with their loved ones.
Which sentence from the story is an example of personification?
Plink, plank, plunk. Natalia dropped jars from the chemistry cabinet into her basket and walked over to the lab table. The bottles were practically shouting and begging to be opened, so Natalia obeyed despite her better judgement. Luckily, she thought ahead far enough to put some goggles on before she poured different liquids and chemicals into a beaker. After pouring from one last bottle, a mini explosion happened, scaring Natalia’s soul out of her body and creating a smell so stinky she thought she would faint. Needless to say, Natalia never performed her own chemistry experiments without supervision from the teacher ever again.
The bottles were practically shouting and begging to be opened, so Natalia obeyed despite her better judgement.
Which type of text structure is used in the passage?
Description, Compare and Contrast, Chronological order/Sequential order, Problem and solution, Cause and Effect
Have you ever heard of the blobfish? These fish look like a pile of gelatinous material and barely have functioning bones. As a result, they aren’t able to move very much, meaning it is impossible for them to hunt prey. Instead, they float just above the ocean floor, waiting for crabs, urchins, and marine snow, or waste from higher in the ocean, to float into their open mouths. Like many deep-sea fish, blobfish are very strange looking and have to adapt to survive under high water pressure.
Cause and effect
What is the author’s purpose?
Entertain, inform, persuade, explain, describe
Cotton candy is a delicious treat made out of one simple ingredient: sugar! It is light and fluffy, as the sugar is stretched into strands that are about as thin as human hair. Cotton candy comes in many different colors and flavors. Some popular colors are pink, purple, blue, and green. Usually, it is sold on a stick, in a paper cone, or in a plastic bag. You can often find cotton candy at fairs, carnivals, or amusement parks. Just don’t eat too much or you’ll have to visit the dentist!
Describe
When you prepare your tackle and head out for a day of fishing, nothing will prepare you for catching a sheepshead fish. This strange fish is famous for its very human-like teeth that most people find very startling when caught. Generally, the fish is found in the Atlantic Ocean along the East Coast of the United States, Canada, and Central America. They use their flat teeth for crushing the shells of their prey which include oysters, clams, and other small fish. Plus, these teeth also come in handy for grinding up plant materials, as the sheepshead is omnivorous.
Which is the best definition of the word “tackle” as it is used in the passage?
A. the act of forcefully causing someone to fall to the ground
B. equipment used for a particular activity
C. to deal with something difficult
D. to try and get the ball from opposing player
equipment used for a particular activity
What is the climax of this story?
Slowly, carefully, Myrna connected the plugged in the two wires and examined her work. She couldn’t believe how much this new technology cost, but it was worth it for all the things this brand-new machine could do. Her curly hair in a messy bun, Myrna bent over the computer and then, satisfied, pressed the power button. She could barely breathe as she waited for the computer to react. A soft buzzing sound finally began and then the monitor lit up, as did Myrna’s face. Once this IBM computer was running, Myrna could type essays, and perhaps even play solitaire. She couldn’t wait to get started.
A soft buzzing sound finally began and the the monitor lit up, as did Myrna’s face.
Which sentence from the story is an example of an idiom?
Frankenstein was sad when he joined the other monsters to work on their group project because his father was gone on a weeklong boat trip. Meanwhile, the other kids kept teasing Frankenstein for the metal bar going through his head saying that his brain must have a hole in it. Finally, Frankenstein freaked out and burst into tears. “What’s the matter?” asked Dracula, feeling slightly guilty for being so mean. “I haven’t heard from my father, he’s on a boat trip and I don’t know when he’ll be back,” explained Frankenstein through sniffles. The monsters buried the hatchet right then and apologized for not being more considerate.
The monsters buried the hatchet right then and apologized for not being more considerate.
Which type of text structure is used in the passage?
Description, Compare and Contrast, Chronological order/Sequential order, Problem and solution, Cause and Effect
The tardigrade is an incredible tiny creature that can survive just about anything, including outer space. Measuring just half a millimeter in length, tardigrades have eight stubby legs. Each of their feet have claws, which help them grab onto their surroundings. In addition, they have a special mouth part that looks similar to a sucker or trunk which they use to obtain nutrients. Sometimes water bears, tardigrades come in many different colors including white, brown, green, or even red.
Description
What is the author’s purpose?
Entertain, inform, persuade, explain, describe
The process of making chocolate is very difficult and starts with harvesting fruit from the cacao tree in tropical countries. Then, the seeds of the fruit must be fermented, dried, and roasted, before they are ground up. Next, the fat is removed and cocoa powder is created. Several stages of grinding are required for the powder to become fine enough for creating chocolate. Finally, chocolate factories can use the raw ingredients including cocoa powder, cocoa butter, milk, and sugar to make the chocolate that we know and love.
Explain
Before you do your kitchen chores and wipe down the counters with a sponge, you should disinfect it first. Many sponges are far from clean and instead hold bacteria like E. coli and salmonella. It’s such a serious problem that the majority of coffee mugs are covered in germs that could make you sick! Yet, you can fix this problem by wetting the sponge and putting it on high in your microwave for one minute. Alternatively, throw it in the dishwasher with a load of dishes.
Using what you know about the prefix “dis”, which is the best definition of the word “disinfect” as it is used in the passage?
A. to remove a virus using a special program
B. to get rid of an unpleasant odor
C. to make dirty or not safe to use
D. to clean using a substance that kills germs
to clean using a substance that kills germs