Beginners 1

ReadTheory.
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EnglishForEveryone.Org 2008
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Exercise 1
Using the Verb "To be"
Write the correct form of the verb "To be" in present tense.
Example: I (be) am happy.
Example:
You / We / They (be) are happy.
1) I (be) _____ tired.

2) I (be) _____ hungry.
3) I (be) _____ late!
7) You (be) _____ nice.

8) We (be) _____ sleepy.
9) They (be) _____ funny.
Example: He / She / It (be) is happy.

4) He (be) _____ cool.
5) She (be) _____ pretty.
6) It (be) _____ fast.
Now well use nouns instead of
pronouns
10) John (be) _____ excited.
11) Tiffany and Uma (be) _____
my friends.
12) Ricardo, John and I (be) _____
watching a movie.
13) Hadil (be) _____ kind.
14) Alisa (be) _____ young.
15) The hammer (be) _____ new.
16) My mother and father (be)
_____ cooking dinner.
17) Rachel (be) _____ driving to
school.
18) Nikkos and Billy (be) _____

playing at the park.
19) The students (be) _____
studying English.
20) The test (be) _____ hard!
21) My best friend (be) _____
coming to my house.
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Exercise 2
Choose the correct form of "to be" in present tense.
Example: I (be) am excited.
Example: Jessica and Akbar (be) are happy.
Example: The new car (be) is nice.
1) The bag (be) ________ blue.
A. am
B. are
C. is
3) The children (be) ________ young.
A. am
B. are
C. is
5) The game (be) ________ difficult.
A. am
B. are
C. is
7) I (be) ________ thirty years old.
A. am
B. are
C. is
9) Teddy (be) ________ my friend.

A. am
B. are
C. is
2) The rocks (be) ________ hard.

A. am
B. are
C. is
4) Thomas (be) ________ nice.
A. am
B. are
C. is
6) They (be) ________ tired.
A. am
B. are
C. is
8) Susan and Juan (be) ________
married.
A. am
B. are
C. is
10) We (be) ________ in English
class.
A. am
B. are
C. is
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Exercise 3
Write the correct form of the verb "to be" in present tense.
Note: The verb can be positive (+) or negative (-). Use not to form the negative.
\
Example: My teacher (be) is nice. (+)

Example: The cat (be, not) is not hungry. (-)
1) The old man (be) ________ wise.
2) The sun (be) ________ hot.
3) The children (be) ________ eating

bananas. They (be, not) ____ ____
eating apples.
4) I (be) ________ happy. I (be, not)

____ ____ sad.
5) The racecar (be) ________ fast. It

(be, not) ____ ____ slow.
6) My friend (be) ________ buying a

new car. Her old car broke down. It
doesn't work anymore.
7) I (be) ________ at the beach with

my family. It (be) ________ hot and
sunny outside. The ocean water
(be) ________ warm.
8) Ko and Jacob (be) ________ very

smart. Ko (be) ________ a scientist
and Jacob (be) ________ an
engineer.
9) The library (be) ________ open

until 9:00 p.m.
10) The school (be) ________ small. It

(be, not) ____ ____ big.
11) The books (be) ________ new.

They (be, not) ____ ____ old.
12) Tommy, Steven, and Teddy (be)

________ acting in the school play.
13) Beatrice (be) ________ at her

house.
14) It (be) ________ hot outside. It

(be, not) ____ ____ cold outside.
15) You (be) ________ finished with

the quiz!
16) Judith (be, not) ____ ____ at

home. She (be) ________ school.
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Exercise 4
Write the correct form of "to be" in present tense.
My name (be) ________(1) John. I (be) ________(2) fifteen years old. I live
on a farm. It (be) ________(3) in the country. It is quiet in the country. It (be, not)
____ ____(4) loud in the country.
I wake up early. Sometimes, I wake up before the sun rises. Sometimes, it
(be) ________(5) still dark when I wake up. But I dont mind. I like waking up that
early. I like the way the country looks in the morning.
The first thing I do after I wake up is milk the cow. After I (be) ________(6)
finished milking the cow, I bring the milk to my mom. I think she uses it to make
breakfast. She makes a delicious breakfast. My mom
(be) ________(7) a really good cook.
Next, I feed the pigs. One time, I asked my mom how come my little sister
doesnt feed them. She said it is because my sister (be, not) ____ ____(8) strong
enough. But I still dont understand. She is almost as strong as me! I guess my
mom doesnt want my sister to get hurt. After all, the pigs can (be) ________(9)
pretty rough, especially when they (be) ________(10) hungry.
The last thing I do (be) ________(11) feed the chickens. That (be)
________(12) easy. I just throw some food down on the ground and they run out
and eat it. While the chickens (be) ________(13) eating, I go into their house to
collect their eggs. Chicken eggs (be) ________(14) really good to eat. They (be)
________(15) easy to cook too. That is what I do in the mornings. I (be)
________(16) pretty busy.
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Exercise 5
Write the correct form of "to be" in present tense.
Tess and Jen ________(1) best friends.
They do everything together. They spend every day together.
One day they meet on the bus to school. They start talking.
Hey Jen, says Tess. How ________(2) you?
Hey girl, says Jen. I ________(3) doing fine. What ________(4) going on? What
________(5) you doing today?
Oh, says Tess, I _____ _____ (6) doing anything special. I dont have any
plans.
That ________(7) cool.
Yeah, says Tess. But I have something to tell you.
Really! Can I try to guess?
Umm says Tess. Well
Okay, I get three guesses. Ready?
Umm, wellokay.
________(8) we eating dinner together?
No, that _____ _____ (9) it.
Okay. Are we going to the soccer game together?
No. It ____ ____(10) that either. Tess looks nervous. Her eyes look sad. A tear
starts to fall down her cheek.
Oh, says Jen, wiping a tear from her own eye. Now I know. You ________(11)
moving away.
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Exercise 6
Choose the correct form of "to be" in past tense.
Example: You / We / They (be) were sick yesterday.
Example: I / He / She / It (be) was sick yesterday.
1) I (be) ________ tired yesterday.

A. was
B. were
3) We (be) ________ sad yesterday.

A. was
B. were
5) He (be) ________ angry yesterday.

A. was
B. were
2) You (be) ________ happy

yesterday.
A. was
B. were
4) They (be) ________ busy

yesterday.
A. was
B. were
6) She (be) ________ sleepy

yesterday.
A. was
B. were
7) It (be) ________ cold yesterday.

A. was
B. were
Practice writing sentences using the verb to be in past tense.

1) ______________________________________________________________
2) ______________________________________________________________
3) ______________________________________________________________
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Exercise 7
Example: You / We / They (be) were sick last night.
Example: I / He / She / It (be) was sick last night.
1) I (be) ________ tired last night.

A. was
B. were
3) Richard and I (be) ________

excited last night.
A. was
B. were
5) Julian (be) ________ angry

yesterday.
A. was
B. were
7) The movie (be) ________ scary. I

don't want to watch it again.
A. was
B. were
9) Jonathan (be) ________ hungry.

So, he ate a sandwich.
A. was
B. were
2) You (be) ________ happy last

night.
A. was
B. were
4) Javier and Roberto (be) ________

lazy last night.
A. was
B. were
6) Rachel (be) ________ sleepy

yesterday.
A. was
B. were
8) Ko, Teddy, and Peter (be)

________ tired after the long drive.
A. was
B. were
10) My mom (be) ________ helping

the teacher at school yesterday.
A. was
B. were
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Exercise 8
Example: My dog (be) was sick last night. (positive)
Example: Carlos (be, not) was not at work yesterday. (negative)
1) The party (be) ________ fun last

weekend.
2) They (be) ________ watching a

movie when Ernesto called. They
(be, not) ____ ____ watching TV.
3) Jessie (be) ________ tired. So, he

went to sleep.
4) When she was a little girl, Margo

(be) ________ very good at tennis.
She practiced every day.
5) My friends and I (be) ________

studying English last night.
6) Kendra (be) ________ in my sixth

grade English class. We (be)
________ good friends before she
moved away.
7) The movie (be) ________ really

boring. It (be, not) ____ ____
entertaining. We stopped watching
it before it was over.
8) After playing outside, my dog (be)

________ very dirty. She came into
the house and ran into my room. It
(be) ________ such a mess!
9) I (be, not) ____ ____ eating a

sandwich when you called. I (be)
________ eating a salad.
10) The students (be, not) ____ ____

ready to take the test. They
needed to study more.
Practice writing sentences using the verb to be in past tense.

1) ______________________________________________________________
2) ______________________________________________________________
3) ______________________________________________________________
ReadTheory.Org 2010
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Exercise 9
Write the correct form of "to be" in past tense.
Example: My dog (be) was sick last night. (positive)
Example: Carlos (be, not) was not at work yesterday. (negative)
1) Teddy (be) ________ driving home

when I saw him.
2) Mack, Jenny, and Javier (be)

________ walking their dog when I
talked to them last Saturday.
3) Who (be) ________ sleeping in my

bed? It (be, not) ____ ____ James.
It (be, not) ____ ____ Julio. Oh, I
know! It (be) ________ Roger!
4) I (be) ________ going to the

grocery store when you called.
5) At 7:00 we (be) ________ eating

dinner and watching T.V.
6) When he was a kid, Ivan (be, not)

____ ____ very social. He did not
spend time with his friends. He
spent a lot of time alone. He (be)
________ always reading a book or
listening to music in his room.
7) When I (be) ________ in the ninth

grade, I (be) ________ five feet tall.
8) Lola (be) ________ a very nice girl.

She helped her parents, did her
homework, and even took care of
her little brother. It is a shame she
had to move away.
9) The cat (be) ________ faster than

the mouse. So, the cat caught the
mouse. Unlucky mouse!
10) The weather (be) ________ hot.

We (be) ________ sweating. I
asked my mom to roll the window
down.
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Exercise 10
Choose the correct form of "to be" in present tense or past tense.
Example: My dog (be) is sick today. (present tense)
Example: My dog (be) was sick last night. (past tense)
1) The clouds moved away, and the sun shone through. The sky was full of
pretty colors. It (be) ________ beautiful.
2) Arturo and Ryo (be) ________ at the party last night.
3) (be) ________ Taylor going to the pool later?
4) The old house (be) ________ built in 1967.
5) Christopher, where (be) ________ you last night? I (be) ________ looking all
over for you.
6) Yesterday (be) ________ the best day of my life!

7) I (be) ________ ready to go. When (be) ________ we leaving?
8) Who (be) ________ at the pool yesterday?
9) I (be) ________ very tired. I (be) ________ tired yesterday too. I think I
(be) ________ getting sick.
10) I (be) ________ driving to the office this morning when I noticed that I was
getting low on gas. So, I stopped to get more. A kind man filled the tank for
me. He (be) ________ very nice.
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Exercise 11
Write the correct form of "to be" in present tense or past tense.
Example: My dog (be) is sick. (present tense)

Example: My dog (be) was sick last night. (past tense)
1) Sarah (be) ________ at the party
last night. Li-Ning and Akmoud (be)
________ there too.
2) Avery (be) ________ my best

friend. She and I (be) ________ in
the same English class. It meets
from 10:00 to 10:50.
3) Mallika and I (be) ________ at

Jenny's house yesterday. Now, we
(be) ________ at Mellissa's house.
4) Johan and I (be) ________ in the

mountains. We (be) ________ on a
camping trip together. I hope we
don't see a bear!
5) When she (be) ________ young,

Nisha (be) ________ interested in
science. However, she (be, not)
_____ _____ interested in science
anymore. Now, she (be) ________
interested in math.
6) Tennis (be) ________ my favorite

sport when I was in high school.
Now my favorite sport (be)
________ soccer.
7) My family and I (to be) ________

swimming in the pool when it began
to thunder. The lifeguard told us we
had to get out. I (be) ________
upset, but I knew he was right.
8) Lenny (be) ________ at the football

game last night. He (be) ________
cheering for his favorite team. After the
game, he came back home and went to
sleep. I think he (be) ________ still
sleeping now. Shhhh... don't wake him
up!
9) It rained all day yesterday. I (be)

10) Before, Yoko and Kobi (be)
________ sad because I could not
________ enemies. Now they (be)
go outside. However, today it (be)
________ best friends.
________ sunny. And I
(be) ________ happy because I can
go outside!
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Exercise 12
Write the correct form of "to be" in present tense or past tense.
I ________(1) going outside, said Jerry.
Wait! said Jerrys mom.
Dont forget to wear your jacket.
It ________(2) cold out there.
But mom, said Jerry. I dont want to wear it.
I will be fine without it.
Besides, it _____ _____ (3) that cold today.
Jerry opened the door. The wind ________(4) blowing and the trees ________(5)
shaking. Leaves ________(6) falling to the ground. He shivered a little and stood
behind the door.
Jerry! shouted Jerrys mom. You close that door and get your coat young man.
But mom! said Jerry.
But what? said Jerrys mom. I dont understand why you dont want to wear
your new coat. ________(7) there something wrong with it?
Jerrys face turned red. No! he said. Nothings wrong with it! Then he covered
his mouth with his hand.
Well then said Jerrys mom. Why dont you want to wear it?
Well, mom, said Jerry. I kind ofwellgave it away.
You what? said Jerrys mom. You gave it away?
Yeah. But dont worry. It ________(8) okay. I gave it to Marvin. And he really
needs it.
Why?
Well, every time I see him, he looks cold. He ________(9) always cold, actually.
His parents cannot afford to buy him a jacket.
Well, that ________(10) a very nice thing for you to do, dear. But now
what________(11) you going to do without a jacket?
I dont know. Maybe Ill wear my old jacket for a little while.
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Exercise 1
Present Tense
Choose the correct form of the verb in simple present tense.
Example: I / You / We / They (cook) cook.
Example: He / She / It (cook) cooks.
1) I ( cook / cooks ) on Monday.
2) You ( cook / cooks ) on Tuesday.
3) We ( cook / cooks ) on Wednesday.
4) They ( cook / cooks ) on Thursday.
5) He ( cook / cooks ) on Friday.
6) She ( cook / cooks ) on Saturday.
7) It ( cook / cooks ) on Sunday.
Exercise 2
Present Tense
Example: I / You / We / They (wash) wash the car on Monday.
Example: He / She / It (wash) washes the car on Tuesday.
1) I ( wash / washes ) the car on Monday.
2) You ( wash / washes ) the car on Tuesday.
3) We ( wash / washes ) the car on Wednesday.
4) They ( wash / washes ) the car on Thursday.
5) He ( wash / washes ) the car on Friday.
6) She ( wash / washes ) the car on Saturday.
7) It ( wash / washes ) the car on Sunday.
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Exercise 3
Present Tense
Example: I / You / We / They (study) study English on Monday.
Example: He / She / It (study) studies English on Tuesday.
1) I (study / studies) English on Monday.
2) You (study / studies) English on Tuesday.
3) We (study / studies) English on Wednesday.
4) They (study / studies) English on Thursday.
5) He (study / studies) English on Friday.
6) She (study / studies) English on Saturday.
7) It (study / studies) English on Sunday.
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Exercise 4
Present Tense
Choose the correct form of the verb in simple present tense. Use what you have
learned in exercises 1, 2, and 3.
Example: I / You / We / They (cook) cook.
Example: He / She / It (cook) cooks.
Example: I / You / We / They (wash) wash the car on Monday.
Example: He / She / It (wash) washes the car on Tuesday.
Example: I / You / We / They (study) study English on Monday.
Example: He / She / It (study) studies English on Tuesday.
1) They (study / studies) English on Tuesday.
2) He (cook / cooks) on Tuesday.
3) I (wash / washes) the car on Wednesday.
4) We (cook / cooks) on Sunday.
5) You (wash / washes) the car on Friday.
6) She (wash / washes) the car on Saturday.
7) We (study / studies) English on Sunday.
8) It (cook / cooks) on Thursday.
9) He (study / studies) English on Friday.
10) You (wash / washes) the car on Thursday.
11) They (cook / cooks) on Wednesday.
12) She (study /studies) English on Thursday.
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Exercise 5
Present Tense
Note: In this exercise, nouns (Tom, Amy, Daniel, etc.) are used in place of pronouns (I / You / We
/ They / He / She / It). So, it is a good idea to think about which pronoun you could use instead of
each noun. After you know what pronoun replaces the noun, use what you have learned in
exercises 1, 2, 3, and 4 to conjugate the verbs correctly.
Example: Tom and I We (cook) cook on Tuesday.

Example: Tom and Amy They (cook) cook on Tuesday
Example: Tom He (cook) cooks on Tuesday
Example: Amy She (cook) cooks on Tuesday
1) Tom and Amy (cook / cooks) on Wednesday.
2) Daniel and I (cook / cooks) on Tuesday.
3) Herbert (cook / cooks) on Sunday.
4) Carlos and Peter (wash / washes) the car on Friday.
5) Jovita (wash / washes) the car on Saturday.
6) Ko, Uri, and I (study / studies) English on Monday.
7) The students (study / studies) English on Thursday.
8) Randy (study / studies) English on Friday.
9) I (wash / washes) the car on Thursday.
10) Mack (wash / washes) the car on Monday.
11) Natasha (study / studies) English on Thursday.
12) Rachel: Hi, Nina. Can I help you?
Nina: Yes. You (wash / washes) the car, and I will cook dinner.
Rachel: Okay. Good plan!
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Exercise 6
Present Tense
1) Monica (eat) _______ eggs.
2) Teddy and Monica (eat) _______ eggs.
3) Mickie (study) _______ English every day.
4) Arthur and Jason (study) _______ English on Monday and Tuesday.
5) Angie and I (drink) _______ coffee.
6) Eva (like) _______ chocolate.
7) Dustin (watch) _______ movies.
8) Yoko (play) _______ the piano.
9) The students (take) _______ tests.
10) It (rain) _______ here a lot.
Exercise 7
Present Tense
1) Dennis (cook) _______ on Wednesday.
2) Mariella and I (cook) _______ on Tuesday.
3) Spencer (wash) _______ his car on Sunday.
4) Tammy and I (wash) _______ our car on Monday.
5) You (study) _______ science on Thursday.
6) Thomas (study) _______ math on Friday.
7) Rickie (play) _______ golf and tennis.
8) Justin and I (play) _______ basketball and soccer.
9) Kim (read) _______ fiction novels.
10) Richard and David (read) _______ the newspaper.
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Exercise 8
Present Tense
Example: I / You / We / They (play) play the guitar.
Example: He / She / It (play) plays the guitar.
1) I ( bake / bakes ) cakes.
2) You ( work / works ) in an office.
3) We ( take / takes ) pictures of birds.
4) They ( talk / talks ) about cars.
5) He ( think / thinks ) about school.
6) She ( play / plays ) soccer.
7) It ( rain / rains ) here a lot.
8) I ( like / likes ) chocolate.
9) He ( like / likes ) chocolate.
10) You ( watch / watches ) movies.
11) She ( watch / watches ) movies.
12) The babies ( cry / cries ) every night.
13) The baby (cry / cries) every night.
14) I ( fly / flies ) to Belize every year.
15) My father ( fly / flies ) to Belize every year.
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Exercise 9
Present Tense
Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in simple present tense.
Example: I (play) play the guitar.
Example: Jessica (play) plays the guitar.
1) I (be) _______ sixteen years old.

2) Tommy (live) _______ at 107 Pine Lane.
3) Juana (cook) _______ dinner for her family.
4) They (eat) _______ lunch at 12:00.
5) Nina (take) _______ medicine when she is sick.
6) I (like) _______ chocolate.
7) He (drive) _______ a nice car.
8) We (want) _______ to see a movie tonight.
9) Mr. Anderson (teach) _______ chemistry at Hill High School.
10) They (study) _______ English at school.
11) I (want) _______ to go home now.
12) Bill and Calicia (drive) _______ to the mountains every year. every year.
13) We (eat) _______ pasta once a week.
14) It (snow) _______ here in December.
15) When Dax (take) _______ a shower, he (wash) _______ his hair with shampoo.
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Exercise 10
Present Tense
Example: I/You/We/They (play) play the guitar.
Example: He/She/It (play) plays the guitar.
1) Mary (be) _______ twenty-nine years old.

2) We (like) _______ to eat fruit. It (taste) _______ good.
3) The football team never (score) _______ . It (lose) _______ all the time.
4) Roberta and Betty always (talk) _______ to each
other on the phone.
5) Jose and I (study) _______ chemistry together.
6) The car (have) _______ a flat tire.
7) You never (make) _______ breakfast for me. I
always (have) _______ to make it myself.
8) The mechanic (fix) _______ my car when it breaks down.
9) Tom rarely (fly) _______. He usually (drive) _______.
10) I usually (watch) _______ TV, but tonight I (think) _______ I will read a book.
11) Igor (call) _______ his mother on the phone every day.
12) When he (be) _______ alone at night, Beto sometimes (get) _______ scared.
13) I (be) _______ tired. I (think) _______ I am going to take a nap.
14) Cakes (be) _______ hard to make. They (require) _______ a lot of work.
15) Joel (like) _______ to play soccer. He (practice) _______ every day.
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Exercise 11
Present Tense
Affirmative (+):
Example: He (play) plays the guitar.
Negative (-):
He (not, play) does not play the guitar.
1) I rarely (eat) _______ chocolate. I (not, like) _______ ______ _______the way it
(taste) _______.
2) We (like) _______ to watch movies. My favorite movie (be) _______ Titanic.
3) The ocean (sound) _______ like an airplane.
4) The flag (blow) _______ in the wind every day. It is getting old. It (need)
_______ to be replaced soon.
5) The janitor at my school (empty) _______ the
trash on Sunday.
6) Angelica always (try) _______ to make new
friends.
7) James (run) _______ two miles every day.
8) Elizabeth often (march) _______ with the band.
9) John and I (open) _______ presents at Christmas.
10) When there is a fire, the firemen (rush) _______ to put it out. After the fire
(be)_______ out, they (go) _______ home.
11) I (be, not) _______ _______ tired. I (think) _______ I will read a book.
12) Shelley (not, think) _______ _______ _______ this quiz is hard. But I (do)
_______!
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Exercise 12
Present Tense
Example: I (play) play the guitar.

Example: Jessica (play) plays the guitar.
Example: He (not, play) does not play the guitar.
1) I always (eat) _______ vegetables. Carrots (be) _______ my favorite.
2) Randy (like) _______ swimming in the ocean, but he (be) _______ afraid
of sharks.
3) It (be) _______ really cold outside, and I (not, have) _______ _______ _______
a jacket!
4) We (think ) _______ it is fun to ride roller coasters.
5) Roberto and Kelly (hunt) ______ for eggs every Easter.
6) The simple present tense (be) _______ easy!
7) My family (want) _______ to visit the pyramids in Egypt.
8) Donna (love) _______ the summer. She also (like)
_______ winter.
9) Liz and Tommy (travel) _______ to the coast every year.
10) The baby (cry) _______ every time it (want) _______ to be fed.
11) You (need) _______ to exercise in order to stay healthy.
12) What time (be) _______ Rubiela getting here? She (be) _______ late!
13) Yoko (win) _______ the science contest every year. She (be) _______
so smart!
14) Ken (be) _______ a baker. He (bake) _______ cakes and pastries every morning.
Then he (sell) _______ them to his customers. Everybody (love) _______ Ken's
bakery.
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Exercise 13
Note: These sentences use verbs and adverbs. An adverb says something more about the
action of a verb.
Example: Joseph (always, climb) always climbs trees in his yard.
Example: Ernestine (usually, pick) usually picks flowers on Mondays.
1) Julia (sometimes, sell) _______ _______ lemonade on hot

days.
2) Thomas (often, play) _______ _______ baseball after
school.
3) My neighbor (never, paint) _______ _______ his house; it
looks terrible!
4) The students (eagerly, leave) _______ _______ their
classrooms when the bell rings.
5) Mrs. Gomez (quickly, water) _______ _______ the plants
when she (get) _______ home at five o'clock.
6) Each night, Serena (kindly, help) _______ _______her little
sister with geography homework.
7) Stuart (happily, play) _______ _______video games with his
friends on Saturdays.
8) Joan and Nate (patiently, wait) _______ _______ for the bus to arrive each day.
9) The jazz musicians in our town (frequently, win) _______ _______ competitions.
10) The merry-go-round (slowly, come) _______ _______ to a stop every five
minutes.
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Exercise 14
Simple Present Tense Review
Hi. My name (be) _______ (1) Albert. My friends (call) _______ (2) me Al. You can
call
me Al if you (like) _______ (3) .
I (want) to tell you about a problem I (have) _______ (4) .It (be, not) ______ ______ (5)
a big problem, but it is not a small problem, either. I (guess) _______ (6) it's somewhere
between big and small.
I (have) _______ (7) a best friend. His name (be) _______ (8) Joe,
but everybody (call) _______ (9) him Joey. Joey and I have been friends for a long time.
That's the problem. Joey (like) _______ (10) to smoke. He (say) _______ (11)
he (do, not) _______ ______ (12) but I (know) _______ (13) he (do) _______ (14)
.He (try) _______ (15) to hide it from me, but I (see) _______ (16) him do it
sometimes. When I see him do it, he just (laugh) _______ (17) and (walk) _______ (18)
away.
Now, Joey (smoke) _______ (19) every day. When he (come) _______ (20) over to my
house, he (always, bring) _______ _______ (21) his cigarettes with him. He (keep)
_______ (22) them in his pocket. He (think) _______ (23) they are cool. He (not, think)
_______ _______ _______ (24) it's a bad idea to smoke. He (say) _______ (25) "(not,
worry) _______ _______ _______ (26) Al. I'm okay." He (tell) _______ (27) me that I (not,
understand) _______ _______ _______ (28) ,but I (think) _______ (29) I (do) _______ (30) .
I (feel) _______ (31) like it's his right to smoke. He can do what he (want) _______ (32)
to do, right? But I can (not, help) _______ _______ (33) worrying. He's my best friend.
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Exercise 15
Present Tense
Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in present progressive tense.
Example: I (play) am playing the piano now.

Example: You / We / they (play) are playing the piano now.
Example: He / She / It (play) _______ _______ the piano now.
1) I (play) _______ _______ the piano now.
2) You (play) _______ _______ the guitar now.
3) We (play) _______ _______ violins now.
4) They (play) _______ _______ harps now.
5) He (play) _______ _______ the trumpet now.
6) She (play) _______ _______ the flute now.
7) It (play) ________ _______ the drums now.
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Exercise 16
Present Tense
Note: Sometimes you must double the last letter in the word before you add "ing". The rule for doubling
is: when a one-syllable verb ends with consonant-vowel-consonant, the final consonant is doubled. If the
verb is longer than one syllable, the final consonant is doubled only if the stress falls on the last syllable.
Exceptions: never double the letters h,w,x,y.
Example: I (run) am running now.

Example: You / We / They (run) are running now.
Example: He / She / It (run) is running now.
Example: I (talk) am talking now.
Example: You / We / They (talk) are talking now.
Example: He / She / It (talk) is talking now.
1) I (run) _________ _________ now.
2) I (talk) _________ _________ now.
3) You (get) __________ _________ hungry now.
4) You (eat) _________ _________ now.
5) We (plan) _________ _________ the vacation now.
6) They (play) _________ _________ the game now.
7) They (stop) _________ _________ the game now.
8) He (swim) _________ __________ in the pool now.
9) He (sleep) _________ _________ in the bed now.
10) She (shop) _________ _________ at the mall now.
11) She (eat) _________ _________ with her friends now.
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Exercise 17
Present Tense
Note: In this exercise, nouns (Tom, Amy, Daniel, etc.) are used in place of pronouns (I /
You / We / They / He / She / It). So, it is a good idea to think about which pronoun you
could use instead of each noun. After you know what pronoun replaces the noun, use
what you have learned in exercises 15 and 16 to conjugate the verbs correctly.
Example: I (listen) am listening to music now.
Example: You / We /they (listen) are listening to music now.
Example: He / She / It (listen) is listening to music now.
1) Jason (listen) ________ ________ to music now.
2) I (talk) ________ ________ now.
3) Erin and Jessica (make) ________ ________ a cake right now.
4) Shhhbe quiet! The teacher (speak) ________ ________ now!
5) Marcos and I (study) ________ ________ English now.
6) Are Daniel and James playing football this year? No, they ________
________ soccer.
7) Emily (eat) _________ ________ breakfast now.
8) My car (make) ________ ________ strange noises. I need to get it checked
out.
9) Mr. Cooper: Hello. May I speak to Andrew?
Bob: No, he (sleep) _______ ________ right now. May I take a message?
10) Jennifer: Is Rosa coming to the park with us?
Yoko: No, she (work) ________ ________ today.
Jennifer: Oh, poor girl!
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Exercise 18
Present Tense
Example: I (buy) am buying groceries now.

Example: You / We / They / (buy) are buying groceries now.
Example: He / She / It (buy) is buying groceries now.
1) Right now, I (buy) ________ ________ groceries. I need eggs, milk, and bread.
2) We (eat) ________ ________ dinner. It tastes good.
Can you pass me the salt, please?
3) He (drink) ________ ________ milk. It looks good. It (run)
________ ________ down his chin. He needs a napkin.
4) Billy (do) ________ ________ his homework now. We are going to watch a movie
when he is finished.
5) All of the children (dance) ________ ________ at the party. They (smile) ________
________. They (have) ________ ________ a good time.
6) Jenny (take) ________ _________ pictures of Roman Cathedrals.
7) My car (move) ________ ________ down the hill. I forgot to engage the parking
break. Somebody please help me!
8) Andrea and Alejandro (take) ________ ________ a walk. The fresh air feels
great.
9) Dr. Mason is busy. He (see) ________ ________ a patient right now. He will see
you in twenty minutes.
10) Mr. Henderson and I (talk) ________ ________ on the phone. He (tell) ________
________ me about his children. They seem nice.
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Exercise 19
Present Tense
Example: I (listen) am listening to music now.
Example: You / We / They (study) are studying English now.
Example: He / She / It (take) is taking a shower now.
1) Amy and Alison (take) ________ ________ the dog for a walk. Gabriella (comb)
________ ________ her hair. I (brush) ________ ________ my teeth.
2) Tommy and Brian (listen) _______ ________ to music. It sounds like rock music.
3) Right now, Mr. Andrews (drive) ________
________ the bus. The bus (move) ________ ________
slowly. I don't mind, though. I am not in a hurry.
4) The band (play) ________ ________ a song.
5) Right now, my sister (compete) ________ ________ in a
tennis match. I think she (lose) ________ ________. She does not look very happy.
6) We (work) ________ ________ in the office until 5:00 today.
7) Be careful! Megan (cook) ________ ________, and the oven is hot.
8) Rachel and her friend (come) ________ ________ to dinner tonight. They (get)
________ ________ ready now. They should be here in twenty minutes.
9) Right now, the machines (make) ________ ________ car parts. They will be
finished in two hours.
10) The outdoorsmen (climb) ________ _______ Mt. Denali this year. I hope they
make it to the top!
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Exercise 20
Present Tense
Example: I (watch) am watching a movie now.
Example: You / We / They (play) are playing a game now.
Example: He / She / It (eating) is eating a hamburger now.
1) Amelia and Abjar (move) ________ ________ to California this week.
2) The bright lights (flash) ________ ________. They (hurt) ________ ________
my eyes.
3) Right now, you (type) ________ ________ on the computer.
4) The groundskeeper (mow) ________ ________ the grass.
5) The computer (process) ________ ________ a command.
6) Aunt Janet (paint) ________ ________ a picture. She is
almost finished.
7) My dog (jump) ________ ________ and wagging its tail. It must be excited.
8) The rain (fall) ________ ________ very fast now. I think a big storm (come)
_________ ________ this way. We had better get prepared.
9) The old man (smoke) ________ ________ his pipe. He (think) ________
_________ about his grandchildren.
10) Elijah (run) ________ ________ in a race. He (try) ________ ________ to win. I
think he can.
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Exercise 21
Present Tense
Affirmative (+):
Example: I (read) am reading a book now.
Example: You / We / They (speak) are speaking English now.
Example: He / She / It (run) is running in a race today.
Negative (-):
Example: I (not, drive) am not driving to work today. I am walking.
Example: Marlene and Joseph (not, come) are not coming with me to the movie.
Example: Pedro (not, cook) is not cooking dinner tonight.
1) Dennis (hike) ________ ________ up the mountain right now. He is almost at the
top. I bet he (get) ________ ________ pretty tired.
2) I (tell) ________ _________ a bedtime story to my children, but I don't think they
(listen) ________ ________. Their eyes are closed. I think they (sleep) ________
________.
3) The comedian (act) ________ ________ funny. The audience (laugh) ________
_________ at his jokes.
4) It (get) ________ _________ cold outside and my son (camp) ________
_________ high up in the mountains. I hope he (not, freeze)
________ ________ _________ up there!
5) Eddie (not, write) ________ ________ ________ a novel. He
(write) ________ ________ a poem.
6) Uncle Terry and his friend (fish) ________ ________ at the lake today. They
(not, fish) ________ ________ _________ at the beach.
7) Beto (sing) ________ ________ in the shower. He has a nice voice!
8) You (meet) ________ ________ the President tonight. He (expect) ________
_________ you to talk about the new proposal. Are you ready?
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Exercise 22
Note: These sentences use verbs and adverbs. An adverb says something more about the
action of a verb.
Example: Violet (gracefully, dance) is gracefully dancing a ballet.
Example: Raul (wisely, check) is wisely checking the oil in his car.
1) The breeze (softly, blow) _______ _______ _______ on our faces.
2) The dog is very hungry. He is (quickly, eat) ________ ________ ________ all
of his food.
3) The chestnut racehorse (already, cross) ________ ________ ________ the
finish line. Its owner is very happy.
4) Jonathan (rarely, exercise) ________ ________ ________, now that he is in
college.
5) Mrs. Stevens (angrily, yell) ________ ________ ________at the man who hit
her car.
6) Be careful! You (almost, spill) ________ ________ ________ the
paint.
7) The police (abruptly, stop) ________ ________ ________ traffic
at the intersection.
8) Chad (nervously, ask) ________ ________ ________ Tina for a
date.
9) Dr. Wong (calmly, explain) ________ ________ ________ the
operation to the patient's family.
10) The little girl (shyly, talk) ________ ________ ________ to Santa Claus. She
wants him to bring her a puppy!
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Exercise 23
Review of the Present Progressive Tense
Hey! Do you want to hear about what my family (do) ________ ________ (1) right
now? Well, I hope you do, because I am going to tell you!
Right now, my dad (work) ________ _________
(2)
outside. I can see him. He (mow)
________ _________(3) the grass. He loves my mother very much. He (always, talk)
_______ ________ ________(4) about her. He (always, do) _______ ________
_________(5) nice things for her. Right now, my dad (sing) _______ _________ (6) a
song. I bet it is a song about my mom.
Now, let's look at my mom. She (cook) _______ ________(7) something in the
kitchen. It smells so good! She (put) _______ ________
(8)
some kind of spices into the
pot. The pot (sit) _______ ________(9) on the stove. The water (boil) _______)
________(10) inside it. Also, something (bake) _______ ________(11) in the oven. It
(start) _______ ________(12) to turn brown. I think it is a turkey.
I also have two younger brothers. Right now they (play) _______ ________ (13) with
their toys on the floor beside me. They (laugh) _______ ________ (14) with one another.
They (make) _______ ________(15) a house out of blocks. The house (get) _______
________(16) taller and taller. Oh no! The house is too tall. Watch out! It (crash)
_______ ________(17) to the floor!
We are a happy family. I feel lucky to be a part of my family. Hmmmlet me
guessyou (think) _______ ________(18) about your own family now, aren't you?
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Exercise 24
Present Tense
Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in simple present tense or
present progressive tense.
Example:
Example:
Example:
Example:
Example:
Example:
I (watch) watch a lot of movies. [simple present tense]

I (watch) am watching a movie now. [present progressive tense]
You / We / They (play) play games every day. [simple present tense]
You / We / they (play) are playing a game now. [present progressive tense]
He / She / It (eat) eats eggs for breakfast. [simple present tense]
He / She / It (eat) is eating an egg now. [present progressive tense]
1) Right now I (watch) _______ _______ a movie. I (watch) _______ a lot of

movies.
2) Rickie (be) _______ my friend. We (like) _______ to talk together. Right now we
(talk) _______ _______ about school.
3) The police officer (wear) ________ a badge and a gun to work
every day.
4) Jaime usually (eat) _______ cold cereal for breakfast, but today
he (eat) _______ ________ oatmeal instead.
5) Alison and I (study) _______ _______ for the exam. We (not, want) _______
_______ _______ to fail it!
6) Jonas (sing) ________ in the band on Saturdays, and Veda (play) _______
the guitar.
7) My uncle (live) _______ in Tennessee. I (live) _______ in North Carolina.
8) My mom (cook) _______ _______ dinner tonight. (You, want) _______ _______
_______ to eat with us?
9) Tiffany and Mark (travel) _______ _______ to Spain. They will stay in Madrid.
10) We (read) _______ the newspaper every morning.
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Exercise 25
Present Tense
Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in simple present tense or
present progressive tense.
Example:
Example:
Example:
Example:
Example:
Example:
I (watch) watch a lot of movies. [simple present tense]

I (watch) am watching a movie now. [present progressive tense]
You / We / They (play) play games every day. [simple present tense]
You / We / They (play) are playing a game now. [present progressive tense]
He / She /It (eat) eats eggs for breakfast. [simple present tense]
He / She / It (eat) is eating an egg now. [present progressive tense]
1) Jessie (ride) ________ his bike every day. In fact, he (ride) ________ ________ his
bike right now.
2) Arnold and Peter (take) ________ ________ a test now. They (take) ________ a lot
of tests.
3) I (want) ________ some new shoes. The pair I (have) ________ now (get)
________ ________ old.
4) Tony (be) ________ my friend. We (spend) ________ a lot of time together.
5) What (be) ________ your name? Where (be) ________ you from? Where (do)
_______ you live?
6) I (no, watch) _______ _______ _________ TV now. I (talk) _______ _________
on the phone. I (like) ________ to talk on the phone.
7) Andrea (like) ________ to cook. Right now, she (make) _______ _________
vegetable soup.
8) When (do) _______ the bus leave? I hope we (be) _______ not too late!
9) I (be) _______ so thirsty! (you, have) _______ _______ ________ anything to
drink?
10) Thomas (read) _______ ________ the newspaper and (drink) _________ coffee in
the living room. He (no, do) _______ ________ have to go to work today.
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Exercise 26
Review of the Simple Present and Present Progressive Tenses.
Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in simple present tense or present
progressive tense.
Rachel's Diary Do Not Touch!!!

