Show:
Main Idea
Making Inferences
Context Clues
Figurative Language
Surprise!
100
Rachel lived with her mother in a faraway part of British Columbia. Her house sat alone atop a hill, and she was used to solitude. She liked the peace and quiet of being far away from everything, and she didn't mind playing by herself. Every morning Rachel woke up early with her mother so they could make it to school on time. It was a long drive down an empty road to get to the nearest town. What is the main idea of this passage? a. Rachel and her mother lived far away from everything. b. Rachel lived with her mother in British Columbia. c. Rachel liked playing by herself.
a. Rachel and her mother lived far away from everything.
100
Mrs. Lance is my favorite teacher, but something is not right today. Mrs. Lance is sitting down at her desk more than usual, and she asked us to read a story silently and just answer the questions in the book. I glance back at her, and she is blowing her nose. A little while later, I see that her cheeks are kind-of red, and she is drinking a lot of water and eating some cough drops. After a little while, Mr. Dean, another teacher, comes into our classroom. Mrs. Lance takes her purse and leaves, while Mr. Dean stays. What can you infer about Mrs. Lance?
Mrs. Lance is not feeling her best and may be sick.
100
Hubert and his father were lying on their backs looking at the stars. The sky was clear, it was almost midnight, and all the lights in the house were off. As Hubert's father told his son about the names and legends of the constellations, Hubert listened closely, fascinated by his father's astonishing stories. What is another way of saying astonishing as used in this passage? a. uncommon b. very interesting c. careful d. crazy
b. very interesting
100
I was so hungry that I even ate the plate. What type of figurative language is used in this sentence? A) simile B) personification C) metaphor D) hyperbole
D) Hyperbole
100
Two words that have the same meaning
A synonym
200
Being a clown isn’t all fun and games. Rodeo clowns expose themselves to great danger every time they perform. When cowboys dismount or are bucked off of bulls at riding competitions, rodeo clowns jump in front of the bulls and motion wildly to get their attention. In this way rodeo clowns provide an alternate target, and in doing so protect the rider. So you see, sometimes clowning around can be serious business. a. Rodeo clowns are a big part of the show b. Rodeo clowns protect cowboys by putting themselves in danger c. Clowning around is a serious business d. Going to a rodeo is fun and games
b. Rodeo clowns protect cowboys by putting themselves in danger
200
My dog Jack is very friendly, and he likes to be around people. Yesterday, our neighbors were having a party, and we all went over to cookout and swim at their house. We could hear Jack barking loudly from our backyard. After a little while, he got quiet, so we thought he had finally calmed down. But, several minutes later, all of the adults start laughing, and I see a black blur and hear a giant splash at the other end of the pool. What can you infer about Jack?
Jack snuck out from the backyard and is now in the pool.
200
A wonderful 98 year old woman is working day and night to knit scarves to send as gifts for the troops. What a selfless person she is! A selfless woman _______. a. is selfish b. has no name c. likes to wear scarves d. cares more about others than herself
d. cares more about others than herself
200
At sunset, the evening swaddles the land like a cocoon. Which two figurative language words are in the sentence? a. metaphor and personification b. personification and simile c. onomatopoeia and metaphor d. simile and onomatopoeia
b. personification and simile
200
To make an educated guess based on clues or evidence from text.
Inference
300
**DAILY DOUBLE** The life of a pirate was not like what you see in the movies. Many sailors died from either falling overboard in shark-infested waters or from plunging onto the deck from working the sails. Also, many pirates died from diseases such as scurvy and malaria. The only food they sometimes ate was hard tack and dried, salted meat. It’s no wonder most of them didn’t live very long! What is the main idea? a. The pirates died from many diseases b. Most of the pirates did not live very long because they lived filthy c. The lives of pirates are not exactly what you see in movies d. The food of pirates varied by what they found in the ocean
c. The lives of pirates are not exactly what you see in movies.
300
Anastasia sat by the fountain in the park with her head in her palms. She was weeping mournfully and her clothing was disheveled. In between gasps and sobs, Anastasia cried out a name: “Oh... John…” And then her cell phone beeped. Her hand ran into her purse and her heart fluttered. The text message was from John. She opened up the message and read the few bare words, “I need to get my jacket back from you.” Anastasia threw her head into her arms and continued sobbing. What can we infer about Anastasia and John?
That they just had a break up and Anastasia is upset from it
300
Some people are sure that the new health care law will mean better care for everyone. Others argue that the law will mean less care and longer waiting lines for those who need to see doctors. It's a controversy that will not go away soon. A controversy is something that people _______. a. have strong disagreements over b. blow their noses into c. need to pay for a visit to a doctor d. eat with sweet candy
a. have strong disagreements over
300
**DAILY DOUBLE** When Joe stopped stealing from his mother and started stealing from stores, he jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire. What does the idiom OUT OF THE FRYING PAN AND INTO THE FIRE mean? a. to get out of one bad place and into a worse one b. to find something that one enjoys doing daily c. to learn how to improve upon one's special skills d. to do something today instead of waiting around
a. to get out of one bad place and into a worse one
300
The part of a writing where the author is closing and restating their points.
