Unknown Words
Linus wanted to be a great quarterback, so he made sure that he practiced harder than anybody. Day after day, week after week, he performed the same drills in his back yard. One drill he performed over and over again he called the "roll and throw." He would take the football, take two quick steps backwards, run to his right, and throw the ball through a tire hanging from a tree at the far end of his yard. Well, the point was to throw it through the tire. It didn't always make it through, especially at first. However, Linus did the drill over and over again, dozens of times in a row every day. Over time, his footwork became better, and his throws became more precise. The repetition of the movements made the actions very natural to him, and after a while, he could move and throw the ball accurately without thinking about what he was doing. Being able to throw while moving made throwing while standing still a piece of cake. However, this was only one drill of many. Linus was committed to being great, and he was putting in the time to make it happen.
What is the meaning of the italic phrase?
Throwing while standing still is easy for Linus now.
Stephanie grew up with dreams of being a jet pilot. She excelled in school her whole life, and after high school, she decided to join the Air Force to follow her dream. Due to a paperwork mix-up, however, Stephanie was sent to an Air Force training school for helicopter pilots instead. She was incredibly disappointed, but she had no choice but to start the helicopter program while the mistake was corrected. After three weeks, the paperwork mix-up was finally fixed. Stephanie was given the option of switching training programs. However, she wouldn't hear of it. By that point, she had taken her first several training flights in a helicopter, and she had fallen in love. The feeling of floating in place high above the earth was something that she could not compare to any other feeling she had ever experienced. She felt like a hummingbird or a cloud. Because of one little paperwork mix-up, Stephanie would spend the next thirty years flying helicopters, first for the Air Force and then for a tourist company near the Grand Canyon.
What is a possible theme of the story?
Sometimes mistakes can turn out for the best.
Omar looked down at his chicken sandwich. The waiter had dropped it off ten minutes ago, but Omar had not taken a bite. He poked at it a little bit with his fork, but he mostly stared in a daze at the stage. He was half listening to the musicians that were rotating through, half just staring off into space like a zombie. The same feeling kept repeating in his stomach, that feeling when you're waiting in an elevator for a while and then the elevator suddenly drops. That sinking in your belly like your insides had turned upside down and then quickly flipped back. Though he hadn't really been listening, he had been counting the performers. There had been seven ahead of him on the list, which meant that he was next. Upon realizing that, Omar's forehead turned ice cold but also, somehow, started sweating. He turned and looked at the entrance door, which seemed to zoom a million miles away all of a sudden. Suddenly, he became thirstier than he'd ever been. He chugged a glass of water. Just when he finished, he heard his name over the loudspeaker, but he didn't move.
What can you infer about Omar?
Omar has terrible stage fright.
Principal Simmons sat in front of her laptop. She was refreshing the page every thirty seconds or so in hopes that the information would change. She had 300 students and their families arriving in an hour for the welcome picnic. She had 50 tables and 350 chairs already set up on the soccer field. Right about now, 50 gigantic sandwiches were in a van speeding this way from JoJo's deli, and her secretary, Mr. Kline, was on his way with a truckload of beverages. The band was already setting up on the tiny stage, and had already run all of their necessary cables and cords to the center of the field. Principal Simmons took another deep breath and clicked her mouse on the "refresh" button once again. She was no meteorologist, but it certainly looked like they were in for a storm. On the weather map she was looking at, the huge dark area seemed to be inching right toward Elmdale. She glanced out the window. Was that a raindrop? There might still be enough time to move everything into the gym, but It was so small and stuffy. These weather maps were often wrong, right?
What is the conflict in the story?
The principal is concerned about the weather forcing them into the gym.
There was only one scholarship to the Winston County Band Camp, the most prestigious camp in the state, this year. Kathy knew she had the grades to get in and that her essay was good. However, everyone else's grades were good, too. She was sure that everyone else had put tons of time into their essays, as well. There was one other angle that she was guessing not everyone had thought of. She did some research on the camp and found out who the board members were. More than likely, these would be the people who picked the winner. One of them, Klaus Pitz, was the band director at her school. That gave her an idea! Kathy did a bit more research on Mr. Pitz, who used to be a performing musician. She found out his absolute favorite piece of music, a march by John Philip Sousa. For weeks, she practiced nothing else until she could play it perfectly. Then for another week, she planted herself under the elm tree outside Mr. Pitz's office during his free period. She played away on her trumpet perfectly, giving no indication that she knew he was listening.
What was the character’s motivation for playing the piece of music she chose?