September 29, 2010 My First Day Here
Today (be) _______(1) the first day at my new school. Right now, it is lunch time, and
all of the students (eat) _______ _________(2) their lunches. They (sit) _______
_________(3) around the big table in the cafeteria, (talk) ________(4) in small groups. I
(sit) _______ ________(5) alone. I (be) _______(6) pretty nervous. I (hope) _______(7)
the other students (not, think) _______ _______ ________(8) I am weird. I (write)
_______ ________(9) in my diary right now to look like I (have) _______(10) something
important to do.
For lunch today, I (have) _______(11) an apple, pretzels, and a tuna fish sandwich. I
(hate) _______(12) tuna fish, but my mom (love) ________(13) it. She (say) _______(14) it is
good for me. She (pack) ________(15) it for me every day, so I (guess) ________(16) I
have to eat it. I (also, have) ________ ________ (17) some cookies. At least I (like)
________(18) to eat those.
Hey! The girls at the big table (look) _______ ________(19) at me! What (they, want)
_______ ________ ________(20)? They (laugh) _______ ________(21) at something.
What (they, laugh) _______ ________ _________(22) at? I hope they (not, laugh)
_______ _______ _________(23) at me. I (get) _______ ________(24) nervous again.
Oh my gosh! One of them (come) ______ _________(25) this way! Stay calm,
Rachel. She is not going to hurt you. She is just another girl like you, right?
Wait. Now she (hold) _______ _________(26) out her hand to me. Does she (want)
________(27) to be friends? What (she, do) _______ ________ _________(28)? Oh, I
know! She (invite) _______ _________(29) me to her table! Maybe I (be, not) _______
_______(30) that weird after all!
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Exercise 27
Present Tense
Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in simple present perfect tense.
Note: To form the simple present perfect tense, has or have is used with a past participle (the word that comes
after "had") to describe an action that has happened in the past and may still be happening. The past
participle is often regular, and therefore retains its simple past tense spelling, as visited does here.
Example: I / You / We / they (visit) have visited Argentina before.

Example: He / She / It (visit) has visited Argentina before.
1) I (visit) _______ ________ Australia before.

2) You (visit) _______ ________ Mexico before.
3) We (visit) _______ ________ Canada before.
4) They (visit) _______ ________ China before.
5) He (visit) _______ ________ Africa before
6) She (visit) _______ ________ India before.
7) It (visit) _______ ________ Europe before.
Exercise 28
Present Tense
Note: All of the past participles used will be regular.
Example: John (walk) has walked to school since first grade. He is in fifth grade now.
Example: The girls (finish) have finished cleaning their rooms. Now they can go shopping.
1) Our company (arrive) ______ ________. Please answer the door.
2) The ice on the sidewalk (melt) _______ ________. I think the sun is out today.
3) The McMillans (prepare) _______ _________ a lot of food for the party. It looks delicious.
4) Tonys flight from New Jersey (land) _______ ________. We should see him any minute.
5) The bank officers (suggest) _______ _________ that the meeting be scheduled for
Wednesday morning. I will try to locate a conference room.
6) Sparky (taste) _______ ________ his new dog food, and he seems to like it.
7) The police (arrest) _______ ________ two men for the robbery. It is time to question them.
8) The medicine (cure) _______ ________ Williams illness. It seems miraculous.
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Exercise 29
Present Tense
Note: In this exercise, all of the past participles are irregular. This means that they have
unexpected changes in spelling and pronunciation which are not the same as the simple past
forms. You may want to refer to a list of irregular verbs to find irregular past participles.
Example: Amy (eat) has eaten lunch already.

Example: Amy and Arnold (eat) have eaten lunch already.
1) Mark (eat) _______ ________ dinner already. He is not hungry.
2) Beth (write) _______ ________ three letters today. She misses her family.
3) Yoko and Armand (take) _______ ________ the test. Now they
can relax.
4) Marty and I (be) _______ ________ to Costa Rica three times.
We are familiar with the culture.
5) I (drink) _______ _______ six cups of water today.
6) Eva (sing) _______ ________ in a chorus before. Her voice is pretty.
7) Chong-Li (get) _______ ________ very good at speaking English. She has
practiced a lot.
8) Lucy (hide) _______ ________ in the woods. Now her friends will try to find her.
9) It (be) _______ ________ a good week so far.
10) You (show) ________ _________ that you are a hard worker. Good job!
11) Daisy (wear) _______ _________ a dress to work every day this week.
12) Mr. Lee (drive) _______ ________ from Texas to Iowa for the conference. He
needs to get some rest before it starts.
13) Juan (ride) _______ ________ horses since he was a little boy. It is easy for him.
14) Mr. and Mrs. Sanchez (become) _______ ________ grandparents. Their daughter,
Josefina, had a baby yesterday.
15) The movie (begin) _______ _______. Please be quiet!
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Exercise 30
Present Tense
Then, indicate whether the past participle is regular or irregular.
Example: Ida (look) has looked all morning for her glasses. She still cant
find them. (regular / irregular)
Example: The wind (blow) has blown our patio furniture away. Lets go get
it. (regular / irregular)
1) Charity (break) _______ ________ her leg on the ski slope. Please dial 911.
(regular / irregular)
2) The city (allow) _______ ________ residents to shoot off fireworks each year on the
Fourth of July. (regular / irregular)
3) The lake (freeze) _______ ________ solid. Now we can go skating. (regular /
irregular)
4) The sun (rise) _______ ________. Its time to get up. (regular / irregular)
5) The army (battle) _______ ________ the enemy for two weeks. The soldiers are
exhausted. (regular / irregular )
6) The principal (introduce) _______ _________ the new teacher. She seems very
nice. (regular / irregular)
7) Using his telescope, Jeremy (see) _______ _______ other galaxies. He writes them
on his blog. (regular / irregular)
8) The judge (listen) _______ _________ to all of the evidence. Now he will make a
ruling. (regular / irregular)
9) The strawberries (spoil) _______ ________. They should have been kept in the
refrigerator. (regular / irregular)
10) The doctor (write) _______ ________ a book about disease prevention. It will be
published soon. (regular / irregular)
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Exercise 31
Present Tense
Example:
Example:
Example:
Example:
I / You / We / they (visit) have visited Venezuela before.

He / She / It (visit) has visited Venezuela before.
Susan (run) has run a marathon race before.
Paul and his brother (drive) have driven to New England before.
1) I (visit) _______ ________ Tennessee before.

2) You (visit) _______ ________ Utah before.
3) We (visit) _______ ________ North Carolina before.
4) They (visit) _______ ________ California before.
5) He (visit) _______ ________ Texas before.
6) She (visit) _______ ________New York before.
7) It (visit) _______ ________ Colorado before.
8) They (take) _______ ________ the test. Now they must wait for their scores.
9) I (eat) _______ ________ dinner already. I am not hungry.
10) All of the children (brush) _______ ________ their teeth. Now it's time for bed.
11) Andrew (finish) _______ ________ his work. He is ready to take a break.
12) Mimi (play) _______ ________ golf before.
13) I (see) _______ ________ this movie before. I don't want to watch it again.
14) I (wash) _______ ________ my clothes. Now I can put them on.
15) You (complete) _______ _________ this exercise. Hooray!
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Exercise 32
Note: These sentences use verbs and adverbs. An adverb says something more about
the action of a verb.
Example: Juliet (always, work) has always worked at the library.
Example: The six-year-olds (happily, play) have happily played outside for an
hour.
1) The babysitter (often, cook) _______ ________ _________ dinner for the children
lately because their parents have been working late.
2) Mr. and Mrs. Thompson (never, travel) ________ ________ _________ overseas.
They like staying closer to home.
3) Professor Alvarez (usually, test) _______ ________ ________ his biology class
twice each semester. Occasionally, though, he gives three tests.
4) Tim and Todd (sometimes, play) _______ _________ _______ banjos
at the festival. We hope they will be able to play there this year.
5) In the aftermath of last weeks hurricane, the volunteers (willingly, work)
______ _________ ________ long hours. Many are exhausted, but refuse to
quit.
6) The teacher (already, plan) _______ ________ _________ a party for her students
because she feels that they have worked very hard and deserve to celebrate.
7) The florist (quickly, arrange) _______ ________ _________ the flowers for the
wedding. Now that he is finished, the caterers are bringing in food for the reception.
8) Mr. and Mrs. Yang (frequently, travel) _______ _________ _________ home to
Shanghai since they moved to New York City. They like living near their daughters
family in New York, but miss their old friends back home.
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Exercise 33
Present Tense
Affirmative (+) :
Example: Charles (taste) has tasted Guacamole before.
Example: We (visit) have visited China six times.
Example: They (already, finish) have already finished their homework.
Negative (-) :
Example: We (not, eat) have not eaten dinner yet.
1) Mrs. Polanski (know) _______ ________ Peter since he was a little boy. She has lived next
door to his family for many years.
2) After eight hours, Angel and Roberto (arrive) _______ ________ in California. They drove
there today from New Mexico, and want to go to San Diego tomorrow.
3) Nastia (live) ______ ________ in Norway for twenty-two years. She enjoys living
there. She doesnt mind the cold winters, but she especially likes to spend summer vacations
at the North Sea.
4) Ariel (be) _______ ________ a gymnast for eight years. She (break) _______
________ six bones since she began practicing gymnastics. She likes to get her friends to
sign her casts.
5) (You, be) ________ _______ ________ to Africa before? I (hear) ________
_________ it is beautiful there. I would like to go on a safari in Kenya.
6) The President (speak) _______ _________. His decision is final. Many people dont agree
with him, but making hard decisions is part of his job. I would not want that job!
7) The letter you sent me (not, arrive) _______ _______ _________ yet. I (check)
_______ ________ my mailbox for it every day. I wonder where it could be.
8) I (wait) _______ ________ for thirty minutes and my friend (not, come) _______
_______ ________ to meet me. I am a little worried about her, because she is always on
time.
9) I (visit) ________ _________ Spain before. It is a beautiful country. I love the old, southern
city of Cdiz, which has wonderful plazas and beaches.
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Exercise 34
Present Tense
Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in present perfect progressive tense.
Note: The present perfect progressive tense expresses the idea that something has
happened continuously since some time in the past, and is still happening now.
Example: I / You / We / They (work) have been working for two hours.
Example: He / She / It (work) has been working for two hours.
1) I (write) _______ _______ _________ my new book for ten months.

Writing it has been taken a lot of hard work and research. Thankfully,
it is almost finished.
2) The runners (race) _______ _______ _________ since 9:00 in the morning. Now it
is 3:00 p.m., and the leaders are about to cross the finish line.
3) The weather has been dreary all week. It (rain) _______ _______ _________ since
Monday. Hopefully, we will have some sunshine this weekend.
4) Anthony (play) _______ _______ ________ soccer his entire life. Soon, he will go
to college on a soccer scholarship.
5) The) baby (cry) _______ _______ _________ all night. He has been doing that
every night since he was born. His parents are so tired. They are hoping that his
sleeping habits will change soon!
6) Julian and I (try) _______ _______ _________ to find jobs for two weeks. We are a
little discouraged, but we cannot give up.
7) Mrs. Burk is giving her students an algebra test right now. The students (take)
_______ _______ _________ the test for thirty-five minutes. They have five
minutes until time is up.
8) Ichiro is worried because his keys are lost. He needs to go to work. He (look)
_______ _______ _________ for them for fifteen minutes. Lets help him.
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Exercise 35
Present Tense
Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in present perfect progressive tense.
Affirmative (+)
Example: He (wait) has been waiting on the train for two hours.
Negative (-)
Example: Don't worry. We (not, wait) have not been waiting for you for long.
1) The children (play) _______ _______ _________ outside all day. They must be getting
hungry by now. They need to come inside for dinner.
2) This week, we (read) _______ _______ _________ selections from the Romantic Period in
Literature class. My favorite Romantic authors are Poe and Hawthorne.
3) The criminal has not been caught yet. The police (chase) _______ _______ _________ him
since yesterday.
4) Lu Peng (make) _______ _______ _________ bread all day. It smells so good! His bakery is
next door to our shop. We are taking two loaves of his fresh bread home when we close the
shop tonight.
5) The construction workers (build) _______ _______ _________ that house all winter. They
(not, work) _______ _______ _______ _________ on it this week, though, because it (rain)
_______ _______ _________ every day since Monday.
6) The roses (not, bloom) _______ _______ _______ _________ much lately. We (not, water)
_______ _______ _______ _________ them enough. The soil is getting dry.
7) I (not, sleep) _______ _______ _______ _________ very well lately. I think I need to get
more exercise during the day. That would help me to feel tired at night.
8) Akira (learn) _______ _______ _________ about plants in her biology class. She is paying
close attention to the lectures. She wants to become a botanist some day.
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Exercise 36
Present Tense
Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in simple present perfect tense
or present perfect progressive tense.
Simple Present Perfect Tense:
Example: Charles (taste) has tasted guacamole before.
Example: Edie (not, call) has not called her parents yet.
Example: We (already, finish) have already finished our homework.
Example: (He, eat) Has he eaten dinner yet?
Present Perfect Progressive Tense:
Example: He (wait) has been waiting on the bus for an hour.
Example: She (not, do) has not been doing very well in school lately.
Example: (They, swim) Have they been swimming in the lake?
1) We (already, bake) _______ ________ ________ the cake. Now, we just have to decorate it
with icing. Would you like to help?
2) Have you ever been to Italy? I (see) _______ _______ pictures of the town of Assisi. Some
day, I would like to travel there to see its beautiful churches.
3) The voters (elect) _______ ________ a new governor. She (make) _______ _______
_________ her acceptance speech for the past thirty minutes. I hope she will finish soon!
4) The package I sent to Pablo (not, arrive) _______ _______ _________ yet. He (call)
_______ _______ _________ the Post Office every day. I don't know what happened to it.
5) The fishermen (not, catch) _______ _______ _________ many fish today. A strong wind
(blow) _______ _______ _________ all day, and they are having trouble with their nets.
6) (Edward, receive) _______ ________ ________ the money yet? I sent it to him last week.
7) Mahmoud and Rickie are dirty. They (play) _______ _______ _________ outside all day. It
is time for them to come in and take a bath.
8) (You, hear) _______ _______ ________ the news? There was a terrible earthquake in Haiti!
The residents need a lot of help.
9) Igor (want) _______ ________ to visit Paris for years. He (save) _______ _______
_________ his money for a plane ticket. He (almost, save) _______ _______ ________
enough.
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Exercise 37
Review of the Present Perfect Tense
Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in simple
present perfect tense or present perfect progressive tense.
Mrs. Rogers: Good afternoon, Mr. Tenny. Thank you for coming to the interview today. I
am so glad you could make time to meet.
Mr. Tenny: Hello, Mrs. Rogers. Its nice to meet you. I (hear) _______ ________(1) that
your company has grown and needs more space.
Mrs. Rogers: Yes, thats why were searching for an architect. May I ask you some
questions about your employment history and professional experience? That way, we can
both decide whether the job is a good fit for you.
Mr. Tenny: Sure.
Mrs. Rogers: Okay. On your resume, it says that you (work) _______ _______
_________(2) as an architect for the last eighteen years. Is that right?
Mr. Tenny: Yes, that's correct. I (have) _______ _______(3) a lot of experience in the field
during those years. It has been a great career for me. I (always, love) _______ ________
________(4) architecture, ever since I visited the pyramids in Egypt as a young boy.
Mrs. Rogers: The pyramids are fascinating. But, I would guess that you have not spent
your career designing pyramids.
Mr. Tenny (laughing): No! Not at all. I have designed many different types of buildings,
both for commercial and private use.
Mrs. Rogers: Well, we are looking for someone to design our next office building. We
have outgrown the space we have, and need to move ahead on a new building right away.
Were thinking about a building around twenty stories tall. (You, have) _______ ______
_______(5) any experience with buildings of that size?
Mr. Tenny: Yes. I (design) _______ ________(6) several tall buildings, including a twentytwo-story bank building in Atlanta and a twenty-five-story insurance building in Utah. I also
oversaw the construction of two thirty-five-story buildings in Texas. Those were built for an
oil refining company.
Mrs. Rogers: You certainly have worked with people from a wide range of professions.
Mr. Tenny: Thats true, and it is part of what makes my work interesting.
Mrs. Rogers: That's great. Now, can you please tell me a bit about the project you (work)
_______ _______ _________(7) on recently? I understand that you are using a lot of
technology in this one.
Mr. Tenny: Thats right. For the past two months, I (assemble) _______ _______
_________(8) a team to build an energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly building. It will use
solar energy. I (spend) _______ ________ _________(9) a lot of my time on this project
lately.
Mrs. Rogers: Yes, I (hear) _______ ________(10) a lot about your new project. I (read)
_______ _______ _________ (11) about it in the newspaper for the past few weeks. It
sounds exciting.
Mr. Tenny: Yes, it is. It will be different than any other building I (work) _______
________(12) on. Is your company interested in including green technology in your new
buildings?
Mrs. Rogers: Yes, we are--very much so. Our board of directors feels that our buildings
should have as little impact on the environment as possible. Also, we are concerned about
working conditions. We would like to include a nice outdoor park area with a walking track
and picnic tables for our employees.
Mr. Tenny: That is wonderful. That (become) _______ ________(13) a trend in new
construction for office buildings in the past few years. Employees need exercise. They
need to take at least one break from their computer screens every day and get outdoors.
Mrs. Rogers: I agree.
Mr. Tenny: Is there anything else you would like to know while I am here?
Mrs. Rogers: Not at the moment. I think I (get) _______ ________(14) all the information I
need for now. Thank you for coming. We will be holding a second series of interviews with
the top candidates. Our Vice President of Development, Mr. Ferguson, will be in charge of
those. I expect we will be contacting you shortly.
Mr. Tenny: Wonderful. I (enjoy) _______ ________(15) our talk. Have a nice day, Mrs.
Rogers.
Mrs. Rogers: You too, Mr. Tenny.
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Exercise 38
Present Tense Cumulative Review

Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in any aspect of the present tense.
Ring! Ring!
Beto:
Hello.
Justin: May I please speak to Beto?

Beto:
Yes, this is he.
Justin: Beto! How (be) _______ (1) you? This is Justin.

Beto:
AhhhJustin! I (be) _______ (2) fine. How are you?
Justin: Im great, thanks.

Beto:
That (be) _______ (3) good. So, whats up?
Justin: Well, I (have) _______ (4) a question for you.

Beto:
Sure.
Justin: My motorcycle (be) _______ (5) broken. I (try) _______ ______ _________ (6) to
repair it for days. I (no, know) _______ _______ _______(7) what is wrong with
it. I (no, can, fix) ________ _______(8) it.
Justin: Have you tried to start it?
Beto:
Yes, I (try) _______ ________ (9) to start it many times, but it just wont work.
The motorcycle is pretty new. I just got it last November.
Beto:
Hmm. Well, what (happen) ________ (10) when you try to start it? What kind of
noise does it make?
Justin: It (make) ________ (11) a strange sound. Then the engine (die) _______ (12).
Beto:
Okay. (You, stand) _______ _______ _________ (13) beside it right now?
Justin: Yes.
Beto:
Okay. There are some things that you need to check. First, you need to
inspect the spark plugs.
Justin: Hold on. Okay, I (inspect) _______ _________ (14) them under a light now.
They look clean.
Beto:
Okay, that's good. Now, you need to check the oil. Its possible that you dont
have enough.
Justin: Hold on. Okay, I (check) _______ _________ (15) the oil right now. It (look)
_______ (16) clean, and the tank is full. I just filled it up last week, so I didnt think
that would be the problem.
Beto:
Okay, thats good. Now you need to test the battery. (You, have) _______
_______ _______ (17) a battery tester?
Justin: Yes, I do. My brother got me one for my birthday.

Lets seeokay, I (use) _______ _________ (18) it right now. The battery
(appear) ________ (19) to be full of life.
Beto:
Hmm. That is strange. I (wonder) ________ (20) what the problem could be!
Justin: Yesvery strange. I (not, understand) _______ _______ _________ (21) it. My
brother thinks the motorcycle is trash. He (not, think) _______ _______
________ (22) it will ever start again. He (say) _______ (23) I need to take it to the
junkyard.
Beto:
Thats too bad. Well, there (be) _______ (24) one more thing you can check.
Justin: Really?
Beto:
Yes, but I am sure you (check) _______ ________ (25) it already. Its probably
the first thing you thought of.
Justin: Well, what is it?

Beto:
The gas level.
Justin: Wait! I (not, check) _______ _______ ________
(26)
that yet! Hold on! I
(check) _____ _________ (27) the gas level now.

Beto:
Well, what (do) _______ (28) it look like?
Justin: It (look) _______ (29) empty! Wow, that (be) _______ (30) the problem. How
embarrassing. I am sorry that I bothered you about this!
Beto:
Thats okay. The same thing (happen) _______ ________ (31) to me before.
You had better go get some gas! Talk you to you later!
Justin: Okay, thanks!
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A Christmas in March
Reading Comprehension Short Stories
Directions: Read the story. Then answer the questions below.
Just before Christmas in 1944, a letter arrived at our house in Philadelphia.

The postmark was from Tuskegee, Alabama, so we all knew who it was
from. We excitedly gathered around Mother as she opened it at the
kitchen table.
My Dear Mother,
I did not get the leave I expected for Christmas. I will miss all of you. Please
leave the Christmas tree up until I make it back. I hope to be home by March.
Love from your son,
Clifton
I was 17-years-old at the time. My heart sank. I felt a profound sadness about my
favorite brother not being home for Christmas. He was one of the Tuskegee
Airmen and was responsible for maintaining the airplanes flying off to fight in
World War II.
My mother, being the optimist she always was, said, Well, it looks like well get
to have two Christmases this year!
After Christmas, my sister and I worked together to make sure we kept that
Christmas tree looking as pretty as possible. This was no easy feat.
By mid January, the branches drooped so low to the ground that they became a
sliding board for the decorations. Each day, there were brand new sprinklings of
pine needles all over the wooden floor. My sister and I took turns sweeping them
up. We repositioned the ornaments to the stronger branches on the tree, hoping
they would stay on.
Each time we freshened that tree up, my sister and I were full of thoughts about
Clifton and how happy we would be to see him again. It made us feel that he was
close by, even though he was hundreds of miles away.
On March 5, the doorbell rang. We ran to the door and gave Clifton a big hug. As
he hugged my Mother, I could see him peak over her head at the Christmas tree.
Its beautiful, he said. Thank you. Clifton opened his presents and told us all
sorts of stories about his work in Tuskegee.
That night as we slept, we heard a crash in the living room. We all ran to see
what had happened. The tree had toppled onto the sofa and there were needles
and broken ornaments everywhere. We all had a good laugh. It was
fortuitous Clifton got home when he did!
Questions:
1) How did the narrator's mood shift
after Clifton's letter was read to the
family?
A.
B.
C.
D.
from grand to humble

from jubilance to anger
from uncertainty to clarity
from excitement to
disappointment
3) What can we conclude from the

letter?
Check all that are correct.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Clifton misses his family.

Clifton will be home by
March.
Clifton will not be home for
Christmas.
Clifton is one of the Tuskegee
Airmen.
5) What is the most likely reason the

narrator compared the tree limbs to
a sliding board?
A. The limbs were so high in the
air.
B. The ornaments were slipping off.
C. The sisters liked to play on
them.
D. The branches felt slippery with
no needles on them.
2) The mother is an optimist. This

means she...
A.
B.
C.
D.
is not easily upset.

upholds high standards.
maintains a positive viewpoint.
considers all outcomes before
making a decision.
4) Which word best describes the work

the sisters did to help keep the tree
looking pretty?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It was a miracle.
It was a debacle.
It was a discovery.
It was a collaboration.
Questions (continued):
6) "Each day, there were brand new sprinklings of pine needles all over the
wooden floor."
"My sister and I took turns sweeping them up."
What is the best way to combine the above sentences?
A. Each day, there were brand new sprinklings of pine needles all over the
wooden floor, therefore, my sister and I took turns sweeping them up.
B. Each day, there were brand new sprinklings of pine needles all over the
wooden floor, and so my sister and I took turns sweeping them up.
C. Each day, there were brand new sprinklings of pine needles all over the
wooden floor because my sister and I took turns sweeping them up.
D. Each day, there were brand new sprinklings of pine needles all over the
wooden floor until my sister and I took turns sweeping them up.
7) What did caring for the tree come to

represent for the sisters?
A. a continual hardship
B. a way of being close to their
brother
C. a hope that the war would end
soon
D. an indication that they did not
know when Clifton would return
9) How does Clifton seem to feel when

he sees the Christmas tree?
A.
B.
C.
D.
appreciative
disappointed
estranged
remorseful
8) What other title would fit this

passage best?
A.
B.
C.
D.
"Flying Home"
A Christmas War
"Granting Clifton's Wish"
The Disappointing Letter
10) Which describe fortuitous

circumstances?
Check all that make sense.
A.
getting the last seat on the
bus
B.
having an umbrella when it
begins to rain
C.
reporting a robbery after you
see it happen
D.
doing well in a test you have
studied hard for
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A Cold Day
It is a frigid January day in York, Pennsylvania.

The temperature is below freezing. Snow is starting to fall.
Dr. James turns on the television to check the weather.
He must leave for his work at the hospital soon.
Today is going to be very cold, says the TV weatherman. Be sure to wear very
warm clothes when you go outside. Also, be careful driving on the roads.
Snowfall will make them slippery. In fact, if you can stay home today, do it!
Dr. James cannot stay home. Very sick people are waiting to see him at the
hospital.
He goes to his closet. He takes out the warmest clothes he has.
He puts on a sweater, jacket, gloves, socks, boots and a hat.
He opens his front door to go to work. A gust of cold air blows inside.
Wow, it is very cold outside, Dr. James says. He is from Miami and does not
like the cold. The weatherman was right!
Before he can drive to work, Dr. James must clear the snow off his car.
He does this very fast. He hops in the car. He shivers. His neck feels especially
cold.
Dr. James drives slowly to work. Everyone else is driving slowly, too. There is a
lot of traffic on the road. There are cars in front and behind.
Suddenly, the cars in front of Dr. James come to a stop. There has been
an accident!
Dr. James hurries from his car to check on the driver of the car that has swerved
off the road. Is everyone okay? Dr. James asks.
Yes, yes, we are fine. We slipped on a patch of ice, the driver says. This would
have been a good day to stay home in bed.
Questions:
1) What does it mean if the weather
is frigid ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It is very cold.
It is very rainy.
It is very windy.
It is very slippery.
3) Why doesn't Dr. James stay home

today?
A. There are sick people waiting for
him.
B. He does not believe the
weatherman.
C. He has to clear the snow off his
car.
D. He must help the people in the
accident.
5) What does Dr. James do before he

leaves for work?
A.
B.
C.
D.
dresses warmly
calls the hospital
watches the weather
clears the snow from his car
7) How are people driving today?

A.
B.
C.
D.
badly
slowly
very fast
like they do not care
2) In what city does this story take

place?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Florida
Miami
Pennsylvania
York
4) What could Dr. James have put on

his neck to keep it warm?
A.
B.
C.
D.
mittens
a scarf
another hat
an undershirt
6) Given what is said in the story, what

is most likely true about Miami?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It is a hot place.
It is a rainy place.
It is a windy place.
It is a place where people drive
slowly.
8) What does it mean if the roads

are slippery?
A. The roads are full of cars.
B. The roads are easy to slide on.
C. The roads are very long and
curvy.
D. The roads lead to a place with
lots of snow.
9) Why does Dr. James clear the snow 10) There is a lot of traffic on the
off his car quickly?
road. Choose another way to write
this sentence.
A. He is very cold.
B. He is late for work.
A. There is a lot of snow on the
C. He knows his patients are
road.
waiting.
B. There are a lot of cars on the
D. He knows he will have to drive
road.
slowly.
C. There are a lot of accidents on
the road.
D. There are a lot of people walking
on the road.
11) Why did the car have an accident?

A.
B.
C.
D.
because it was snowing outside

because Dr. James hit the car
because it was so cold outside
because the car slipped on a
patch of ice
13) What is the weatherman right

about?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It is a windy day
It is very cold outside.
The roads are slippery.
There will be an accident.
12) What is an accident?

A. something that happens only
with cars
B. something that happens only in
the snow
C. something that happens that has
not been planned
D. something that happens
because other people want it to
14) Why does Dr. James hurry from his

car after the accident?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He is very cold.
He wants to get to the hospital.
He is worried about his patients.
He wants to make sure the
people in the car are okay.
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A Day Like No Other

Frank Wilcox has been chief of police in Lansett County for 25 years. He had just
turned 30 when he took the job.
He has seen murders. He has seen robberies. He has seen cats stuck in trees.
He has found missing children.
Today would be like no other.
It is 11:00 at night. Chief Wilcox begins putting together his things. He is tired. He
wants to go home.
Chief Wilcox, calls an officer walking quickly into his office. It is Officer
Simpson. He looks nervous. He looks like he would like to be anywhere else but
there.
What is it, Simpson? asks the Chief.
Holmans Grocery was just held up at gun point, Simpson says. His voice
is shaky. He coughs to clear his throat.
Was anyone hurt? asks Chief.
Lansett is a very small county. The Chief knows just about everyone who lives
there. If anyone was hurt, there is a good chance he knows who it was. Maybe
that's why Officer Simpson looks nervous.
No one was hurt, says Simpson. But we caught the suspect.
Ah, well, Simpson. You guys can take care of that. Im--, Chief Wilcox stops in
mid-sentence.
He understands what is wrong. From behind Officer Simpson, the Chief sees his
youngest daughter, Devon. She is in handcuffs.
Chief Wilcox gets a lump in his throat. He is in disbelief. How could it be? he
thinks.
Devon, will you please tell me what is going on? the Chief demands.
Devon does not look at him. The Chief can feel anger growing inside of him.
He refuses to let that anger show.
Take her back for questioning, the Chief says to Officer Simpson in a calm
voice.
Devon, whatever you do, tell the truth, the Chief says. Im your dad. I love you.
We will figure this out.
Questions:
1) What is the main problem in this
story?
2) How long has Wilcox been Chief?

A. ____________________
A. Devon won't look at her dad.

B. Officer Simpson is nervous.
C. The Chief's daughter has been
arrested.
D. The Chief is tired and wants to
go home.
3) What can the reader tell about Chief

Wilcox?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He has seen a lot in his job.

He wants the truth.
He is 30-years-old.
He can stay calm even when
_______________________
_______________________
4) Why does Chief want to go home?

A.
B.
C.
D.
He is hungry.
He is tired.
He does not want to see Devon.
He is worried about his family.
he is angry.
5) Why is Officer Simpson nervous?

A. He is scared of Chief Wilcox.
B. He has just been held up at gun
point.
C. He has just arrested Chief's
daughter.
D. He has just found an important
piece of evidence in a new case.
7) When does Chief know what is

wrong with Officer Simpson?
A.
B.
C.
D.
when he sees the gun

when he stands up
when Officer Simpson tells him
when he sees his daughter
6) Choose all that are correct. What

does it mean to be shaky ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
to be loud
to be hard to hear
to be unsure and unsteady
to be strong and uncontrollable
8) "He refuses to let that anger show."

Which sentence below means the
same thing?
A. He is forced to let that anger
show.
B. He is about to let that anger
show.
C. He wants to let that anger show.
D. He decides not to let that anger
show.
9) Why might Devon have not looked at 10) How do Chief's feelings change
her father?
during the story?
A.
B.
C.
D.
She did not see him.

She felt ashamed.
The handcuffs hurt.
She is the youngest daughter.
11) How old is Chief?

A. ____________________
_______________________
_______________________
A. from tired, to disbelief, to anger,

to love
B. from tired, to love, to disbelief, to
anger
C. from tired, to love, to anger, to
disbelief
D. from tired, to anger, to disbelief,
to love
12) Why might Chief feel different than

any other parent about his child's
arrest?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Devon is a girl.
Devon is his youngest child.
He is a police officer.
Devon may have had a gun.
How do you think Chief should handle this case? Explain.

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ReadTheory.Org 2010
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A Happy Visitor
It is Thursday. It is raining today. It is a rainy day.

Anna is inside the house. Anna is watching TV. Anna is watching TV inside the
house.
Anna cannot go outside. It is raining outside. Anna cannot go outside because it
is raining outside.
Anna is bored.
Wait!
Anna hears someone at the door. Someone is at the door of her house.
Anna opens the door. What does Anna see?
Anna sees a dog. The dog is small. Anna sees a small dog.
The dog is wet. The dog is wet from the rain.
"Awww! You are all wet!" Anna says to the dog. "You are very cute!"
"Mom!" Anna says.
"Yes dear?" says Anna's mom.
"There is a dog here! There is a dog at the door!" Anna says.
"What?" says Anna's mom. "A dog?"
Anna's mom comes to the door. Anna's mom sees the wet dog. The wet dog
looks cute.
"Can we keep it?" asks Anna.
"Yes, we can," says Anna's mom.
The dog is happy.
Questions:
1) What is the name of the girl in the
story?
A. ____________________
3) What is at the door of the house?

A.
B.
C.
D.
a man
a cat
a dog
a snake
5) Is the dog dry or wet?

A. The dog is dry.
B. The dog is wet.
2) What day of the week is it in the

story?
A. ____________________
4) What happens at the end of the story?

A. Anna keeps the dog.
B. Anna takes the dog to the
hospital.
C. Annas mom says she cannot
keep the dog.
D. Anna dries the dog with a towel.
6) How does the dog look?

A.
B.
C.
D.
cute
strong
small
angry
Do you think Anna should keep the dog? Why or why not?
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A Mystery
Something is very wrong, says the detective.

I know! says Ms. Gervis. It is wrong that someone has stolen from me!
The detective looks around Ms. Gervis apartment. That is not what I am talking
about maam. What is wrong is that I do not understand how the robber got in
and out.
Ms. Gervis and the detective stand in silence. Ms. Gervis is upset.
The robber did not come through the window, says the detective. These
windows have not been open or shut in months.
The detective looks at the fireplace. The robber did not squeeze down here.
The detective walks to the front door. He examines the latch. And the
robber definitely did not use the front door.
I have no idea how he did it, says a bothered Ms. Gervis. It is a big mystery.
And you say the robber stole nothing else? asks the detective. No money, no
jewelry, no crystal?
Thats right, detective. He took only what was important to me, Ms. Gervis says
with a sigh. There is only one thing I can do now.
And what is that? the detective asks with surprise.
I will stop baking cakes, Ms. Gervis says. They are mine to give away. They
are not for someone to steal.
You cant do that! says the detective with alarm . Who will bake those delicious
cakes?
I am sorry. I do not know, says Ms. Gervis.
I must solve this case immediately! says the detective.
Questions:
1) Where does this story take place?
A.
B.
C.
D.
in a bakery
at the police station
in Ms. Gervis' house
in Ms. Gervis' apartment
2) If Ms. Gervis is upset, which best

describes how she would look?
A.
B.
C.
D.
She might smile a lot.

Her eyes might be teary.
Her clothes might be dirty.
She might be sitting down.
3) What makes the detective sure that

the robber did not come through the
window?
4) "And the robber definitely did not

use the front door." Choose the best
way to rewrite this sentence.
A. The windows are locked.

B. The window faces the police
station.
C. The windows have not been
used in months.
D. The windows are too small for a
person to fit through.
A. "And the robber may not have

used the front door."
B. "And the robber probably did not
use the front door."
C. "And the robber was not able to
D. "And the robber certainly did not
5) Which questions should the

detective have asked about the
front door?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Is the door old?

Is the door made of wood?
Does someone else have a
key?
Does Ms. Gervis leave the
door unlocked?
6) What does Ms. Gervis do with her

cakes?
A.
B.
C.
D.
eats them
sells them
hides them
gives them away
7) What does the detective seem to
think will happen if he solves the
mystery?
A. Ms. Gervis will start baking
cakes again.
B. Ms. Gervis will bake him extra
cakes.
C. Ms. Gervis will give him her
secret recipe.
D. Ms. Gervis will give him money
and jewels.
9) What else was stolen from the

apartment?
A.
B.
C.
D.
crystal
jewelry
money
nothing
8) What is a mystery?
A. something that is wrong
B. something that happens at night
C. something a robber leaves
behind
D. something that cannot be
explained
10) If something is said with alarm,

how is it said?
A.
B.
C.
D.
with fear and panic

with bells and whistles
with smiles and laughter
with sadness and tears
Do you like mysteries? What is your favorite kind of story? Explain.

