Theme
Henrietta the hen did not like to do things right away. She always found a reason to do things later.
One day, the other hens were doing chores when they felt a drop of rain. They knew they had to put straw over their houses to keep their nests dry.
All the hens, except Henrietta, covered their houses with straw.
Henrietta kept putting it off. Then the rain came. It dripped right into her nest!
What is the theme of the story?
Do not wait to do things until later.
Benjamin and Omar have to cooperate on their class project. They need to make a small bridge together. They plan to take turns building the bridge. They also plan to share paints.
Which of the following means the same as cooperate?
work together
One day, Lion caught a mouse. "Please do not eat me, Sir Lion," begged Mouse. "Someday, I could do you a kindness."
"What could you ever do for me?" asked Lion. "But we will see." Lion let Mouse go.
The next day, Lion fell into a net. Mouse came by and said, "I will set you free." Mouse bit the rope and set Lion free.
"Thank you, Mouse. I am so glad I did not eat you," said Lion.
How is the problem in this story fixed?
Mouse bites the rope and sets Lion free.
When Sara got home, she heard her mom shouting. At first, she did not realize that her mom was shouting at her. Soon, Sara was shouting too. Her mom thought she had forgotten to take out the trash. Sara made her mom remember that it was her day to take out the trash. Sara's mom had forgotten! She stopped shouting and took out the trash. She was laughing when she came back into the house. How silly she was to forget. She said sorry to Sara for her mistake and promised to take out the trash for the next week.
At the end of the passage, Sara's mom was
sorry for forgetting to take out the trash.
A wolf saw some sheep in a field. "I want to get close to them," he thought. Then he had an idea. He found an old sheepskin and covered himself with it. He looked just like a sheep!
He walked down to the sheep in the field. They thought he was one of them. They were not scared. Not even the shepherd who was watching the sheep noticed the wolf. The wolf decided to wait until night to take one of the sheep. He knew that the shepherd would go home at night.
At the end of the day, a farmer came to buy a sheep to take home. The farmer looked at all of the sheep. He wanted to choose the biggest one. Suddenly, the farmer chose the wolf! It was a bad idea for the wolf to look like a sheep!
adapted from "The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" by Aesop
Why does the wolf decide to wait until night?
The shepherd leaves the sheep alone at night.
Two men were traveling together, when a Bear suddenly met them on their path. One of them climbed up quickly into a tree and hid in the branches. The other fell flat on the ground. The Bear came up and felt him with his snout, and smelled him all over. The man held his breath and pretended he was dead. The Bear soon left him, for it is said he will not touch a dead body. When he was gone, the other traveler came down from the tree, and asked his friend what it was the Bear had whispered in his ear. "He gave me this advice," his companion replied. "Never travel with a friend who deserts you at the approach of danger."
What is the theme?
Trouble shows you who your friends really are.
On every family trip, Parker and Collin like to run down the corridors in the hotel. They love racing down the long narrow spaces. Sometimes people in the hotel rooms would open their doors. They would ask the boys to quiet down.
What does the word corridors most likely mean?
hallways
Once upon a time there lived a frog named Hector. Hector loved to eat flies. Every day, he would sit by the pond and eat flies.
Then, one day it turned cold. The other frogs went to sleep. Hector, though, didn’t want to sleep. He wanted to catch flies. He sat by the pond and waited, but no fly flew by. One whole day passed, and there was still no fly. Hector started to worry.
Why is Hector worried?
He cannot catch any flies.
Benny had seen the big kids riding skateboards. Now he wanted one. His mom would not buy him a skateboard. She said, "It costs too much money!"
Benny decided to buy himself a skateboard. He did not tell his mom. She would decide skateboards were not safe. He did chores for his neighbors. At first, they looked at him strangely. They could not believe a little kid was mowing lawns and raking leaves. By doing these chores, he earned money for a skateboard.
One day, he asked his mom to take him to the mall. He did not tell her why he wanted to go. She knew her birthday was coming up, so she did not ask questions. When Benny showed up at the food court with a new skateboard, she was surprised. She said, “Well, you earned it. Most kids your age would have given up. I am glad you did not.”
Why did Benny's neighbors look at him in a strange way?
because he was a little kid doing big chores
Each day in Fanning Forest, the animals gathered near a great oak tree to chat. Each day, Hare boasted about his speed.
One day, Tortoise, who was two hours late for the gathering, said, "Hare, you brag about speed. But slow and steady is the way of some of us who have lived a very long time. Join me in a race, and I'll show you." Laughing, Hare agreed.
Bear announced the start, and Hare zipped away, waving to the other animals as he sped along the path. Then, he decided to stop along a quiet stretch for a nap. He was sure Tortoise was far behind.
Meanwhile, Tortoise plodded along. He knew Hare might goof around, thinking he had the race won. So, if just he kept going, he might sneak past him.
Tortoise was only a foot or two from the finish line when Hare woke up from his nap. And that was close enough. Tortoise won!