She wanted to impress one of the judges so that he would push for her to get the scholarship.
I was excited to hear my niece Madeline play violin for the first time. She was a nice girl and was talented at many things, including sports and computers. Of course, I assumed that she would be an exceptional violin player, too. She had a recital the following week. As such, her mother thought that it would be a good idea to gather some relatives so Madeline could get practice playing in front of people. I went over to my sister's house and found a spot in the living room among some cousins and Madeline's parents. Madeline came out in a cute little outfit, smiled, and bowed. She positioned the violin on her shoulder, raised the bow, and started playing. From the start, her playing was an old wagon wheel in desperate need of oil. I glanced around the room, and everyone was cringing and trying to not make eye contact with one another. I immediately tried to come up with a good lesson for Madeline about the importance of practice. She still had a week before the recital. Hopefully that would be enough time.
What type of figurative language is the italicized phrase and what does it mean?
Metaphor- The narrator was comparing her musical skills to a screechy wagon wheel (meaning she was bad).
Simon went to the circus and was entranced by a clown that juggled everything from sandwiches to flaming bowling pins. Immediately, Simon wanted to do this himself, so the next morning, he grabbed three oranges from the kitchen and went outside. He closed his eyes and tried to recall the pattern of movements the clown had made with his hands and arms, and then Simon opened his eyes and gave it a go. One orange landed on the roof, and another hit the ground and split open. The third landed in a tree where a squirrel grabbed it and ran off. Simon was very bad at juggling, but he didn't give up because he still wanted to learn. He used his allowance to buy a ten-pound bag of oranges, and he woke up every day at five to practice for two hours before school. At the end of the first week, he was only breaking a few oranges a day. By the end of two weeks, he wasn't breaking any. At the end of the third week, he added a fourth orange. He kept up the daily routine, and in two months’ time, he could juggle any four objects you handed him.
Which statement best represents the theme of the story?
Practice can make you better
Ralph carried the stack of printouts down the long yellow corridor. Mr. Johnson had told Ralph to make copies of the printouts immediately, as they would be needed for the noon staff meeting. Well, Ralph was pretty sure that his name was Johnson. Ralph was on information overload right now, and he felt like one more piece of new information would make his brain pop altogether. Sheila, whose desk was next to Ralph's, did her best to explain the way to the copy room. Take the yellow hallway to the red hallway to the blue hallway to the orange hallway, he thought. Had there been a purple hallway in there, too? “You'll figure it all out after a while,” she had assured him. Her directions didn't seem to matter right now, however, as it was yellow paint as far as the eye could see. Ralph checked his watch and saw that is was 11:30. He picked up the pace since he wanted to make a great impression on Mr… Johnson?
What inference can you make based on the details in the story?
It's Ralph's first day at his job.
Jill felt like time was slowing down. Actually, once the referee handed her the basketball, it seemed like time had stopped completely. Everything was silent; the fans stopped cheering, her coach quit yelling, and even the words of encouragement from her teammates disappeared. Jill felt the droplets of sweat on her arms and face freeze in place. She gripped the ball in her hands, her lower body slightly crouched. Fifteen feet away from her and ten feet off the ground was the backboard and basket. To the left of that, the scoreboard showed a tied game in the district championship with one second remaining. Jill took a deep breath, and things started moving again ever so slowly. She dipped her body, rose upward, and arched the ball into the air, careful to follow through with her right hand. The ball moved inch by inch, a loose balloon drifting across a living room ceiling, with everyone's eyes upon it.
Determine the point of view and perspective of the story.
3rd person point of view through the perspective of a basketball player
It's definitely hard to concentrate when the sky outside the window is as blue as the ocean and filled with joyful puffy white clouds. However, these last four questions are standing between me and freedom. It seems almost cruel to give a test today. I know it's not just me and that everyone else's brains are probably floating off somewhere else, too. It might be on a beach, a road trip, or camping, but it sure isn't focused on these multiple-choice questions about Thomas Jefferson. Technically, I guess that this test isn't the last thing standing in my way. I still have to clean out my locker, and I'm pretty sure that there are some sandwiches in there that were lost and never heard from. I'm certainly not looking forward to rediscovering them. Okay, I'm almost there. I just need to focus. Thomas Jefferson, here we go.
Which statement best describes the narrator of this story?