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Accused
Elizabeth was brooding in her room. She had sought asylum there
since spurious gossip began circulating about her at Seagrove
Academy last week.
Not that Elizabeth had ever been considered a social butterfly. She preferred to
live vicariously through the brazen stories of her friends: late night partying,
fraternizing with boys, childish pranks. Still, she has taken to being more by
herself than usual since the allegations surfaced.
Up for consideration for the highly coveted Blauvelt Award, a scholarship
recognizing academic integrity and promise, an anonymous student had given
headmaster Billings the tip that Elizabeth had cheated on several tests this
year.
The accusations were laughable. Elizabeth had long been a stellar student at
Seagrove. She lacked a natural intelligence - this was true. However, she more
than made up for this deficit through diligence and perseverance.
Still, the accusations had given the recommendation committee pause. Elizabeth
had been called to Mr. Billings grand office on Friday and asked copious
questions about her recent exams. The experience was quite traumatic.
Seagrove is an elite school. Most of its students come from privileged
backgrounds. This was not the case for Elizabeth. Her family had little money.
She attended Seagrove on a full scholarship. The Blauvelt Award would help her
family pay for college.
So, it was with the same diligence with which she applied herself to her studies
that Elizabeth planned to unmask her accuser. She opened the school directory
on her bed and began combing through the names.
Seagrove was such a small and insular community. Twenty-one kids would be in
her graduating class. Elizabeth knew it was inevitable that the person spreading
rumors about her would come to light. It was just a matter of time.
Questions:
1) What is another word for spurious?
A.
B.
C.
D.
shameful
ghastly
hurtful
untrue
2) However, she more than made up

for this deficit through diligence and
perseverance."
Choose the best way to paraphrase the
above sentence.
A. Elizabeth knew she needed to

work hard to get the Blauvelt
Award.
B. Any cheating Elizabeth did was
only because she lacked natural
intelligence.
C. Hard work and dedication
helped make up for Elizabeth's
lack of natural intelligence.
D. Mediocre studying and work
habits did not keep Elizabeth
from doing well in school.
3) Which of the following could best be

described as brazen?
A. A dog chases a cat up into a
tree.
B. A man walks his dog during the
rain.
C. A woman steps in front of a bus
to get it to stop.
D. A little girl wins the National
Spelling Bee with hard work.
5) How is Elizabeth different than many

of her peers?
A.
B.
C.
D.
She is diligent.
She is honest.
She is not wealthy.
She likes to be alone.
4) Why would cheating have likely

knocked Elizabeth out of the
running for the Blauvelt Award?
A. Mr. Billings said this was the
case.
B. Awards cannot be given to
cheaters.
C. The award is based on
academic integrity.
D. Cheating would have meant the
award could not be used for
college.
6) What does the reader learn about

the kind of school Seagrove
Academy is?
A. a school for gifted students
B. a school with many wealthy
students
C. a school where many kids lie
and cheat
D. a large school where it is hard to
get to know people
the student who accused Elizabeth
of cheating?
A.
That student does not want
8) What is the best antonym

for inevitable ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
impossible
unmistakable
probable
certain
anyone to know who he or she

is.
B.
That student is also a
contender for the Blauvelt
Award.
C.
That student is either lying or
mistaken.
D.
That the student is a former
friend of Elizabeth's.
9) Why is Elizabeth so sure that she

will learn who has accused her of
cheating?
A. Her friends will help her.
B. The community is so small.
C. She thinks the person will come
forward.
D. She thinks it will be the recipient
of the Blauvelt Award.
11) Who is the antagonist in this
passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Elizabeth
Mr. Billings
the anonymous student
the recommendation committee
10) What was Elizabeth's first response

to being accused?
A.
B.
C.
D.
She became rabid.

She became reclusive.
She became vindicated.
She became venerable.
12) Why is this award most likely so

important to Elizabeth?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It will prove she is smart.

It will help her pay for college.
It will make her parents proud.
It will prove she did not cheat.
ReadTheory.Org 2010
Name________________
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Alligators
An alligator is a very big reptile.

Alligators can grow to more than 15 feet long.
An alligator has a long tail, stubby legs, very strong jaws and sharp teeth.
It eats fish, mammals and birds.
Alligators live in rivers and swamps where the weather is very warm.
There are lots of alligators in Florida.
Questions:
1) What kind of animal is an
alligator?
A. an amphibian
B. a mammal
C. a reptile
2) What does an alligator look like?

A.
B.
C.
3) What do alligators eat?

A.
B.
C.
birds
cats
fish
5) Which is the
It has long legs.

It has a short tail.
It has sharp teeth.
4) What does stubby mean?

A. big and juicy
B. long and lean
C. short and thick
6) What can the reader tell about
best antonym for sharp?
Florida from this passage?
A. dull
B. gray
C. soft
A. It is far away.
B. It is a very big place.
C. It has rivers and swamps.
ReadTheory.Org 2010
Name________________
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An Adventure
Jaime is a boy.
Jaime lives in a house. Jaime lives in the country. Jaime lives
in a house in the country.
Jaime has a dog. The dog is named Go-Go. Jaime and Go-Go are friends.
Jaime and Go-Go are bored. They want to do something new. They want to do
something fun. They want to do something exciting.
Jaime and Go-Go walk out of the house. They walk across the yard.
They walk across the field. They jump over the fence.
Jaime sees a mountain. The mountain is very tall. The top of the
mountain is in the clouds. Jaime looks at the mountain.
We are going to the top of that mountain, Jaime says.
Go-Go looks nervous.
Don't be nervous, Jaime says.
Go-Go runs after Jaime. They walk toward the mountain. Jaime stops. He looks
back at the house.
I am a little tired, Jaime says to Go-Go.
Go-Go licks Jaimes face.
Jaime turns around.
Come on Go-Go. We will climb the mountain tomorrow, Jaime says.
Jaime starts to walk home.
Go-Go runs after Jaime.
Questions:
1) Where does Jaime live?
A. He lives in a house in the city.
B. He lives in an apartment in the
country.
C. He lives in a house in the
country.
D. He lives in an apartment in the
city.
3) What does across mean?
A.
B.
C.
D.
under
close to
far away from
from one side to the other side
5) What does Jaime want to do at

the end of the story?
A.
B.
C.
D.
go home
climb a mountain
go fishing in the river
play a game with Go-Go
2) What kind of animal is Go-Go?

A. ____________________
4) What does Jaime want to do at

the beginning of the story?
A.
B.
C.
D.
go home
climb a mountain
go fishing in the river
play a game with Go-Go
6) Why is Go-Go nervous?

A.
B.
C.
D.
He is hungry.
He wants to play catch.
He doesnt want to go home.
He doesnt want to climb the
mountain.
7) Jaime says he will climb the

mountain tomorrow. Is this true?
A. Probably.
B. Probably not.
Would you like to live in the city, or would you like to live in the country? Why?
I would like to live in the ___________ because _________________________________
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Ana Finds an Apartment

Ana, her husband Mario, and their four-year-old son, Antonio, just moved to
North Carolina.
They need a temporary place to call home until they get settled into their new
surroundings.
Right now, they are staying in a hotel not far from Marios job.
Ana begins a search for an apartment for the family to live in.
First, Ana picks up an Apartment Book at the local newspaper stand. The
Apartment Book contains listings of all the major apartment complexes in her
area.
Ana starts by looking at the prices for apartments in the Apartment Book. Then,
she reads about the amenities that each apartment complex offers.
For example, some apartments have a clubhouse. Some have a gym, which is
also called a fitness center. Some have a pool. Some have all of these!
Ana notices that the more amenities an apartment complex has, the more it costs
each month. She wants the familys new apartment to be nice, but she does not
want to spend too much money on it. Ana and Mario are trying to save money to
buy a house.
After considering prices, amenities, and locations, Ana finds several apartment
complexes that she thinks the family will like.
Ana calls the apartment complexes. She sets up appointments with the
apartment managers to see the apartments she thinks are interesting.
Ana makes five phone calls in total.
When Mario gets back to the hotel from work, Ana shows him the list of
apartments. These look good, he says.
The next day, while Mario is at work and Antonio is at childcare, Ana visits the
apartment complexes.
She likes the fifth one the best. It is in a good school district. It has a pool, but no
fitness center or clubhouse. It is near Marios job. Ana hopes to find a job nearby,
as well.
When Ana gets back to the hotel, she discusses all that she has seen with
Mario. They decide to rent the last apartment Ana saw.
The next day, Ana calls the manager of the apartment complex with the news.
The manager asks Ana and Mario to sign a lease and pay a security deposit.
If the family damages the apartment in any way while they are living there, the
security deposit will help to pay for the cost of repairs.
Ana and Mario sign a lease and pay the money. The manager asks them when
they plan to move in and Ana looks up at Mario. He looks back at her for a
moment and then tells the manager, In a few days.
Finally, they have a place to stay.
Questions:
1) What kind of book does Ana get?
A.
B.
C.
D.
a City Guide Book

a Map Book
a House Book
an Apartment Book
2) What did Ana consider while looking

through the Apartment Book?
I. school districts
II. amenities
III. locations
A.
B.
C.
D.
I only
I and II
II and II
I, II, and III
3) Where is Ana's family staying while

they look for a place to call home?
4) What does Ana realize as she looks

through the Apartment Book?
A. in an apartment close to Marios

work
B. at an apartment next to
Antonios school
C. in Anas mothers house
D. in a hotel near Marios work
A. that the nicest apartments are

far away
B. that all the apartments are small
and cramped
C. that it is easy to find a nice
apartment in a good school
district
D. that the number of amenities is
related to cost
5) Why doesn't Ana want to spend too

much money on an apartment?
A.
B.
C.
D.
her husband will get upset

she does not have the money
she cannot find one she likes
she wants to save money for a
house
6) In this story, which of the following

is not mentioned as an amenity?
A.
B.
C.
D.
carpet
clubhouse
fitness center
pool
7) What makes Ana like the fifth
apartment best?
I. it has many amenities
II. it is near Marios job
III. it is in a good school district
A.
B.
C.
D.
I only
I and II
II and II
I, II, and III
9) What does it mean

to consider something?
A.
B.
C.
D.
to rent it
to think about it
to make it happen
to read a book about it
8) Where is Antonio while Ana looks at

apartments?
A.
B.
C.
D.
at daycare
at the hotel
at school
at work
10) "When Ana gets back to the hotel,

she discusses all that she has
seen with Mario."
How can we best rewrite the above
sentence?
A. When Ana gets back to the
hotel, she reads about all that
she has seen with Mario.
B. When Ana returns to the hotel,
she writes about all that she has
seen with Mario.
C. When Ana returns to the hotel,
she talks about all that she has
seen with Mario.
D. When Ana leaves the hotel, she
talks about all that she has seen
with Mario.
11) When will the family move into

their new apartment?
A.
B.
C.
D.
in a day or two
in a couple days
in three or four days
in just under a week
12) Which is the best description of

a security deposit ?
A. money given to landlord to pay
for amenities
B. money given to landlord to pay
for utilities and telephone
C. money given to landlord to prove
the tenant can pay rent on time
D. money given to the landlord to
pay for any damage to the
apartment
ReadTheory.Org 2010
Name________________
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Bail
The phone rang at Pratt Taylors house at nearly three in the morning.
Pratt fumbled for the phone in the dark. He answered groggily after the fourth
ring.
Hello, Pratt mumbled into the receiver.
Mr. Taylor. Thank goodness. I need your help.
Pratt knew the voice, for sure. However, in his somnolent state, he could not
quite place it.
Mr. Taylor! the man said again in a raspy, loud whisper. I am in jail. I was
allowed one phone call. Im calling you.
Then, the fog cleared. Although nearly ten years had passed since their last
encounter, Pratt was able to discern something familiar in this voice. It belonged
to a boy named Martin Hall, easily one of the most brilliant math students he had
ever had. But while Pratt recalled that Martin possessed an enviable acumen for
math, he also had a knack for getting into trouble.
Still, they had forged a strong student-teacher bond, and when Martin graduated
from Linebrook High School, Pratt had told him, Call me if there is anything you
ever need.
So here it was the call in the middle of the night.
Yes, Martin. Is that you?
Yes, Mr. Taylor. Can you help?
What do you need?
Bail money.
What did you do?
Well talk about that later. Can you get me one thousand bucks?
Pratt knew he could, but he was hesitant. What had Martin done? What was
Pratt getting himself into? Pratts honor to his word helped make his decision.
Yes, I can. Where shall I bring it?
Im at Jessup in Maryland. My brother will come by your place in the morning.

Give the money to him, and he will come and bail me out.
Ok.
The decision would be one that would irk Pratt for a very, very long time.
Questions:
1) "Pratt fumbled for the phone in the dark. He answered groggily after the fourth
ring."
A. Pratt fumbled for the phone in the dark, he answered groggily after the
fourth ring.
B. Pratt fumbled for the phone in the dark, and answered groggily on the
fourth ring.
C. While Pratt fumbled for the phone in the dark, he answered groggily after
the fourth ring.
D. Pratt answered the phone groggily after the fourth ring, fumbling for the
phone in the dark.
2) If someone is feeling somnolent,
which best describes how he or she
might act?
A.
B.
C.
D.
irritated
lethargic
maniacal
nimble
4) Which is the best antonym

for acumen?
A.
B.
C.
D.
distaste
enlightenment
inability
uncertainty
3) What does the author mean by the

following sentence: "Then, the fog
cleared." ?
A. the weather had finally improved
B. a light had been turned on in the
room
C. something bad had happened to
Martin
D. Pratt had gained a new
understanding

for hesitant?
A.
B.
C.
D.
comfortable
decisive
relaxed
trusting
6) Which best explains why Pratt
decided to get the money for
Martin?
A. Pratt had the money to give.
B. Pratt believed Martin was
innocent.
C. Pratt had promised help many
years ago.
D. Pratt feared Martin would hurt
him if he did not comply.
8) How does Pratt's mood change
from the beginning to end of
passage?
A. from sleepy, to forgetful, to
giving
B. from uncertain, to committed, to
angry
C. from groggy, to clearheaded, to
regretful
D. from proud, to reminiscent to
ambivalent
7) Which best describes the Martin who

Pratt remembers?
A. the smartest student he had
ever had
B. a straight A student with no work
ethic
C. a gifted student with a
propensity for trouble
D. a kid from a bad neighborhood
trying to get out
9) What does the last line of this

passage seem to suggest?
A. that someone gets hurt
B. that something bad happens
C. that Martin's brother never
shows up
D. that Martin spent a very long
time in jail
10) Which is the best antonym for irk?

A.
B.
C.
D.
excite
heal
humble
please
If you were Mr. Taylor, would you have bailed Pratt out? Why or why not?
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Name________________
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BB
When I was about 12-years-old, my older brother, James, smuggled

a BB gun into the house.
Im not quite sure where he got it. This was in 1938, during the Great Depression.
He must have bartered for it with one of his friends.
Having any form of weaponry in our home was strictly taboo.
James brought me to his room and took the BB gun out of a shoebox in his
closet. I was immediately enamored. He let me touch it and walk with it around
the room. I fingered the trigger.
Can I shoot it, Jamesie? I asked, hopefully.
No way, James said, taking it from me and putting it back into its covert spot.
I forgot about it for a while, but one day, when no one was home, I went into
James' closet and took it out.
For some unknown reason, I went to the front window of the second floor in our
row house. I cracked the window open. I pointed the gun outside and shot. I
quickly shut the window and peeked outside.
In a matter of seconds, old Mr. Schlosberg came out of his grocery store. He
looked back at his store window. He looked up the street. He looked down the
street. Then he looked straight across to our house. He could tell from the
trajectory just where that shot had come from. He knew someone in our house
was the culprit.
I ran back to James' room to return the gun and then sat downstairs, waiting
nervously for someone to get home. Thankfully, Jamesie made it home before
Mother or Father.
As he stepped through the door, I could hear old Mr. Schlosberg call his name.
James, James, he called. Come here, son.
I crept to look out the door and saw Mr. Schlosberg pointing feverishly at our
house (up to the second floor window!) and then at his shop window. James ran
back across the street and into the living room. I had retreated into the kitchen.
Alma! he screamed. Get out here! You cracked Mr. Schlosbergs window with
my BB gun!
Oh, please, Jamesie, I begged. Dont let him tell Mother. She will whip my
bottom real good!
Jamesie sighed. He wiped my tears and went back across the street to Mr.
Schlosbergs.
I dont know what James said to that man, but there was never a mention of the
incident again. I didn't know how I got out of it, but I got out of it, and that was all
that mattered to me then. I was too self-absorbed to realize what a great brother I
had.
Years later, I found out Jamesie had used the money he got from his newspaper
route to pay for Mr. Schlosbergs cracked window. He only got one cent for every
paper he delivered. He managed to pay the debt off just before he went off to
fight in World War II.
Since that day, I have never touched a gun. A BB gun, a water gun, a real gun,
or any other type.
Questions:
1) Which is the best reason the author
may have included the detail of this
story taking place during the Great
Depression?
A. to let the reader know how old
the narrator is now
B. to let the reader know why guns
were taboo in the house
C. to let the reader know that World
War II had not occurred yet
D. to let the reader know how
economically strained things
were
3) What does being strictly
taboo suggest?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It is illegal.
It is forbidden.
It is incomprehensible.
Superstition surrounds it.

for enamored?
A.
B.
C.
D.
bored
generous
repulsed
scared
4) What does it mean to put something

in a covert place?
A.
B.
C.
D.
to put in the dark

to put out of sight
to put it in a secret place
to put in a hard-to-find spot
5) How did the incident seem to affect
Alma?
A.
B.
It made her wary of guns.

It made her appreciative of
C.
D.
a bullet hole
a deep crack
a path a projectile takes
a sound a gun makes when
firing
9) What kind of brother does James

appear to be?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A.
B.
C.
D.
guilty.
nervous.
obedient.
dangerous.
her brother.
It made her sure her brother
would be a good soldier.
It made her trust her brother
more than her parents.
7) Which is the best definition

for trajectory?
A.
B.
C.
D.
6) A culprit is always...
wealthy
irrational
protective
foolhardy
8) What did Alma seem most worried

about?
A. getting caught by her brother
B. getting spanked by her mother
C. having to pay for the broken
glass
D. hiding the gun before her
parents got home
10) What kind of 12-year-old girl did

Alma appear to be?
A.
B.
C.
D.
curious and selfish

feisty and indignant
humble and loving
reverent and respectful
Have you ever done something you regretted? Explain.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
englishforeveryone.org
10
15
20
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Critical Reading The Flu
The flu is the common name for influenza. The flu is a respiratory sickness. The flu can
be mild. The flu can be bad. Sometimes the flu can even cause death. Each year in the U.S., 5% 20% of people get the flu. Each year in the U.S., up to 60 million people get the flu. Each year in
the U.S., about 200,000 people go to the hospital because of the flu. Each year in the U.S., about
36,000 people die from problems related to the flu.
The flu is caused by a virus. A virus is a germ. People can spread the virus. The virus can
live in tiny drops of liquid. If you have the virus, you can spread it by coughing. You can get the
virus by touching a something that has the virus on it and then touching your eyes, nose, or
mouth.
A flu shot can prevent the flu. The nasal flu mist can also prevent the flu. The shot and
the nose spray are vaccines. Talk to your doctor about getting a vaccine. You can get information
about the flu shot and nasal spray from your local health department.
If you get the flu, you might get a headache. You might have a fever. You might have a
cough and a runny nose. You might have a sore throat. You might feel very tired. Your body
might hurt all over. Some people have diarrhea and vomiting.
You can help stop the spread of the flu virus. The Centers for Disease Control remind
you to cover your cough. You should cough into a tissue and throw the tissue away. Or you can
cough into the inside of your elbow, into your own clothing. The Centers for Disease Control
also remind you to clean your hands. You can use hand sanitizer. You should use an alcoholbased hand sanitizer for the best results. You can use soap and water. You should wash your
hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. Studies show that washing your hands
for 2 minutes with hot, soapy water is the best way to get the most germs off your hands. Be sure
to wash under your fingernails and between your fingers.
Questions
1. According to the passage, which of the following statements is/are true?
I)
At least 5% of the U.S. population gets the flu each year.
II) There are three types of flu vaccine.
III) Each year in the U.S., about 20% of people who have the flu die from it.
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
I only
II only
III only
I and II only
II and III only
2. What is the main idea of the fifth paragraph?

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
How to wash your hands

How long to wash your hands
How to stop the spread of the virus
What studies have shown about hand-washing
Why you should cough into your elbow
3. In line 11, vaccine most closely means

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
nose
health
protection
shot
spray
Answers and Explanations

1. The correct answer is A.
I)
Correct. Lines 2-3 state that Each year in the U.S., 5% -20% of people get the flu.
Therefore, the lowest percentage of people who gets the flu in the U.S. each year is
5%. That means that at least 5% of the U.S. population gets the flu each year.
II) Incorrect. Lines 10-11 state that The shot and the nose spray are vaccines. The flu
shot and the nose spray comprise two types of vaccine. While there may be three or
more types of vaccine, only two types of vaccine are mentioned in the passage.
III) Incorrect. Line 3 states that Each year in the U.S., up to 60 million people get the
flu. Lines 4-5 state that Each year in the U.S., about 36,000 people die from
problems related to the flu. Twelve million is 20% of 60 million. Since up to 60
million people in the U.S. have the flu each year, 12 million people in the U.S.
would be about 20% of the people in the U.S. who have the flu. Since about 36,000
people die from problems associated with the flu, the statement is not correct.
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
I only
II only
III only
I and II only
II and III only
2. The correct answer is C.

A) Incorrect. While lines 20-23 state that You should wash your hands with warm water
and soap for at least 20 seconds. Studies show that washing your hands for 2 minutes
with hot, soapy water is the best way to get the most germs off your hands. Be sure to
wash under your fingernails and between your fingers, this procedure is outlined as a
recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control as a method of stopping the spread of
the flu, not as the main idea of the paragraph.
B) Incorrect. While lines 20-23 state that You should wash your hands with warm water
and soap for at least 20 seconds. Studies show that washing your hands for 2 minutes
with hot, soapy water is the best way to get the most germs off your hands, this
procedure is outlined as a recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control as a
method of stopping the spread of the flu, not as the main idea of the paragraph.
C) Correct. Line 16 states that You can help stop the spread of the flu virus. The passage
then outlines methods of stopping the spread of the virus. These include coughing into a
tissue and throwing the tissue away (line 17), coughing into the inside of your elbow (line
18), and cleaning your hands (line 19). The remainder of the paragraph outlines the
recommended methods of cleaning your hands.
D) Incorrect. While lines 21-22 state that Studies show that washing your hands for 2
minutes with hot, soapy water is the best way to get the most germs off your hands, the
passage gives this information to support the main idea that you can help stop the spread
of the virus (line 16), and that one way of stopping the spread of the virus is by cleaning
your hands (line 19).
E) Incorrect. While lines 17-18 state Or you can cough into the inside of your elbow, into
your own clothing, the reason for coughing into your elbow is not given.

A) Incorrect. Lines 10-11 state that The shot and the nose spray are vaccines. Since the
nose spray is a vaccine, the word vaccine cannot mean nose.
B) Incorrect. Lines 10-11 state, The flu shot can prevent the flu. The nasal flu mist can also
prevent the flu. The shot and the nose spray are vaccines. Talk to your doctor about
getting a vaccine. Since the shot and the nose spray can prevent the flu, they are items
which can promote health. However, they are not health itself. Therefore, the vaccine is
not health itself, but a way of promoting good health.
C) Correct. Lines 10-11 state, The flu shot can prevent the flu. The nasal flu mist can also
prevent the flu. The shot and the nose spray are vaccines. Since the shot and the nasal
flu mist can both prevent the flu, and both the shot and the nasal flu mist are vaccines, it
stands to reason that the vaccine can protect against the flu. Therefore, the vaccine is a
form of protection from the flu.
D) Incorrect. Line 11 states that The shot and the nose spray are vaccines. While the shot
is one type of vaccine, it is not the only vaccine, and there is no statement in the text that
all shots are vaccines.
E) Incorrect. Line 11 states that The shot and the nose spray are vaccines. While the spray
is one type of vaccine, it is not the only vaccine, and there is no statement in the text that
all sprays are vaccines.
10
15
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Critical Reading Nuts
There is a small difference between nuts and seeds. Many seeds often are called nuts. For
example, hazelnuts are nuts. Chestnuts are nuts. Beechnuts are nuts. Acorns are nuts. But, Brazil
Nuts are not nuts. Cashews are not nuts. Peanuts are not nuts. Pistachios are not nuts.
So what are nuts? A true nut is a fruit with one seed. True nuts have very hard shells.
True nuts do not open on their own. You must crack a true nut to open it.
Cooks often call seeds nuts. In addition, English speakers often call seeds, nuts. The
difference between nuts and seeds is small, so it is not necessarily wrong to call a seed a nut.
Nuts are good for your health. Seeds are also good for your health. Nuts and seeds
contain a lot of oil. They also contain a lot of energy for your body. Nuts are a good snack food.
Seeds are also a good snack food. Nuts are good for the heart. Seeds are also good for the heart.
Nuts help you grow. Seeds also help you grow. Nuts are good for the skin. Seeds are also good
for the skin.
Many animals eat nuts. Squirrels eat nuts. Mice eat nuts. Chipmunks eat nuts. Raccoons
eat nuts. Birds eat nuts. Even some dogs eat nuts.
Many animals eat seeds. Birds eat seeds. Mice eat seeds. Even some snakes eat seeds.
There are hundreds of nuts that people and animals can eat. There are hundreds of seeds
that people and animals can eat. But many nuts and seeds are inedible. Look in a book or check
on the internet before trying to eat unfamiliar seeds and nuts. Learn if new foods are safe and
healthful by reading about them before tasting them.
Questions
I)
Cashews are true nuts.
II) A nut is a fruit.
III) True nuts do not open naturally.
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
I only
II only
III only
I and II only
II and III only
2. What is the main idea of the third paragraph?

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
Many cooks do not understand what nuts are.

In normal speech, some seeds are called nuts.
Seeds are nuts, but nuts are not seeds.
Nuts and seeds are small.
The English language uses the wrong words for seeds.
3. In line 17, inedible most closely means

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
familiar
not good for health
not able to be eaten
unbelievable
safe to eat

1. The correct answer is E.
I)
Incorrect. Line 3 states that Cashew nuts are not nuts.
II) Correct. Line 4 states that A true nut is a fruit with one seed.
III) Correct. Line 5 states that True nuts do not open on their own. Since they do not
open on their own, they do not open naturally.
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
I only
II only
III only
I and II only
II and III only
2. The correct answer is B.

A) Incorrect. While line 6 states that Cooks often call seeds nuts, it does not state that
cooks do not understand what nuts are. It is a statement of language use, not a statement
of knowledge. Since it is an incorrect interpretation of the sentence, it is not the main
idea of the paragraph.
B) Correct. Line 6 states that English speakers often call seeds, nuts.
C) Incorrect. Lines 6-7 state that difference between nuts and seeds is small. There is
nothing which says that seeds are nuts. So this cannot be the main idea of the
paragraph.
D) Incorrect. While it may be true that most nuts and seeds are small, the sentence in lines 67 actually states that the difference between nuts and seeds is small. So this is not the
main idea of the paragraph.
E) Incorrect. Lines 6-7 state that In addition, English speakers often call seeds, nuts. The
difference between nuts and seeds is small, so it is not necessarily wrong to call a seed a
nut.
A) Incorrect. Since the following sentence (lines 17-18) reminds readers to Look in a book
or check on the internet before trying to eat unfamiliar seeds and nuts. If the seeds and
nuts are unfamiliar, they cannot be familiar. So the word inedible cannot mean
familiar.
B) Incorrect. Lines 18-19 remind readers to Learn if new foods are safe and healthful
To learn if foods are healthful means to learn whether foods are good for health.
Checking whether they are good for health means that it is unknown whether the food is
good for health or not.
C) Correct. Inedible food is food that is unable to be eaten.
D) Incorrect. The word inedible is similar to the word incredible, which means
unbelievable. The word incredible is not used in this reading passage.
E) Incorrect. Lines 18-19 remind readers to Learn if new foods are safe and healthful
To learn if foods are safe means that it is unknown whether the foods are safe or not. So
the word inedible cannot mean safe.
10
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Critical Reading Paper
Paper has many uses. People draw on paper. People paint on paper. People write on
paper. People clean with paper. People make boxes out of paper. People blow their noses on
paper. Books are made of paper. Magazines are made of paper. Some money is printed on paper.
Sandpaper is made of paper. Wallpaper is made of paper.
Some paper is made from plants. Some paper is made from cotton. Some paper is made
from bamboo. Some paper is made from wheat. Most paper is made from trees. 95% of paper is
made from trees. Some paper is made from pine trees. Some paper is made from oak trees. Some
paper is made from maple trees. Some paper is recycled. When paper is recycled, new paper is
made from old paper.
Some people say they work in paper-free offices. Some people think computers will take
away the need for paper. But people will always need to blow their noses. People will want to
sand surfaces with sandpaper. People will want to paint or draw on paper. People will want to
put things in paper boxes. So, people will probably need to use paper for many more years.
Questions
I)
Ninety-five percent of paper is made from pine trees.
II) Computers will take away the need for paper.
III) There will probably always be uses for paper.
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
I only
II only
III only
I and II only
II and III only
2. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
What is made of paper

What paper is made of
What people think of paper
The many uses of paper
The future of paper
3. In line 12, sand most closely means

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
grainy mineral
paint or color
polish or smooth
use for storage
draw

I)
Incorrect. According to line 7, Ninetyfive percent of paper is made from trees.

Some paper is made from pine trees.
II) Incorrect. According to lines 10-11, Some people think computers will take away
the need for paper. So while it might be true that computers will take away the
need for paper, the passage states that it is some peoples opinion, not a fact.
III) Correct. According to lines 13-14, People will probably always need to use paper.
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
I only
II only
III only
I and II only
II and III only

A) Incorrect. The second paragraph tells what paper is made of. For example, according to
line 5, Some paper is made from plants. Some paper is made from cotton. The first
paragraph tells what is made of paper. According to lines 3-4, Books are made of paper.
Magazines are made of paper.
B) Correct. The second paragraph tells what paper is made of. For example, according to
line 5, Some paper is made from plants. Some paper is made from cotton.
C) Incorrect. The second paragraph tells what paper is made of. For example, according to
line 5, Some paper is made from plants. Some paper is made from cotton. The third
paragraph contains some information about what people think. For example, according
to lines 10-11, Some people think computers will take away the need for paper.
D) Incorrect. The second paragraph tells what paper is made of. For example, according to
line 5, Some paper is made from plants. Some paper is made from cotton. The first
paragraph tells about the many uses of paper. For example, according to line 1, Paper
has many uses. People draw on paper. People paint on paper.
E) Incorrect. The second paragraph tells what paper is made of. For example, according to
line 5, Some paper is made from plants. Some paper is made from cotton. The third
paragraph discusses the future of paper. For example, according to lines 10-11, Some
people think computers will take away the need for paper. But people will always need to
blow their noses.

A) Incorrect. In lines 1112, the word sand is used as a verb. According to the passage,
Some people will want to sand surfaces with sandpaper. While the word sand does
sometimes refer to a mineral, that usage of sand is a noun, not a verb. So in this case,
the word sand cannot mean a grainy mineral.
B) Incorrect. While it is true that people paint or color on surfaces and that there is a
reddishbrown color which is called sand, paint or color is probably not the meaning of
sand as it is used in this line, because the following sentence states that Some people
will want to paint or draw on paper.
C) Correct. The meaning of sand in this sentence is to smooth or polish. Since sandpaper
has a rainy surface, it smoothes or polishes other surfaces when it is rubbed against them.
D) Incorrect. Since the third paragraph contains a listing of possible future uses of paper,
storage does appear as one of the possible uses. However, it appears in line 13 Some
people will want to put things in paper boxes. Since putting things in boxes is storing
things, this is the sentence where storage is listed. So it is unlikely that sand means use
for storage.
E) Incorrect. Since the third paragraph is a listing of possible future uses of paper,
drawing on paper does appear as one of the possible future uses. However it is used in
lines 13-14, Some people will want to paint or draw on paper. So sand probably does
not refer to drawing.
10
15
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Critical Reading Soaps and Detergents
Soaps and detergents are used for washing. Soaps and detergents are used for cleaning.
People usually use detergent to wash clothes. People usually use detergent to wash dishes.
People usually use soap to wash their bodies.
Soap has a long history. There was soap in Ancient Babylon. There was soap in Ancient
Egypt. Some people think there was soap before people wrote history.
Soap and detergent are similar, but soap and detergent are not exactly the same. Soaps are
made of natural products. Detergents are made of man-made products.
In some cases, soap is better than detergent. For example, soap is milder on the skin.
Soap is milder on the environment. Soap is biodegradable natures processes clean soap up.
Soap does not build up in rivers. Soap does not cause pollution in rivers. Soap does not build up
in streams. Soap does not cause pollution in streams.
In some cases, detergent is better than soap. For example, soap builds up in clothes after
many washings. Detergent does not build up in clothes after many washings. Soap loses its
cleaning power in clothes over time. Detergent does not lose its cleaning power in clothes over
time.
Questions
I)
Soap is made of natural or man-made products.
II) Detergents are less mild than soaps.
III) Detergent washes out of clothing.
IV)
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
I only
II only
III only
I and II only
II and III only
2. What is the main idea of the fifth paragraph?

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
How soaps and detergents are made

What soap and detergent are used for
Which product causes less pollution
How soap loses its cleaning power
When detergent is better than soap
3. In line 9, biodegradable most closely means

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
man-made
dangerous
permanent
easy to clean up
hard to clean up

I)
Incorrect. Line 7 states that Soaps are made of natural products. Detergents are
made of man-made products.
II) Correct. Lines 8-9 state that For example, soap is milder on the skin. Soap is
milder on the environment. Since soap is milder than detergent, detergent is less
mild than soap.
III) Correct. Line 14 states that Detergent does not build up in clothes after many
washings. Since detergent does not build up, or stay, in clothing, it must wash out.
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
I only
II only
III only
I and II only
II and III only

A) Incorrect. Line 7 in the third paragraph explains how soap and detergent are made of
different products, when it states that Soaps are made of natural products. Detergents are
made of man-made products, the fifth paragraph gives examples of ways in which
detergent is sometimes better than soap. For example, the fifth paragraph states that
Soap loses its cleaning power in clothes over time. Detergent does not lose its cleaning
power in clothes over time.
B) Incorrect. While lines 1-2 explain the uses of soaps and detergents when they state that
Soaps and detergents are used for washing. Soaps and detergents are used for cleaning,
the fifth paragraph gives examples of ways in which detergent is sometimes better than
soap. For example, the fifth paragraph states that Soap loses its cleaning power in
clothes over time. Detergent does not lose its cleaning power in clothes over time.
C) Incorrect. While lines 9-11 explain that soap causes less pollution when they state that
Soap is milder on the environment. Soap is biodegradable natures processes clean
soap up. Soap does not build up in rivers. Soap does not cause pollution in rivers. Soap
does not build up in streams. Soap does not cause pollution in streams, the fifth
paragraph gives examples of ways in which detergent is sometimes better than soap. For
example, the fifth paragraph states that Soap loses its cleaning power in clothes over
time. Detergent does not lose its cleaning power in clothes over time.
D) Incorrect. While line 14 states that Soap loses its cleaning power in clothes over time, it
does not tell how soap loses its cleaning power.
E) Correct. The fifth paragraph gives examples of ways in which detergent is sometimes
better than soap. For example, the fifth paragraph states that Soap loses its cleaning
power in clothes over time. Detergent does not lose its cleaning power in clothes over
time.
3. The correct answer is D.
A) Incorrect. Since line 7 states that Soaps are made of natural products, and line 9 states
that Soap is biodegradable, the word biodegradable cannot mean man-made.
B) Incorrect. Since lines 8-9 state that soap is milder on the skin. Soap is milder on the
environment, and line 9 states that Soap is biodegradable, the word biodegradable
cannot mean dangerous.
C) Incorrect. Since lines 9-10 state that natures processes clean soap up, the word
biodegradable cannot mean permanent.
D) Correct. Since lines 9-10 state that natures processes clean soap up, the word
biodegradable probably means easy to clean up.
E) Incorrect. Since lines 9-10 state that natures processes clean soap up, the word
biodegradable probably doesnt mean hard to clean up.
10
15
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Critical Reading The Sun
The sun is a star. The sun is at the center of the solar system. The sun is the largest object
in the solar system. It is more than 99.8% of the mass of the solar system. More than one million
earths could fit inside the sun!
From earth, the sun looks like a yellow ball in the sky. A long time ago, people didnt
know what the sun was. Many people told stories about the sun. People in many countries told
stories about the sun. In some stories, people said the sun was a god. Some people gave names to
the sun. The Greeks named it Helios. The Romans named it Sol. The name Solar System comes
from the Roman name Sol.
The sun is very hot. On the surface, it is about 5,510 Celsius. Thats equal to about
11,000 Fahrenheit. The inside of the sun is even hotter. The core of the sun is 15,000,000 C!
Thats 27,000,000 F!
The light from the sun is very bright. People must not look directly at the sun. Looking
directly at the sun will hurt your eyes.
People need the suns heat and light to live. Animals need the suns heat and light to live.
Plants need the suns heat and light to live. Plants make food with sunlight. People and animals
eat the plants. Plants also use the sun to make oxygen. People and animals need to breathe
oxygen.
Today people do not tell stories about the sun. Today people do not think the sun is a god.
But, people know that the sun is necessary for life on earth.
20
Questions
I)
The sun is over a million times brighter than the earth.
II) Some people used to think the sun was a god.
III) The suns surface is cooler than its core.
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
I only
II only
III only
I and II only
II and III only
2. The main idea of the second paragraph is to explain

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
what the sun is.

what the sun looks like.
how people reacted to the sun.
who the Greeks and Romans were.
who did not know what the sun was.
3. In line 10, core most closely means

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
center
gas
oxygen
surface
temperature

I)
Incorrect. While lines 2-3 state that more than a million earths could fit inside the
sun, there is no mention there that the sun is a million times brighter than the earth.
And while line 12 states that the light from the sun is very bright, it does not
compare the brightness of the sun to the brightness of the earth. So while the sun
may be a million times brighter than the earth, there is no such statement in the
passage.
II) Correct. Line 6 states that in some stories, people said the sun was a god.
III) Correct. Lines 9-11 state that the surface temperature is 5510 C or 11,000 F,
whereas the core, or inside of the sun is 15,000,000 C or 27,000,000 F. So the
surface of the sun is much cooler than its core.
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
I only
II only
III only
I and II only
II and III only

A) Incorrect. While lines 4-5 state that a long time ago, people didnt know what the sun
was, there is no explanation in paragraph 2 of what the sun is.
B) Incorrect. While line 4 states that from earth, the sun looks like a yellow ball in the sky,
this information is given only as background information, not as the main idea of the
paragraph.
C) Correct. The first sentence of the paragraph tells what the sun looks like. The remainder
of the paragraph tells about peoples reactions to the sun that they didnt know what it
was, that they told stories about it; also that some people thought it was a god, and that
some people named it.
D) Incorrect. While line 6 states The Greeks named it Helios. The Romans named it Sol,
there is no explanation of who the Greeks and Romans were.
E) Incorrect. While lines 4-5 state that a long time ago, people did not know what the sun
was, there is no mention of the specific people who did not know what it was. While
lines 6-7 state that the Greeks and Romans gave names to the sun, the passage does not
specify that they did not know what the sun was.
3. The correct answer is A.
A) Correct. Lines 9 and 10 compare the surface temperature of the sun with the temperature
of its core: The inside of the sun is even hotter. The core of the sun is 15,000,000 C!
B) Incorrect. While the sun is made of gas, in this passage, the gas is not mentioned.
Instead, this section compares the surface of the sun to the core of the sun. Since both the
surface and the core would be made of the same material, the meaning gas would not
make sense for the word core.
C) Incorrect. Lines 9 and 10 compare the surface temperature of the sun with the
temperature of its core. Lines 16-17 state that plants use sunlight to make oxygen, not
that the sun itself is made of oxygen.
D) Incorrect. Lines 9-10 compare the temperature of the surface of the sun with the
temperature of the core. Since the comparison is made between the surface and the core,
the word core could not mean surface.
E) Incorrect. Lines 9-10 compare the heat level (which is the temperature) of the surface of
the sun with the heat level of the core of the sun. Since the comparison is being made of
the temperature of the surface and the temperature of the core, the word core could not
mean temperature.
10
15
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Critical Reading - Water
Water is the most common liquid in the world. Lakes contain water. Rivers contain
water. Ponds contain water. Canals contain water. Oceans contain water. The water in rivers,
ponds, and canals is fresh water. The water in oceans is salt water.
About 70% of the world is covered by water. About 97% of water in the world is salt
water. Only 3% of the worlds water is fresh water. Fresh water is not salty.
People usually think of water as a liquid. But water freezes to form a solid. The solid is
called ice. And water boils to form a gas. The gas is called steam or vapor.
Clouds are made of water. Water falls from clouds as rain. When it is cold, water falls as
snow. Sometimes water falls as sleet. Sleet is partly water and partly ice. Sometimes water falls
as hail. Hail is ice.
People need water to live. Animals need water to live. Insects need water to live. Plants
need water to live. All living things in the world need water to live.
People all over the world need to drink clean water to live. About one billion people in
the world do not have clean drinking water. The largest cause of preventable human death in the
world is drinking water that is unsanitary.
Questions
I)
Ninety-seven percent of snow is made of salt water.
II) The largest cause of preventable human death is drinking water that is unsanitary..
III) About 1,000,000,000 people in the world do not have clean water to drink.
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
I only
II only
III only
I and II only
II and III only
2. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
Fresh water is necessary for life.