The other animals cheered as the embarrassed Hare slipped away into the bushes with Tortoise's words ringing in his ears. "Slow and steady."
Why do the other animals cheer when Hare loses the race?
They are tired of Hare's bragging.
King Midas wants more and more gold and is finally granted his wish: Everything he touches will turn to gold. The Midas touch! He is ecstatic, as even the flowers become gold under his powerful touch. Unfortunately, when King Midas touches his daughter, she turns into a gold statue, and it is at that moment he realizes that all the gold in the world does not compare to his daughter or her love.
Be careful what you wish for.
My family finally arrived at our three-day camping trip. We were really anticipating having great weather—we packed sunscreen, sun hats, and bathing suits. But we didn't count on a change in the forecast. It started pouring as we were about to go for our first rowboat trip! My brother was so downcast about the weather that he sat in the boat, just waiting for the rain to pass. We ran for cover, then joined him later as the sun peeked out. He was dripping wet and laughing at our first camp misadventure.
In the passage, what is the meaning of downcast?
upset
It was a dark and cold winter morning. Jim and his brother Carl waited impatiently for the school bus. Carl chewed on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
"I hate going to school," Jim said. "You never know what might go wrong during the day. We might have a pop quiz or be attacked by the school bully."
Carl finished the last sandwich bite and moved on to a thermos filled with chocolate milk. "It's a lot more fun in my class."
"Sure," Jim said. "It's because you're in kindergarten. Everything's fun in kindergarten."
The bus arrived. Both boys walked into it and separated to find their friends. As Jim sat down next to his best friend Mike, he noticed something.
"Hey, my lunchbox feels really light."
What is an event in the passage above?
Jim realizes that his lunchbox is suddenly much lighter.
When Lulu was a little girl, she lived with her aunt and uncle. The front door of their house was made half of glass, and it had a shutter, which covered the glass part of the door at night.
Lulu's aunt told her that when the weather was windy, she must go around to the back door. Her aunt feared that the front door could bang, and some of the panes of glass could break.
Lulu did not always remember to obey her aunt. One very windy morning, she came home from school and went as usual to the front door. She managed to open it and got inside safely, but the door closed with a loud bang due to the strong wind, and it happened just as her aunt had feared—a large pane of glass fell out of the door and broke into a thousand pieces.
Lulu's aunt was upset, and Lulu was also unhappy. When her uncle came home and heard the story, and knew how sorry Lulu was, he said: "Oh, well, dry your tears, we'll call and ask old James to come and mend the door, and my little girl, you must remember what your aunt tells you."
By the end of the story, the reader can infer that Lulu
learns when to avoid using the glass door and that she should always obey her aunt.
As I watched my parents disappear from the parking lot, I stared at the empty ground for a long time. My life was about to change forever at the age of fourteen. I had never thought I would be studying and living away from my family for four years. It was a family tradition my parents had followed while growing up in Europe.
I stood alone and searched for the mountains. The wind was chilly and bits of snow were piling on my shoes. Things were certainly not the same in this town. The situation seemed even worse when I noticed how different I looked from everyone else. Everywhere I looked around everyone looked happy to be there except for me. None of them had the look of homesickness in their faces.
I slowly moved toward the yellow building—my new home—and decided to get my meal card from my room before looking for the cafeteria. That was when I spotted the girl who looked more out of place than me. She could not have been more than twelve. She was carrying a big backpack, wearing a thick jacket, and holding onto two suitcases sitting on the floor. I could see white airport tags still attached to her luggage.
"Hi, I am Shree," I told the girl, deciding to introduce myself. "Can I help you find anything?"
"I am Mongoo," she spoke softly. "Yes, where is the girls' building?" She gave me a little smile as I offered to carry one of her suitcases to our new home.
Based on this passage, can the reader infer that Shree is a helpful person?
Yes, because she offers to assist Mongoo with her luggage.
But he was rewarded when the sun god healed his scars and gave the young Indian his blessing to marry the chief's daughter.
What theme from the passage is reflected in this sentence above?
You will be rewarded if you do not give up on love.
Invasive plants and animals are harmful to natural environments because they compete for the same food, water, and shelter used by the native species.
In the sentence, what is the meaning of compete?
to battle or challenge
It was a dark and cold winter morning. Jim and his brother Carl waited impatiently for the school bus. Carl chewed on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
"I hate going to school," Jim said. "You never know what might go wrong during the day. We might have a pop quiz or be attacked by the school bully."
Carl finished the last sandwich bite and moved on to a thermos filled with chocolate milk. "It's a lot more fun in my class."
"Sure," Jim said. "It's because you're in kindergarten. Everything's fun in kindergarten."
The bus arrived. Both boys walked into it and separated to find their friends. As Jim sat down next to his best friend Mike, he noticed something.
"Hey, my lunchbox feels really light."
Which sentence from the passage is an example of foreshadowing?