Distracted student right before summer vacation
Coach really has his eye on this new student, Cody Braxton, who just transferred into our district. He's big, fast, and smart, and we all think that he’d be a great addition to the team. I met him briefly, last year at a track meet. Right away, I could tell that he'd be a great teammate, the kind of guy who would run through a brick wall if it would help the team win. My only concern is whether we can get him to try out. What I mean is that this is a really talented and well-rounded kid. I know for a fact that the drama teacher already wants him to star in the school musical, and the math team wants him for the Math Olympics. Plus, he’s apparently also working toward getting his pilot's license. Maybe he can do it all, but there are only so many hours in a day. Therefore, it's likely that he'll have to pass on some great opportunities. Let's not be shy about letting Cody know what a welcome addition to the team he'd be.
What is the meaning of the italic phrase?
The new student will go to great lengths to be there for his teammates.
Carmen wanted to earn extra money, so she set up a stand to sell lemonade for $2. Business, however, was slow. On one especially hot day, an elderly woman shuffled up and asked for a lemonade. As Carmen poured, she watched the woman holding her wallet up to her eyes to look closely at the bills. It looked like she was having trouble seeing what was what. Finally, she put a bill down on the table and, smiling, said that Carmen could keep the change. As the woman shuffled away, Carmen was shocked to see a $50 bill on the table. That was more than she could make in a week! Carmen realized that it was probably a mistake, so she ran after woman. She told Carmen, with embarrassment, that she had thought it was a $5 bill. Although she was very disappointed, Carmen swapped out the bills and said that it was no problem. The woman thanked Carmen and went on her way. The next day, a bus from the Elmwood Senior Center rolled up to Carmen's stand. Thirty seniors exited, led by the woman from the day before. They all wanted lemonade, and they came back three times a week all summer long.
Which best represents the theme of the story?
Honesty is the best policy.
About two hours before the birthday party, I went to my usual pet store. I wanted to get either a dove or a rabbit, whichever one was less expensive. Unfortunately, they were out of both! I had to get a porcupine instead, which is an animal I've never worked with before. Hopefully it will be pretty wellbehaved. Nothing will ruin your act more quickly than an unruly animal. This little guy would fit in my top hat, which was the most important part. I left the pet store with my new partner in a little box and headed to the dry cleaner to pick up my tuxedo. I'd had to get it cleaned since one of my bits didn't go off as planned last weekend. You see, I fill my hat with milk and put it back on my head. The milk is supposed to disappear before the hat flips over, but this time, the special compartment in the hat malfunctioned. As you can guess, I was covered in milk. Anyway, I hope this week's show goes better. Otherwise, I may have to go back to my job at the bank.
What evidence from the text best supports that the narrator is a magician?
Hopefully it will be pretty well-behaved. Nothing will ruin your act more quickly than an unruly animal.
Deciding which student to partner with for the science project is one of the most stressful things that happens all year. Well, it is in my opinion. Anytime you have to pair up, you need to take a bunch of different factors into consideration. You want someone who is smart, of course. You also want someone who is fun to work with. You definitely don't want someone who is lazy because nobody wants to end up doing all of the work alone. You also want someone who shares your interests. This year, I really want to do a project where we observe animals in their natural habitat. I want to get a sense of how certain animals behave when they're closest to home. Then I want to see if that's different than other places we see them, like parks or schoolyards. I realize not everyone is interested in such things, however. Therefore, I want to partner with someone who is fascinated by animals, too. Keeping all of these factors in mind, I've narrowed down my choices to Sam and Andre. Hopefully at least one of them doesn't have a partner yet!
What is the point of view of the story and how do you know?
The story is written from the 1 st person point of view because the narrator is a character in the story.
When the buzzer of his alarm clock blared in his ear, Rex resisted the urge to hit the snooze button. Even though it was summer, it was pitch-black outside. Even though his internal clock made him a late sleeper, this would mark 21 days in a row that Rex rose at 4:30 in the morning. Still half asleep, he dragged himself into his work clothes, dragged himself to the kitchen for a piece of toast, and dragged himself down to the bus stop. It was only a 20-minute bus ride to the bakery, but Rex usually slept the whole way, so he made sure to ask the driver to wake him up at his stop. In those 20 minutes, Rex was almost always playing the drums. He was on stage, bathed in multiple spotlights, wailing away on the drums like an animal. Today, like every other day, he exited the bus and headed toward the bakery. Like every other day, he stopped at the music store right next to the bakery and stared at the drum set in the window. One more month, he thought as he smiled, just one more month.
What motivates Rex to wake up early?
He is motivated by his desire to purchase a drum set.