A conclusion
400
It’s hard to imagine what things were like before there was money, but such a time did exist. During these times people exchanged goods using the barter system. The word barter means to trade. People using the barter system traded things instead of buying and selling them. So if you were a rice farmer, you would trade your rice with many people to get all of the things that you wanted or needed. Unfortunately, the people from whom you needed things might not want your rice. Isn’t it nice to just go to the store and buy candy instead of having to trade rice for it? What is the main idea of the text? a. The barter system and some of its shortcomings.   b. How to trade c. How to buy and sell stuff d. Being a rice farmer learning the barter system
a. The barter system and some of its shortcomings.  
400
Princess Mysoon sighed as she stroked the fur of Pax, her unicorn. The animal was as white as snow, with a single horn reaching skyward. He sensed Mysoon's fear. Lately a wicked troll had been kidnapping the beautiful unicorns from the forest, and Mysoon was sure that her unicorn was in danger. There must be some way to save him from the terrible fate that awaited him. Though she loved the animal dearly, she knew that if Pax stayed here with her, he might be hurt. So Mysoon decided to send Pax far away. The kind princess would miss him, but at least her much-loved pet would be safe. What can you infer about Mysoon? a. She will become a Queen. b. She will go to see her pet again after the troll is gone. c. She will capture the troll. d. She admires trolls.
b. She will go to see her pet again after the troll is gone.
400
Kim was a very good substitute teacher. She liked working with third and fourth graders most of all. She especially liked discussing important current events issues with the kids. She had expected them to be indifferent to such grownup topics as taxes and social security. She was pleasantly surprised to discover that they were really interested in those issues and wanted to learn more about them. Indifferent mostly likely means this word: a. similar b. very unusual c. not caring d. gross
c. not caring
400
"The bright red, orange and yellow flames shone brightly as the piercing howls surrounded us. The only images we could see in the distance were set of glowing dots that continued to come closer to our camp." This is an example of which type of figurative language? a. Idiom b. Metaphor c. Imagery d. Simile
c. Imagery
400
Giving nonhuman things, human like characteristics.
Personification
500
As important as water conservation is, it is also very easy. A few simple habits can significantly As important as water conservation is, it is also very easy. A few simple habits can significantly reduce the water consumption of a household. One way to save water is to turn off the faucet when reduce the water consumption of a household. One way to save water is to turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth. Also, don’t allow faucets to drip; one drip can waste a large amount of water over a short period of time. Baths require less water than showers, so by taking a bath instead of a shower, you can reduce the amount of water your home uses. In the kitchen, running a dishwasher when it is completely full, rather than half full, can save up to 20 gallons a day. These simple changes will save water and save money. Find the main idea of the paragraph. A. Water conservation is important. B. Consumers can save money by conserving water. C. A few simple changes can save water in the home. D. Baths take less water than showers.
C. A few simple changes can save water in the home.
500
My friend Randolph plays in the school band with me and he is a lot of fun to have in class. He distracts me from playing sometimes and makes our teacher, Mr. Antonio, get angry with us. But he makes me look forward to band rehearsal, which is not an easy thing to do at all. Randolph and Mr. Antonio don't get along very well because of Randolph's antics. Just yesterday, Tammy, the girl that plays trumpet with me and Randolph, was being noisy in class. Instead of blaming Tammy for distracting the class, he kept scolding my friend. I didn't think it was very fair, and neither did Randolph. What can you infer about the author? a. He thinks Randolph is funny. b. He gets in trouble just like Randolph. c. He wishes he could be more like Randolph. d. He is mad at Tammy.
d. He is mad at Tammy
500
.Your cousin claimed to be late because the doors of his house were frozen shut. Even though I have my doubts, his explanation is plausible. It got really cold last night. I'll just have to take his word for it. If a statement is plausible , __________. a. you must always believe it b. you should never believe it c. it's hard to understand because it makes no sense d. it's believable enough to possibly be true
d. it's believable enough to possibly be true
500
“It might seem crazy what I’m about to say / Sunshine she’s here, you can take a break / I’m a hot air balloon that could go to space.” - "Happy" by Pharrell Williams What kind of figurative language is identified in this lyric? a. personification b. metaphor c. simile d. hyperbole
b. metaphor The singer isn't literally a hot air balloon. This is a metaphor and it means that he is so filled with happiness that he could fly to space. This is the same way a hot air balloon travels across the world.
500
The message or why the story was written
A theme