WH-Questions
Story:
Noah zipped up his backpack and put on his coat. He waved goodbye to his mom and stepped outside. The sidewalk was covered with snow, so he walked slowly to avoid slipping. When he reached the corner, he saw the yellow bus waiting with its doors open.
Question:
Where is Noah going?
A. The park
B. School
C. The grocery store
D. His friend's house
Answer: B. School
Story:
Oliver took out his telescope and pointed it at the sky. He loved looking at the stars and planets, especially when the moon was full. Tonight, he was hoping to see Mars, which was supposed to be bright and easy to spot. He adjusted the lens and waited patiently.
Question:
What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Oliver is cleaning his telescope
B. Oliver enjoys stargazing
C. Oliver is scared of the dark
D. Oliver is waiting for his friend
Answer:
B. Oliver enjoys stargazing
Clues: The passage says he "loved looking at the stars and planets," and that he was hoping to see Mars and “waited patiently.” These details show that stargazing is something he enjoys, not just something he’s doing once.
Story:
Lena carefully balanced the glass vase in her hands. “Be careful — it’s fragile,” her mom warned. Lena nodded and slowly placed it on the shelf beside the other decorations.
Question:
What does “fragile” most likely mean?
A. Colorful
B. Expensive
C. Breakable
D. Empty
Answer:
C. Breakable
Clues: The sentence says Lena had to “carefully balance” the vase and was told to “be careful.” This shows that the object could break easily — that’s what “fragile” means.
Mini Essay:
My favorite holiday is Halloween. I love picking out a costume and decorating the front porch with pumpkins. My sister and I usually go trick-or-treating together. We trade candy when we get home and laugh about the best costumes we saw.
Question:
Which sentence is the topic sentence?
A. My favorite holiday is Halloween.
B. We trade candy when we get home.
C. My sister and I usually go trick-or-treating.
D. I love picking out a costume.
Answer:
A. My favorite holiday is Halloween.
Clues: This sentence introduces the whole idea — what the paragraph is about. The rest of the paragraph gives supporting examples of why the author loves Halloween.
Story:
Carla packed her lunch, grabbed her backpack, and put on her coat. She waved goodbye to her brother and stepped outside. The school bus had just pulled up in front of her house. She climbed aboard and took her usual seat by the window.
Question:
What did Carla do right before getting on the bus?
A. She said goodbye to her teacher
B. She grabbed her lunch
C. She put on her coat and waved goodbye to her brother
D. She looked out the window
Answer:
C. She put on her coat and waved goodbye to her brother
Clues: The sequence clearly says she did those things right before the bus “pulled up” and she “climbed aboard.”
Story:
Lena poured water into the pot and turned the stove on. She added pasta and stirred it while it boiled. After draining it in the sink, she scooped some into a bowl and sprinkled cheese on top. Her younger brother sat at the table, grinning.
Question:
Why did Lena cook the pasta?
A. She was learning how to use the stove
B. She wanted to eat lunch with her brother
C. Her mom told her to practice boiling water
D. She was making dinner for her teacher
Answer: B. She wanted to eat lunch with her brother
Story:
Each morning, Mia feeds her parrot, Cleo, before going to school. After school, she changes Cleo’s water, cleans the cage, and talks to her while doing homework. On weekends, she plays music, and Cleo dances along. Mia says Cleo is the smartest, funniest bird she’s ever met.
Question:
What is the main idea of this passage?
A. Mia enjoys dancing with her parrot
B. Cleo is a loud bird
C. Mia takes good care of her parrot and enjoys spending time with her
D. Parrots make good pets for everyone
Answer:
C. Mia takes good care of her parrot and enjoys spending time with her
Clues: The text shows that Mia regularly feeds, cleans, plays music for, and talks to Cleo. The last sentence shows her affection: “the smartest, funniest bird she’s ever met.” This is both about care and connection.
Story:
After weeks of practice, Mateo finally nailed his guitar solo in front of the entire class. He felt a rush of pride and stood with a confident smile on his face as the room applauded.
Question:
What does “confident” most likely mean?
A. Nervous
B. Proud and sure
C. Bored
D. Quiet
Answer:
B. Proud and sure
Clues: Mateo “nailed his guitar solo” and “stood with a confident smile” while people clapped. He clearly feels proud and self-assured — that’s confidence.