A lot of people think that the only real job playing music is going on tour and making records, but that's not so. My dad works at an advertising agency, and one of his closest friends there is the staff musician, Larry. When my dad has to create TV ads for cars, hamburgers, or whatever, he goes to Larry for the music. They will talk for a while about the product and what kind of story they are going to try to tell. Then Larry will get to work. He will usually come up with a few different variations on the central idea, each with a different mood. In fact, each version will usually use completely different instruments to get a different sound. One might just use a guitar, one might be a little fancier, using a piano and maybe some stringed instruments, and one might be totally electronic. Larry and my dad will then listen to each song playing over the words and images they'd already chosen. They'll pick the one that fits best. Larry might not be traveling around in a tour bus, but he gets to play music for a living, which is pretty cool.
Which sentence best helps the reader determine the meaning of the italic word?
In fact, each version will usually use completely different instruments to get a different sound.
Sally and Lois were best friends and pitchers on the softball team, and they also liked to play friendly pranks on each other. The day before the big game where Sally would start as pitcher, the girls were about to ride their bikes about a mile away to practice. Lois thought that it would be funny to let the air out of Sally's bike tires, which was something they'd done to each other many times before. Lois headed for practice, giggling and leaving Sally behind. Lois got to the field, and when practice started, the coach was clearly furious that her starting pitcher was late to such an important practice. Sally finally jogged up, and the coach immediately yelled at her. She said that Sally wouldn't be starting since she wasn't committed. Lois would start instead. Sally was near tears, and Lois felt terrible. The first chance she had, Lois pulled coach aside and told her what had happened. The coach thought about it and called Sally over. Sally would have her starting job back. Coach told Lois that she was proud of her for coming forward, but that she would not be playing tomorrow. Lois was fine with that, as long as her friend was okay.
What is a possible theme of the story?
When you mess up, make it right.
Caleb looked out over the vast prairie. Looking east, he could see nothing but waving grasslands all the way to the horizon. There, the golden sun was cresting over the earth, signaling a new day and the chance for better fortunes. Somewhere far past that endless grass was Indiana. There, Caleb's parents had likely already risen. They were probably still wondering about the impulse that had driven Caleb and Mary to the trail all those months ago. However, that was in the past now. He sighed and turned around to face the West. Caleb and Mary had stopped their covered wagon for the night on the near side of a gentle creek. It had appeared passable last evening, but it now looked like it must have rained upstream overnight. What had been a creek was now a fullfledged river, one they dared not cross with two underfed horses and a wagon full of provisions. They would either have to wait or head north or south and hope to find a crossing. Either way, it would mean days, if not weeks, of hard travel.
What evidence from the text supports the inference that the story is set in the past?
Caleb and Mary had stopped their covered wagon for the night on the near side of a gentle creek.
Mary's favorite thing was getting a day pass for the amusement park. This time, she had saved the newest ride, SlamCoaster, for last, and she sang happily as she crossed the park toward it. Singing was her great talent, and she loved doing it more than anything… except for riding roller coasters. She was especially excited for SlamCoaster, which she had been reading about for months. When she reached the ride, however, she was shocked to find that it wasn't included in her day pass. In fact, it cost an extra $10, and Mary only had about $2. She sat on the curb as she held back tears. Then she heard faint music on a distant loudspeaker and had an idea. She walked over to the food court, took off her cap, and put it on the ground in front of her. Mary took a deep breath, and she began singing one of the opera songs she had been learning. It was beautiful. One by one, everyone turned her way, and many gathered around. When she was finished, people cheered. They filled her hat with change and one-dollar bills. After one song, she'd already made enough for two trips on SlamCoaster.
Which statement best describes how the conflict was resolved?
Mary used her talent to make the money she needed.
After school on nice days, Carl and I like to ride our bikes to the nature preserve. This was one of the first days that the sun was out, so we parked our bikes in an open field to feel its warm rays. We got our science books out and started quizzing each other on some of the marine biology vocabulary we would be tested on tomorrow. Suddenly, Carl stopped speaking mid-sentence, as if he'd heard something really strange. He quickly turned his head to the big maple tree behind us. Then I heard it tooa very faint meow coming from somewhere high up in the tree. We stood and shielded our eyes from the sun. We could then see a tiny little kitten hanging by its front claws from a high branch. Just as the little kitten's claws lost their grip, Carl shot over toward the tree like a bolt of lightning. Just a second ago, Carl had been standing next to me. Now I was watching him skidding to a halt under the tree as the little kitten dropped into his arms.
What type of figurative language is the underlined phrase, and what does it mean?