Most water in the world is salt water.
Water is the most common liquid in the world.
People cannot drink most of the worlds water.
Only 3% of the worlds water is not salt water.
3. In line 15, unsanitary most closely means

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
not available
not clean
not in liquid form
used for another purpose
salty

Incorrect. While line 3 states that 97% of the worlds water is salty, there is no
information in the passage concerning the amount of salt, if any, in snow.
II) Correct. Lines 13-14 state that the largest cause of preventable human death is
drinking water that is unsanitary. Unsanitary means not clean.
III) Correct. Lines 12-13 state that one billion people in the world do not have clean
drinking water. One billion is the written form of the number 1,000,000,000.
I)
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
I only
II only
III only
I and II only
II and III only

A) Incorrect. While the last paragraph states that water is necessary for life, this information
is not given in the first paragraph.
B) Incorrect. While line 3 states that most of the worlds water is salt water, this is not the
main idea of the paragraph.
C) Correct. The first sentence of the paragraph states that water is the most common liquid
in the world. Lines 2-4 expand that idea. Therefore, it is the main idea of the paragraph.
D) Incorrect. While it is true that people do not drink salt water, and it is true that 97% of the
worlds water is saltwater, as stated in line 3, this information is not stated in paragraph
1.
E) Incorrect. While lines 3-4 state that only 3% of the worlds water is not salty, this
information is given as support for the main idea that water is the most common liquid
in the world.
A) Incorrect. While it is possible that water is not available to people in many places in the
world because only 3% of the worlds water is not salty, there is no mention in the
passage that water is not available.
B) Correct. Unsanitary water is not clean.
C) Incorrect. While lines 5-9 give information about water that is not in liquid form, there is
no mention that these forms of water would cause death.
D) Incorrect. Although it is true that water is used for many purposes other than drinking,
there is no mention of these purposes in the passage.
E) Incorrect. While lines 2-4 discuss salt water, and while drinking salt water may cause
death, there is no mention in the passage that salt water causes death.
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Dialogues Country Life City Life

Henry: Hi Henry! How is life in the country?
Davie: Hey Davie. Life in the country is fine. How is life in the city?
Henry: Its great. I love the trees, flowers, birds, and insects.
Davie: Insects!? Eww, thats gross.
Henry: Well, how is life in the city?

Davie: Its great. I love the buildings, cars, streets, and bright lights.
Henry: Bright lights!? I hate bright lights!
Davie: Yeah but in the city I can take the subway to work. I dont even have to drive.
Henry: Thats nice. But, in the country I work on a farm near my house so I dont have to
drive either. I walk to work.
Davie: Doesnt that hurt your feet?
Henry: Sometimes, but its worth it because I get to eat food the comes straight from the
farm.
Davie: Mmmm, food from the farm sounds good. I wonder if it is better than the food
you can eat at restaurants in the city!
Questions:
Vocabulary:
1) Who lives in the city?
1) If something is gross, it is
A.
B.
C.
D.
Henry
Davie
Both Henry and Davie
Neither Henry nor Davie
2) What does Davie think is gross?

A.
B.
C.
D.
Birds
Insects
Flowers
Trees
3) What does Henry hate?

A.
B.
C.
D.
Buildings
Cars
Streets
Bright lights
4) How does Davie get to work?

A.
B.
C.
D.
She drives a car

She takes the bus
She takes the subway
None of the above
5) How does Henry get to work?

A.
B.
C.
D.
He drives a tractor
He rides a horse
He drives a lawn mower
None of the above
A.
B.
C.
D.
tasty.
disgusting.
ready.
A and B.
2) If a light is bright, it is
A.
B.
C.
D.
dark.
low.
strong.
none of the above.
3) When Henry says, I dont have to

drive either, he means that
A. he likes to drive.
B. he also has to drive to work.
C. he also does not have to drive to
work.
D. none of the above.
4) If an action is worth it
A. the value of doing that action is
high enough.
B. the action has no value.
C. the action is old.
D. the action is boring.
5) When you wonder, you
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
play.
think.
imagine.
B and C.
None of the above.
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Dialogues How are You

Julia: Hi Anita. How are you?
Anita: I am fine, thanks. How are you?
Julia: I feel bad. I think I am sick.
Anita: Hmm, that is not good.
Julia: Yes, I know.
Anita: Well, I think you should try to relax.
Julia: Okay.
Anita: I hope you feel better soon.
Julia: Yeah, I do too!
Questions:
Vocabulary:
1) How does Julia feel?

1) Relax means ______________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Good
Bad
Sick
B and C
2) What does Anita think Julia should

do?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Exercise
Eat something
Drink something
Relax
A.
B.
C.
D.
exercise.
rest.
study.
none of the above.
2) Soon is __________________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
now.
a long time from now.
a short time from now.
never.
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Dialogues Tie Your Shoes!

Dad: Tie your shoes!
Michael: Okay, Dad. I will.
Mom: Tuck in your shirt!
Michael Okay, Mom. I will.
Sister: Empty the trash!
Michael: Okay, Sis. I will.
Grandmother: Make your bed!
Michael: Okay, Grandma. I will.
Grandfather: Do your homework!
Michael: Okay, Grandpa. I will. Hey, Little Brother!
Little Brother: Me?
Michael: Yes, you! Tie your shoes!
Questions:
Vocabulary:
1) What does Mom want Michael to do?
1) Tuck in your shirt means
A.
B.
C.
D.
Tie his shoes

Make his bed
Tuck in his shirt
Do his homework
2) Who is probably the youngest person?

A.
B.
C.
D.
Michael
Sister
Little Brother
Grandma
A. put the bottom of your shirt inside

your pants.
B. button the top of your shirt around
your neck.
C. wear a clean shirt.
D. fold your shirt.
2) When something is empty, it
A.
B.
C.
D.
is full.
has nothing in it.
is heavy.
none of the above.
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Dialogues What time is it?

Julio: Hey Yoko. Do you know what time it is?
Yoko: No, sorry. Ask Bob.
Julio: Hey Bob. Do you know what time it is?
Bob: No man, sorry. Ask Roger.
Julio: Okay. Hey Roger, do you know what time it is?
Roger: Well, I did this morning, but then I forgot. Sorry. Ask Lola.
Julio: Okay, fine. Hey Lola, what time is it?
Lola: I do not know. That is a good question. Let me know if you find out please.
Julio: Gosh! Does anybody know what time it is?
Questions:
Vocabulary:
1) What time is it?
1) If you ask someone, you _________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
10:30
11:00
Nobody knows
Noon
2) How many people are in this story?

A.
B.
C.
D.
Two
Three
Four
Five
A.
B.
C.
D.
question someone.
answer someone.
A and B.
none of the above.
2) Roger forgot the time. So, Roger

__________ the time now.
A.
B.
C.
D.
knows
used to know
does not know
B and C
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Dialogues Where Are My Glasses?

Ahmad: I cant find my glasses.
Uli: Have you looked on the kitchen table?
Ahmad: Yes, Ive looked there.
Uli: Have you checked your desk?
Ahmad: Yes, Ive checked there.
Uli: Have you looked next to the computer?
Ahmad: Theyre not there.
Mo: Hi Dad.
Ahmad: Hi Mo. Im looking for my glasses.
Mo: Have you checked on top of your head?
Ahmad: Oh! There they are!
Vocabulary:
Questions:
1) What is Ahmad doing?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Looking for his checks

Working in the kitchen
Looking for his glasses
Working at his desk
2) Who is Mo?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Ahmads dad
Ahmads son
Ulis friend
Ulis dad
1) Uli asks if Ahmad has checked his

desk. Checked means
A.
B.
C.
D.
helped out.
cleaned up.
worked on.
looked over.
2) Another way of saying next to is

A.
B.
C.
D.
under.
above.
beside.
between.
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Dialogues Where are my keys?

Vanka: Hey Oni, do you know where my pen is?
Oni: Yes, it is on your desk.
Vanka: Okay thanks. Hey Roger, do you know where my hat is?
Roger: Yeah, it is on your bed.
Vanka: Okay thanks. Hey Dillan, do you know where my purse is?
Dillan: Yeah, it is on the couch.
Vanka: Okay thanks. Hey Jonas, do you know where my belt is?
Jonas: Yeah, it is in your room.
Vanka: Okay thanks. Now I have everything I need. Now I can go to work.
Oni: Hey Vanka, do you know where your car keys are?
Vanka: No. Where are they? I need them!
Questions:
Vocabulary:
1) Where is Vankas purse?
1) Yeah and ______ mean the same

thing.
A.
B.
C.
D.
On her bed
On the couch
In her room
None of the above
A.
B.
C.
D.
no
please
yes
A and B.
2) What is the last thing Vanka needs?

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Her pen
Her hat
Her purse
Her belt
Her keys
2) If Vanka has everything she needs,

she has
A.
B.
C.
D.
all of the things she needs.

none of the things she needs.
almost all of the things she needs.
none of the above.
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Forming Questions To do

Directions: Use the words on the left to form questions.
_______________________________________________________________________
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Forming Questions How

_______________________________________________________________________
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Forming Questions To be

Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Forming Questions What

_______________________________________________________________________
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Forming Questions When

_______________________________________________________________________
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Forming Questions Where

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Forming Questions Who

_______________________________________________________________________
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Forming Questions Why

_______________________________________________________________________
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Matching Animals Part 1

Directions: Draw a line from words to their pictures.
1)
A) bird
2)
B) fish
C) dog
3)
D) cat
4)
E) lion
5)
F) bear
6)
G) horse
H) elephant
7)
I) tiger
8)
9)
Name________________
Date________________

1)
A) butterfly
B) dolphin
2)
C) fox
3)
D) goose
4)
E) koala
5)
F) owl
6)
G) rabbit
7)
H) shark
I) wolf
8)
9)
Name________________
Date________________

1)
A) alligator
2)
B) camel
3)
C) giraffe
4)
D) kangaroo
E) lizard
5)
F) penguin
6)
G) whale
7)
H) zebra
8)
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Matching Clothing

1)
A) shirt
2)
B) pants
3)
C) jacket
4)
D) tie
E) dress
5)
F) shoes
6)
G) belt
7)
H) suit
8)
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Matching Cooking

1)
A) fork
2)
B) spoon
3)
C) knife
4)
D) pot
E) pan
5)
F) refrigerator
6)
G) microwave
7)
H) plate
8)
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Matching Food Part 2

A) bell pepper
1)
B) broccoli
2)
C) potatoes
3)
D) squash
4)
E) cucumbers
5)
F) cheese
6)
G) tomato
7)
H) eggs
8)
I) corn
9)
J) mushrooms
10)
K) strawberry
11)
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Matching Food

1)
A) apple
2)
B) orange
C) grapes
3)
D) fish
4)
E) chicken
5)
F) beans
G) peppers
6)
H) bread
7)
8)
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Matching Furniture

1)
A) table
2)
B) chair
3)
C) bookcase
D) sofa
4)
E) dresser
5)
F) recliner
G) bed
H) desk
6)
7)
8)
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Matching Household Tools

A) shaver
1)
B) tweezers
2)
C) nail clipper
3)
D) compass
4)
E) can opener
5)
F) goggles
6)
G) utility knife
7)
H) level
8)
I) duct tape
9)
J) paintbrush
10)
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Matching School Tools

1)
A) pen
2)
B) pencil
3)
C) ruler
4)
D) highlighter
5)
E) calculator
6)
F) scissors
7)
G) glue
8)
H) tape
9)
I) books
10)
J) markers
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Matching The Human Body

Part 2
A) tongue
1)
B) teeth
2)
C) heel
3)
D) toes
4)
E) finger
5)
F) elbow
6)
G) knee
7)
H) shoulders
8)
I) hair
9)
J) chin
10)
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Matching The Human Body

1)
A) legs
2)
B) neck
C) arm
3)
D) ear
4)
E) eye
5)
F) foot
6)
G) hands
7)
H) lips
I) nose
8)
9)
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Matching Construction Tools

1)
A) tape measure
B) nail
2)
C) hammer
3)
D) screwdriver
4)
E) wrench
F) drill
5)
6)
G) pliers
H) saw
I) circular saw
7)
8)
9)
Beginning Sentence Completion Answer Key
Worksheet #1
1. D
2. C
3. E
4. B
5. A
6. E
7. D
8. E
9. C
10. A
11. E
12. C
Worksheet #6
1. D
2. B
3. C
4. E
5. D
6. A
7. C
8. A
9. E
10. D
11. E
12. A
Worksheet #11
1. B
2. C
3. E
4. B
5. E
6. B
7. E
8. D
9. A
10. C
11. C
12. E
Worksheet #16
1. C
2. E
3. D
4. B
5. C
6. D
7. A
8. B
9. C
10. E
11. E
12. C
Worksheet #2
1. D
2. C
3. E
4. A
5. B
6. A
7. C
8. A
9. D
10. C
11. A
12. D
Worksheet #7
1. C
2. A
3. D
4. C
5. E
6. A
7. B
8. A
9. E
10. E
11. D
12. C
Worksheet #12
1. D
2. C
3. D
4. C
5. A
6. C
7. D
8. B
9. B
10. A
11. B
12. D
Worksheet #3
1. C
2. A
3. D
4. B
5. E
6. C
7. B
8. C
9. A
10 . C
11 . D
12 . E
Worksheet #8
1. D
2. A
3. E
4. C
5. A
6. E
7. B
8. A
9. C
10 . A
11 . D
12 . B
Worksheet #13
1. B
2. C
3. C
4. E
5. E
6. D
7. D
8. A
9. A
10 . B
11 . B
12 . E
Worksheet #4
1. D
2. B
3. A
4. C
5. A
6. B
7. E
8. D
9. A
10. D
11. B
12. D
Worksheet #9
1. C
2. A
3. E
4. B
5. C
6. A
7. E
8. D
9. D
10. E
11. E
12. D
Worksheet #14
1. B
2. A
3. C
4. A
5. E
6. B
7. D
8. C
9. D
10. E
11. C
12. B
Worksheet #5
1. D
2. A
3. E
4. A
5. B
6. C
7. B
8. B
9. B
10. E
11. D
12. B
Worksheet #10
1. D
2. D
3. D
4. E
5. D
6. B
7. A
8. C
9. D
10. A
11. A
12. E
Worksheet #15
1. B
2. E
3. D
4. A
5. E
6. B
7. D
8. B
9. C
10. E
11. E
12. D
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Short Stories My Family

Directions: First read the basic version of the story below. Next, read the advanced
version of the same story. Then, try to answer the questions about the story.
Basic Version
Hi, my name is Eric. I want to tell you about my family.
I have two sisters. They are very nice. Their names are Rachel and Norma. Rachel
is younger than me. She is twelve years old. Norma is older than me. She is eighteen.
My mother is very pretty. Her name is Adel. She has a very good memory. She
can remember all the names of the presidents of the United States.
My father knows about very many things. He is an engineer. He builds bridges.
We also have a dog in our family. His name is Paw. He is a German Shepard. He
is very faithful to us.
Advanced Version
Hi, my name is Eric. I want to tell you about my family.
I have two sisters. They are very nice. Their names are Rachel and Norma. Rachel
is younger than me. She is twelve years old. Norma is older than me. She is eighteen.
My mother is beautiful. Her name is Adel. She has a great memory. She can
remember all the names of the presidents of the United States.
My father is smart. He is an engineer. He builds bridges.
We also have a dog in our family. His name is Paw. He is a German Shepard. He
is very loyal.
Questions:
1. How old is Norma?
2. What can Adel remember?
3. What is the job of the father?
4. What kind of dog is Paw?
Vocabulary:
To find word definitions: First, find the word in the advanced version of the story. Then,
compare this part of the advanced version of the story to the same part of the basic
version of the story. This will give you a general definition of the word.
1. What does beautiful mean? (paragraph 3, sentence 1)
2. What does great mean? (paragraph 3, sentence 3)
3. What does smart mean? (paragraph 4, sentence 1)
4. What does loyal mean? (paragraph 4, sentence 4)
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Short Stories An Adventure

Basic Version
Jamie has a dog named Gogo.
Jamie and Gogo are bored. They want to do something new. They want to do something
fun. They want to do something exciting.
Jamie and Gogo walk out of the house. They walk across the yard. They walk across the
field. They jump over the fence.
Jaime sees a mountain. The mountain is very tall. The top of the mountain is in the
clouds. Jaime looks at the mountain.
We are going to the top of that mountain, Jaime says.
Gogo looks scared.
Do not be scared, Jamie says.
Gogo runs after Jaime. They walk toward the mountain. Jaime stops. He looks back at
their home.
I am a little tired, Jaime says to Gogo. Gogo puts his tongue across Jaimes face. Jaime
turns around and starts walking home.
Come on Gogo. We will climb the mountain tomorrow, Jaime says.
Advanced Version
Jamie has a dog named Gogo.
Jamie and Gogo are bored. They want go on an adventure.
Jamie and Gogo walk out of the house. They walk across the yard. They walk across the
field. They jump over the fence.
Jaime sees a mountain. The mountain is very tall. The top of the mountain is in the
clouds. Jaime looks at the mountain.
Were going to the top of that mountain, Jaime says.
Gogo looks scared.
Dont be scared, Jamie says.
Gogo follows Jaime. They walk toward the mountain. Jaime stops. He looks back at their
home.
I am kind of tired, Jaime says to Gogo. Gogo licks Jaimes face. Jaime turns around
and starts walking home.
Cmon Gogo. Well climb the mountain tomorrow, Jaime says.
Questions:
1. Where does Jaime want to go?
2. Where does Jaime go?
Vocabulary:
1. What does adventure mean? ( line 2)
2. What does follow mean? ( paragraph 8)
3. What does kind of mean? ( paragraph 9)
4. What does lick mean? (paragraph 9)
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Short Stories Happy Birthday

Basic Version
Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Jose. Happy
birthday to you! the people at the party sang.
Jose smiled and blew out the candles.
How old are you Jose? Jessie asked.
I am 29 Jose answered.
Wait, are you telling the truth? Jessie asked.
Yes, I am telling the truth. I am 29 years old. Jose answered.
No he is not! He is 30! someone said in a loud voice.
How do you know? Jessie asked.
Because I am his mother! she answered.
Advanced Version
Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Jose. Happy
birthday to you! the people at the party sang.
Jose smiled and blew out the candles.
How old are you Jose? Jessie asked.
I am 29 Jose replied.
Wait, are you telling the truth? Jessie asked.
Yes, I am telling the truth. I am 29 years old. Jose replied.

No he is not! He is 30! someone shouted.
How do you know? Jessie asked.
Because I am his mother! she replied.
Questions:
1. How old is Jose?
2. How does the woman know the age of Jose?
Vocabulary:
1. What does replied mean? (paragraph 4, 6, and 9)
2. What does shouted mean? (paragraph 7)
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Short Stories Oh No!

Basic Version
I woke up at 7:30. I was late. Oh no!
I got to work. I did not get to the meeting in time. Oh no!
I went to lunch. I did not know where my wallet was. Oh no!
I came back home. It was raining. Oh no!
I cooked dinner. I cooked the rice too much. Oh no!
I ate dinner with my friends and family. We had a very good time. We laughed
and talked together.
I felt happy. Oh yes!
Advanced Version
I woke up at 7:30. I was late. Oh no!
I got to work. I missed the meeting. Oh no!
I went to lunch. I lost my wallet. Oh no!
I returned home. It was raining. Oh no!
I cooked dinner. I burned the rice. Oh no!
I ate dinner with my friends and family. We had a great time. We laughed and
talked together.
I felt happy. Oh yes!
Questions:
1. What time did I wake up?
2. Why did I miss the meeting?
3. What tense is the story in: Past, Present, or Future?
Vocabulary:
1. What does missed mean? ( line 2)
2. What does lost mean? ( line 3)
3. What does returned mean? ( line 4)
4. What does burned mean? ( line 5)
5. What does great mean? ( line 6)
Name________________
Date________________
Beginning Short Stories What Do We Have to Eat?

Basic Version
I want to eat some food.
Well, what do you want to eat?
I do not know. What do we have to eat?
Well, we have eggs, rice, beans, bread, ham, and cheese.
Do we have any steak?
No, we do not have any steak.
Noooo! I want steak.
Well, we do not have any steak. I told you what we have.
Okay. Can I have some eggs and ham please.
Sure.
But wait! I want something to drink also!
Advanced Version
I am hungry.
Well, what do you want to eat?
I do not know. What do we have to eat?
Well, we have eggs, rice, beans, bread, ham, and cheese.
Do we have any steak?

No, we do not have any steak.
Noooo! I want steak.
Well, we do not have any steak. I told you what we have.
Okay. Can I have some eggs and ham please.
Sure.
But wait! I am thirsty too!
Questions:
1. What do we have to eat?
2. What do I want to eat?
Vocabulary:
1. What does hungry mean? (line 1)
2. What does thirsty mean? (last line of the story)
3. What does too mean? (last line of the story)
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Beginning Short Stories A Call to the Pool

Basic Version
Today it is very hot outside. How can I cool down? Maybe I can go swimming at
the pool. I need to find out what time it opens. I will make a call.
I pressed the numbers on the phone and waited.
Ring. Ring.
Hello, this is Andrea at the pool. How can I help you?
Hi, I want to know what time the pool opens.
Oh okay. The pool opens at 10:30 in the morning.
Okay, thank you!
You are welcome. Bye.
Good bye.
Great! It is 10:00 in the morning now. That means the pool will open in thirty
minutes!
Advanced Version
Today it is very hot outside. How can I cool down? Maybe I can go swimming at
the pool. I need to find out what time it opens. I will make a call.
I dialed the phone and waited.
Ring. Ring.
Hello, this is Andrea at the pool. How can I help you?
Hi, I want to know what time the pool opens.

Oh okay. The pool opens at 10:30 am.
Okay, thank you!
You are welcome. Bye.
Good bye.
Great! It is 10:00 am. That means the pool will open in half and hour!
Questions:
1. Who answered the phone?
2. What time is the pool open?
3. What time is it now?
Vocabulary:
1. What does dialed mean? (paragraph 2, sentence 1)
2. What does am mean? (paragraph 6, sentence 1)
3. What does half an hour mean? (the last line of the story)
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Beginning Short Stories An Overcast Day

Basic Version
Hi, nice to meet you. My name is Tetsuo.
Hi, nice to meet you as well. My name is James. How are you?
I am fine, thank you. How are you?
I am unhappy.
Why are you unhappy?
I am unhappy because it is dark and cloudy. I do not like this weather.
Do not worry! Tomorrow it will be sunny!
Advanced Version
Hi, nice to meet you. My name is Tetsuo.
Hi, nice to meet you as well. My name is James. How are you?
I am fine, thank you. How are you?
I am unhappy.
Why are you unhappy?
I am unhappy because it is overcast. I do not like this weather.
Do not worry! Tomorrow it will be sunny!
Questions:
1. How is Tetsuo?
2. Why is James unhappy?
3. What will the weather be like tomorrow?
Vocabulary:
1. What does overcast mean? ( sentence 6)
Name________________
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Beginning Short Stories Who Knows My Name?

Basic Version
Lets play a game! My name starts with the letter J. Who knows my name?
Is it Jennifer? No.
Is it Janet? No.
Those are good tries to get the answer. But you do not know it yet! The last letter
in my name is A. Who knows my name?
Is it Jessica? No.
Is it Julia? Yes! That was a very good try. You win!
Advanced Version
Lets play a game! My name starts with the letter J. Who knows my name?
Is it Jennifer? No.
Is it Janet? No.
Those are good guesses. But you do not know it yet! My name ends with the
letter A. Who knows my name?
Is it Jessica? No.
Is it Julia? Yes! That was a great guess. You win!
Questions:
1. What was the first letter of her name?
2. What was the last letter of her name?
3. What was her name?
Vocabulary:
1. What does guesses mean? (paragraph 4, sentence 1)
2. What does end mean? (paragraph 4, sentence 3)
3. What does great mean? (the last line of the story)
ReadTheory.Org 2010
Name________________
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Bella Hides
Bella is hiding. She is behind the sofa with her pet puppy, Sir.
Bella is hiding from her mom. She does not want to go to the doctor.
Bella? calls Bellas mom in a sweet voice. Where are you?
Bellas mom looks in the closet. She looks in the kitchen. She looks next to the
bookcase. Bella always hides when she is scared.
Bella is very quiet. Sir begins to jump around behind the sofa.
Bellas mom hears the noise. She looks behind the sofa with a smile. She holds
out her hand.
Dont be scared, says Bellas mom. The doctor just wants to check your ears.
Will I have to get a shot? asks Bella.
No, says Mom.
That makes Bella feel better. Bella grabs her moms hand. They go to see the
doctor.
Questions:
1) Why is Bella hiding?
A.
B.
C.
D.
She is playing a game.

She does not want to go to
the doctor.
She is looking for her puppy.
She is scared.
3) Who is looking for Bella?

A. ________________
2) Who or what is hiding with Bella?

A.
B.
C.
D.
Her mom
Her sister
Her pet puppy
Her friend
4) Where does Mom find Bella?

A.
B.
C.
D.
in the kitchen
in the closet
next to the bookcase
behind the sofa
5) How does Mom find Bella?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Bella makes a noise.

Dad helps Mom.
Mom sees Bella's leg.
The puppy makes a noise.
7) What does Mom say will happen

when Bella sees the doctor?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Bella will get her ears checked.

Bella will get a shot.
Bella will get to bring her puppy.
Bella will get her eyes checked.
6) When does Bella hide?

A.
B.
C.
D.
when she is bored

when she is scared
when she is happy
all the time
8) How does Bella feel when Mom

says she will not get a shot?
A.
B.
C.
D.
angry
better
smart
tired
Have you ever been nervous about going to the doctor? Explain.
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Big City Noise

My name is Olaf.
I live in a big city.
I live on a busy road.
At night and during the day, cars go by.
Buses go by.
Trucks go by.
People do not seem to hear the noise during the day.
But at night, the noise makes it hard to sleep.
My road has a lot of animals, too.
People keep their animals outside in their yards at night.
There are cats.
There are dogs.
The dogs make a lot of noise.
To me, the dogs are like the trucks.
The dogs are like the cars.
The dogs are like the buses.
All of them are loud!
One dog barks more than the others do. His name is Simba.
Simba is Mr. Cheeks dog.
That is a very bad dog. He keeps me up at night, says Mr. Lucas. Mr. Lucas
lives next door to Mr. Cheek. You should give him away, says Mr. Lucas.
This makes Mr. Cheek very mad. "You should not sleep with your windows
open," says Mr. Cheek.
"You should take your dog inside at night," yells Mr. Lucas.
The two men argue about Simbas barking almost every day.
I think this is funny.
To me, Simba is as bad as the cars.
He is as bad as the buses.
He is as bad as the trucks.
This is what living in a big city is like. There is a lot of noise.
Questions:
1) In what place does Olaf live?
2) What does Olaf say makes noise?

A. ____________________
____________________
____________________
3) What goes by at night?

A.
B.
C.
D.
bikes
cats
dogs
trucks
5) What does Olaf say about his road?

A.
B.
C.
D.
It is dark.
It is busy.
It is dirty.
It is noisy.
7) Who argues every day?

A.
B.
C.
D.
Mr. Lucas and Olaf

Olaf and Mr. Cheek
Simba and Mr. Lucas
Mr. Lucas and Mr. Cheek
A.
B.
C.
D.
airplanes
buses
dogs
horses
4) Why may people NOT hear the

noise during the day?
A. because it is quiet
B. because they are sleepy
C. because they are busy doing
other things
D. because they do not hear well
during the day
6) Which noise makes Mr. Lucas

mad?
A.
B.
C.
D.
cats meowing
trucks going by
a dog barking
people talking
8) What could Mr. Cheek do to help

Mr. Lucas sleep?
A.
B.
C.
D.
get a cat
not argue with him
not drive his car at night
take his dog inside at night
9) What could Mr. Lucas do to sleep
better?
A.
B.
C.
D.
close his windows at night

not argue with Mr. Cheek
go to bed later
talk to Olaf
11) Who does Mr. Cheek live next door

to?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Olaf
Mr. Lucas
Olaf and Mr. Lucas
no one
10) Who says Simba is a bad dog?

A. ____________________
____________________
____________________
12) What does Olaf mean when he
says Simba is as bad as the
buses?
A. that Simba barks at the buses
B. that Simba and the buses argue
C. that Simba runs down the street
at night
D. that Simba and the buses both
make noise
13) According to Olaf, what could be

done about noise in a big town?
A.
B.
C.
D.
People could ride bikes.

Dogs could be inside.
People could walk everywhere.
Nothing can be done.
Is it better to live in the city, or in the country? Why?
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Birds
A bird is a kind of animal.

A bird has two wings. Birds are the only animal with feathers.
Pigeons, eagles, swans and blue jays are all kinds of birds.
Most birds can fly.
Turkeys and penguins are two kinds of birds that cannot fly.
Questions:
1) What is this passage about?
A. what birds are like
B. why some birds cant fly
C. where birds have feathers
3) According to the passage, which of

these birds cannot fly?
A. eagles
B. swans
C. turkeys
2) What birds can fly?

A. all birds
B. most birds
C. some birds
4) All birds are _________.

A. animals
B. blue jays
C. penguins
Do you like birds? What is your favorite kind of bird? Why?

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ReadTheory.Org 2010
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Blizzard in Birmingham
The Turner kids were not accustomed to snow. The most they
ever got in their southern city of Birmingham was an inch or so
each winter, and even that was quite infrequent.
What was funny was that even the slightest bit of snow was enough to cancel
school and close businesses. No one knew how to drive in the stuff. It was never
enough for young Lily Mae Turner, though, because the snow that came was
always too sparse to build a snowman or to go sledding.
But one night, in March of 1993, something magical happened.
An unexpected blast of cold air from Canada and moist air from the Caribbean
converged on the eastern part of the United States to create the Storm of the
Century.
All the Turner kids knew was that when they woke up Saturday morning, there
was 17 inches of unbelievable snow on their front lawn and as far as the eye
could see.
The Turner parents were in shock. Most folks in town were ill-prepared for such a
storm. They had no shovels to dig their way out and no salt to keep from slipping.
They had no idea what to do.
While the adults seemed paralyzed with disbelief, the Turner kids set about
having the time of their lives. Lily Mae discovered that a rope tied to a metal
trashcan lid made a perfect sled. John Henry figured out that if he put his feet in
plastic grocery bags before putting on his rain boots, his feet stayed warm for a
longer time. Rachel made snow angels in every part of the yard. Together, all the
kids made a huge snowman and dressed it in dads hat and jacket. (Mr. Turner
didnt own a scarf!)
For three straight days, the Turner kids had a splendid time. On Tuesday, the
temperature hit 70 degrees, and life for these southerners went back to normal.
Questions:
1) What does accustomed mean?
A.
B.
C.
D.
used to
aware of
scared of
interested in
3) Which other title would fit this

passage best?
A.
B.
C.
D.
1993
A Cold March
Magical Snow
No Scarf for a Snowman
5) How are the children different than

the adults in this passage?
A. The kids stayed warm, while the
adults were very cold.
B. The kids knew the storm was
coming, while the adults did not.
C. The adults still had to go to
work, while the kids stayed
home.
D. The kids went out and had fun,
while the adults did not know
what to do.

for infrequent ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
common
long
rare
surprising
4) Why might the author have

described the storm as magical?
A. because Lily Mae believed the
snow was magic
B. because it was such an unusual
thing to happen, it felt like magic
C. because there was no other
explanation for why the storm
occurred
D. because the author wanted to
cast doubt on whether the storm
actually took place
6) What conclusions can be drawn

about what the weather is usually
like in Birmingham during March?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It is warm.
It is sunny.
It is windy.
It does not snow.
7) What can be said about the Turner
kids' ideas for playing in the snow
without the usual snow gear?
A.
B.
C.
D.
They were creative.

They were complicated.
They were effective.
They were misguided.
8) "What was funny was that even the slightest bit of snow was enough to
cancel school and close businesses."
"No one knew how to drive in the stuff."
Which is the best way to combine the above sentences?
A. What was funny was that even the slightest bit of snow was enough to
cancel school and close businesses, no one knew how to drive in the
stuff.
B. What was funny was that even the slightest bit of snow was enough to
cancel school and close businesses; no one knew how to drive in the
stuff.
C. What was funny was that even the slightest bit of snow was enough to
cancel school and close businesses: no one knew how to drive in the
stuff.
D. What was funny was that even the slightest bit of snow was enough to
cancel school and close businesses - no one knew how to drive in the
stuff.
9) What was going on outside of

Birmingham during this passage?
A. The reader does not find out.
B. There was no snow anywhere
else.
C. A storm of historic proportions
took place.
D. The entire country was dealing
with snow.
10) What is the best antonym

for splendid ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
great
perfect
happy
terrible
ReadTheory.Org 2010
Name________________
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Bullied
Bryan doesn't like going to school anymore.

He is tired of being bullied.
Some of the bigger boys at school are mean to him.
They push him to the ground.
They hide his books.
They call him names.
They are bullies.
When things get really bad, Bryan tells his mom he is sick.
You should stay home and rest, Mom says. You'll feel better tomorrow.
Then Bryan gets to stay home.
He reads books. He watches television. He eats what he wants. He is not scared.
You should tell someone you are getting bullied at school, says Bryans best
friend, Link.
But Bryan is scared. He doesn't want to tell an adult.
That will make things worse, Link, says Bryan. You dont go to my school. You
have no idea how mean these guys can be.
You cant keep missing school, says Link. Your grades will fall. You will be in
trouble at home. And besides, you don't want to be in the seventh grade forever,
do you?"
Bryan thinks Link is probably right. He will tell his mom about the bullies today
when she gets home from work.
He will see what happens.
Questions:
1) Why doesn't Bryan like going to
school anymore?
A. The work is hard.
B. The kids are mean.
C. His best friend does not go
there.
D. He wants to read books at
home.
3) Who are the bullies in this story?

A.
B.
C.
D.
Bryan and Link

the bigger girls in Bryan's school
the teachers
the bigger boys in Bryan's
school
5) What do the mean kids do to Bryan?

A.
B.
C.
D.
They call him names.

They push him to the ground.
They steal his money.
They hide his book bag.
7) How might Bryan's mom help when

Bryan tells her he is being bullied?
A. She might hurt the mean kids.
B. She might pack Bryan an extra
lunch.
C. She might talk to the teachers at
the school.
D. She might tell Bryan to stay
home sick.
2) How might Bryan feel when the kids

at school are mean to him?
A.
B.
C.
D.
angry
strong
smart
scared
4) What grade is Bryan in?

A. ____________________
____________________
____________________
6) Why hasn't Bryan's mom helped

him?
A.
B.
C.
D.
She is busy at work.

She does not care.
She does not know.
She does not want to.
8) What does Bryan do when he stays

home from school?
A.
B.
C.
D.
his homework
plays video games
gets scared
reads books
10) Who tells Bryan that he should tell
someone?
A. ____________________
____________________
10) What is likely to happen if Bryan

keeps missing school?
A.
B.
C.
D.
____________________
11) When does Bryan plan to tell his

mom about the bullies?
A. ____________________
____________________
____________________
He will get fat.

His grades will fall.
Link will stop being his friend.
The bullies will come to his
house.
12) What kind of friend is Link?

A.
B.
C.
D.
caring
shy
helpful
scared
13) What does it mean to be bullied ?

A. to not have friends at school
B. to have a lot of work
C. to have people say and do mean
things to you
D. to not like school
Have you ever been bullied? Do you know someone who has? Explain.
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By the Water
I live in a house by the water.