" 'You never know what might go wrong during the day.' "
Olympic athletes spend hours training starting at an early age. Those who do make it to the Olympic Games often do not win medals—and these are the top athletes of the world. Wilma Rudolph not only made it to the Olympics, she won three gold medals.
Wilma Rudolph was born on June 23, 1940, in St. Bethlehem, Tennessee. She came from a very big family. She was the 17th of 19 children in her family. The family moved to Clarksville, Tennessee, which is where Wilma grew up. When Wilma was young, she had polio and scarlet fever. The polio left her without the use of one of her legs. She needed to wear leg braces to walk. Eventually, she was able to walk with a special shoe. After about three years, she didn't need the special shoe anymore.
In high school, Wilma played basketball and ran track. She broke all the state basketball records and won all her track meets. Wilma went to Tennessee State University and started training for the Olympics. In July of 1960, Wilma went to the Olympics in Rome, Italy. She won three gold medals and was called the "World's Fastest Woman." She was later named female athlete of the year.
Wilma became a coach and an athletic consultant in Chicago, Illinois. She died in 1994 of a brain tumor. Wilma will be remembered for her courage as a young child overcoming her illness, her athletic ability, and her dedication to reaching her goals. To this day, Wilma's life continues to inspire people to reach their personal goals.
Which of the following phrases best describes Wilma Rudolph?
determined to excel
Juan began mowing lawns for money last summer. He started mowing at the beginning of May. It was spring, it rained often and continued through the summer, and the lawns on Juan's block grew fast. He was able to mow lawns all summer, and he made some good money! This year was completely different. The weather did not cooperate. Most of Juan's customers told him that he did not need to mow as often. By the end of the summer, Juan made less than half of what he made the year before.
Which of these statements is supported by the paragraph?
There was less rain this summer than last summer.
Scarface, a young Indian brave whose face was badly scarred by a grizzly bear, thought little of his bad scars until he fell in love with the beautiful daughter of the chief of his tribe. His heart ached as other young men mocked his feelings for the chief's daughter, and matters were made worse when she told him the Lord of the Sun forbade her to marry. Scarface took a journey to meet this Lord of the Sun, a journey that led him through difficult passages and across great distances. But he was rewarded when the sun god healed his scars and gave the young Indian his blessing to marry the chief's daughter.
What is the theme?
one shouldn't give up.
Please join us for the fifth annual Mountain Games. Every year, more and more teams join our ranks. This year, we are hoping to have at least ten new teams enter the fray! So, come on down and register today!
What does the word fray suggest about the Mountain Games?
It is an activity that involves competition.
From the time Hector could remember, his mother was always working around the house. She tended the garden, raised the chickens, milked the goat, sewed the clothes, cleaned the house, and prepared the meals. Even with all of her work, his mother still found time to sing him songs and tell him stories as a child. Hector felt that she deserved all the riches and luxuries in the world.
One day after buying some corn flour at the market, Hector stopped and watched an elderly craftswoman in the village weaving her delicate lace. She was known for her skill and her intricate designs. It took her several months to complete one item, and she charged a lot of money for her work. Hector wished he had enough money to buy a lace shawl for his beloved mother.
Read the following sentence from the passage.
"Hector wished he had enough money to buy a lace shawl for his beloved mother."
The sentence above foreshadows that Hector will
find a way to buy a beautiful lace shawl for his mother.
Ethan did his best to avoid looking at T.J. and Joey when he said, "Yeah, I'm not going to be able to go to the concert. Brandon's got a doctor’s appointment. I have to help my mom get him in and out of the car and the doctor's office."
Ethan’s brother Brandon did not have a doctor's appointment. Ethan did not want his friends to know the truth. His mom said that he could not go to the concert.
Unlike Joey’s and T.J.’s moms, his mom was strict. As a result, he often found himself in situations like the one in which he currently found himself. He continued expanding his excuse. He talked about Brandon’s health problems, about wanting to spend time with Brandon, about being the only person who could help his mom.
Some of it was true. Some of it was not. It did not really matter. T.J. and Joey had stopped listening. Neither friend was actually foolish enough to think that Ethan would be able to go to the concert. They knew that his mom was strict. They doubted the story about Brandon’s doctor’s appointment. However, they chose not to say anything. Knowing that Ethan was touchy when conversation turned towards his mother’s rules, they wanted to help him save face. They asked him to go to the concert because they did not want him to feel left out.
Why do T.J. and Joey invite Ethan to the concert?
They know he can't go but don't want him to feel left out.
Amy worked every Sunday—that was just the nature of the job. First, there was church and the sermon, and then afterwards she would visit sick people in the hospital. On Tuesday mornings she led a prayer breakfast for the men’s group. On Wednesday evenings, she led a Bible study. When she was taking classes at theology school, there had been such an intellectual thrill that she never thought about how busy she would be on a day-to-day basis. Her life now was an endless flow of baptisms and funerals, weddings and potluck suppers.
What can the reader infer about what Amy does for a living?
She is a pastor.