Simile that means Carl ran quickly to the tree
It would still be many hours before the sun came up. Dr. Stevenson and the others were sound asleep in their tents. I was careful not to make any noise as I dressed and gathered the necessary gear. I have known Dr. Stevenson for many years and I respect him deeply as a scientist, but we are not seeing eye to eye on the purpose of this expedition. Stevenson is focused on gathering plant samples from this region of the deep jungle. He is focused on this and this alone. This, of course, is where our interests diverge. According to local legend and my extensive research, we are mere miles from the ancient Lost City of Roon. Roon, of course, was the highly advanced civilization that disappeared some nine hundred years ago. Stevenson refused to believe in its existence, but I know exactly where its ruins lay. He can keep his precious plants. Today I will be changing history forever.
Determine the meaning of the italic phrase.
The phrase means that this is the extent of what they have in common.
Pima was a great cross-country runner and was second best in the state. Her main rival was Kim Heel, the state champion three years in a row. At the state finals, however, Pima actually found herself running in third place. As she ran on the wooded dirt trail, she could see Kim not too far ahead. Quite a ways ahead of Kim, she could see another competitor. It was Patty Elmwood, and she was running the race of her life. So far, neither Kim nor Pima could come within twenty yards of Patty. Pima just kept chugging along, but as she rounded a corner, she suddenly noticed that Kim had disappeared. Pima assumed that she dropped out, so she concentrated on catching Patty. She inched closer and closer, and she finally passed her right before the finish line. Then Pima saw Kim, her arms raised victoriously. Pima couldn't understand what had happened, but she took her place on the silver medal platform. Kim stood on top, and Patty stood on the bronze level. As Kim was about to receive her medal, however, an official ran up from the course. He announced that Kim was disqualified for taking a shortcut. Pima had won her first state championship!
What is a possible theme of the story?
People who are dishonest are not rewarded.
I had promised Claire that I would be at her party. I had missed her last three, though I had a pretty good excuse in each case. Still, I wanted to make sure that I made it this time. I still had an hour to get there, so I was in good shape. I was in Boston, and Claire was in Chicago, but my new Transway 5000 could send me there instantaneously. Because of it, I took my time. I had the computer make me some tea, and I watched a funny television program. Finally, I strolled down to the transfer room at the end of the hall. I punched my access code into the Transway 5000, expecting the shiny machine to whirr to life, but nothing happened. I tried the code again and still nothing. Had I forgotten the code? It was written in the manual, but where was the manual? Just then, my watch buzzed, and Claire's smiling face appeared. She told me how excited she was to see me and to not be late. I smiled, and said that I wouldn’t, and hung up. Then I entered my office, a total and complete mess, and started looking for that stupid manual.
What evidence from the text supports the inference that the story is set in the future?
I was in Boston, and Claire was in Chicago, but my new Transway 5000 could send me there instantaneously.
There's just nothing like the smell of fresh cut grass in springtime. That's one of the things I love for sure, but there's so much more. I love being around people who are trying to be their best and who are doing that as part of a team. To me, nothing displays teamwork the way soccer does. It's eleven players truly acting as one, moving around the field like the limbs of a single creature. Of course, in a game, there's one eleven-player creature opposing another eleven-player creature, and that's where things can get a little messy. That is, of course, where I come in. I do my best to enforce the rules in a way that makes a few different things happen. First, I try to make the game flow well because if it stops too much, it's just boring. Second, I make sure that I keep things safe by issuing warnings for dangerous tackles and high kicks. Third, I use the rules to ensure that everyone is having fun. Because, after all, that's what it's all about, right?
Determine the point of view and perspective of the story.
1st person point of view through the perspective of a soccer referee
Camden Middle School didn't have a girls’ soccer team, but they had a boys’ team. This was because so many girls played field hockey during the same season. The school district, however, allowed a girl to play on a boys’ team, and vise versa if they didn't have their own team in that sport. Lilly, a student at Camden, had no interest in playing field hockey, but she loved soccer. No girl had ever played on Camden's boys’ soccer team. Whenever a girl brought it up, the boys would just laugh and say that a girl couldn't compete with them. Lilly had even heard of a girl at another school who had joined her boys’ team. However, she quit after one game because the other team's fans were so mean. Still, Lilly wanted to try. Her parents said that they supported her, but she knew that even they doubted she could do it. She knew that it would be difficult, but Lilly was going to show them what she was made of.
Compare and contrast Lilly with the girl from the other school.
Both girls wanted to play soccer. Lilly was determined to try out for the team, but the other girl dropped out after only one game.