Mini Essay:
Playing team sports is good for kids. First, sports help build strong muscles and healthy habits. But even more importantly, they teach cooperation and communication. When players work together, they learn how to support each other and solve problems as a group. These are skills that kids will use in school, at work, and in life.
Question:
Which sentence is the concluding sentence?
A. First, sports help build strong muscles.
B. These are skills that kids will use in school, at work, and in life.
C. When players work together, they learn how to support each other.
D. Playing team sports is good for kids.
Answer:
B. These are skills that kids will use in school, at work, and in life.
Clues: This sentence wraps up the paragraph by restating the benefit of sports — not just physical health, but life-long skills. It summarizes and connects back to the topic sentence.
Story:
After dinner, Leo washed the dishes while his sister dried them. Then, they both helped their dad take out the trash. When everything was clean, they sat down together to watch a movie. Leo picked the movie and made popcorn for everyone.
Question:
What happened after Leo and his sister dried the dishes?
A. They watched a movie
B. They helped take out the trash
C. They made popcorn
D. They went to sleep
Answer:
B. They helped take out the trash
Clues: First they did the dishes, then helped with the trash. Watching the movie and popcorn came later.
Story:
Each Saturday, Marcus helped his grandmother with her garden. He didn’t always enjoy waking up early, but he liked being outside with her. This weekend, she handed him a small shovel and pointed to the patch of dirt where tomatoes used to grow. “We’re planting something new today,” she said with a smile. Marcus dug carefully, pulling out old roots and smoothing the soil. As they planted green sprouts from the tray beside them, his grandmother explained that they were trying lettuce this time. “Different season, different crop,” she said. Marcus nodded and pressed the final seedling into the dirt, brushing the soil from his hands.
Question:
What task is Marcus helping his grandmother with this weekend?
Answer:
He is helping her plant lettuce in the garden.
(Clues: “We’re planting something new today,” “trying lettuce this time,” “Marcus dug carefully,” etc.)
Story:
In science class, Leila built a model of a wind turbine. She had to research how wind energy is converted into electricity and explain the process in a presentation. Her model included spinning blades connected to a small motor that lit up a tiny bulb. She showed how wind power could be used in place of fossil fuels and explained the environmental benefits. Her classmates asked lots of questions, and Leila felt proud of how much she had learned. Later that day, her teacher told her she would be nominated for the school’s “Green Energy Showcase.”
Question:
What is the main idea of the passage?
Answer:
Leila learned about wind energy and showed her knowledge through a successful science project and presentation.
Clues: The story starts with her building a wind turbine, presenting it, and explaining environmental benefits — all pointing to her learning and applying knowledge. The fact that she’s nominated afterward supports that her effort was effective and recognized.
Story:
Ever since she got her camera for her birthday, Amira had become fascinated by wildlife photography. She spent her afternoons in the park, quietly waiting behind trees to snap pictures of birds, squirrels, or even raccoons. She studied how animals moved and read about their behaviors. Her photo journal was filling up quickly, and she started dreaming about one day working for a nature magazine.
Question:
What does the word “fascinated” most likely mean?
Answer:
It means extremely interested or deeply curious about something.
Clues: Amira goes out every day, hides behind trees, studies animal behavior, and dreams of making it a career. Her actions show a strong passion — she’s not just “interested,” she’s captivated — that’s what “fascinated” means.
Mini Essay:
Walking to school has its benefits. First, it gives me time to wake up before the day starts. I also get to talk with my friends on the way, which makes the morning more fun. On nice days, I enjoy seeing the flowers, hearing birds, and feeling the fresh air. It may take longer than riding the bus, but I feel more energized by the time I arrive at school.
Question:
What is the main idea of this paragraph?
Answer:
Walking to school is beneficial because it helps the writer wake up, enjoy nature, and spend time with friends.
Clues: The author gives three reasons for liking the walk: (1) waking up, (2) social time, (3) enjoying the outdoors. The topic sentence sets up this idea clearly, and the examples all support it.
Story:
Jacob woke up late and skipped breakfast. He threw on his clothes and sprinted out the door. Halfway to the bus stop, he realized he had left his math homework on the kitchen table. With only a minute to spare, he raced back home, grabbed the paper, and made it to the bus just as the doors were closing. He climbed in, breathing hard, but relieved.