I sit by the water each day.
I take my bag there with me.
In it, I pack a book, a blanket, a chair, and a basket of food.
I walk down my back steps and sit in the same spot along the grass.
When I go out to the water in the morning, I am alone.
I hear the water.
I see the boats.
I feel calm.
It is the part of the day I like best.
Later, some children come to play by the water.
It is afternoon.
I hear them laughing.
I see them play ball.
Nestor, Nestor! the children yell when they see me on the beach.
I wave and smile.
Play ball with us, Nestor! the children shout.
No, thanks, I say. "I am too old to play ball. I walk with a cane and my hands
are no longer good at catching."
I try to read my book, but it is hard with all the noise.
I watch mothers and fathers fish along the shore. I am happy.
I hear the water.
I see the boats.
I eat my lunch.
Later, the sky gets dark.
I gather all of my things and go back to the house.
I get in bed. I hear the water through my open window.
The sound puts me to sleep.
Questions:
1) Where does Nestor live?
A.
B.
C.
D.
on a farm
on a mountain top
in a boat on the water
in a house by the water
3) What does Nestor bring with him to

the water?
A.
B.
C.
D.
boat
fish
laugh
play ball
7) What kind of person does Nestor

seem to be?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A.
B.
C.
D.
calm
sad
loud
young
sit by the water

play by the water
run by the water
swim in the water
4) Who is with Nestor in the morning?

A. ____________________
a newspaper
a blanket
food
his fishing pole
5) What do the children do by the

water?
A.
B.
C.
D.
2) What does Nestor do each day?
____________________
____________________
6) When do children come to the

water?
A. ____________________
____________________
____________________
8) What does the children's noise

make it hard for Nestor to do?
A.
B.
C.
D.
eat
catch fish
read
sleep
9) Who fishes?
A. ____________________
10) Why doesn't Nestor play with the

children?
____________________
A.
B.
C.
D.
____________________
11) How do Nestor's feelings change

during the story?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A.
B.
C.
D.
12) What does Nestor mean when he

says that the sky gets dark ?
from calm to sleepy to happy

from sleepy to calm to happy
from calm to happy to sleepy
from happy to sleepy to calm
13) What is Nestor's favorite part of the

day?
He feels he is too old.

He cannot catch.
He is very hungry.
He is very sleepy.
A.
B.
C.
D.
that it is night
that it is raining
that the wind is blowing
that the sky is angry
14) When does Nestor hear the water?
the morning
when he is watching the children
the afternoon
the night
A.
B.
C.
D.
only in the morning

only in the afternoon
only in the night
all the time
15) What is another way to say It is the

part of the day I like best ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
I do not like this part of the day.

I love this part of the day.
It is my favorite part of the day.
I like all parts of the day.
What is your favorite part of the day? Why?

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Canopy of Nature
Dad decided last Sunday that we should all go on a camping trip.

He read an article in the Sunday paper about camping and how it brings families
together under the canopy of nature.
Overrated, I joked. What about the canopy of television or the canopy of
restaurant food?
This will be good for us, Dad said, sliding the magazine across the coffee table.
Lets go next week-end.
I shot a quick look over at my little brother, Paul. He gave me a slow eyebrow
raise which meant, This will probably not go off completely as planned.
My smile back said, "But it will surely be fun."
I started to think back. Once Dad decided we should all learn how to canoe. We
borrowed two canoes from our friends, hoisted them on the van and drove for
three hours to a secluded lake in Virginia. Once we got there, we discovered
that we had forgotten the paddles.
Paul and I got in a canoe with Dad, and our two younger sisters got in a canoe
with Mom. We floated aimlessly around the lake for hours. Then we all jumped in
with our life jackets on. We pushed the canoes back to shore. It was a fantastic
trip.
Another time, Dad decided we should all learn how to ski. All of us hate the cold
so we spent the week-end huddled by the fire, drinking hot cocoa in the ski lodge
and playing board games. It was great. We had a blast.
When I stopped daydreaming, Mom was saying, Sweetheart, we dont have a
tent.
We dont need one! Dad said happily. Well take all the seats out the van when
we get to the campsite and put in an air mattress.
I don't know what the punch line will be on this excursion, but I am sure with
Mom, Dad and the four of us kids scrunched in a van at some national park, we
are bound to have a good time.
Questions:
1) Which other title fits this passage
best?
A.
B.
C.
D.
No Paddles
Never as Planned
"Hot Cocoa by the Fire"
"Van Camping for Beginners"
3) Which of the following could be

described as secluded ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
a deserted island
an amusement park
a hiking trail known only to a
few
a popular beach on the
California coast
5) Which is the best synonym

for excursion?
A.
B.
C.
D.
evolution
exodus
expedition
hiatus
2) What literary term best describes

the narrator's daydreams?
A. foreshadowing, meaning the use
of hints to suggest what is to
come
B. irony, meaning a contrast
between what is stated and what
is really meant
C. flashback, meaning a scene that
interrupts the action to show
what happened at an earlier time
D. metaphor, meaning the
comparison of two unlike things
with the intent of giving added
meaning to one of them
4) What lesson does the narrator's

family seem to live by?
A. Camping is an adventure.
B. Danger is only in the
imagination.
C. Things don't need to go as
planned to have fun.
D. Reading newspapers is a
prescription for trouble.
6) "Then we all jumped in with our life jackets on. We pushed the canoes back
to shore."
Which is the best way to combine the above sentences?
A. We all jumped in with our life jackets on as we pushed the canoes back to
shore.
B. Then we all jumped in with our life jackets on, pushing the canoes back to
shore.
C. We pushed the canoes back to shore while we all jumped in with our life
jackets on.
D. After we all jumped in with our life jackets on, we pushed the canoes back
to shore.
7) Which best describes the narrator's
tone?
A.
B.
C.
D.
condescending
sarcastic
jovial
annoyed
8) Why might the narrator say that the

camping trip will have a punch line?
A. He feels the trip will be
expensive.
B. He feels the trip will have
difficulties.
C. He feels the trip will have a
funny ending.
D. He feels the sleeping in such
close quarters will cause
fighting.
Do you like to go on excursions? Explain.

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City Girl
I am a city girl at heart. Ive never milked a cow have no interest.

I was shocked when I attended my first pig pickin after my husband and
I moved to North Carolina from Boston. I had to avert my eyes from the huge pig,
skin and head on, insides chopped and splayed open across an entire 12-foot
long table.
Yall in duh country naw, girl, the host told me happily, apparently thrilled to be
the one to indoctrinate me into country living.
When, at 8 months pregnant, I volunteered to chaperone my sons strawberry
picking field trip, the other mothers looked at me strangely. I thought strawberries
grew on tall bushes, not low to the ground. All that squatting sent me into early
labor.
So, it is with this in mind that you must understand my attitude when I heard a
huge hurricane was headed toward Rocky Mount. I thought back to my days
growing up in Philadelphia, when snow storms where coming 20 inches-never to materialize.
A long checklist ran in the local newspaper of things townspeople should get to
prepare for the hurricane. My neighbor, Wayne, made a point of giving me a copy
since he knew I was new to town. I took a cursory glance and thought nothing
more of it.
While my neighbors were running around taping their windows, getting fresh
batteries and prepping their generators, I was, quite literally, sitting in my glass
house playing with the kids on the floor.
The rains started at 2 oclock in the afternoon. This was, to my amazement,
exactly what the weatherman had predicted.
These were no ordinary rains, either. From my glass living room, I could no
longer see the front lawn or the trees. The rain was as thick as a woolen curtain.
My husbands car began floating out of the driveway by nightfall. The water, so
insidious, began creeping up our front steps, overturning our potted plants and
benches.
This is unbelievable! I yelled. I reached for the phone to dial Wayne. He had
been born and raised in these parts, and surely, he would know what to do.
Wayne, I said worriedly into the receiver. The water is coming up our front
steps. Its almost to our door!
Ours too, he said, quite calmly, I thought, given the circumstances.

What should I do?
Put out your sandbags. It will keep the water out as long as it doesnt get too
high.
Sandbags?
You didnt get any? They were on the list, he asked in disbelief.
No, I hadnt.
Questions:
1) What other title might fit this
passage best?
A.
B.
C.
D.
"Pining for Boston"

"Learning Hurricanes"
"Picking Strawberries"
"Snow Storms that Don't Come"
2) What seems to be the author's

purpose in the first four paragraphs
of this passage?
A. to let the reader know that the
narrator went into early labor
B. to let the reader know that the
narrator does not like pulled
pork
C. to let the reader know that the
narrator is unfamiliar with
country life
D. to let the reader know that the
narrator wants to move back to
Boston
3) "I had to avert my eyes from the huge pig, skin and head on, insides chopped
and splayed open across an entire 12-foot long table."
Choose the best way to rewrite the above sentence.
A. I had to open my eyes to the huge pig, skin and head on, insides chopped
and splayed open across an entire 12-foot long table.
B. I had to direct my eyes towards the huge pig, skin and head on, insides
chopped and splayed open across an entire 12-foot long table.
C. I had to turn my eyes away from the huge pig, skin and head on, insides
D. I had to cover my eyes from the huge pig, skin and head on, insides
4) What does materialize mean?
A. to arrive
B. to increase in size
C. to become actual or real
D. to be concerned with consumer
goods.
6) Which best describes the narrator's

attitude in this passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
forgetful of rural life

unaware of country ways
anxious to get back to Boston
wishful for her children to grow
up in the city
8) What does it mean to literally do

something?
A. to think about doing something
B. to do something exactly as said
C. to do something and regret it
later
D. to do something with a bad
attitude
5) Select the best literary term for the

following quote: Yall in duh country
naw, girl.
A. yarn, suggesting an improbable
tale
B. vice, characterized as an evil
habit or wicked tendency
C. whimsical, characterized as
expressing fanciful or odd
notions
D. vernacular, meaning the native
language of people in a
particular geographical area

for cursory?
A.
B.
C.
D.
angry and willful

fast and intelligent
slow and deliberate
slow and superficial
9) What message does the author

convey by having the narrator wait
out the storm in a glass room?
A. It signifies how vulnerable she
is.
B. It signifies the narrator's
nontraditional tastes.
C. It lets the reader know that she
has not taped up her windows.
D. It lets the reader know she can
see everything that's going on.
10) Which best describes the use
of woolen curtain in this passage?
A. It is used an analogy, meaning
the comparison of two things.
B. It is used as comic relief,
meaning it offers humor in a
tense situation.
C. It is used as personification,
meaning something described
as if it were human.
D. It is used as satire, meaning it
ridicules the weakness of an
institution.
12) Which proverb is most likely

learned by the narrator during the
hurricane?
A. Like will draw like.
B. Misfortune tests the sincerity of
friends.
C. It is best to prepare for the day
of necessity.
D. It is wise to turn circumstances
to good account.
11) If the passage were to continue,

what might happen next?
A.
Water might get into the
house.
B.
The narrator may flee to
safety to Wayne's house.
C.
The narrator might get in her
car and drive to store for
sandbags.
D.
The narrator might ask to
borrow some of Wayne's
sandbags.
13) How might the narrator have

changed her fate?
A. She could have taped her
windows.
B. She could have replaced her old
batteries.
C. She could have prepped her
generator.
D. She could have purchased the
items from the hurricane list.
Which do you like better, the country or the city? Why?

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Clean Water Act

Josiah Hodge collapsed in a seat at the Caf du Monde restaurant in New

Orleans. He put his head in his hands and let out a deep sigh.
Josiah had come to New Orleans as a public service. He had come up with the
idea to develop a play for children affected by Hurricane Katrina and had secured
a modest grant from the government to do so. But he hadnt accounted for the
major hindrance he would face: blistering heat in August with no clean water to
drink.
Buying water for his crew of 38 volunteers for weeks on end would be far too
expensive to do on his shoestring budget, and he had no one to turn to on such
short notice for help. Josiah feared he would have to close up the production and
return home.
As he sipped on a glass of soda, he found it ironic that water, which flooded this
city and left many residents without homes or hope, would now be his downfall
as he tried to spread the joy of theater to its children.
Hello, sir, a man at the table next to him said. What brings you to New
Orleans?
Josiah shook his head. Later, he would find it amusing that this man knew, just
by looking, that Josiah was not a local. For now, he was just tired and irritated.
Look, I dont mean to be rude, but Ive had a bad day, Josiah said. I dont much
feel like talking.
What brings you to town? the man said, pleasantly.
Josiah grudgingly talked a bit about his work as a theater director in Manhattan
and his dream to bring a top flight play to the children of New Orleans.
The next day, as Josiah left a blazing hot outdoor studio, he noticed the same
man from the restaurant, parked on the street. A shock of fluffy white hair framed
his dark face, making him look almost saintly.
Look sir, what do you want?
To help.
How?
What do you need?
What I really need is clean water. Thats all I need. Josiah turned and walked
away. He had been rude, he knew, but he was so frustrated by this problem.
When he arrived back at his hotel room that evening, the front desk clerk handed
Josiah an unmarked envelope. Inside was a check for $2,000. The memo line
read, For water.
Josiah was flabbergasted. Who was this man?
As he pondered his good fortune, the phone rang in his hotel room.
Will that get you some water? a voice said on the other end.
Why, yes, yes it will, Josiah said. Thank you so much for your generosity.
My wife and I would like to take you to dinner.
Josiah could not refuse! This man was his savior, and his curiosity had gotten the
best of him. Who was this benefactor?
At dinner, Etienne Fanchon and his wife, Adelaide, formally introduced
themselves. Mr. Fanchon never graduated from high school, but inherited 5
acres of land from his father upon his death. For years, Mr. Fanchon grew
cucumbers on the land, barely making a living. One day, a neighbor offered
Fanchon a bag of money if Mr. Fanchon would let him bury three old trucks at the
back of his property.
Mr. Fanchon took the bag and agreed. Later, he could not believe how much
money was in the bag. And just for letting him bury some trucks!
The next morning, Mr. Fanchon said, he woke up, picked all the cucumbers off
his land and converted the 5 acres into a waste management facility. He is now
one of New Orleans few multimillionaires.
So, I have all this money now and live to help others, said Mr. Fanchon. That is
why Ive helped you.
Questions:
1) Which best describes Josiah's
mood at the beginning of this
passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
tired and vindictive

angry and conniving
pensive and high strung
frustrated and overwhelmed
2) How does Josiah's mood change

when he gets the check?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He is thankful and curious.

He is confused and questioning.
He is excited and unstable.
He is suspicious and cautious.
3) Which best serves as the climax of
this story?
A. when Josiah opens the
envelope
B. when Mr. Fanchon shows up at
the studio
C. when Mr. Fanchon describes
how he got so rich
D. when Josiah accepts Mr.
Fanchon's invitation to dinner
4) Mr. Fanchon is described in the

passage as saintly, and as being
the narrator's savior. What can you
infer from this description?
A.
B.
that he has many secrets

that he has helped the
narrator immensely
C.
that he helps everyone he
comes in contact with
D.
that for the narrator, there is
something divine about Mr.
Fanchon

for hindrance?
A.
B.
C.
D.
assistance
obstacle
profit
strength

for irritated?
A.
B.
C.
D.
acclimated
bashful
melancholy
mollified
6) Using the passage as a guide, what

does it mean to do something on
a shoestring budget ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
to do something with little help

to do something with little luck
to do something with little money
to do something with little
patience
8) What lesson does Josiah learn in

this passage?
A. It is okay to be somewhat rude
on first meeting.
B. Help can come from the most
unlikely of places.
C. Frustration can often cloud one's
judgment.
D. Theater programs are an
excellent way to help those in
need.
9) Why does Josiah grudgingly talk to 10) In this passage, how are Josiah
Mr. Fanchon in the Cafe du Monde?
and Mr. Fanchon alike?
A. He is hungry.
B. He is irritated and does not feel
like being bothered.
C. He decided conversation might
make him feel better.
D. He wanted to spread the word
about his theater program.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Both are patient.

Both lack ambition.
Both are quick to show emotion.
Both have philanthropic
interests.
What does it mean to be altruistic? Are you an altruist? Explain.

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Dreams
The relationship between my mother, sister and me had been cold

and inimical for as long as I could remember.
To me, my mother was irrational, often hurling hurtful invectives for the slightest
infraction. My sister, five years my senior, seemed not to have a brain in her
head. Tammy dithered about everything, incapable of making any firm decision.
No matter how often my mother deprecated her -- dumb, ugly, fatTammy
made futile attempts to fawn her way back into mothers good graces.
My father would pontificate, You three are more alike then you know.
In April of 2000, my mother kicked us both out of the house. (Dad had been
exiled many years before.)
My sister and I went our separate ways. It was then that I began having recurring
dreams.
In one, I am running to catch up with a woman. Each time I get near, I trip and
fall. Another woman comes with great alacrity and offers her hand, but when I
reach to grab it, she disappears.
In another, a female professor hands me a test. Although I have spent hours
studying for it, I know none of the answers. The professor derides me for my
poor performance.
These dreams were not hard to understand. In fact they were pellucid , and
absent any knowledge of dream interpretation, I was still able to devise their
significance. I knew that they both reflected the pugnacious relationship I shared
with my mother and sister.
However, there was one dream I could never quite construe. I bite into an apple.
All of my teeth fall out. I had this dream far more than any of the others.
Years later, in an effort to heal our fractious relationship, Mom, Tammy and I
would elect to go to counseling together. After several sessions, I tell my dream
about teeth tumbling out of my head.
My God, said my mother. Ive had the exact same dream many times.
Me too, said Tammy solemnly.
Breakthrough? No idea. But I was reminded of the words of my now-dead father.
Perhaps the three of us are more alike than we know.
Questions:
1) Which is most likely to make a
relationship inimical?
A.
B.
C.
D.
great pathos
frequent maledictions
magnanimous gestures
ingenuous discussions

for invectives ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
icons
decisions
paragons
accusations
3) If this passage were true, which would best describe it?

A. a literary essay, based on a piece of literature
B. a memoir essay, centered on a significant memory from the past
C. a persuasive essay, characterized by choosing a side and refuting other
arguments
D. an expository essay, meant to acquaint the reader with a body of
knowledge
4) What event does the father's

comment foreshadow?
A. Mother is irrational.
B. Tammy is fawning.
C. The sisters are both kicked out
of the house.
D. The narrator, mother and
Tammy all have the same
dream.
5) What is the tone of this passage?

A.
B.
C.
D.
matter-of-fact
mawkish
maudlin
mercurial
6) How does the relationship between the narrator, her mother and sister seem
to change from the beginning of passage to end?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
from brusque to florid

from egregious to impassive
from enervating to rejuvenating
from destructive to collaborative
F.
7) Which is the best antonym for pellucid ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
conspicuous
disquieting
enlightening
incomprehensible
8) "I bite into an apple. All of my teeth fall out."

Choose the best way to combine the above sentences.
A.
B.
C.
D.
I bite into an apple, all of my teeth fall out.

As all my teeth fall out, I bite into an apple.
I bite into an apple, and all of my teeth fall out.
While I bite into I bite into an apple, all my teeth fell out.
9) "The professor derides me for my poor performance."

Choose the best way to rewrite the above sentence.
A.
B.
C.
D.
The professor is in disbelief due to my poor performance.

The professor laughs mockingly at my poor performance.
The professor gives me a failing grade for my poor performance.
The professor gives me a tutorial because of my poor performance.
10) Which words have a negative

connotation?
A.
B.
C.
D.
alacrity
deprecated
dithered
pugnacious
11) If the professor in the narrator's dream represented someone in her life, who
might that person be, and why?
A.
B.
C.
D.
the sister, because she was described in the passage as dithering

the mother, because she was described in the passage as mean-spirited
the narrator, because she seems to be testing everyone in the passage
the father, because he understood that that the three women were alike
12) Which is the best way to make these fragments grammatically

correct? Breakthrough? No idea.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Breakthrough, no idea.
Was this a breakthrough? I have no idea.
If this was a breakthrough I have no idea.
I had no idea. This was a breakthrough.
What kind of dreams do you have? What do they meananything? Explain.

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First Prize
My name is Tess and I ride horses.

I ride them in the circus.
I ride them in parades.
I ride them in shows.
I am riding in a horse show today.
My horse runs.
My horse jumps.
My horse dances.
I hold on!
My horse is the best.
I named her Twin.
I feel like the horse and I are the same when I ride her.
My mother is not at the horse show.
She has to work.
My father is there. He claps. He yells. He smiles.
The show ends. A man announces the winners.
"First prize goes to Tess and Twin!" he says.
He gives me a blue ribbon.
I am very excited. My dad gives me a hug.
"You won!" he says.
My dad and I go home.
My dad tells my mom about my ribbon.
She cries.
She gives me a big hug.
Your hard work is showing, she says.
Questions:
1) Where does Tess ride her horse?
A.
B.
C.
D.
in the circus
at school
in parades
in the woods
3) What does Tess need to do while

her horse runs and jumps?
A.
B.
C.
D.
dance
hold on
sing
stand up
2) What prize does Tess win in the

horse show?
A. _________________
_________________
_________________
4) Where is Tess's mother during the

show?
A. _________________
_________________
_________________
5) Why does Tess's father yell?

A.
B.
C.
D.
He is mad.
He needs help.
He is surprised.
He is excited.
7) What color ribbon does Tess get?

A. _________________
_________________
_________________
6) Why do you think Tess named the

horse Twin?
A. because Tess has a twin
B. because there are two horses
C. because another horse looks
very similar to Twin
D. because Tess feels the same as
Twin when they ride
8) How does Tess's mom feel about

the ribbon?
A.
B.
C.
D.
happy
mad
proud
sad
ReadTheory.Org 2010
Name________________
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Flower Power
When her grandmothers health began to deteriorate in the fall of 1994,

Mary would make the drive from Washington, DC to Winchester, Va., every
few days.
She hated highway driving, finding it ugly and monotonous. She preferred to
take meandering back roads to her grandmothers hospital. When she drove
through the rocky town of Harpers Ferry, the beauty of the rough waters churning
at the intersection of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers
always captivated her.
Toward the end of her journey, Mary actually did have to get on highway 81. It
was here that she discovered a surprising bit of beauty during one of her trips.
Along the median of the highway, there were a long stretch of wildflowers. They
were thin and delicate and purple, almost poetic in appearance.
The first time she saw the flowers, Mary was seized by an uncontrollable urge to
pull over on the highway and yank a bunch from the soil. She carried them into
her grandmothers room when she arrived at the hospital and placed them in a
water pitcher by her bed.
For a moment her grandmother seemed more lucid than usual. She thanked
Mary for the flowers, commented on their beauty and asked where she had
gotten them. Mary was overjoyed by the flowers seeming ability to wake
something up inside her ailing grandmother.
Afterwards, Mary began carrying scissors in the car during her trips to visit
grandma. She would quickly glide onto the shoulder, jump out the car, and clip a
bunch of flowers. Each time Mary placed the flowers in the pitcher, her
grandmothers eyes would light up and they would have a splendid conversation.
One morning in late October, Mary got a call that her grandmother had taken a
turn for the worse. Mary was in such a hurry to get to her grandmother that she
sped past her flower spot. She decided to turn around, head several miles back,
and cut a bunch.
Mary arrived at the hospital to find her grandmother very weak and unresponsive.
She placed the flowers in the pitcher and sat down to hold her grandmothers
hand. She felt a squeeze on her fingers. It was the last conversation they had.
Questions:
for deteriorate?
A.
B.
C.
D.
improve
increase
adjust
accumulate
3) What is the best meaning of the

word captivated?
A.
B.
C.
D.
energized
fascinated
humbled
relaxed
5) Which best describes what stopping

for flowers on the side of the
highway became for Mary?
A.
B.
C.
D.
monotonous
a ritual
a regret
torturous
2) "She hated highway driving, finding

it ugly and monotonous."
Choose the best way to rewrite the above
sentence.
A. She hated highway driving,

finding it ugly and tedious.
B. She hated highway driving,
finding it ugly and confusing.
C. She hated highway driving,
finding it ugly and nervewracking.
D. She hated highway driving,
finding it ugly and time
consuming.
4) "They were thin and delicate and

purple, almost poetic in
appearance."
sentence.
A. vernacular, suggesting a
particular geographical area
B. alliteration, characterized by the
repetition of a letter or sound
C. foreshadowing, characterized by
the use of hints to suggest what
is to come
D. personification, characterized by
a thing being described as if it
were human
6) What other title would best fit this

passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The Fall
"On the Road"
Wildflower Poetry
"Living for Tomorrow"
7) Why might the author have
described the flowers as poetic?
A. The author wanted to depict this
passage as a poem.
B. The author wanted to convey
that this type of flower had been
written about by poets.
C. The author wanted to contrast
the flowers with other flowers
considered less beautiful.
D. The author wanted to convey
that Mary felt the flowers were
as beautiful as verses on a
page.
8) Using the passage as a guide, what

kind of person does Mary seem to
be?
A.
B.
C.
D.
She is impatient.
She is not the safest driver.
She is drawn to the beauty in
nature.
She has a deep love for her
grandmother.
9) Which is the best antonym for lucid? 10) What do the flowers seem to come
to signify for Mary?
A. false
B. realistic
A. how beautiful the highways can
C. obscure
be
D. determined
B. an opportunity to pull off on the
side of the road
C. a chance to converse with her
grandmother
D. a chance make the hospital
room smell better
Do you have many routines? Do you like routines? Explain.

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Fried
My cell phone rings again. It is futile to ignore it anymore.

Valerie is persistent. She will continue to bedevil me until I acquiesce.
Hello, I answer.
State Fair, Bobbie? she says in her singsong voice. When are we heading out?
Only two more days left!
I abhor the State Fair. The boisterous crowds, the insanely long lines and the
impossibility of finding a clean restroom all combine to make this an event that I
dread.
For Valerie, my best friend since the angst of middle school, the State Fair is a
sign that divine powers really do exist.
Really, Bobbie, where else can you pet a cow, ride a horse, fall ten stories, see
the worlds smallest person and eat fried macaroni and cheese? Valerie asks
gleefully.
Hell? I guess.
The fried food at the State Fair is a gastronomical nightmare on its own. I once
tried a fried pickle at the fair and was sick to my stomach for hours. And a fried
donut hamburger with bacon, cheese AND a greasy egg? How could that not
be deleterious to your health?
I have not seen Valerie for a good month; our schedules are both so hectic. My
hatred of the State Fair becomes inconsequential to my desire to hang with Val.
Alas, I ignore my anti-fair bias for the umpteenth year.
Pick me up at noon, I say and hang up the phone.
Questions:
1) Choose the best synonym for futile.
A.
B.
C.
D.
arduous
enervating
homicidal
ineffective
3) " I truly abhor the State Fair."

Choose the most accurate rewrite of the
above sentence.
A.
B.
C.
D.
I really hate the State Fair.

I am sickened by the State Fair.
I have no time for the State Fair.
I am uncertain about the State
Fair.
5) What does the word

gastronomical suggest?
A.
B.
C.
D.
relating to health risks

relating to worldliness
relating to culinary issues
relating to higher education
2) What does it mean to acquiesce?

A.
B.
C.
D.
to give in
to speak kindly
to pay attention
to answer the phone
4) How does Valerie seem to feel

about the State Fair?
A.
B.
C.
D.
ambivalent
condescending
jubilant
nonchalant
6) " And a fried donut hamburger with

bacon, cheese AND a greasy
egg?"
What is wrong with the above sentence?
A.
B.
C.
D.
There is no verb.
There is no subject.
It is a sentence fragment.
There are too many
descriptions.
7) Why might the author have chosen
to capitalize all the letters in the
word "and" when writing about the
donut hamburger?
A. to make sure the reader
understood it was a list
B. to show that a greasy egg was
the last ingredient
C. to highlight that the sentence
was written incorrectly
D. to emphasize just how many
ingredients were on the
hamburger
8) Choose the best antonym

for deleterious.
A.
B.
C.
D.
amicable
beneficial
fortuitous
pathetic
9) How is hang used in this passage? 10) What does the author's use of the
word umpteenth suggest?
A. as a hyperbole, meaning as an
exaggeration
A. that the fair has been around
B. as a slang expression, meaning
for a long time
informal language
B. that this is the last time Bobbie
C. as an analogy, meaning a
will agree to go to the fair
comparison between two things
C. that Bobbie goes to the State
D. as a denotation, meaning the
Fair with Val frequently
literal meaning of a word
D. that this is the first time Bobbie
has agreed to go with Val
Would you like to attend the State Fair as described in the story? Explain.
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Gas
Machines need gas to work.

Cars need gas.
Buses need gas.
Airplanes need gas.
People use a lot of gas. It makes our machines work.
Questions:
1) What needs gas to work?
A. animals
B. machines
C. plants
2) Which thing needs gas to work?

A. a dog
B. a truck
C. a bicycle
3) People use a lot of gas. This

means...
A. People don't use gas.
B. People use a little gas.
C. People use much gas.
Is gas good? Is it bad? Explain.

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Green Grass
Plants need sunlight and water to make their own food.

You can do an experiment to test if this is true.
Place a bucket over a patch of green grass.
After a few days, lift the bucket.
You will see that the grass is not as green anymore.
If you leave the bucket in place for a week, the grass will become
very dull.
This happens because it cannot make food in the dark.
Remove the bucket. In a few days, the grass will start turning green again.
Questions:
1) What is the main point of this
2) What is an experiment?
passage?
A. that buckets are bad
B. that plants need sunlight
C. that grass is not pretty when it
A. a way to grow grass

B. a way to test an idea
C. a way to use a bucket
is dull
3) What happens after a few days?
for dull?
A. The grass turns brown.
B. The grass gets very dull
C. The grass is not as green
5) According to the passage, how
A. bright
B. brown
C. colorful
6) What might happen if the bucket
long does it take for the grass to

become dull?
stays on the grass for a very long

time?
A. a month
B. a week
C. a few days
A. The grass might die.

B. Flowers might start to bloom.
C. The grass might start growing
again.
ReadTheory.Org 2010
Name________________
Date________________
Griffins Talents
Griffin plays the violin.

He takes lessons after school on Tuesdays.
Griffins violin teacher is Mr. Thomas. Mr. Thomas tells Griffin to practice every
day.
Griffin practices his violin on most days.
On the days Griffin does not practice his violin, he plays soccer with his friends or
fixes old clocks for fun.
You are a boy of many talents, Griffins parents tell him. That means you are
good at doing many things.
Griffin likes when his parents say this to him.
He loves playing the violin. He loves playing soccer. He loves fixing clocks.
Griffin loves to do many things, but he does not have the time to do them all
every day.
Questions:
1) What does Griffin play?
2) When does Griffin take violin

lessons?
A.
B.
C.
D.
board games
the piano
soccer
the violin
3) When does Mr. Thomas tell Griffin

to practice?
A.
B.
C.
D.
every day
most days
only on Tuesdays
when he wants to
A.
B.
C.
D.
on Tuesdays after soccer

on Thursdays after soccer
on Tuesdays after school
on Thursdays after school
4) When does Griffin practice the

violin?
A.
B.
C.
D.
every day
most days
never
only on Tuesdays
5) How does Griffin feel about the
violin?
6) What things does Griffin love to do?

A.
B.
C.
D.
He loves it.
He thinks it is hard.
He hates to practice.
He does not like the sound.
7) What does Mr. Thomas teach

Griffin?
A.
B.
C.
D.
to play soccer
to fix old clocks
to play the violin
to build birdhouses
A.
B.
C.
D.
read books
fix old clocks
build birdhouses
play soccer with his friends
8) What does it mean to have many

talents?
A.
B.
C.
D.
to want to do a lot
to be good at playing the violin
to be busy doing many things
to be good at doing a lot of
things
9) How come Griffin does not play the

violin every day?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He does not like the violin.

He wants to play the piano.
He is busy doing other things.
His mom says not to play every
day.
Do you have a talent? What is it? Would you like to have a talent?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
ReadTheory.Org 2010
Name________________
Date________________
I Fly
I fly airplanes for work.

I am a pilot.
Sometimes, I take my little girl with me.
Her name is Bristol.
Bristol likes to look out the window of the airplane.
She likes to look at the clouds.
She thinks the clouds look like animals.
She points at one with her finger.
"I see a giraffe!" she says.
I also have a little boy.
My little boy does not like to be up high.
He does not come with me on the airplane.
He likes to play airplane with me.
We play airplane when I get home.
We run around the yard. We wave our arms in the air. We make airplane noises.
Questions:
1) Who is telling this story?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Bristol.
A little boy.
A pilot.
A friend.
3) Bristol points at something outside

the window. What does she point
at?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A giraffe.
Her dad.
A cloud.
A tree.
2) What does Bristol like to do in the

airplane?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Look out the window.

Run in the yard.
Sit in the back.
Be the pilot.
4) Why doesn't the little boy like to fly?

A. _______________________
__________________________
__________________________
Name________________
Date________________
Bears
Reading Comprehension Informational Passages
Directions: Read the passage. Then answer questions about the passage below.
American Black Bears live in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. An American Black
Bear can be up to seven feet tall if it stands on its hind legs. A mother Black Bear can have
2-4 baby bears. They have the bears in winter. The baby bears are called cubs. During the
winter, the cubs stay with their mother in the bear den. During the summer, the cubs like to
go outside. They like to run and play. The cubs drink milk provided by their mother. The
cubs eat nuts, berries, and insects. The cubs also love to eat honey. During the winter, the
cubs sleep in the den with their mothers. They rest all winter. The cubs will leave their
mother the next summer. They will move away to start their own family.
Brown Bears live in the North. They live in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho,
Washington, Alaska, Canada, and northern Eurasia. Brown Bears are very big. A Brown
Bear can be up to ten feet tall if it stands on its hind legs. Like Black Bear cubs, Brown
Bear cubs are born in winter. They drink milk until spring or summer. The mothers have 24 cubs. Brown Bear cubs stay with their mothers for 2-4 years. The adult females, called
sows, teach them to hunt. They like to hunt at night. They like to hunt in large, open
spaces. Brown Bears eat mostly fruits and vegetables, but they also hunt and eat other
animals.
Q u es t i o n s :
1) When are bear cubs born?
A. Winter
B. Spring
C. Summer
D. Fall
2) What do bears do all winter?
A. They learn to hunt.
B. They run and play.
C. They fish.
D. They rest.
3) How tall can a Brown Bear get?
A. Under 7 feet
B. Up to 8 feet
C. Under 9 feet
D. Up to 10 feet
4) Brown Bears leave their mothers
A. when they are 1-2 years old.
B. when they are 2-4 years old.
C. when they are 3-5 years old.
D. when they are 4-5 years old.
5) Where do black bears like to hunt?
A.
B.
C.
D.
In open spaces
In the woods
In open spaces and in the woods
In open spaces and near the water
Vocabulary:
1) Bear cubs are
A. mother bears.
B. baby bears.
C. where bears rest.
D. groups of bears.
2) What is the best synonym for during?
A. after
B. before
C. while
D. what
3) Outside is
A. a place where bears hunt.
B. a place that is in the woods.
C. a place that is not enclosed by walls.
D. a place that does not receive sunlight.
4) When you leave, you
D. go home
E. go to sleep
F. go away
D. go back
5) What are open spaces?
A
B.
C.
D.
Big places with many trees

Big grassy areas
Small places with tall trees
Small grassy areas
Name________________
Date________________
Beds
A long time ago, people didnt sleep in beds. Ten thousand years ago, people
probably slept on leaves and animal furs.
Long ago in Egypt, people ate, slept, and talked to friends in bed. Over 3,000
years ago, King Tut of Egypt had a beautiful bed made of wood and gold! But common
people in Egypt slept on beds of grass and leaves.
In the 16th century, in the 1500s, people piled bird feathers or straw on rope
webs. Later, people made mattresses by stuffing feathers inside large cotton bags.
Louis 14th, king of France from 1643 until 1715, had 413 beds. He liked to talk to
his friends and do his work in bed. He liked beautiful beds.
In 1865, people started to put springs under their mattress to make it more
flexible. This would make it bend and flex when the sleeper moved. By the 1930s, most
beds had springs. About 100 years after people started to put springs under their mattress,
the modern waterbed was invented.
Today there are different kinds of beds. Some people have waterbeds. Some sleep
on mats. Others sleep on foam mattresses or airbeds.
Q u es t i o n s :
th
Vocabulary:
1) King Tut and Louis 14 both had
1) The best synonym for common is
A. springs in their beds.

B. beds made of fur.
C. beautiful beds.
D. many beds.
2) How many beds did Louis 14th have?
A. rich.
B. sleepy.
C. ordinary.
D. important.
2) A century is
A. 3,000
B. 1,715
C. 1,643
D. 413
3) Who liked to talk in bed?
A. 1 year.
B. 10 years.
C. 100 years.
D. 1000 years.
3) Mattresses are
A. Egyptian people
B. French people
C. The king of France
D. Both A and C are correct.
4) The modern waterbed was invented in
A. mats filled with something soft.

B. wooden frames for beds.
C. types of rope.
D. kings.
4) Something flexible
A. the 1830s.
B. the 1860s.
C. the 1930s.
D. the 1960s.
5) What do people sleep on now?
A. sleeps very easily.

B. sleeps a lot.
C. bends and flexes.
D. looks beautiful.
5) When something is invented it is
A.
B.
C.
D.
Foam mattresses
Waterbeds
Airbeds
All of the above
A.
B.
C.
D.
made of something soft.

built of wood and gold.
made for the first time.
built with springs.
Name________________
Date________________
Bees
Bees are insects. Bees are special insects because they can fly! They can move
through the air like an airplane! Bees can fly because they have wings. They use their
wings to fly. Bees can fly fast. Bees can also fly slow. They can fly up and they can fly
down. They need to fly to get to the flowers!
Bees can have three colors. They can be yellow, red, and orange. All bees are
black in some places.
Bees have three main parts. They have a head. They have a body. And, they have
a stinger. The stinger is used to defend against enemies. They also have six legs. They
use their legs to stand and climb. They also use their legs to eat and collect pollen.
Bees live in many places. They live in Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, North
America, South America. The only continent that bees do not live on is Antarctica! I
understand why they dont live in Antarctica. Its too cold!
Most of the time, bees are nice to humans. If you do not bother them, they will
not bother you. Have fun watching the bees this summer!
Vocabulary:
Q u es t i o n s :
1) What are bees?
1) Bees are special. This means
A. Mammals
B. Birds
C. Reptiles
D. Insects
2) How do bees fly?
A. bees are normal.

B. bees are regular.
C. bees are unusual.
D. bees are average.
2) Bees can fly. This means
A. They use their legs.

B. They use their head.
C. They use their wings.
D. None of the above.
3) How many legs do bees have?
A. bees can move through the air.

B. bees can dig in the ground.
C. bees can see very far.
D. bees can swim through the water.
3) What is the opposite of defend?
A. Two
B. Four
C. Six
D. Eight
4) What is the stinger used for?
A. Run
B. Hide
C. Protect
D. Attack
4) What is a continent?
A. To eat food.
B. To defend against enemies.
C. Both A and B.
5) Where do bees live?
A. A large piece of connected land.

B. A large river.
C. A small part of the ocean.
D. A swamp.
5) If you bother something, you
A.
B.
C.
D.
North America
Asia
Antarctica
Both A and B
A.
B.
C.
D.
make it angry.
make it get upset.
make it mad.
All of the above.
Name________________
Date________________
Dogs
There are wild dogs and pet dogs. Pet dogs are helpers and friends to people. There were no pet dogs
15,000 years ago. Men and women learned how to work with dogs. Dogs helped humans travel from Asia to
North America 10,000 years ago by pulling sleds in the snow. People say dogs are mans best friend.
They help with farming. They help with hunting. They help with fishing. They can pull things for people.
They can help find things.
There are many colors of dogs. There are white dogs, gray dogs, black dogs, and brown dogs. A
dogs fur can be short or long. Dogs have curly hair or straight fur. There are very small dogs. They are
only 6-8 inches tall. There are very big dogs. They are about 3 feet tall.
Some dogs can see well. Some dogs do not see very well. All dogs can hear well. They can hear
sounds that people cannot hear. They can hear high sounds and low sounds. They can hear sound very far
away. All dogs can smell very well. They can smell 40 times better than humans!
Dogs live 5 to 13 years, but some dogs live much longer. One dog lived to be 24 years old!
Q u es t i o n s :
Vocabulary:
1) Dogs helped people go to America by
1) The best antonym for pet is
A. pulling sleds in the snow.

B. helping with farming.
C. helping find things.
D. None of the above
2) How tall are the smallest dogs?
A. wild animal.
B. domestic animal.
C. large animal.
D. friendly animal.
2 ) Th e o p p o s i t e o f p u l l i s
A. 3 inches
B. 5 inches
C. 6 inches
D. 13 inches.
3) How tall are the biggest dogs?
A. receive.
B. carry.
C. push.
D. help.
3) A dogs fur is the dogs
A. 1 foot
B. 2 feet
C. 3 feet
D. 5 feet
4) What can all dogs do well?
A. nose
B. eyes
C. hair
D. ears
4) Straight hair is
A. see
B. hear
C. smell
D. Both B and C are correct
5) How old was the oldest dog?
A. curly.
B. long.
C. brown.
D. not curly.
5) Another word for human is
A.
B.
C.
D.
5 years old
10 years old
13 years old
24 years old
A.
B.
C.
D.
dog.
animal.
sound.
person.
Name________________
Date________________
Fish
Reading Comprehension Informational Passages (4)
There are many kinds of fish. There are big fish, small fish, long fish, and short fish. People know
about 25,000 different kinds of fish. There are probably 15,000 kinds of fish that people do not know about.
There are many colors of fish. There are red fish, blue fish, yellow fish, and white fish.
Fish do not all eat the same things. Some fish eat flies or other bugs. Some eat plants like seaweed.
Some eat worms. Some fish eat other fish.
The fastest fish can swim almost 70 miles per hour. Thats fast!
The heaviest fish weighs 15 tons. Thats very heavy!
The longest fish are sharks. Sharks can be 50 feet long. Thats very long!
The smallest fish is less than 1/3 inch long. Thats very small!
Fish can see, feel, and taste. Some fish can smell. Some can hear sounds in the water. Fish can feel
pain. When they get hurt, it feels bad.
Q u es t i o n s :
Vocabulary:
1) How many kinds of fish do people know

about?
1) A word that means the same thing as the

word kind is
A. 10,000
B. 15,000
C. 25,000
D. 40,000
2) There are many
A. type.
B. color.
C. name.
D. number.
2) An example of a color is
A. kinds of fish
B. sizes of fish
C. colors of fish
D. All of the above
3) How fast can the fastest fish swim?
A. big.
B. red.
C. long.
D. kind.
3) Flies are
A. 10 miles per hour

B. 20 miles per hour
C. 40 miles per hour
D. 70 miles per hour
4) How long can sharks be?
A. fish.
B. bugs.
C. plants.
D. worms.
4) Weight is a measure of how
A. 40 feet
B. 50 feet
C. 60 feet
D. 70 feet
5) How much does the heaviest fish weigh?
A. tall something is.

B. heavy something is.
C. fast something is.
D. smart something is.
5 ) Pa i n i s
A.
B.
C.
D.
15 pounds
150 pounds
15 tons
150 tons
A.
B.
C.
D.
a bad feeling.
a big fish.
a sound.
a taste.
Name________________
Date________________
Flags
The first flags were probably in China. People flew flags in China over 4,000 years ago. Each
part of the army had its own flag so the soldiers could see their leaders. Early flags were sticks of wood.
They had pictures cut into the wood.
Iran had metal flags about 3,000 years ago. Old Greek coins show pictures of flags. People in
Rome also used flags over 2,000 years ago. People first made flags of cloth about 2,000 years ago.
Those flags looked like todays flags.
Flags are important at sea. Most ships fly their own countrys flag and the flag of the country
they are visiting. When a ship flies only its own flag, it is ready to fight.
Every country now has a flag. Every U.S. state has a flag. Clubs, teams, and schools have flags.
The Olympics has a flag. The Olympics flag has five rings of five colors. Each ring stands for, or
represents, a continent. It means that people from five continents Africa, Asia, Europe, North
America, and South America come to play.
Railway lines also use flags. Railway flags tell the trains what to do. For example, a red flag tells
the train to stop, just like a stop sign. A blue, white, or green flag tells the train that it can go. A blue flag
on the side of a train means someone is working on the train. It means nobody can move the train.
Q u es t i o n s :
Vocabulary:
1) The first flags were made of
1) Another word for cloth is
A. wood
B. cloth
C. rings
D. metal
2) How many flags do most ships fly?
A. color.
B. fabric.
C. metal.
D. wood.
2) Ships are
A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. 3
3) The Olympics flag has
A. boats.
B. coins.
C. flags.
D. teams.
3) Another way to say represents is
A. five rings
B. five colors
C. five countries
D. Both A and B are correct.
4) A white flag tells a train that
A. flies.
B. visits.
C. works on.
D. stands for.
4) Continents are
A. it can go.
B. it should stop.
C. it has to be careful.
D. nobody can move the train.
5) People flew the first flags
A. countries.
B. kinds of games.
C. large pieces of land.
D. pictures cut in wood.
5) If you tell someone information you
A.
B.
C.
D.
less than 2,000 years ago.

about 2,000 years ago.
about 3,000 years ago
more than 4,000 years ago.
A.
B.
C.
D.
receive information from them.

want information from them.
take information from them.
give information to them.
Name________________
Date________________
Frogs
Frogs live on land and in water. Frogs have long back legs and short bodies. Their
eyes stick out. They do not have tails. Most of the time they move in the water, but they can
also move on land. Frogs have smooth, not bumpy, skin. They can breathe through their skin.
Their skin must stay wet so they can breathe through it. Young frogs must breathe through
their skin. Older frogs grow lungs. They breathe through their lungs when they are on land,
just like people do. Frogs lay their eggs in ponds and other bodies of water, like lakes.
Frogs must move fast to catch something to eat. They must also get away from bigger
animals. Some frogs have webs of skin between their toes. Webbed toes are good because it
helps them to swim very fast. Tree frogs have toe pads. The toe pads help them hang on
when they climb. When they climb, they move up trees or rocks. Some tree frogs live high in
very tall trees. Those tree frogs have webs between their toes. They can jump from tree to
tree. They cant fly, but they can stay in the air for a long jump.
Q u es t i o n s :
Vocabulary:
1) A young frogs skin must stay wet so
1) Smooth skin is
A. the frog can swim.

B. the frog can climb
C. the frog can lay eggs.
D. the frog can breathe.
2) Where do frogs lay their eggs?
A. not bumpy.
B. not wet.
C. bumpy.
D. wet.
2) People and frogs both use lungs to
A. In water
B. On land
C. In trees
D. Under rocks
3) How are young and old frogs different?
A. climb.
B. move fast.
C. breathe.
D. get something to eat.
3) Ponds are
A. Only older frogs have lungs.

B. Only young frogs can swim.
C. Only young frogs can live in water.
D. Only older frogs must have wet skin.
4) Some frogs have toe pads to help them...
A. small frogs.
B. frog eggs.
C. large animals
D. bodies of water.
4) To hang on means to
A. climb.
B. swim.
C. jump.
D. fly.
5) What helps frogs swim and jump?
A. fall down.
B. hold on.
C. go on.
5) To climb means to
A.
B.
C.
D.
Toe pads
Their lungs
Their smooth skin
Webs of skin between their toes
A.
B.
C.
D.
move fast.
take in.
move up.
move in.
Name________________
Date________________
Houses
There are houses all over the world. Some houses are large. Some are small. Some are made of wood.
Some are made of rock. Some are made of mud. Some are made of cloth. In cold places, some houses are made of
ice frozen water! People usually build their houses with something that is easy to find. For example, there are
many trees in a forest. So people who live there might build a house made of logs.
Some houses have one room. Some houses have many rooms. There is usually a bedroom for sleeping.
There is often a kitchen for cooking. There is usually a bathroom. There is often a living room for sitting and
talking. Some houses have basements. The basement is under the main part of the house. Some houses have attics.
The attic is above the main part of the house. Most houses have a door so people can enter and exit the house.
Most houses have windows so the people can look outside. Windows also let air into the house from outdoors.
Some houses are fancy. They are painted bright colors, and are very decorative. Some houses not fancy
they are plain and simple. Houses look very different in different parts of the world. But, people who live in a
house probably all agree that there is no place like home!
Q u es t i o n s :
1) Why are many forest houses made of
logs?
A. There are many logs in the forest.
B. Trees are easy to find in the forest.
C. There is a lot of wood in the forest.
D. All of the above
2) Why do houses have bedrooms?
A. For sleeping
B. For cooking
C. For relaxing
D. For building things
3) Where is the basement of a house?
A. Beside the house
B. Above the house
C. Under the house
4) Houses have doors
A. so people can enter and exit.
B. so people can sleep.
C. so people can cook and eat.
5) Houses have windows to
A.
B.
C.
D.
let people go outside.

let people look outside.
let air into the house from outdoors.
Both B and C are correct.
Vocabulary:
1) What is ice?
A. Trees that are cut down
B. Water that is frozen
C. A kind of grass
D. A kind of cloth
2) A kitchen is a
A. room for sleeping.
B. room for cooking.
C. room which is under a house.
D. room which is above a house.
3) An attic is
A. a house made of ice.
B. a house in the forest.
C. a room under a house.
D. a room above a house.
4) If something is fancy, it is
A. bright and decorative.
B. plain and simple.
C. ugly.
D. old and tarnished.
5) If people agree, they
A.
B.
C.
D.
decide to do something.
feel the same way about something.
live in the same house.
do something together.
Name________________
Date________________
Humans
The human body has many parts. People have two arms and two legs. We have
two hands and two feet. We have five fingers on each hand. We have five toes on each
foot.
We each have two eyes on our face. We see with our eyes. We each have two
ears. We hear with our ears. We each have one nose on our face. We smell with our nose.
We each have one tongue. We taste with our tongue. We each have one brain. We think
with our brain. We each have two lungs in our chest. We breathe with our lungs.
Humans can do many things. People can walk. We use our legs and feet to walk.
We can run. Running is faster than walking. We use our legs and feet to run. We can
climb. We use our arms, hands, legs and feet to climb. We can climb up trees or climb up
ladders. We can eat and drink. We use our mouth and teeth to eat. We eat meat, fruit,
vegetables, and other foods. We can drink lots of things, but we drink water the most. We
also use our mouth and teeth to talk.
Q u es t i o n s :
Vocabulary:
1) Each human has five
1) Fingers are part of your
A. feet on each leg.

B. toes on each foot.
C. hands on each arm.
2) How many ears does each human have?
A. leg
B. foot
C. nose
D. hand
2) Your face has your
A. 1
B. 2
C. 5
D. 10
3) What do we smell with?
A. eyes, nose and mouth.

B. arms, legs and feet.
C. fingers and toes.
D. feet and toes.
3) Your tongue is part of your
A. Our toes
B. Our nose
C. Our lungs
D. Our fingers
4) We use our legs to
A. ear.
B. nose.
C. chest.
D. mouth.
4) You use your lungs to
A. run.
B. walk.
C. climb.
D. All of the above
5) What do humans eat?
A. eat.
B. hear.
C. smell.
D. breathe.
5) To climb is to
A.
B.
C.
D.
Meat
Water
Ladders
Coffee
A.
B.
C.
D.
go in.
go up.
taste food.
drink water.
Name________________
Date________________
Ice Fishing
The first tip for a good day of ice fishing is to wear the right clothes. You should dress in layers. Wear 2 or 3
shirts, so you can take off a layer when you are warm. Wear a face mask, a warm hat with ear flaps over your ears,
and warm gloves and boots.
The second tip is to stay warm. Some people put up cloth tents when they go ice fishing. Some people own
small ice houses where they can stay warm. You can use a small heater inside the tent or outside on the ice. Be sure
to take a hot drink like hot chocolate. You should move around to stay warm. Some people take ice skates.
The third tip is to check the ice. Look at it carefully. The ice must be 4 or more inches thick. This is the ice
rule: Thick and blue, tried and true. Thin and crispy, way too risky. Thick ice is safe for ice fishing. Thin ice is
dangerous.
The fourth tip is to take the right tools. You need to drill a hole in the ice with an ice drill. Then make the
hole bigger with a chopping tool, like an ax. You need to carry your bait in a bait bucket. Use worms or small fish
for bait. You need a chair to sit on. Take a folding chair so you can carry it easily. Be sure to take your fish hooks
and fishing rod! Pull all your tools on a sled. Take your cell phone. You might need to call for help.
The fifth tip is to have a great time!
Q u es t i o n s :
Vocabulary:
1) You need ear flaps over your ears to
1) Tents are
A. keep water out of your ears.

B. protect your ears from noise.
C. keep your ears warm.
2) You should move around to
A. hats
B. boots
C. heaters
D. shelters
2) Another way to say check is
A. keep warm in the cold weather.

B. keep from falling in the water.
C. scare the large animals away.
D. make the fish come to you.
3) How should you check the ice?
A. look over carefully.

B. cut with an ax.
C. follow the rule.
D. use the right tool.
3) Something that is risky is
A. Look at the ice carefully.

B. Chop a hole in the ice.
C. Drill a hole in the ice.
D. Skate on the ice.
4) What can you use for bait?
A. safe.
B. thick.
C. crispy.
D. dangerous.
4) What is bait?
A. Hot chocolate
B. Small fish
C. Worms
D. Both B and C are correct.
5) How thick must the ice be?
A. Something the fish want to eat

B. A kind of pail or bucket
C. Something to sit on
5) A folding chair is a chair that
A.
B.
C.
D.
2 inches
3 inches
4 inches
5 inches
A.
B.
C.
D.
you should take ice fishing.

you can fold to make smaller.
you can carry easily.
All of the above.
Name________________
Date________________
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci was born in 1452 in the area of Florence, Italy. He did many things. He was a
scientist. He was an inventor - he made new things. He was a musician. He was a mathematician. He was an
architect he knew how to plan the construction of buildings. He knew about animals. He knew about plants.
He could do many things well. He was very talented.
He was famous for his painting. He painted the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. They are his most
famous paintings. Many people know about them. He started working on The Last Supper in 1495 in Milan. He
finished it in 1498. He started working on the Mona Lisa in 1503 in Italy. He finished it a short time before he
died. It is now in France.
Leonardos paintings were very good. He understood how bodies worked. He knew how happy or sad
people looked. He knew how emotion looked on peoples faces. He understood nature, light, and shadow. His
paintings looked real.
Leonardo had many ideas for inventions. He drew plans for a helicopter. He drew plans for a tank. He
had an idea for a calculator. He had an idea for making solar power, which is power that comes from the sun.
Leonardo lived at the same time as Michelangelo and Raphael. He was 27 years older than
Michelangelo. He was 31 years older than Raphael. Leonardo died in 1519.
Q u es t i o n s :
Vocabulary:
1) When did Leonardo start the Mona Lisa?
1) An inventor is someone who
A. 1495
B. 1498
C. 1503
D. 1519
2) Where is the Mona Lisa now?
A. knows about math.

B. makes power.
C. makes new things.
D. understands light and shadow.
2) An architect is a person who
A. In Florence
B. In France
C. In Milan
3) What was one of Leonardos talents?
A. can play music.

B. plans buildings.
C. invents new machines.
D. paints beautiful paintings.
3) Any person who is talented
A. He could dance.
B. He was a pilot.
C. He could cook.
D. He knew math.
4) What was one of Leonardos ideas?
A. can do something well.

B. understands shadow.
C. can fly a helicopter.
D. makes solar power.
4) The best synonym for emotions is
A. He drew plans for a helicopter.

B. He made drawings of a TV.
C. He got power from plants.
D. He built a zoo.
5) Leonardo was 27 years older than
A. health.
B. shadows.
C. feelings.
5) What is another way to say solar?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Raphael.
Aristotle.
Socrates.
Michelangelo.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Related to talent
Related to nature
Related to the sun
Related to painting
Name________________
Date________________
Soda Pop
Soda pop has an interesting story. The story begins with mineral water. Mineral water comes from
springs. In many places, people take baths in mineral water. They say washing with mineral water is good for
their health. Some say drinking mineral water is also good for people.
Mineral water has bubbles in it. People learned to make bubbly water in the 1770s. They added CO2 to
water with a machine to make the water bubbly. The machine was the soda fountain. They called the new
bubbly water soda water or ccarbonated water.
American drug stores sold soda water. Druggists put good-tasting flavors in the soda water. People
drank soda water for their health. Many people liked it for its good flavor. Many people went to the soda
fountain every day. Most soda fountains were in drug stores or ice cream shops.
In the early 1900s, people bought soda water in bottles. Later in the 1900s, people started to buy
flavored soda water in cans. Now it is sold in many containers in grocery stores and other places where food is
sold. Some people call it pop. Some say soda. Other people call it cola, tonic, or soda pop.
Q u es t i o n s :
Vocabulary:
1) People said mineral water baths were
1) B at h i n g i s
A. good for peoples health.

B. best in the spring time.
C. goodtasting.
2) What was a soda fountain?
A. drinking water.
B. washing with water.
C. selling bubbly water.
D. putting bubbles in water.
2) Bubbly water is
A. A drug store
B. A bath machine
C. A machine which made ice cream
D. A machine which made bubbly water
3) At first, Americans bought soda water
A. good tasting.
B. a drug.
C. fizzy.
D. cold.
3) Carbonated water is water with
A. at ice cream shops.

B. at grocery stores.
C. at drug stores.
4) Where does mineral water come from?
A. CO2.
B. bubbles.
C. good-tasting things added.
4) A flavor is
A. Soda fountains
B. Ice machines
C. Machines
D. Springs
5) Soda and pop are
A. ice cream.
B. a drink.
C. a taste.
D. soda.
5) Grocery stores are
A.
B.
C.
D.
both mineral water.

both soda water.
the same thing.
Both B and C are correct.
A.
B.
C.
D.
drug stores.
food stores.
soda fountains.
ice cream shops.
Name________________
Date________________
Tea
People drink a lot of tea. There are many kinds of tea. There is black tea. There is
green tea. There is white tea. There is red tea. There is yellow tea.
People drink a lot of tea in China. Some people drink it because it is good for
them. It makes them healthy. Other people drink it because it tastes very good. It tastes
delicious. People drink a lot of green tea in Japan. People drink a lot of green tea in
Korea too. In Vietnam, some people drink coffee before they drink tea. People drink a lot
of tea in England. Every afternoon, English people drink tea. English people add milk to
their tea. Finally, many people drink tea in the U.S. In the South, people drink sweet
tea. Sweet tea is cold black tea with sugar.
Most tea comes from China. Some tea comes from India or Sri Lanka. Kenya,
Japan, and Indonesia also grow a lot of tea.
Q u es t i o n s :
Vocabulary:
1) Some tea is
1) Tea makes them healthy. So, tea
A. purple.
B. green.
C. pink.
D. blue.
2) People drink coffee before tea in
A. tastes good.
B. is many colors.
C. is good for them.
D. comes from many places.
2) Things that are delicious
A. China.
B. Korea.
C. England.
D. Vietnam.
3) People add milk to their tea in
A. are green.
B. are yellow.
C. taste very good.
D. are good for you.
3) Before means
A. India.
B. England.
C. Vietnam.
D. Sri Lanka.
4) People drink sweet tea in
A. in front of.
B. during.
C. earlier or sooner than.
4) If you add milk to tea, you
A. The Southern U.S.

B. The Northern U.S.
C. Vietnam.
D. Korea.
E. Sri Lanka
5) Most tea comes from
A. put milk in your tea.

B. take milk out of your tea.
C. drink milk after tea.
D. drink milk before tea.
5) Something sweet
A.
B.
C.
D.
Indonesia.
Kenya.
Japan.
China.
A.
B.
C.
D.
is good for you.

has sugar in it.
tastes bad.
is yellow.
Name________________
Date________________
Tennis
Tennis is a sport played between two players (singles) or between two teams of
two players (doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket to strike a hollow rubber ball
covered with felt. To win, you must hit the ball into the opponents court without the
opponent being able to hit the ball back.
Tennis originated in the United Kingdom in the late 19th century. At first, people
played tennis on courts made of grass! These were called lawn courts. Now, tennis is
played by millions of people all over the world. The rules of tennis have changed very
little since it was created in the 1890s.
Most tennis players play tennis because it is fun. It also is a good way to get
exercise. While playing tennis, you do a lot of running. You move your arms and legs in
many ways that they do not normally move.
Q u es t i o n s :
Vocabulary:
1) What do you use to hit a tennis ball?
1) If you strike something, you
A. A bat
B. A striker
C. A racket
2) _____ people can play tennis at once.
A. hit it.
B. smash it.
C. hold it.
D. cross it out.
2) A tennis ball is hollow. This means
A. One
B. Two
C. Four
D. Both B and C
3) Where did tennis originate?
A. it is solid.
B. is filled with water.
C. it has air inside it.
3) What is the opposite of opponent?
A. Australia
B. Asia
C. The United States
D. The United Kingdom
4) When did people start playing tennis?
A. Enemy
B. Teammate
C. Ally
D. Both B and C
4) The passage talks about where tennis
originated. So, the passage talks about
A. The late 18th century.

B. The late 19th century.
C. The late 1800s.
D. Both B and C.
5) Why do most people play tennis?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Because it is fun.
Because they want to win.
Because they dont have a basketball.
Both A and B
A. where tennis came from.

B. how tennis is played.
C. how tennis is scored.
D. Both B and C.
5) You do a lot of running in tennis. This
means you
A.
B.
C.
D.
do a good deal of running.

need to run very much.
need to run very frequently.
All of the above.
ReadTheory.Org 2010
Name________________
Date________________
Just One Touch

I am sitting in a chair next to Mommas bed. I am watching her get ready for a
party.
She opens the beautiful jewelry box on her nightstand.
It is the size of a shoebox. It is wooden. It has colorful stones on top. They are
red, green, yellow and blue. To me, the box looks magical. It looks like it has
special powers.
Now, you know you must never touch this box, right? Momma says. I feel like
she knows exactly what I am thinking.
I just want to touch it. I just want to open it.
I just want to try on all the jewelry inside and dance around
the room!
Yes, Momma, I say. I know.
What do I know?
I know Momma has always told me not to touch the box. She has said it since I
was a little girl.
You are not old enough to wear my jewelry, Momma says.
I am 11-years-old now! What is the big deal ?
I know that when Momma puts on the rings and bracelets from the box, she looks
different. She seems to glow.
There is one necklace with a yellow stone like a tigers eye. When Momma puts
this on, she seems to float instead of walk. Her feet do not seem to touch the
ground. She moves lightly and gracefully. She moves without effort.
Momma kisses me goodnight. She leaves for the party. I run to the window to
wave to her, but she is already gone.
Tonight I am very curious.
Just one touch
I sit on the edge of Mommas bed. I place my hand on the nightstand. I pause. I
think.
My hand moves up and rests on the jewelry box. The box quickly flips open by
itself! Jewels fly into the air. They dance around my head. I feel strange. I fall
down to the floor.
I wake up in a place I have never seen before.
Questions:
1) Where does most of this story take
place?
A.
B.
C.
D.
at a party
in a pretend place
outside a window
in Momma's bedroom
3) At the beginning of the story, where

is the girl sitting?
A.
B.
C.
D.
in a chair
on the bed
on the floor
next to the window
5) What does Momma tell her

daughter about the box?
A.
B.
C.
D.
that it is magical
that she must never touch it
that the jewels are expensive
that she can touch it when she is
older
7) What does the jewelry box look

like?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It is brown.
It is wooden.
It is the size of a shoebox.
It has colored stones on top.
2) Who is telling the story?

A.
B.
C.
D.
Momma
a young girl
Momma's friend
a make-believe person
4) The jewelry box looks magical.

What does this mean?
A. It looks simple.
B. It looks expensive.
C. It looks like it has special
powers.
D. It looks like it was made a long
time ago.
6) Where is Momma going?

A. ____________________
_______________________
_______________________
8) Which word best describes how the

girl feels about the jewelry box?
A.
B.
C.
D.
angry
curious
in love
scared
9) When does the girl say Momma
seems to glow?
A. when she puts on make-up
B. when she puts on a necklace
C. when she puts on the rings and
bracelets
D. when she puts on nice shoes
and a fancy dress
11) How old is the girl?
10) What does the girl seem to be

thinking about when she sits on
the edge of the bed?
A.
B.
C.
D.
going to a party
how to open the box
dancing around the room
if she should touch the box

the box?
A. ____________________
_______________________
_______________________
13) What does it mean if something is

a big deal ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It is a heavy thing.
It is very important.
It cannot be forgotten.
It can make a lot of money.
15) How might the end of the story

make a reader feel?
A.
B.
C.
D.
unsure of what has happened

curious about the power of
the box
sure that the girl is in danger
wondering what happens
next
A.
B.
C.
D.
It is evil.
It can fly.
It is very heavy.
It has special powers.
14) What does the girl mean when she

says that Momma seems to float ?
A. that Momma is swimming
B. that Momma looks like a boat
C. that it is difficult for Momma to
move
D. that Momma moves without
much effort
ReadTheory.Org 2010
Name________________
Date________________
Late
Martin is in a hurry.
He is late to work again.
Martin's boss doesn't like it when he is late. Martin was late last week. His boss
told him not to be late again.
You cant be late anymore, said Martins boss. "I mean it."
Martin thinks he might lose his job if he is late again.
The time is now 7:15 am. Martin needs to be to work by 7:30. It takes him 22
minutes to drive to work.
Things dont look good, he says to himself.
Martin runs out of the house. He jumps in his car. He puts the car in reverse. He
backs up without looking.
BOOM!
There is a sound like someone hitting a drum. Martins car jerks to
a stop. He has hit the car parked behind him.
Oh no! Martin exclaims. He is angry now.
Martin looks at his watch. It is 7:18. He needs to get to work.
He looks around. There is no one on the street. There is no one nearby.
He looks in the parked car. It is empty.
Martin drives off quickly.
He gets to work 10 minutes late.
Martins boss is not around. Thank goodness, he says to himself.
He stops worrying. He sits at his desk to work.
During lunch, Martin goes out to the parking lot. He looks at his car. There is a
big dent in the back.
Then he thinks about the other car - the car he hit this morning. "I know that car
is damaged too," he thinks.
He feels guilty.
That was not right, Martin says to himself.
He will see if the car is still outside his house when he gets off work.
Questions:
1) Martin is in a hurry. What does this
mean?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He is running.
He is angry.
He is late.
He is moving fast.
3) Martin's boss says, "I mean it."

What does this mean?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He is serious.
He is angry.
He is emotional.
He is interested.
5) What time does Martin need to be at

work?
A. ____________________
_______________________
2) Why is Martin in a hurry?

A. ____________________
____________________
____________________
4) What does Martin think will happen
if he is late to work again?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He will get a pay cut.

He will need to buy a watch.
He will get fired from his job.
He will need to adjust his
schedule.
6) If Martin leaves the house at 7:15,

what time would he get to work?
A.
B.
C.
D.
7:32
7:37
7:40
7:52
_______________________
7) What is the loud noise?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Martin yelling
police sirens sounding
Martin driving off the road
Martin hitting someones car
9) Why doesn't Martin get in trouble

with his boss today?
A.
B.
C.
D.
His boss is not around.

He gets to work on time.
His boss feels sorry for him.
Martin says he is sorry for being
late.
8) Martin checks if there is anyone

nearby. What does nearby mean?
A.
B.
C.
D.
in
next to
close to
far (away) from
10) Who does Martin talk to during the

story?
A.
B.
C.
D.
his boss
his friends
himself
the driver of the other car
11) How do Martin's feelings change
during the story?
A.
B.
C.
D.
from hurried, to guilty, to angry

from angry, to guilty, to hurried
from hurried, to angry, to guilty
from angry, to hurried, to angry
13) What does it mean to feel guilty?

A. to feel bad about doing
something
B. to feel worried about doing
something
C. to feel unsure about doing
something
D. to feel like you want to change
something
12) Why did Martin look around after

he hit the car?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He needed help.
He wanted a ride to work.
He needed to check the time.
He wanted to check if anyone
saw him.
14) What might Martin do if the car he

hit is still there after work?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He might hit it again.

He might try to find the
owner.
He might try to hide the dent.
He might leave a note on the
car with his name and number.
Do you think Martin is a good employee? Why or why not?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
ReadTheory.Org 2010
Name________________
Date________________
Love Train
When I was a little girl, I loved for my mom to tell me stories about
herself. No matter how tired she was, she never adumbrated them. She would
fill the tales with the minutest details, and they were always fascinating.
Another thing she did was tell the stories with such grandiloquence! Then she
would stop and say, Now what do you think that word means? I would try to
piece together what was happening in the story and make my best guess.
To this day, when I want to bug my friends, I use the huge words I first learned
leaning on Mom's shoulder as she recounted a snippet of her life.
My favorite story was the one about how my mom met my dad:
I was 17-years-old, but I already knew the kind of man I would marry. Take
note:"
He would not be too garrulous. I tell you, Rosa, its important for a man to take
time to listen to what you have to say."
And never impertinent. Ill never forget when I was 16; a boy from my church
named Joe Turner came and knocked on our door. He didnt look my momma in
the eye, and didnt say, Hello. He just leaned against the door jam and said,
Rosa here?"
My momma raised her brow and said, She is, but not for boys such as
yourself."
But I digress. Im supposed to be telling you about the day I met your daddy,
right?"
Okay, so I was riding the Amtrak train between Providence and Philadelphia
during my freshman year at Brown, and the door at the end of my car rattled
open."
He was tall and swarthy. He wore a thick ivory cable knit sweater with a gray
wool scarf wrapped firmly around his neck. I couldnt tell what his heritage was
and that intrigued me. What was he -- Indian, Portuguese, Peruvian?
Mom would pause here and I would shout, Cape Verdean!
Shed continue.
Well, if I had been shy, I might have just looked out the train window. But then
where would I be now? You wouldnt even be here! So I let my eyes lock with his
as he wobbled down the moving train."
He smiled a slight smile, not a big one. His eyes raised just enough to let me
know he had spotted me too.
I always loved this line and would smile at the image of my dad stumbling down
the train and then noticing my radiant mom.
So Rosa, once we spotted each other, your dad found infinite reasons to walk
past me to go to the caf car."
"I was sitting by myself along the aisle. So finally, I just slid over to the window,
leaving the seat next to me empty."
Your dad came back with two cups of hot cocoa and sat down with a smile. And
we had the most delightful conversation!"
I could tell right then that this was no ephemeral crush this was the real deal. I
was going to end up loving this man forever.
Here comes the part I loved best about the story.
We pull into the train station in Philadelphia, and its time for me to get off. He
was heading on to Washington where he was going to school."
I prepared myself for some hackneyed expression as I got off the train. You
know, Great meeting you, or Youre the apple of my eye."
"I also worried he might try to sneak a smooch, which would have been a big turn
off. We'd just met!"
"Instead, he took my hand gently and gave it a little squeeze. He said, If its the
thought that counts, consider yourself kissed.
Mama said she just about died when he said that! Then she said to herself, That
man will be my husband.
And so he is.
Questions:
1) As used in this passage, which is
the best antonym for adumbrated?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
detailed
lengthened
invented
simplified
understated
2) As used in the passage, what is the

meaning of grandiloquence?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
technical jargon
archaic speech
pithy expression
pompous language
foreign word or phrase
3) What is ironic about the title of this passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Rosa's mother does not like clichs.

The passage has nothing to do with a song.
It is where Rosa's mother meets her husband-to-be.
The train only went a short distance but their love was forever.
Rosa's mother could not have possibly loved her father after such a short
train ride.
4) Why might the author have chosen Rosa as the narrator even though it is her
mother who is telling the main story?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
to make the story harder to follow

to make the story seem more straightforward
to make it clear that Rosas mother has passed away
to make it clear that the story happened a long time ago
so that the reader could learn the story from Rosa's perspective
5) As used in the passage, what is the meaning of garrulous?

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
conceited
loquacious
narrow-minded
obsequious
patronizing
6) Which best situation describes someone who has been impertinent?

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
A man crashes into the car in front of him.

A student gestures rudely to his teacher.
A child rushes out the door, forgetting to say good-bye to his mom.
A woman refuses to let her son play video games before school.
A dog chases all the cats in the neighborhood.
7) Which is the best antonym for digress?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
stop
stray
shorten
remember
stay on course
8) What may Rosa be meaning to convey to her child by telling this story?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
advice on what to look for in a partner

a regret that she met her husband on a train
the suggestion that Rosa might find her husband on a train
a yearning to go back to that time and place
the idea that education should come before marriage
9) Judging from the passage, what does Rosa's mother find most important in a
husband?
Check three that are correct.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
humor
politeness
originality
respectfulness
heroism
10) What is implied in the following paragraph?

"Well, if I had been shy, I might have just looked out the train window. Where
would I be now? You wouldnt even be here! But I let my eyes lock with his as
he wobbled down the moving train."
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
that Rosa really wanted to just look out the window

that it is best to be outspoken in all circumstances
that as soon as they locked eyes they fell in love
that a slight change in circumstances could have greatly altered her life
that the story took place before technology allowed trains to offered
smooth ride
11) As used in this passage, what is
the meaning of ephemeral?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

for hackneyed?
fleeting
permanent
ridiculous
serious
young
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
happy
humorous
original
over-used
turbulent
Do you like this story? What is your favorite part? What is your least favorite
part? What could you do to make it better?
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Music
There are many different kinds of music.

There is jazz music.
There is rock music.
There is rap music.
There is country music.
There is classical music.
Do you like music?
Questions:
1) What does kinds mean in this
2) Which is not a kind of music?
passage?
A. fun music
B. classical music
C. rock music
A. artists
B. types
C. instruments
3) How many different kinds of
4) If you like music, then you think it
music are listed in the passage?

A. three
B. four
C. five
is ________.
A. good
B. okay
C. bad
What is your favorite kind of music? Why?

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My Family
Hi, my name is Eric. I want to talk about my family.
I have two sisters. Their names are Rachel and Carrie. Rachel is 18 years old.
Carrie is 10 years old. They are very nice.
My mother's name is Julia. She is 40 years old. My mother is also very nice.
My father's name is Andre. He is smart. He is an engineer. He builds bridges.
I also have a dog. My dog's name is Paw. He is a big dog. He is a brown dog. He
is a big brown dog.
I love my family.
Questions:
1) How many sisters do I have?
A.
B.
C.
D.
one
two
three
four
3) My dad is
A.
B.
C.
D.
a doctor.
a lawyer.
an engineer.
a construction worker.
5) What color is my dog?

A.
B.
C.
D.
He is white.
He is black.
He is brown.
He is yellow.
7) What is the name of my older

sister?
2) How old is my mom?

A.
B.
C.
D.
twenty-five
thirty
thirty-five
forty
4) What is the name of my dog?
A. ________________
6) What is the name of my younger

sister?
A. ________________
8) Is my dog small or big?

A. He is small.
B. He is big.
A. ________________
ReadTheory.Org 2010
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My Friend
I have a friend.
My friend lives in California.
My friend is a girl.
She is seventeen years old.
Her name is Jessica Roberts.
Jessica is cool. I like her a lot.
She likes to read. She is a good reader.
She is good at math too. It is her best subject.
Jessica is smart.
I like to eat lunch with her. We eat lunch on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
Jessica is my friend.
Questions:
1) Where does my friend live?
A. Colorado
B. Texas
C. California
3) How old is my friend?

A. 15 years old
B. 16 years old
C. 17 years old
2) Is my friend a girl or a boy?

A. She is a girl.
B. He is a boy.
4) What is my friend's first name?

A. Jenny
B. Jessica
C. Julia
5) What is my friend's last name?
A. Rowan
B. Randal
C. Roberts
6) What is Jessica's best subject?

A. English
B. Math
C. Science
7) For how many days a week do I eat

lunch with Jessica?
A. 3
B. 5
C. 7
Do you have a good friend? What is he or she like? What things do you like to do
together?
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My House
My house is in the United States. I live in the United States.

The United States is a country. I like living in the US.
My house is in North Carolina. I live in North Carolina.
North Carolina is a state. The weather in NC is nice.
It is sunny. The sky is blue.
My house is in Chapel Hill. I live in Chapel Hill.
Chapel Hill is a city. It is a city on a hill.
My house is red. My house is brick.
I live in a red brick house.
Questions:
1) What is the United States?
A. a city
B. a state
C. a country
3) What is Chapel Hill?