Question:
What did Jacob do immediately after realizing he forgot his homework?
Answer:
He ran back home to get it.
Clues: The text says, “he realized he had left his math homework… With only a minute to spare, he raced back home…” That shows what he did right after realizing it was missing.
Story:
During art class, Talia worked quietly at the corner table, her sketchbook open in front of her. She had been designing her comic for over a week and was finally happy with how the characters looked. Each panel was drawn in pencil, with careful shading and facial expressions. Ms. Hill walked by, glanced at the page, and gave a small nod. "Will you be ready by Thursday?" she asked. Talia hesitated, then nodded. That night at home, she skipped TV and spent two hours adding color with her markers. On Wednesday, she carefully glued her finished pages onto a poster board. When Thursday morning came, Talia carried the board to school wrapped in plastic so it wouldn’t smudge.
Question:
What event is Talia preparing for?
Answer:
She’s preparing to present or submit her comic project, most likely for an upcoming art show or assignment due Thursday.
(Clues: “Will you be ready by Thursday?” “glued her finished pages onto a poster board,” “carried the board to school” — this is a project presentation or submission.)
Story:
Ever since she was little, Nina had loved writing stories. She filled notebooks with tales of talking animals, mysterious forests, and magical inventions. As she got older, her writing improved, and she started sharing her work online. Readers from around the world left comments on her stories, encouraging her to write more. One of her short stories was even published in a local magazine. Now, every day after school, Nina sits at her desk with her laptop, typing away, hoping one day to become a published author with books on real shelves.
Question:
What is the main idea of the passage?
Answer:
Nina has a strong passion for writing and is working hard to become a published author.
Clues: She has written since childhood, improved her writing, posted stories online, was published locally, and now writes daily with a clear goal. This shows her growth and dedication to becoming a writer.
Story:
When the team lost the championship game, Jordan felt crushed. But instead of blaming others, he took a deep breath and congratulated the winners. His coach put a hand on his shoulder and said, “That’s what it means to show grace in defeat.” Jordan nodded, even though it was hard not to feel disappointed. He knew that handling loss with maturity was just as important as winning.
Question:
What does the word “grace” mean in this context?
Answer:
It means showing kindness, dignity, or maturity, especially during a difficult moment.
Clues: Jordan didn’t blame others, congratulated the winners, and handled his loss calmly. The coach said this showed “grace in defeat,” meaning he acted respectfully and honorably even though he was upset.
Mini Essay:
Paragraph 1:
Video games can actually teach kids useful skills. Some games help players improve their memory, reflexes, and problem-solving abilities. In fact, many strategy games force players to think ahead and adjust their plans when the situation changes. One time, I had to lead a team through a puzzle game that required math and logic — and it took me days to solve it. Even though it was challenging, I stuck with it and felt proud when I finally figured it out.
Paragraph 2:
Besides building thinking skills, video games can also promote teamwork. Multiplayer games often require players to communicate clearly and divide tasks. For example, in one game, I had to work with three other players to protect a base. We had to agree on a strategy, assign roles, and support each other when problems came up. These kinds of games show that learning doesn’t always look like school — sometimes it looks like play.
Question:
What is the main idea across both paragraphs?
Answer:
Video games can help kids build useful skills like problem-solving and teamwork.
Clues:
Paragraph 1 focuses on mental skills like logic, memory, and persistence.
Paragraph 2 shows how video games also teach communication and cooperation.
Together, the essay argues that games are more than entertainment — they’re educational tools in disguise.
Story:
On Friday afternoon, Ana and her science group stayed after school to finish their volcano project. First, they added red food coloring to their baking soda mixture. Then, they built a paper-mâché mountain around the bottle to make it look realistic. After the glue dried, they painted the mountain brown with streaks of black and orange. Once everything was dry, they placed the project on a tray and carefully carried it to the classroom display table. Just before leaving, Ana tested the eruption and smiled when the foam bubbled over the top.
Question:
What was the last thing Ana did before leaving?
Answer:
She tested the volcano and watched it erupt.
Clues: The passage says “Just before leaving, Ana tested the eruption…” showing that this was the final action in the sequence before she left.