A. a city
B. a state
C. a country
5) What is the house made of?

A. wood
B. brick
C. metal
7) What is a hill?
A. a forest
B. a large river
C. a small mountain
2) What is North Carolina?

A. a city
B. a state
C. a country
4) How is the weather in Chapel Hill?

A. rainy
B. sunny
C. cloudy
6) What color is the house?

A. red
B. blue
C. yellow
ReadTheory.Org 2010
Name________________
Date________________
New Shoes for Maddy

Maddy loves to jump rope, scooter and ride her skateboard. One day, Maddy
gets a hole in the shoes she likes best while riding her scooter. They are pink
with hearts and a Velcro tab. Now she needs new shoes.
Maddy's mom takes her to the shoe store Saturday morning. The store fills with
people looking for shirts, dresses, pants and toys. Maddy's mom takes her to the
shoe area.
The shoe area is crowded, and there is a long wait. Maddy does not mind.
Maddy sees a pair of purple sneakers with orange laces. She sees a pair of red
sandals with dots. She sees a pair of green flip-flops. She wants the purple
sneakers.
"But you do not know how to tie your laces," says Maddy's mom.
"I will learn," says Maddy.
Maddy's mother thinks. She does not want to tie Maddy's laces each morning
before school.
"If we buy the purple sneakers, you must learn to tie them before you can wear
them to school," says Maddy's mom.
"I will! I promise!" says Maddy. She is very happy.
Maddy practices tying her laces for the rest of the day. She practices more on
Sunday. Finally, she learns how to tie her laces.
She gets to wear her new shoes to school on Monday.
"I did it," she says with a big smile.
Questions:
1) Why does Maddy need new shoes?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Her shoes are too small.

Her shoes are very old.
She lost her favorite shoes.
She got a hole in her shoes.
2) How does Maddy get a hole in her

shoes?
A.
B.
C.
D.
riding her skateboard

riding her scooter
jumping rope
playing basketball
3) Which shoes have a hole?
A.
B.
C.
D.
the green flip-flops

the red sandals
the pink shoes with hearts
the purple sneakers
5) How does Maddy feel about the long

wait at the store?
A.
B.
C.
D.
She is mad about it.

She is sad about it.
She is excited about it.
She feels okay about it.
7) When can Maddy wear her shoes to

school?
A.
B.
C.
D.
when she learns how to tie

as soon as she leaves the store
after summer vacation
tomorrow
4) Which shoes does Maddy want to

buy?
A.
B.
C.
D.
the pink shoes with hearts

the purple sneakers
the green flip-flops
the red sandals with dots
6) Who does Maddy see in the store?

A.
B.
C.
D.
a lot of people
her older sister
her friends from school
one of her neighbors
8) In paragraph 8, what does the

word promise mean?
A.
B.
C.
D.
that Maddy wants to learn to tie

that Maddy will learn to tie
that Maddy cannot learn to tie
that Maddy might learn to tie
9) What does Maddy's mom NOT want 10) How might Maddy feel after
to do?
learning to tie?
A.
B.
C.
D.
buy Maddy new shoes

buy Maddy green flip-flops
buy more than one pair of shoes
tie Maddy's shoes in the
morning
11) What lesson did Maddy learn?

A. Practice makes perfect.
B. Do not ride a scooter with pink
shoes.
C. Be careful what you wish for.
D. School is fun with new shoes.
A.
B.
C.
D.
happy
proud
shy
sick
ReadTheory.Org 2010
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Paul Cooks
Paul loves to read cookbooks.

His wife gets him one on his birthday.
Paul tells her he will try to make a new recipe for three days in a row.
On Monday, Paul makes blueberry pancakes for breakfast. He gets the
blueberries from the farmer's market.
On Tuesday, Paul makes beef soup for dinner. He puts in cubes of beef, carrots
and onions.
The recipe calls for cream, but Paul does not like cream. He uses water instead.
On Wednesday, Paul makes a tomato salad with cucumbers and onions.
He picks the cucumbers and tomatoes from his garden.
He likes this dish best. It was also the easiest for him to make.
Questions:
1) What does Paul love to read?
2) Who gives Paul a cookbook?
A. __________________
A. _________________
3) What does Paul say he will do?

A.
B.
C.
D.
become a chef
grow his own food
cook every recipe in a week
try a new recipe for three days in
a row
4) On what day does Paul make

pancakes?
A. _________________
5) What does Paul get from the
farmer's market?
A. _________________
7) Which dish does Paul like best?

A.
B.
C.
D.
the blue one

beef soup
tomato salad
blueberry pancakes
9) What does Paul use instead of

cream?
A. _____________________
6) Where does Paul get cucumbers

and tomatoes?
A.
B.
C.
D.
from his wife

from the store
from his garden
from the farmers market
8) Why doesn't Paul use cream?

A.
B.
C.
D.
He doesnt like it.

There was none at the store.
There was none in the garden.
There was none at the farmer's
market.
10) Which dish was the easiest for

Paul to make?
A. _____________________
Do you like to cook? What is your favorite dish?
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Pigs
Pigs are interesting animals.

They have four legs.
They have a small tail.
They have a round, flat nose. Their nose is called a snout.
They make funny sounds. They grunt and squeal.
They lay in the mud to keep cool.
A pig will eat almost anything!
Questions:
1) What does a snout look like?
A.
B.
C.
D.
small and fat

round and flat
long and thin
big and square
2) What might a pig do if it is hot?

A.
B.
C.
D.
take a shower
drink warm water
move into the barn
lay in a puddle of mud
3) What does a pig eat?

A.
B.
C.
D.
corn
meat
carrots
all of the above
Do you like pigs? Why or why not?

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Rainy Day
My name is Mimi.
Today is July 5th, 2010.
Today is a rainy day.
I am happy today.
Why am I happy?
I am happy because it is raining!
Is that strange?
Maybe.
But I like it when it rains. The rain makes me happy.
I like rainy days. I do not like sunny days.
I like the sound of the rain.
I like the clouds. The clouds are gray. The clouds are big.
I like the rain.
Questions:
1) What is my name?
A. __________________
3) Why am I happy?
A.
B.
C.
D.
because it is your birthday

because you passed the test
because it is raining
because you won the game
5) What color are the clouds?

A.
B.
C.
D.
red
blue
gray
green
2) What is the date today?

A.
B.
C.
D.
March 4th, 2012

July 5th, 2010
April 10th, 1990
November 28th, 1987
4) Do I like sunny days?
A. Yes.
B. No.
6) What do I like about the rain?

A.
B.
C.
D.
the sound
the smell
the clouds
the temperature
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Remains of a Marriage
Leave it.
Kelsey could not begin to fathom what she was hearing. In fact, a part
of her began to feel she was in some sort of dream, unable to emerge to
wakefulness.
Even the contractor appeared flabbergasted. His mouth stayed in a half-open
position, like a marionette waiting for its strings to be tugged.
Yes. Leave it, Robert said again. He was speaking to the notion that someone
in the room had asked him to clarify his words. No one had, but Robert had
understood the silence.
What were the chances that an Indian burial ground would be found on the
bucolic site where Robert and Kelsey had chosen to build their dream home?
Why in the world would Robert not want to have the remains carted away,
thought Kelsey. The last thing they needed were Indian poltergeists meandering
around their home while the two of them were trying to renovate their marriage.
Kelsey, usually deferential to her husband, knew that now was the time to make
her position heard.
She tried to cajole Robert from the direction he was heading. Sweetheart, she
whinnied. We dont want to build on a site with human remains. It would be
irreverent to the dead.
Immediately, she saw contempt in Roberts eyes; it was a subtle reminder of how
he often viewed her as superficial and self-absorbed.
What would be irreverent, said Robert, his voice dripping with condescension,
would be to desecrate these Native graves and move them from their final
resting place. Remember the culture.
No, Kelsey did not remember the culture. She could care less about the culture.
However, Robert, the history professor, was obviously enthralled by the
contractors findings. He had an innate way of understanding other cultures and
other people that amazed Kelsey. He did not have that gift with her.
But something inside Kelsey said this was too much. She believed
wholeheartedly in ghosts and could not imagine a life of them haunting her,
rattling her cupboards, and shaking her floorboards.
Kelsey had an unnerving sensation that big problems were ahead.
Questions:
1) Why can't Kelsey fathom what her
husband says at the beginning of
the passage?
A. She could not hear what Robert
said.
B. She could not believe what he
said.
C. She had not yet seen the
remains.
D. She could not think of a retort to
his comment.
3) What is the term given to the

comparison of the contractor to a
marionette?
A. an allusion, meaning a figure of
speech making casual reference
to a literary figure
B. an analogy, meaning an
extended comparison showing
the similarities between two
things
C. a denotation, meaning the literal
definition of a word
D. a hyperbole, meaning a gross
exaggeration
5) Why is the title of this passage

ironic?
A. Nothing remains of the
marriage.
B. It is not clear Robert and Kelsey
are married.
C. Remains have been found on
the property.
D. Kelsey and Robert are having
trouble with their marriage.

for flabbergasted?
A.
B.
C.
D.
dumbfounded
intuitive
querulous
tactful
4) "He was speaking to the notion that

someone in the room had asked
him to clarify his words."
sentence.
A. He was speaking as if he had

asked himself to clarify his
words.
B. He was speaking as if the
contractor or Kelsey had asked
him to clarify his words.
C. He was speaking as if he heard
a question but was not sure who
asked it.
D. He was speaking as if a ghost in
the room had asked him to
clarify his words.
6) What can be said about the house

Robert and Kelsey are planning to
build?
It will be haunted.
B. It will be in the city.
C. Kelsey considers it their
dream house.
D. It will be in the country.
A.
7) If Kelsey had chosen to
be deferential to her husband,
what would she have most likely
said?
A.
B.
C.
D.
"Good idea."
"Don't be silly."
"I'll leave you."
"I love you."

for desecrate ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
honor
excavate
defile
criticize
8) "She tried to cajole Robert from the

direction he was heading."
sentence.
A. She tried to compromise with

Robert.
B. She tried to force Robert from
the direction he was heading.
C. She tried to gently prod Robert
from the direction he was
heading.
D. She tried to give Robert veiled
threats about the direction he
was heading.

Kelsey and Robert's marriage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It seems busy.
It seems blissful.
It seems strained.
It seems good-natured.
11) What about Robert seems to keep

him from wanting to move the
gravesite?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He is controlling.
He fears the Indians.
He cares about history.
He doesn't want to build a
house.
Do you think Robert and Kelsey should build on the burial ground? Explain.
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Running
Dieter loves to run.

He runs in the morning. He runs in the afternoon. He runs in the
evening. He runs at night.
Dieter loves to run, but it hurts to run.
When Dieter runs, it hurts.
His legs hurt. His arms hurt. His back hurts. His head hurts. When
Dieter runs, his whole body hurts.
Then, Dieter starts thinking. He starts dreaming
He dreams about his job. He dreams about his home.
He dreams about his family. He dreams about
his friends. He dreams about the world.
At first, running hurts. No one likes it when it hurts.
When it hurts, Dieter dreams about things that do not hurt.
This is why Dieter loves running. Running gives him the best dreams.
Sometimes, Dieter forgets that he is running. Sometimes, he runs all morning.
Sometimes, he runs all afternoon. Sometimes, he runs all night.
Dieter runs and dreams.
Questions:
1) What does Dieter love to do?
2) When Dieter runs, he hurts. What

does this mean?
A. __________________
A. He feels good.
B. He feels bad.
3) What does Dieter do while he is
running?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He dreams.
He sleeps.
He eats
He drinks.
5) What is one thing that Dieter

dreams about?
A. ____________________
4) Why does Dieter love running?

A. because it hurts
B. because he is healthy
C. because it gives him the best
dreams
D. because it gives him more
energy
ReadTheory.Org 2010
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Scorpion
Soon after Navi got engaged to Roberto, she went to meet his family
in Mexico.
She had heard many a story of Robertos birth city of Guanajuato, and they had
all captivated her. At one time, this colonial city was the source of two-thirds of
the worlds silver.
Our family goes to a beautiful church in Guanajuato, Roberto had told her while
they courted in the United States. It is said that silver dust was mixed into the
cement building blocks and that is why the church sparkles.
Navi had been enthralled. Roberto always told such wonderful stories. She
could not wait to see the city and meet all of Robertos family. Navi was an artist
and knew that the trip would inspire her to create.
While Roberto had imparted Navi with all the wonders of his beautiful city, it had
not occurred to him to mention any dangers. They were young. They were in
love. They lived only in the moment.
Navi was speechless when she saw the Oratorio de San Felipe. It really does
sparkle! she exclaimed.
Navi kissed Roberto on the cheek. Ill meet you outside, she said, leaving the
church.
She pulled her sketchpad and pencils from her bag and went to sit against one of
the glorious palm trees outside the church. She began sketching
the colossal cupola which extended three stories above the nave.
Suddenly, a sharp pain took hold of her left shoulder. It felt like an electrical
shock. The pain began to pervade the rest of her body.
She had been stung by a pernicious scorpion!
The last thing Navi remembered was Roberto kneeling by her side. She woke up
a week later with him holding her hand and telling her a story. In Mexico,
scorpions are ubiquitous. There are more scorpion deaths here than in any
other place in the world. And they love palm trees, he said, rubbing her hand
with tears of relief in his eyes. I should have mentioned that before.
Questions:
for captivated?
A.
B.
C.
D.
dishonored
enthralled
repelled
saddened
3) According to the passage, which

conditions may result from a
scorpion sting?
paralysis
B. nausea
C. pain
D. unconsciousness
2) Which of the following sentences

most clearly foreshadows that
something bad will happen?
A. They lived only in the moment.
B. It had not occurred to him to
mention any dangers.
C. Suddenly, a sharp pain took
hold of her left shoulder.
D. Ill meet you outside, she said,
leaving the church.
4) "They were young. They were in

love. They lived only in the
moment."
Choose the best way to combine the above
sentences.
A.

for colossal?
A.
B.
C.
D.
banal
microscopic
temporal
uninspiring
A. They were young and in love

and they lived only in the
moment.
B. They were young and in love;
they lived only in the moment.
C. They were young and in love;
therefore, they lived only in the
moment.
D. They were young and in love;
conversely, they lived only in the
moment.
6) What is the best synonym

for pervade?
A.
B.
C.
D.
numb
paralyze
permeate
sicken
7) How does Roberto seem to feel
about not having told Navi about
scorpions?
A.
B.
C.
D.
aloof
perplexed
remorseful
validated
9) What type of narrator is telling this

story?
A. first person, characterized as a
person in the story.
B. second person, characterized as
speaking directly to the reader.
C. third person omniscient,
characterized as knowing what
all the characters are thinking.
D. third person focalized,
characterized by knowing only
what one character may be
thinking
8) What is the best definition

of pernicious?
A.
B.
C.
D.
deadly
evil
sneaky
territorial

for ubiquitous?
A.
B.
C.
D.
scarce
benevolent
harmless
adulterated
Do you think Navi should be upset at Roberto? Explain.

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Seeing Clearly
The announcement that Donna had reached middle age came

stealthily and without warning.
Donna, at 42-years-old, was in perfect health. She was fit, trim and ate only the
healthiest of foods, eschewing soda and candy. She was still asked for her
identification when buying wine at the grocery store. She ran several miles every
day, and in local road races, she was known for beating people half her age.
Forty is the new twenty! her friends would say of Donnas seeming
agelessness.
Donna heard the quip so often that a part of her believed that this aging thing
was surely for other people.
That all changed during what should have been a fairly innocuous event: a trip
to the Department of Motor Vehicles to renew her drivers license.
Name? the clerk asked without looking up. Donna replied.
Address? Donna gave it.
Look through there, please, the clerk gestured toward an eye testing machine
perched at the edge of the desk. Read the first four lines, she sighed.
Donna pushed her head against the contraption.
Go ahead.
Donna was perplexed. Everything was fuzzy. I think the glass is dirty, Donna
said, searching the desk for a tissue to wipe off the lens.
Its not dirty, the clerk said, her voice dripping with condescension.
There must be some problem, Donna said, pressing her head against the
machine once more.
Maam, do you wear glasses?
No, no, I dont, Donna responded, a little embarrassed now, as other people in
the room began turning to see what was going on.
The clerk glanced down at Donnas old license and back up at her. Welcome to
middle age, sweetheart. Come back when youve had an eye exam and gotten
glasses.
Questions:
1) What proverb fits this story best?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Time marches on.

Time heals all wounds.
A stitch in time saves nine.
There is no time like the present.
3) If Donna is eschewing candy and

soda, what is she doing?
A.
B.
C.
D.
overindulging
avoiding them
eating them in moderation
eating only the all-natural
versions

for innocuous?
A.
B.
C.
D.
dangerous
difficult
juvenile
mature

for stealthily?
A.
B.
C.
D.
honestly
obviously
slowly
sneakily
4) Using the passage as a guide,

which best describes the meaning
of "Forty is the new twenty"?
A. If you are in good health and
shape, being 40 can feel like 20.
B. When people turn 40, they are
likely to say they are in their 20s.
C. If you are 20, and not in great
shape, you can feel like you are
40.
D. If you stay away from junk food,
you can look 40 even when you
are 20.
6) What is the difference between the

first four paragraphs of this passage
and the rest?
A. The first highlights Donna's
pride, the last shows her anger.
B. The first highlights the good life
Donna has had, the last shows
her regret.
C. The first highlights Donna's
youth, the last shows that she
has aged.
D. The first highlights Donna's
fitness, the last shows she is out
of shape.
7) Which best describes the clerk's
attitude?
A.
B.
C.
D.
hostile
incoherent
patronizing
domineering
8) Which statements
suggest condescension?
A.
It is not safe to go shopping
at night.
B.
Take your dirty feet off my
designer sofa.
C.
If you had studied, you would
have done better on the test.
D.
If you had my fashion sense,
you wouldn't have chosen that
outfit to wear.
9) Which best describes the tone of this 10) What is ironic about the clerk
passage?
calling Donna "Ma'am"?
A.
B.
C.
D.
angry
dark
lighthearted
passionate
A. It is not proper English.

B. The clerk does not know
Donna's name.
C. It is a term often reserved for
older people.
D. It is unclear to whom the clerk is
speaking.
Do you feel younger than you actually are? Do you feel older? Explain.
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Seeing Stars
Yana is my mother.
Tony is my father.
My name is Sasha.
We live in a red house.
We have a blue car.
We sit in the yard at night.
We look at the stars.
Father tells me the stars make him happy.
Mother tells me the stars make her want to sing.
I like to guess how many stars are in the sky.
We hear a baby cry next door. My mother sings.
The baby stops crying. We think he heard my mothers pretty song.
We all smile.
Questions:
1) Who is Yana?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Sasha's father
Sashas mother
Tony's father
Tonys mother
2) What color is Sasha's house?

A. __________________
3) Who is telling the story?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Father
Mother
Sasha
The baby
5) How do the stars make Sasha's

father feel?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Funny.
Happy.
Like counting.
Like singing.
7) What does Sasha like to do when

she sees the stars?
A. She likes to sit in the car.
B. She likes to hold the baby.
C. She likes to sing with her
mother.
D. She likes to guess how many
there are.
4) When do they sit in the yard?
A. _________________
6) What happens when Mother sings?

A.
B.
C.
D.
A friend comes by.

Father gets sleepy.
Sasha counts stars.
The baby stops crying.
8) What do Mother, Father and Sasha

do at the end of the story?
A.
B.
C.
D.
They cry.
They laugh.
They smile.
They talk.
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Seeing Through
Jeffrey brushed quickly past an elderly woman waiting on the platform ahead of
him to get onto the subway. He wanted to be sure to get a seat to read
his Financial Times. As the train screeched out of the station, he lifted his head
from business news and stared at the man directly across from him.
A fierce wave a tsunami of antipathy came over him. Jeffrey knew this man,
knew him all too well.
Their eyes locked.
As the train reached full speed, the ruckus of speeding wheels against the
winding rails and a wildly gyrating subway car filled Jeffreys ears. To this frenetic
beat, Jeffrey effortlessly listed in his head all the reasons this man, whose eyes
he stared coldly into, was an anathema to him.
He had climbed the upper echelons of his Wall Street firm using
an imperious manner with his subordinates, always making sure everyone knew
he was the boss.
Despite his impoverished upbringing, he had become ostentatious. Flush with
cash from the lucrative deals he had made on Wall Street, he had purchased a
yacht and a home in Versailles. He used neither. But, oh, how he liked to say he
had them. Meanwhile, Jeffrey knew, this mans parents were on the verge of
being evicted from their run-down tenement apartment in the South Bronx.
What bothered Jeffrey most about this man was that he never even attempted to
make amends for his evil ways.
Could this man change? Jeffrey did not know. He could try though.
The train screeched to Jeffreys stop at Battery Park. He gave the man one last
hard look. See you around, he mumbled to himself. And he knew would,
because Jeffrey had been glaring at his own reflection in the subway window.
It would take years of hard work and therapy, but Jeffrey would one day notice
this man again on the train and marvel at what a kinder person he had become.
Questions:
1) Which best describes Jeffrey's attitude in this passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
feral
florid
hapless
impetuous
self-loathing
2) A fierce wave a tsunami of antipathy came over him.

Given the analogy in this sentence, which word would work best instead
of came?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
angled
drizzled
rained
swept
trampled

for antipathy?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
ambivalence
desperation
ardor
infatuation
plethora
4) What statement makes the most

sense from what is said in this
passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Jeffrey has few friends.

Jeffrey knows himself well.
Jeffrey has had a difficult life.
Jeffrey is incapable of change.
Jeffrey rides the subway
frequently.
5) "As the train reached full speed, the cacophony of speeding wheels against
the winding rails and a wildly gyrating train filled Jeffreys ears."
Which describes a literary technique used in this sentence?
Check two that are correct.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
alliteration, characterized by the repetition of an initial letter or sound

analogy, an extended comparison showing the similarities between two
things
imagery, characterized by appealing to any sense or combination of
senses
irony, characterized by a contrast or incongruity between what is stated
and what is meant
personification, characterized by something being described as if it
were human
6) What is the main conflict in this
passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
man verses man

man verses himself
man verses society
man verses machine
man verses nature
8) What does it mean to have

an imperious manner with
underlings?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
to ignore them
to be stoic around them
to openly humiliate them
to not be affected by them
to be domineering toward them
7) Which is the best definition

for anathema?
A. a person or thing that is detested
B. a person or thing that is
misunderstood
C. a person or thing that needs
spiritual guidance
D. a person or thing that
demonstrates evil ways
E. a person or thing that has mental
problems

for ostentatious?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
assiduous
decadent
modest
miserly
pretentious
10) What is made clear by the end of passage?

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
that Jeffrey is wealthy

that the man Jeffrey hates is himself
that Jeffrey has been staring at a co-worker
that Jeffrey will eventually become a better person
that the old woman in the beginning of the passage is actually Jeffrey's
mother
ReadTheory.Org 2010
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Talias Special Day

Talia is going out to eat tonight.

It is a special day. She wants to look very nice for her night out.
First, she gets her hair cut at a salon. A salon is a place where people go to get
their hair and nails done.
Then, she gets her finger nails painted pink. A woman who works at the salon
paints Talias nails.
Talia is not happy with the color. She asks the woman to change the color to
purple.
She likes the purple very much.
It is almost time to go out. Talia goes home and looks in her closet.
She tries on a pair of light blue pants with a white shirt.
She tries on a purple dress with a black belt.
She tries on a brown skirt with a green top.
She wears the purple dress.
Many of her friends and family are at the restaurant when she gets there.
She hugs her mother and father.
She gives her grandfather a kiss.
Talias sister gives her a big smile.
Her best friend, Asra, gives her a present.
Talia is 25-years-old today.
Happy Birthday, Talia, they say. You look great!
I feel great because all of you are here, says Talia.
Questions:
1) What is Talia doing for her special
day?
A. She is having a party.
B. She is going to her friend's
house.
C. She is making dinner.
D. She is going to a restaurant.
3) What does Talia do first?

A.
B.
C.
D.
She picks out a dress.

She gets her nails painted.
She gets her hair cut.
She goes out to eat.
5) What does Talia wear out?

A.
B.
C.
D.
light blue pants

a brown skirt
a purple dress
a green top
7) Who smiles at Talia?

A. __________________
9) What is a salon ?
A. a restaurant
B. a place where people talk about
business
C. a gift shop
D. a place to get hair and nails
done
2) Why does Talia want to look nice?

A.
B.
C.
D.
It is her birthday.
She is going on a trip.
She is going to church.
She is going to school.
4) Why does Talia change the color of

her nails?
A. It does not match her dress.
B. She is not happy with pink.
C. Her friends tell her to change the
color.
D. She is not happy with purple.
6) What does Talia do when she sees

her parents?
A.
B.
C.
D.
She smiles.
She says hello.
She gives them a hug.
She gives them a kiss.
8) How old is Talia?

A. ___________________
10) Why does Talia feel great?

A. because she looks great
B. because her friends and family
are there
C. because her hair is cut
D. because her nails are purple
ReadTheory.Org 2010
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Taste
People taste different things on different parts of the tongue.

If something is sweet, like candy, we taste it on the tip of our tongue.
If something is salty, like potato chips, we taste it just behind the tip.
If something is sour, like a lemon, we taste it on the sides of our tongue.
We taste bitter things, like dark chocolate, at the back of our tongue.
Questions:
1) What is the main point of this
passage?
part of the tongue is likely to

taste ice cream?
A. Our tongues have many
different sides.
B. We taste sour things on the
sides of our tongue.
C. We taste different things on
different parts of our tongue.
food is tasted by the sides of the

tongue?
A. candy
B. a lemon
C. potato chips
A. the tip
B. the back
C. the sides
for bitter?
A. salty
B. sour
C. sweet
What is your favorite food? Why?

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Tattoo
Justins mom had set down the house rules with aplomb. Only the
most obtuse person would have failed to understand: no tattoos, no
body piercings and no co-ed sleepovers while living in the house of Elaine
Tucker Brown.
Still, the day Justin turned 18, he lied to his mother about where he was going
and headed straight to the tattoo parlor, as if impervious to his mothers wrath.
He got a light blue heart the size of an orange permanently etched on
his arm. Above this work of art was the word, Blessed.
No, Justin was not stupid, but he was obstinate.
Elaine saw this as an act of sheer defiance. She was incensed, her anger
exacerbated by the fact that Justin had breezed into the house, found her in
the kitchen, taken off his shirt with a smile and said, Got it!
No, Justin. Let me tell you what youve got, Elaine said angrily. Youve got five
minutes to go upstairs and pack a bag. Im taking you to Pop-Pops.
The ride to Pop-Pops house was chilly, to say the least. Elaine berated Justin for
everything she could think of, which wasnt much because he was a straight A
senior with a full academic scholarship to his top college pick. He had a kind
heart and started a foundation in the ninth grade, which donated used sporting
equipment to underprivileged kids in South Africa.
Elaine pulled up to her fathers door and ordered Justin out. Not 10 minutes later,
her cell phone rang.
Elaine, have you lost it? You are kicking a boy as good as him out the house for
a tattoo that says Blessed, no less? her father asked, incredulous. You will
miss him so much. Dont cut off your nose to spite your face, Elaine. Come pick
this young man up.
Elaine, having grown up obeying most of her parents demands, turned her car
around and went back to pick up her son. Justin was surprisingly contrite. Sorry
for being so disrespectful, Mom, he said earnestly. I will try to follow house rules
from now on.
Questions:
1) What other title would best fit this
passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
House Rules
Visiting Pop-Pop
"Straight A's"
Body Piercings
2) What details does the author

include which may make the reader
sympathetic to Justin?
A.
B.
He is described as obstinate.
He is portrayed as kind-
hearted.
C.
He is described as a straight
A student.
D.
He is described as receiving
a full scholarship to college.
3) Which proverb does Elaine learn in

this passage?
4) Which proverb does Justin seem to

learn by the end of this passage?
A. Dont make much ado about

nothing.
B. Familiarity breeds contempt.
C. No arguments will give courage
to the coward.
D. If words suffice not, blows must
follow.
A. Look before you leap.

B. Pleasure bought with pain,
hurts.
C. Youths first duty is reverence to
parents.
D. If men had all they wished, they
would often be ruined.

for obtuse ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
foolhardy
intelligent
passionate
stubborn

for impervious ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
elated
impenetrable
invigorated
vulnerable
6) What was Justin's attitude when he

showed his mother the tattoo?
A.
B.
C.
D.
willfully defiant
cautiously jubilant
convincingly contrite
noticeably melodramatic

for exacerbate?
A.
B.
C.
D.
defend
relegate
mitigate
understate
9) "You are kicking a boy as good as
him out the house for a tattoo that
says Blessed, no less?"
The above sentence has a grammatical
error. What is it, and how should it be fixed?
A.
B.
C.
D.
good should be well

him should be he
'Blessed' should be "Blessed"
less should be lest
10) Using the passage as a guide,

which is the best interpretation of
the idiom, cut off your nose to
spite your face ?
A. calling something bad that is not
B. trying to teach something too
difficult
C. loving a person less for what he
has done
D. pursuing revenge and hurting
yourself in the process
11) "Justin was surprisingly contrite."

sentence.
A. Justin was surprisingly relaxed.

B. Justin was surprisingly
remorseful.
C. Justin had surprisingly lost his
bad attitude.
D. Justin had surprisingly become
somber.
Have you ever done anything rebellious? Explain.

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The 20
It is Levis birthday.
He has a party at home with his family.
Everyone sings, Happy Birthday!
Levi has nine candles on his cake. He blows them out. He opens his presents.
Levis mother and father give him a bicycle.
Levis little sister gives him a game.
Levis uncle gives him a baseball jersey.
Levis grandma and grandpa give him 20 dollars!
"Thank you!" he yells to everyone.
Levi is excited. He likes all his presents.
He likes the 20 dollars best.
It means he can go to the store. He can buy anything he wants!
Can we go to the store now, Mom? asks Levi.
Mom frowns. Levi, your guests are still here. I will take you to the store
tomorrow.
That night, Levi dreams of all the things he might buy with his 20 dollars.
Maybe I will buy a video game!
Maybe I will buy a guitar!
Maybe I will buy a camera!
Maybe I will buy a tool kit!
In the morning, Mom takes Levi and his little sister to the store.
Will you buy me something, too? asks Levis little sister.
Maybe, Levi says. He runs to look around the store.
Ugh!
The guitar costs more than 20 dollars.
The video game costs more than 20 dollars.
The camera costs more than 20 dollars.
The tool kit costs 12 dollars.
Levi buys the tool kit.
He buys his little sister a key chain.
He buys his mom a pack of gum.
You are a sweet boy, Levis mom tells him.
Questions:
1) Who is at Levi's party?
A.
B.
C.
D.
a baseball jersey
a bike
a game
money
5) What is one of the things Levi

dreams of buying?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A. ____________________
his friends
his parents
his teachers
his uncle
3) What does Levi's sister give him?

A.
B.
C.
D.
2) How old is Levi?
a bike
a camera
a key chain
a baseball jersey
7) When does Levi go to the store?

A. ____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
4) How does Levi feel about his

presents?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He likes all of them.

He likes the bike best.
He likes the money best.
He likes the game least.
6) Why does Levi's mom frown at him?

A. Levi is mean to his sister.
B. Levi asks for more money.
C. Levi does not thank everyone for
his gifts.
D. Levi wants to go to the store
during the party.
8) What doesn't Levi know?

A. that the store is closed
B. that his baseball jersey is too big
C. that most things he wants cost
more than 20 dollars
D. that his sister has more money
than he does
9) Who goes with Levi to the store?
10) What does Levi buy for himself?
A.
B.
C.
D.
his grandma
his mom
his sister
his uncle
11) How much money does Levi have

left after buying the tool kit?
A.
B.
C.
D.
$20 plus $12

$20 minus $12
$20 times $12
$20 divided by $12
A. ____________________
____________________
____________________
12) Why does Levi's mom call him a

sweet boy?
A. because it is his birthday
B. because he eats a lot of candy
on his birthday
C. because he waits until the next
day to go to the store
D. because he buys something for
his mom and little sister
If you had twenty dollars, what would you buy with it? Why?
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The Blow Dryer

A blow dryer is a common household appliance.

Have you ever wondered how a blow dryer works?
A small fan inside the dryer spins when you turn it on.
The fan sucks air into the dryer from the back.
The air warms up as it passes across heated coils inside the blow-dryer.
The warm air blows out the front of the dryer and dries your hair.
This is much faster than using a towel to dry your hair.
Questions:
1) What is this passage mainly
2) What does spin mean?
about?
A. how blow dryers work
B. why blow dryers are safe
C. why you should not towel dry
A. to move up and down

B. to make a loud noise
C. to turn around quickly
your hair
3) According to the passage, what
4) What does suck mean?
does the fan on a blow dryer do?

A. heats the coils
B. sucks air into the dryer
C. keeps the dryer cool
5) What does this passage suggest
about blow dryers?

A. They are safe.
B. They save time.
C. They cost a lot of money.
A. to push
B. to blow out
C. to draw in
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The Brain
The brain is a part of your body.

It is inside your head.
You use your brain to think.
The brain makes your fingers, eyes,
ears, arms and legs work.
You need your brain!
Questions:
1) Where is your brain?
A. in your legs
B. in your head
C. in your toes
2) How do you think?

A. with your eyes
B. with your brain
C. with your toes
3) The brain makes your ______ and ______ work.

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
arms
trees
legs
flowers
machines
Is the brain important? Why?

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________________________________________________________________________
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The Brenners
The Brenner family has a mom, a dad, three boys, two dogs, a hamster and four
frogs.
They are very happy.
Their house is very small.
Mom and Dad share one bedroom.
The three boys share one bedroom. Their names are Billy, Bobby and Brad.
All the pets sleep in the living room.
Mr. and Mrs. Brenner came home today from the doctor with news. It is very big
news .
There are going to be two more of us, Mrs. Brenner says with a smile.
I am pregnant.
Billy, Bobby and Brad cheer. We will have a basketball team, Billy says.
And do you know what Dad and I have decided we need? asks Mrs. Brenner?
A coach? asks Bobby.
No, Mr. Brenner says with a laugh, A bigger house.
Over the next week, the Brenner family starts looking for a new house.
On Monday, they see a brick house with a big front porch. It has three bedrooms.
Mr. Brenner likes this one.
On Thursday, they see a wooden house with a big backyard. It has four
bedrooms. Mrs. Brenner thinks this house is great.
On Saturday, they see a house with four bedrooms and a pool. The boys like this
house a lot. They dream of having their friends over for a swim.
But its smaller than the house we live in now! Mrs. Brenner says.
All of the houses cost a lot of money.
I think we need to save more money before we buy a bigger house, says Mr.
Brenner. Mrs. Brenner agrees.
Soon, two new babies arrive in their very small house. Their names are Beth and
Brooke.
The two baby girls sleep in a crib by their parents bed.
Mr. Brenner buys a basketball hoop and puts it in the driveway.
Questions:
1) What is the Brenner house like?
A.
B.
C.
D.
crowded
dirty
small
empty
3) What pets do the Brenners have?

A.
B.
C.
D.
three dogs
a hamster
four frogs
a cat
5) What can be said about all the kids'

names?
A.
B.
C.
D.
They are all boy names.

They all start with the letter "B."
They are all long.
They all end in "Y."
7) Why does Bobby say the Brenners

need a coach?
A. because Mr. Brenner is too busy
to coach
B. because they need help buying
a house
C. because they will soon have
enough kids for a basketball
team
D. because Mrs. Brenner will not
be able to coach while she is
pregnant
2) Who shares a bedroom?

A.
B.
C.
D.
Dad and Bobby

everyone
Mom, Dad and Brad
Billy, Bobby, and Brad
4) How many dogs do the Brenners

have?
A. ____________________
____________________
____________________
6) What is the big news ?

A. Mrs. Brenner is pregnant with
twins.
B. The Brenners are moving to a
new house.
C. The Brenners are starting a
basketball team.
D. The Brenners are getting some
new pets.
8) Which house does Mr. Brenner

like?
A.
B.
C.
D.
the one with a pool

the one with a big backyard
the one with a big front porch
the one with four bedrooms
9) What house does Mrs. Brenner
like?
A.
B.
C.
D.
the brick house

the one with a big backyard
the one with a big front porch
the one with four bedrooms
11) How are all the houses they see

alike?
A.
B.
C.
D.
They are all very pretty.

They are all very big.
They each have four bedrooms.
They all cost a lot of money.
10) Why do the boys like the house

with the pool?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It has the biggest yard.

It is the biggest house.
They are on the swim team.
They want to have their friends
over to swim.
12) What must Mr. and Mrs. Brenner

do before buying a new house?
A.
B.
C.
D.
get new jobs

have the babies
save more money
move to a new city
13) What does Mr. Brenner put in the

driveway?
A. ____________________
____________________
____________________
How big is your family? Do you like this size? Why or why not?
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The Bus Driver

Dana Miller is a bus driver.

She drives a bus in the city of Philadelphia.
She works the night shift. That means she starts work at 10:00 at night and gets
off at 6:00 in the morning.
Dana has been driving a bus for 15 years. She started when she was 23-yearsold.
She loves her job most of the time. She gets to see the beautiful city from her
seat.
She gets to meet all kinds of people.
There is the guitar player. He lugs his heavy guitar on the bus every Friday night.
He plays at a night spot downtown.
People call him Get Low. That is because he likes to play the guitar on his knees.
If the bus is not too crowded, Get Low plays in the back of the bus. The bus is
seldom crowded at night.
There is the woman who works at the pretzel factory. Each day the Pretzel
Lady brings Dana a bag of fresh, soft pretzels. They fill the bus with a wonderful
smell!
Sometimes Danas job is hard. It is hard when Dana sees people down on their
luck.
One time, a young woman left her sleeping baby on the bus. There was a note
on the baby's blanket asking for help. Dana had to call the police.
Another time, a teenage boy stole money from Dana on the bus. He had a fake
gun. Dana thought it was real. She was very scared.
Occasionally, driving the bus can be scary. But most of the time, driving the bus
is great. Dana does not want to work anywhere else.
How was your night? Danas husband likes to ask when she gets home.
Good music, good food and a great view of the city, she says.
Questions:
1) Where does Dana drive the bus?
A.
B.
C.
D.
around Philadelphia
to the police station
to pick up guitar players
to pick up school children
2) What shift does Dana work?