Story:
Ever since the sixth grade science fair, Jordan had been fascinated by robotics. At first, he borrowed books from the library and watched online tutorials, learning how circuits, sensors, and motors worked. His first few attempts failed miserably — one robot fell apart after five minutes of movement, and another refused to turn. But Jordan kept trying. By eighth grade, he was building a robot that could follow a line across the floor using light sensors. He stayed up late testing code and adjusting parts. On the day of the district competition, Jordan stood in front of the judges and explained every part of his robot’s function. When it successfully navigated the track, the judges clapped and asked him detailed questions. Jordan smiled and answered with confidence.
Question:
What did Jordan most likely do between sixth and eighth grade to improve his robot-building skills?
Answer:
He studied robotics by reading books, watching tutorials, testing different designs, and learning from his failures until he was able to build a functioning robot by eighth grade.
(Clues: “borrowed books,” “online tutorials,” “kept trying,” “by eighth grade…” — all show his self-driven learning and persistence.)
Story:
The cafeteria was louder than usual, buzzing with students holding colorful posters. It was election day for the student council. Omar, one of the candidates for president, stood near the door shaking hands and thanking people for voting. He had spent the past two weeks hanging flyers, rehearsing speeches, and listening to what students wanted to change about the school. One student asked about longer lunch periods, while another brought up the idea of after-school clubs. Omar took notes after every conversation. Though he was nervous, he knew he had done his best. Win or lose, he felt proud that he ran for something he believed in and tried to represent others.
Question:
What is the main idea of the passage?
Answer:
Omar worked hard to run for student council president and felt proud that he tried to make a difference for others.
Clues: He hung flyers, rehearsed speeches, listened to peers’ concerns, and reflected that “win or lose,” he was proud to stand for something he believed in. The story isn’t just about running — it’s about leadership, effort, and purpose.
Story:
Nadia was known for being meticulous. Whether she was organizing her school binder or decorating a birthday card, she always paid close attention to every detail. Her pencil case was color-coded, and each assignment she turned in looked like it had been printed — even though it was handwritten. One afternoon, her teacher asked her to help arrange the classroom bookshelf. Nadia alphabetized the books, wiped the shelves, and even created labels for each genre. Her classmates stared, impressed.
Question:
What does “meticulous” mean in this passage?
Answer:
It means being extremely careful and detail-oriented.
Clues: Nadia color-codes her supplies, her handwriting is neat, she alphabetizes books, and creates labeled categories. These are all signs of someone who takes time to make sure everything is precise and organized — that’s what being meticulous means.
Mini Essay:
Paragraph 1:
Volunteering can change your life. When I first helped at the local food pantry, I didn’t know what to expect. But after a few shifts, I started noticing how grateful people were for even the smallest items. I met families who reminded me how lucky I was to have what I needed. It made me more aware of the struggles that others go through every day. Volunteering showed me how to think beyond myself.
Paragraph 2:
It also helped me grow as a person. I learned how to take responsibility, stay organized, and communicate better. I even became a team leader for the Saturday shift. Before volunteering, I didn’t see myself as someone who could lead, but helping others helped me see my own potential. Giving back didn’t just help the community — it helped me become more confident.
Question:
What are the two main ways volunteering helped the writer?
Answer:
Volunteering helped the writer (1) become more grateful and aware of others' struggles, and (2) grow personally by gaining leadership and confidence.
Clues:
Paragraph 1 focuses on empathy and awareness from interacting with people in need.
Paragraph 2 focuses on personal growth — responsibility, leadership, and confidence.
The conclusion makes the dual impact clear: it helped both others and themselves.
Story:
Darius spent all week planning his best friend’s surprise party. On Monday, he made a list of everyone to invite. On Tuesday, he texted the guests and picked up decorations. Wednesday, he ordered a custom cake and bought snacks. By Thursday, he had finished decorating his garage and hidden the presents. On Friday, he texted his friend to come over for “a regular hangout.” When the door opened and everyone yelled “surprise,” his friend froze, then burst into laughter. Later, they all played games, ate cake, and stayed up late watching movies.
Question:
What are the first three things Darius did to prepare for the party?
Answer:
Made a guest list (Monday)
Texted guests and got decorations (Tuesday)
Ordered cake and bought snacks (Wednesday)
Clues: The story lays out each day of the week and what he did on that day — this is a chronological structure that must be followed to sequence the actions correctly.