A. ____________________
_______________________
_______________________
3) How old is Dana?

A.
B.
C.
D.
15
23
38
39
5) What is one reason Dana loves her

job?
A. She finds sleeping babies.
B. She gets to call the police.
C. She gets to sleep during the
day.
D. She gets to meet all kinds of
people.
7) What does the word lug mean?

A.
B.
C.
D.
to throw
to push easily
to carry on one's head
to move something that is hard
to move around
9) How often does Get Low play guitar

on the bus?
A.
B.
C.
D.
every Friday night

when the bus is crowded
most Friday nights
when the bus is not crowded
4) How long is Dana's shift?

A.
B.
C.
D.
6 hours
8 hours
10 hours
12 hours
6) Why is the guitar player called Get

Low?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He has a low voice.

He likes to play sitting down.
He likes to play on his knees.
It is the name of his favorite
song.
8) What night does the guitar player

ride the bus?
A. ____________________
_______________________
_______________________
10) Who gives Dana pretzels?
A.
B.
C.
D.
the guitar player

the young mom
the teenager
the woman who works at the
factory
Questions:
11) Why might the young woman have
left her baby?
12) Who steals money?

A. ____________________
A.
B.
C.
D.
He was cold.
He was sleeping.
She forgot the baby.
She felt she could not take care
of him.
13) Why does Dana seem to think

people do bad things?
_______________________
_______________________
14) What is the best synonym

for occasionally ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
They are bad people.

They want to be bad.
They are down on their luck.
Someone told them to be
A.
B.
C.
D.
often
sometimes
never
almost always
bad.
15) What great view of the city does

Dana have?
A.
B.
C.
D.
from a tall building

from a mountain top
from the sidewalk
from her bus seat
Do you think Dana has a good job? Explain.

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The Butterfly
The butterfly is a beautiful insect.

It has four thin wings.
The wings can have many different colors on them.
As a butterfly gets older, the colors on its wings fade.
Butterflies live all over the world.
Most butterflies live where it is very warm and not too dry.
Questions:
1) How many wings does a butterfly
have?
A. 2
B. 4
C. 6
3) What does fade mean?

A. to lose color
B. to get darker
C. to change order
5) What is a butterfly?
A. an animal
B. an insect
C. a mammal
2) According to the passage, what

happens to a butterfly as it gets
older?
A. Its wings fall off.
B. It becomes a caterpillar.
C. The colors on its wings fade.
4) Where do most butterflies live?

A. in hot places
B. in cool, dry places
C. in warm places that are not too
dry
ReadTheory.Org 2010
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The Drive
Gustavo works far away from his home.

He drives a car to work. It takes him 3 hours to get there.
Gustavo drives.
While he drives, he thinks about many things.
He thinks about his little girl. She likes to ride horses.
He thinks about his little boy. He plays fireman all the time.
He thinks about his wife. She milks the cows on the farm.
Gustavo thinks of things he has to do when he gets home.
He needs to cut the grass.
He needs to water the flowers.
He wants to read a story to his little girl.
He wants to play a game with his little boy.
He wants to sit with his wife. He wants to tell her about his day.
Questions:
1) How does Gustavo get to work?
A.
B.
C.
D.
By bus
By car
By horse
By train
2) What does Gustavo do when he

drives?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He sings.
He talks.
He thinks.
He works.
3) What does Gustavo think about?
A.
B.
C.
D.
His car.
His little boy.
His wife.
His work.
5) What does his little girl like to do?

A.
B.
C.
D.
Milk cows.
Play fireman.
Ride horses.
Water flowers.
7) What does Gustavo need to do

when he gets home?
4) How long does it take Gustavo to

get to work?
A. ___________________
6) What does his little boy like to play?
A. ___________________
8) What does Gustavo want to do

when he gets home?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Read a story.
Milk the cows.
Cut the grass.
Water the flowers.
9) Why may Gustavo need to cut the

grass?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It is too green.
It is too brown.
It is too long.
It is too short.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Sit with his wife.

Water the flowers.
Read to his little girl.
Play a game with his little boy
10) Why may Gustavo need to water

the flowers?
A.
B.
C.
D.
So they will go.

So they will give.
So they will grow.
So they will guess.
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The Mini Problem

Lilys anger could not have been more palpable.

She awakened Christmas morning and, along with her brother, ran down to see
the gifts under the tree.
In the living room sat a magnificent mini bike. It was red with a pearly white gas
tank and side panels. For a brief moment, Lily was filled with what seemed
like insurmountable excitement. Then, her eyes caught hold of a baby doll
sitting on the couch with a huge bow.
She knew. She knew that the mini bike belonged to her brother and that she had
been relegated to that doll. It was par for the course.
Tommy always got cool things: skateboards, gliders, science kits. The mini bike
was just the latest cool thing.
Lily always got the boring gifts: a doll with a gown, a doll with a tutu, a doll with a
puppy. This doll seemed unusually blah. The doll wore a petticoat. The doll had
short, straight black hair.
Tommy had seen that mini-bike in the front window of Moores Bike Shop, but
hadnt Lily too? Hadnt she asked for it with as much fervor as her twin brother?
Tommys eyes grew wide at the sight of the bike he knew was his no doll for
him. He ran into his parents room and jumped excitedly on the bed.
Thank you, Mama! Thank you, Papa, he yelled.
Lily seethed in the other room. It took a while for anyone to even realize she was
missing.
Whats wrong, Lil? Papa asked. Did you see your pretty doll?
I saw it, she said sulkily.
Whats wrong? asked Mama.
Silence.
Oh, Mama, you know Lily is never excited by presents! her brother laughed.
Come out and watch me ride!
And so they did.
Questions:
1) Why was Lily's anger described
as palpable?
A. It was misplaced.
B. It was irrational.
C. It was very difficult to
understand.
D. It was so intense it seemed like
it could be touched.
3) Which best describes the act of

being relegated?
A. A star athlete is given a coveted
award.
B. A disobedient dog is put in the
garage to sleep.
C. A struggling student is given the
worst grade in the class.
D. The birthday boy is taken to his
favorite restaurant.
5) What is ironic about the title of this

passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Lily has a big problem.

Tommy is perfectly happy.
Lily does not get a mini bike.
No one realizes there is a
problem.

for insurmountable?
A.
B.
C.
D.
sane
phony
unjustified
conquerable
4) What does the expression par for

the course imply?
A. that something is to be expected
B. that something cannot be
undone
C. that something is sure to cause
anger
D. that something was meant to be
hurtful
6) What could the author have written

if she wanted to show Lily improving
her situation?
A. a scene with Lily storming out of
the house
B. a description of Lily getting to
ride the mini bike first
C. a paragraph describing Lily
pretending to appreciate the doll
D. a dialogue with Lily explaining to
her family why she was so angry
for fervor?
A.
B.
C.
D.
gluttony
indifference
politeness
quiet
9) In paragraph 6, what is the most like

reason the author repeats the word
"doll"?
A. to highlight how extravagant the
dolls were
B. to juxtapose the number of dolls
with just one mini bike
C. to make it clear how
monotonous this gift had
become for Lily
D. to make it clear that the doll she
got this Christmas was the worst
of all
8) What might Lily's parents be

accused of?
being stingy
B. not loving Lily
C. being insensitive
D. being gender biased
A.

for seethed?
A.
B.
C.
D.
cheered up
calmed down
spoke softly
breathed heavily
What would you do if you were in Lilys position? Explain.

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The New School

Tracey is starting a new school today.

She is very sad. She is very scared.
I dont want to go to school today, Tracey tells her dad.
I understand, sweetheart, Dad says. Starting a new school can be very scary.
Tracey has moved to a new town. She has moved to a new house. She is
starting a new school today. She has done all of this in a week!
I feel sick, Tracey says. My stomach hurts. I cant eat breakfast.
I think that is because you are nervous, Dad says. He brushes Traceys hair
down. He gives her a little hug. Try drinking just a little juice. Then I will walk you
to school.
Tracey and her dad walk to school.
Tracey thinks about many things.
Will I make friends?
Will I like my teacher?
What if I dont know the answer to a question?
Will kids laugh at me?
What if no one likes me?
Were here, says Dad.
Tracey looks up at the big building. Her other school was small.
Tracey wishes she could run away.
She knows she cannot.
She takes a deep breath.
She walks up the steps to school.
She walks into her third grade classroom.
That must be Tracey, she hears a boy say.
Hello, Tracey!
Welcome, Tracey!
Let me show you around.
Everyone seems kind. Tracey feels a little better.

She is still not happy. She is still a little scared. She cannot eat her lunch.
Dad picks Tracey up after school.
How was your day? he asks.
Okay, she says.
It will get better, Dad says. Big changes are hard.
I know, says Tracey. She reaches for her dads hand to hold as they walk
home.
Questions:
1) Why is Tracey sad and scared?
A. She is moving to a new house
today.
B. She is moving to a new town today.
C. She is starting a new school today.
D. She is walking to school alone
today.
3) What grade is Tracey in?

A. ____________________
____________________
2) What has Tracey done during the

week?
A.
B.
C.
D.
made a new friend

gone to a new church
moved to a new town
moved to a new house
4) Why can't Tracey eat breakfast?

A.
B.
C.
D.
She has no food.

Her stomach hurts.
She is late for school.
She does not like the food.
____________________
5) Why does Tracey's dad think she feels

sick?
A.
B.
C.
D.
because she is sleepy

because she is nervous
because she has a cold
because she ate too much
6) In this story, what

does nervous mean?
A.
B.
C.
D.
to be happy
to be hungry
to be mad
to be scared
7) What does Dad tell Tracey to do
before school?
A.
B.
C.
D.
stop crying
get her bag
drink some juice
put on her shoes
8) How do Tracey and Dad get to

school?
A. ____________________
____________________
____________________
9) What does Tracey think about most

as she walks?
A.
B.
C.
D.
math
reading
having friends
her teachers
11) What is Tracey's new school like?

A.
B.
C.
D.
big
dirty
loud
small
10) When does Tracey seem to be

brave?
A.
B.
C.
D.
when she cannot eat

when she feels better
when she holds her dad's hand
when she walks up the steps to
the school
12) How do the children in Tracey's

class seem?
A.
B.
C.
D.
kind
pretty
funny
not very nice
Have you ever felt nervous about doing something new? Explain.
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The Ocean
The ocean is big.

The ocean is blue.
The ocean has waves.
Some waves are small. Some waves are very small. They are tiny!
Some waves are big. Some waves are very big. They are huge!
In some places, the ocean is very deep.
In some places, you cannot see the bottom.
Questions:
1) Is the ocean small or big?
A. The ocean is small.
B. The ocean is big.
3) What is the ocean made of?

A. air
B. water
C. fire
2) What color is the ocean?

A. blue
B. yellow
C. brown
4) What does tiny mean?

A.
B.
C.
D.
small
very small
big
very big
5) What does huge mean?
6) Why can't you see the bottom of
the ocean in some places?

A.
B.
C.
D.
small
very small
big
very big
A. because the ocean is dirty

B. because the ocean is deep
C. because the ocean has many
waves
7) Which words can we use to
describe the ocean?

Check three that are correct.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
big
blue
happy
tiny
deep
Do you like the ocean? What do you like about it? What dont you like about it?
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The Park
Reem likes to go to the park with her mom.

She likes to play at the park with her friends.
Today when Reem goes to the park, she looks around and becomes very sad.
What is wrong, Reem? Mom asks.
There is so much trash on the ground, Reem says. It seems like each day, I see
more trash here.
Reem and her mom look around.
There are old boxes on the ground.
There are popped balloons on the ground.
There are old cans, too.
You are right, Mom says. The park is very dirty.
What can we do? Reem asks.
I am sure you will think of something, Mom says.
Reem and her mom go home. Reem paints a picture of a park. She uses blue,
green, brown and yellow paint.
PLEASE KEEP OUR PARK CLEAN, she writes in big letters on top of her picture.
Lets go back to the park, Mom, Reem says.
Okay, Mom says.
Reem grabs a bunch of trash bags to take with her. She also brings along some
tape.
When Reem gets to the park, she tapes her picture on a big trashcan.
Here you go! she says to her mom. She hands Mom a bag. Will you help me
pick up the trash?
I sure will, Mom says.
The children at the park run over to see what is going on.
Reem hands them bags. Lets clean this place up, she says.
The children pick up lots of trash. They talk and laugh as they work. Soon all the
bags are full.
We need to come back another day. There is still some trash on the ground,
Reem says. But the park looks much better.
It does, Mom says. I knew you would think of some way to help.
Questions:
1) Why is Reem sad?
A.
B.
C.
D.
her friends are not at the park

she cannot find her mom
there is a lot of trash at the park
she hurts herself on the slide
3) What does Reem do when she gets

home?
2) What is on the ground?

A.
B.
C.
D.
old cans
old boxes
old food
old shoes
4) Where does Reem put her picture?

A. ____________________
A. ____________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
5) Why does Reem tape her picture to

the trashcan?
A.
B.
C.
D.
so people can see it

so it falls to the ground
so people get mad
She is tired of holding it
6) Who helps Reem pick up trash?

A.
B.
C.
D.
her dad
her mom
no one
other children
7) What does Reem give the children?
A.
B.
C.
D.
brooms
gifts
mops
trash bags
9) How might Reem and her friends

feel after cleaning up?
A.
B.
C.
D.
funny
good
mad
sad
8) What does Reem learn at the park?

A. that she can help make things
better
B. that people do not care about
the park
C. that her mom does not like to
pick up trash
D. that the park has no trashcans
10) How does the park look after

everyone cleans it up?
A.
B.
C.
D.
all clean
better
very dirty
more dirty
11) Why does Reem say that she

will come back another day?
A.
B.
C.
D.
to play at the park

to clean up more trash
to empty the trash bags
to show her dad her work
Can you think of other ways to fight pollution and preserve the environment?
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The Rent Man

Someone is knocking on Amandas door.

Amanda is home, but she does not answer.
It is the man who owns the house where she lives.
His name is Mr. Campbell. Amanda calls him the Rent Man.
He has come by to get the rent money Amanda owes.
Amanda does not have the money to pay him.
Amanda lost her job at the auto factory three weeks ago.
I worked there for 15 years, Amanda thinks to herself. She is bitter. But it took
them just one day to take my job away.
Amanda has no idea when she will find another job. Lots of other people from her
factory lost their jobs three weeks ago too.
She looks for work every day.
She looks for work at a restaurant. You have never worked at a restaurant, the
owner tells her. This job is not for you.
She looks for work at the bookstore. We dont have any jobs right now, the clerk
tells Amanda.
She looks for work at the grocery store. I will call you to let you know, the
manager says.
Amanda is worried. She is running out of money quickly.
There is another loud knock at the door. Amanda sits quietly in her kitchen. She
hopes the Rent Man will go away soon.
Questions:
1) Who is knocking at Amanda's door?
A.
B.
C.
D.
the restaurant owner

the clerk
Mr. Campbell
the manager
3) Why doesn't Amanda answer the

door?
2) What does Mr. Campbell want?

A.
B.
C.
D.
a book
a car
a job
money
4) When did Amanda lose her job?

A. ____________________
A.
B.
C.
D.
She is sick.
She is not home.
She has no money.
She doesn't hear it.
5) If Amanda is bitter, how does she

feel?
A.
B.
C.
D.
hateful and angry

happy and sure
hungry and tired
quiet and alone
7) Where does Amanda look for a new

job?
A.
B.
C.
D.
a restaurant
another factory
a bookstore
a grocery store
_______________________
_______________________
6) What seems to be the reason

Amanda lost her job at the factory?
A.
B.
C.
D.
She was bitter.

She was a bad worker.
She had worked there too long.
Business was slow.
8) Which job might Amanda get?

A.
B.
C.
D.
none of them
the restaurant job
the bookstore job
the grocery store job
9) Where is Amanda?
A. ____________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
11) What might Mr. Campbell do next?

A.
B.
C.
D.
knock the door down

come back another day
offer Amanda a job
call Amanda on the phone
10) What helpful thing could Amanda

have said if she had opened the
door?
A. She could have told Mr.
Campbell that she lost her job.
B. She could have told Mr.
Campbell to go away.
C. She could have told Mr.
Campbell to stop knocking.
D. She could have told Mr.
Campbell she was bitter.
12) Why does Amanda sit quietly?

A. so she can think
B. so she can hear the door
C. so Mr. Campbell will not know
she is home
D. because Mr. Campbell told her
to
Is Mr. Campbell a bad man? Why or why not?

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The Runaway
My name is Uma.
I was 17 when I ran away from home for good.
I stole $45 from my Dads drawer one morning.
He had already left for work.
I stuffed some clothes in my backpack.
I headed for the bus station.
I caught the first bus that came in.
It did not matter to me where I was going.
It just mattered that I was leaving.
I ended up in Springfield, Massachusetts.
I got here around sunset.
My first night here, I was scared.
I was alone.
I slept behind an old store so no one would see me.
It was December. I was so cold.
Today, I am still in Springfield. I am 28-years-old. I have a kid who is 11.
I wait tables at a restaurant. The food is not so good. The people who eat there
are not so nice.
I think about my dad sometimes.
Do I have a grandma? my kid asks.
No, I say.
Do I have a grandpa? he asks.
Not to speak of, I say. That is when I think of my dad.
I think about what he is doing.
I think about if he misses me or not.
I dont miss him much at all.
But its nice to feel like someone misses you.
Questions:
1) What does for good mean in this
story?
A.
B.
C.
D.
forever
for a little while
to have a good time
to make things better
3) Where did Uma get $45?

A.
B.
C.
D.
She stole it.

She borrowed it.
She worked for it.
She got it from her drawer.
5) Why might Uma not have cared

where the bus was going?
A.
B.
C.
D.
She was very tired.

She wanted to get away fast.
Her friends were on the bus.
She did not want to catch the
train.
7) Why did Uma sleep behind the

store?
2) How old was Uma when she ran

away?
A.
B.
C.
D.
11
16
17
28
4) How did Uma run away?

A.
B.
C.
D.
she walked
she drove
she caught the bus
she caught the train
6) What kind of person does Uma

seem to be?
A.
B.
C.
D.
honest
funny
pretty
sad
8) In what month did Uma run away?

A. ____________________
A.
B.
C.
D.
so she could buy food

so no one would see her
there were other people there
her friends asked her to
9) Where does Uma work?

A.
B.
C.
D.
at a school
at a restaurant
at a bakery
at a store
____________________
____________________
10) When does Uma think about her

Dad?
A. all the time
B. every December
C. when her child asks about
grandpa
D. when she works at the
restaurant
11) What does Uma say about herself
in the story?
A.
B.
C.
D.
12) Given what you know about the

story, what will Uma probably do
next?
She is a runaway.
She is sad.
She lives in Springfield,
Massachusetts.
She wants a new job.
A.
B.
C.
D.
find her dad

go back home
kiss her child
see a movie with her husband
13) Why does Uma run away from

home?
A. because her dad abuses her
B. because she is scared
C. because she stole money from
her dad
D. The story does not say why.
Is it ever a good idea to run away? Explain.
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The Storm
Crack-crackkowowww! Thunder, and a shock of lightening etched its reflection

upon the corrugated metal siding, Rowan read aloud.
She worked to read clearly, with depth and emotion. Her eyes scanned the page
to the next paragraph. She took a breath to continue, but was interrupted by her
younger brother Nolan, stretched out on the living room couch, flicking a pencil
against his forehead.
I was never a big fan of onomatopoeia, Nolan said, in his usual, supercilious,
manner. It is impossible to write words that truly sound like a thunderstorm, a jar
opening or a falling tree, yes? But, do continue.
Rowan sucked her teeth. Thats why I cant stand doing this in front of you, Nolli.
You are no help at all. Havent you something better to do?
Ha! Better than to annoy you before your moment of reckoning? I dont think so.
Rowans enjoyment of getting under his big sisters skin was fully conspicuous.
Nolli, please keep quiet! Mother broke in. This is important. Rowan presents in
less than an hour. She needs to focus. Row, sweetheart, please continue.
Mothers comments seemed to assuage Rowans irritation. She cleared her
throat and continued where she had left off. Farmer John knew this was a storm
of epic proportion. Even the cows retreated to their hutches. Not one person in
the
The cows retreated? The cows retreated? Nolan chortled upon hearing the
repetition of this line in his own voice. Thats great. Even the stupid cows
retreated! Oh, man. That must have been one heck of a storm-a-brewin. Mama,
Im scared! Nolan howled at the ceiling and curled up into a tight little ball of
laughter.
Nolli! Mother Ann turned and shouted. The loudness of her voice
was tantamount to the rumbling storm Rowan was trying to capture in her
reading.
Mother began laying into the boy, castigating him most thoroughly about his
rudeness and lack of respect for Rowans preparations. After her outburst,
Mother sighed rather contentedly; she felt as though she had achieved the
intended effect. Sometimes she even surprised herself at the fury by which, if
completely necessary, she could quell any quarrel.
Nolan had fallen silent. He actually appeared remorseful.

Oh, Mother. Rowan sighed, crumpling to the floor, despondent . Its no use.
The Storm shall be the end of me
Ahh, but Rowan, my dear, Mother rejoined, this is but a mere shower!
Questions:
1) Given what Nolan says in the passage, which best
describes onomatopoeia?
A.
B.
C.
D.
a story that is told orally

the vocal imitation of a sound
repetition of the initial letter sound
the repetition of similar vowel sounds
2) Why does Rowan get upset with Nolan?

A.
B.
C.
D.
because he is being obnoxious

because he interrupts her reading
because he dislikes onomatopoeia
because he is stretched out on the couch
3) What does it mean to

be supercilious ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
to be haughty
to be comical
to be gifted with words
to be young and smart
4) What does the reader learn through

Rowan's actions?
A. He does not like his sister.
B. He enjoys being annoying.
C. He wants to give a reading
himself.
D. He has heard the passage
before.
5) What might Nolan be referring to when he talks about Rowan's "moment of
reckoning"?
A.
B.
C.
D.
the end of her life

an upcoming presentation
a time when Mother will yell at Rowan
a time when Nolan will annoy Rowan even more
6) Rewrite the following sentence: Mothers comments seemed

to assuage Rowans irritation.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Mother's comments make Rowan feel worse.

Mother's comments do nothing to help Rowan.
Mother's comments help to ease Rowan's irritation.
Mother's comments prove that Rowan is rightfully irritated.
7) What seems to cause Nolan to feel

remorseful?
A. His mother scolding him.
B. Rowan falling to the floor.
C. He thinks about how he would
feel.
D. His sister's nervousness about
her presentation.
8) Why might Rowan feel

despondent?
A. She is totally angry with her
brother.
B. She feels her mother is babying
her.
C. She feels practicing is hopeless.
D. She is ready to leave for the
presentation.
9) What might Mother mean when she tells Rowan, "This is but a mere
shower."?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It has started to rain outside.

The piece Rowan is to read is juvenile.
Mother's anger with Nolan was just for show.
This is nothing compared to what Rowan will go through later.
10) If X is tantamount to Y, what is their relationship?
A.
B.
C.
D.
X is greater than Y.
X is less than Y.
X equals Y.
X and Y have no connection.
11) If Mother is castigating Nolan,

what is she doing?
12) When is Rowan to present?

A. ____________________
A.
B.
C.
D.
yelling at him
spanking him
threatening him
criticizing his actions
____________________
____________________
Who is your favorite character in this story? Why?

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ReadTheory.Org 2010
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The Sun
The sun is in the sky.

It is yellow.
It is a star.
The sun gives the earth light and heat.
It helps plants grow.
Questions:
1) What color is the sun?
A. green
B. white
C. yellow
2) Where is the sun?

A. in the sky
B. in the earth
C. near the plants
3) How would the earth be with no sun?

A. light and cold
B. hot and dark
C. dark and cold
Is the sun good? Why?

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Time with Grandpa

Ben jumped from bed as soon as the first bit of sun peeped through
his window. He grabbed his backpack from his closet and opened it on the floor.
Ben put in some of his favorite things to take with him on his trip to visit Grandpa.
He put in a book on building forts, a book on making go-carts and a new book he
had gotten from the library about a kid detective who creates his own spy gear.
He also put in a model car kit and his stuffed bear. He was ready to go!
Going to visit his grandfather for a week by himself was always Bens favorite
part of summer vacation. Grandpa would take him fishing and to baseball games.
Grandpa also taught Ben how to fix things around the house.
Last year, when he was eight-years-old, Ben had learned how to replace a
broken doorknob and how to fix a leaky faucet. Grandpa was patient and did not
mind taking many hours to show Ben how to use his tools.
Bens mom stuck her head in his bedroom door. Grandpas here, she said with
a smile.
Ben grabbed his backpack and ran into the kitchen where Grandpa was waiting.
Ready, big guy? asked Grandpa. Or do you want to eat breakfast before we
leave?
Ready, said Ben. As he kissed his mother goodbye, he felt his stomach rumble.
We can eat later!
Questions:
1) What is the most likely reason Ben
jumps out of bed?
2) How old is Ben?

A. ____________________
A.
B.
C.
D.
He is late.
He is scared.
He is excited.
He is worried.
____________________
____________________
Questions:
3) What time of year is it?
4) What is Bens favorite part of

summer vacation?
A. ____________________
____________________
____________________
5) In the fourth paragraph, what is the

meaning of the word patient?
A.
B.
C.
D.
very slow
sick in the hospital
good about sharing
taking time without complaint
7) Where and when does this story

take place?
A. at Grandpas house in the early
afternoon
B. at Bens house in the early
afternoon
C. at Grandpas house in the
morning
D. at Bens house in the morning
9) What is the most likely reason Ben

did not eat breakfast?
A. He was not hungry.
B. He did not like his mothers
cooking.
C. He wanted to leave for his
grandpa's house.
D. He had already eaten.
A.
B.
C.
D.
fixing stuff
going fishing
visiting his grandfather
going to a baseball game
6) Judging by the things Ben put in his

backpack, what does he like to do
most?
A.
B.
C.
D.
make things
ride go-carts
spy on people
read big books
8) According to the story, what is one

of the things Bens Grandpa taught
him to do?
A.
B.
C.
D.
use a drill
build a fort
fix a leaky faucet
build a model car
ReadTheory.Org 2010
Name________________
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Tracks
Lida sat outside her great Aunts hotel,

watching the steam engines go by and
listening to the clop-clop of horses as they
pulled wagons down the cobbled road.
She was taking a short break from tending to
all her chores at the inn: mopping the ballroom,
fixing the cornbread for guests, and tending
the fire in the wood burning stove.
Lida had an assiduous nature and always strove to make sure her tasks were
done properly and without waste of time. However, today she took a
quick respite to daydream about the party she would be going to that evening.
At 17, it would be her first. Her friends had all picked out brightly colored dresses
to wear. Lida, being extremely demure, chose a simple, but pretty, dress in a
charcoal gray.
Are you ready, Miss Lida? Hattie asked as she burst in through the parlor doors
and into the kitchen. Mary and Florence were in step right behind her.
Hattie, I done told you never to come in that way. You disturb the guests having
cocktails in the parlor!
Oh hush, Lida. You worry too much. Lets go.
I need to put a few more logs in the stove so Auntie can boil water for the
dishes, Lida said. Then we can go.
Hattie gave a sigh, but did not bother to argue. She knew when Lida had
something to do, she didnt rest until it was done.
Lets take the tracks, Hattie said when they finally headed out to the party.
Daylight was turning into dusk.
Naw, Hattie, Lida said. "You know thats too dangerous in the night.
Look, Lida, Hattie said tersely. Were runnin late cause of you. The tracks will
take 15 minutes off our walk. Mary and Florence mumbled in agreement.
Against her better judgment, Lida agreed to take the train tracks. It was her first
party ever. Why deal with acrimony and ill feelings?
The girls slowly navigated tracks in the dark and talked excitedly about the
dance. Lida heard a whistle in the distance. Weve gotta get off the track. Trains
coming.
The girls quickly scurried off the side. In the dark, Lida heard a thud and a gasp.
Help! screamed Hattie. She had fallen in the ash pit, a 6 foot trench about 20
feet long between the rails where trains stopped to empty ashes from engines
fire box when they pulled through town.
Hattie screamed and tried frantically to climb out, but she was too short to grab
hold to the top of the pit. The train was getting closer, the whistle more piercing.
Not wanting to appear scared herself, Lida dissembled and refused to let her
voice show panic.
Just give me your hand, Hattie, and Ill pull ya right out.
They fumbled for each others hands in the dark. Lida lay down on the rails and
hooked her feet under the track to give herself some leverage. She pulled and
pulled while Mary and Florence screamed in the dark.
One final pull got Hattie out the pit. They ran off the edge of track to safety as the
train pulled to a stop and dropped its load of torrid ashes.
Questions:
1) Which idea can best be supported by what is said in this passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Lida lives in a big house.

Lida and her family are poor.
Lida and Hattie are best friends.
Lida is treated poorly at the hotel.
This story takes place a long time ago.
2) What is the most likely reason the author included the following paragraph?
"Hattie gave a sigh, but did not bother to argue. She knew when Lida had
something to do, she didnt rest until it was done."
A.
B.
C.
D.
to set the reader up for Lida's heroic efforts

to explain why the girls would be late to the party
to let the reader know how mature Lida was
to let the reader know how much Lida and Hattie argue
3) What is the best definiton
of assiduous?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
careful
efficient
energetic
hardworking
non complaining
5) Using the passage as a guide, how

do Hattie and Lida differ?
A. Hattie is good-natured; Lida is
stoic.
B. Hattie is trusting; Lida is
circumspect.
C. Hattie is carefree; Lida is
responsible.
D. Hattie is respectful; Lida is
judgmental.
E. Hattie is excited about the party;
Lida is ambivalent about it.
7) What conflicts are illustrated in this

passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
character versus character

character versus nature
character versus machine
character versus destiny
character versus society

for respite?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
continuation
directness
erect stance
morning break
afternoon nap
6) What type of characters are Mary

and Florence?
A. round, characterized by being
well-developed in the story
B. foils, characterized by bringing
out each other's traits through
contrast
C. confidantes, characterized by
being people the main character
confides in
D. flat, characterized as doing very
little to advance plot
E. dynamic, characterized by
changing during the passage
8) What is the best definition

of demure?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
boring
innocent
innocuous
reserved
self-conscious
for acrimony?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
agreement
bad judgment
happiness
positive attitude
timeliness
10) If the ashes were torrid, which best

describes what they would they
have done to Hattie?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
poisoned her
suffocated her
burned her badly
gotten her all dirty
weighed her down
11) Why did Lida feel the need

to dissemble her panic?
A. so that she could gather her
strength
B. so that she would not fall into
the pit herself
C. so that she could appear calm
for Hattie
D. so that she could hear how
close the train was
E. so that she could come up with
an idea to save her friend
Have you ever needed a hand? Explain.

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Trees
Trees have three parts.

The roots pull up water and food for the tree from under the ground.
The trunk is the stem of the tree. It has bark on it. It helps food get
to the branches.
The crown is at the top of the tree. Branches, leaves, seeds and flowers are all
part of the crown.
Questions:
1) What is this passage about?
A. what trees eat
B. how trees grow
C. the parts of a tree
3) If a tree has no roots, what

happens?
A. It cannot eat.
B. It can grow fast.
C. It has more branches.
2) What part of the tree is

underground?
A. the crown
B. the roots
C. the trunk
4) What are the three main parts of a

tree?
A. water, food, and seeds
B. roots, trunk, and crown
C. branches, leaves, and bark
Do you like trees? What is your favorite kind of tree? Why?

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Ursula Pugh
Ursula Pugh was at an earlier time in her life before injuries,

before a disastrous marriage, before the death of her beloved
sister a glorious dancer.
Now, she was regarded by many as an angry has-been and
horrible teacher.
I was not cognizant of these details as I made my way through the doors of The
Ursula Childrens Theater with my three rambunctious boys in tow. And had I had
such information it would not have biased my decision in the least.
I was looking for a safe haven in the neighborhood for the boys to hang out after
school until I got off work. Staying at home by themselves was not an option.
They definitely needed adult supervision if I expected my home to still be
standing when I got home from work. The childrens theater, much to my
boys chagrin, was more convenient for me to get to than the karate studio.
No Mama, we want karate, the boys had implored pitifully. Im glad I wasnt
swayed though I would not realize until much later what a fortuitous decision
this was.
Ms. Pugh looked up over her glasses as we arrived at the studio. Boys! she
exclaimed before I could even introduce myself. Wonderful.
It turned out that Ms. Pughs program was woefully short of boys and mine were
immediately thrown into every production possible at the theater.
The rumors were right, in some respects. Ms. Pugh could be brusque and rude
with her charges and did not tolerate any signs that a student was not fully
dedicated to the program.
My boys flourished in this environment. My wild, rough boys, who were often so
rude that they embarrassed me in public, gradually became a different species.
They will certainly never be world class dancers, but Ms. Pughs strict ways
taught them to be respectful and on time. Moreover, it taught them to follow
directions and always strive to do their best.
Questions:
1) Which idea can be supported from
the first paragraph?
A. Ms. Pugh is a bitter woman.
B. Ms. Pugh is an old woman.
C. Ms. Pugh has been through a
lot.
D. Ms. Pugh was a world class
ballerina.
E. Ms. Pugh has become a dance
teacher.
3) What does the term safe

haven imply?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
a refuge
a theater program
a religious building
a healthy alternative
an inexpensive activity

for biased?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
awkward
impartial
concerned
attentive
determined

for cognizant?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
aware
forgetful
ignorant
mindful
resentful

for chagrin?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
ambivalence
calm
confusion
delight
ignorance
6) Why was the narrator's

decision fortuitous?
A. The children's theater was close
to her home.
B. Her sons learned many valuable
life lessons.
C. She expected her sons to
become good dancers.
D. She got to see Ms. Pugh's bad
temper first hand.
E. There were not many boys in
the program for her sons to get
in trouble with.
7) Which best describes the literary technique used in the following sentence.
"My wild, rough boys, who were often so rude they embarrassed me in public,
gradually became a different species."
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
literal, meaning it is to be understood exactly as it is written

figurative, meaning not intended to be interpreted in its literal sense
foreshadowing, meaning it offers hints and clues of what is to come
inversion, meaning a reversal of the usual order of words for emphasis
symbolism, meaning a person that has meaning in itself also stands for
something larger
8) What is the main conflict in this passage?

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
man verses man

man verses himself
man verses society
man verses machine
man verses nature
Would you enjoy being a part of Ms. Pughs theater class? Why or why not?
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Vet Emergency!
It is 10:00 on a Saturday night. The doors to the animal emergency room

fly open.
Cyrus carries a tiny black lab puppy into the building.
"Save him. Please!" the man cries. "He ran out into the street and got hit by a
car."
The puppy is whining. There is a lot of blood.
Dr. Williams comes from behind the desk. She reads the puppys name tag.
Here, let me take Lobo from you, Dr. Williams tells Cyrus gently. I will take him
in the back for x-rays and see what needs to be done.
When Dr. Williams gets to the back, she takes a closer look at Lobo. Her face
looks grim. She can see the dog's leg is broken badly. She fears there is other
damage she cannot see.
The assistants in the room are silent. Everyone knows that Lobo may not survive.
If he does survive, his leg injury may be so severe that walking will be hard for
him to do.
The x-rays show that Lobos front leg has been broken in three places. He is also
bleeding inside.
Dr. Williams gets to work. She knows she must stop the bleeding quickly.
The surgery takes two hours. Dr. Williams fixes the damage to Lobo's leg. She
stops the bleeding inside his chest.
I will go tell Lobos owner that this little pup is going to make it, Dr. Williams
says. Well see in a few weeks how well he will walk again.
Questions:
1) Where does this story take place?
A.
B.
C.
D.
in a police station
in a waiting room
in a doctor's office
in an animal hospital
2) What does the mood in the room

seem to be?
A.
B.
C.
D.
angry
joyful
relaxed
tense
3) When does Dr. Williams know just
how badly Lobo has been hurt?
A. when Cyrus asks for help
B. when she takes a closer look
C. when she sees Lobo is a lab
puppy
D. when the doors to the
emergency room fly open
5) Which is the best antonym for grim?

A.
B.
C.
D.
calm
serious
hopeful
beautiful
4) Around what time did Lobo's

surgery end?
A.
B.
C.
D.
10:00 at night
10:00 in the morning
noon
midnight
6) How long is Lobo in surgery?

A. ____________________
____________________
____________________
7) What kind of doctor is Dr. Williams?

A.
B.
C.
D.
a pediatrician
a dentist
an internist
a veterinarian
9) In how many places was Lobo's leg

broken?
A. ____________________
____________________
____________________
8) What does it mean to have

a severe injury?
A.
B.
C.
D.
to have a mild injury

to not be able to run
to not be able to walk
to have a very bad injury
10) What does the reader know about

Lobo by the end of the story?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He will survive.
He will walk fine.
He is a black lab.
He got hit by a car.
ReadTheory.Org 2010
Name________________
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Wanga
I, Nancy Norris, believer of nothing, order my spell kit on the Internet.

I feel pretty silly, but I have run out of more sane ideas.
I have looked in the want ads. I have sent my resume to a million companies. I
have gone to businesses up and down my block asking for work.
I need a job. I need money. I need these things fast. I am desperate.
I am about to lose my house. I am about to lose my car. I have been out of work
for 8 months.
The Internet is free at the library. This is a very good thing. I see a site that sells
witch doctor spell kits.
WARNING: Do not ask for something unless you truly want it to come true!
There are Love Kits. These get someone to love you back. There are New Life
Kits. These make you happy. There are Money Kits. These bring you money,
riches and an easy life.
Of course, I choose the Money Kit. This is what I need. I truly want it to come
true.
I have $20 left on my credit card. I use it all to order my spell kit. Dont laugh.
The kit arrives in three days, as promised. I hope the spell works more quickly.
Inside the kit is a wanga doll. The doll has been blessed by an actual witch
doctor and is a very important part of making my spell come true. That is what
the box says, anyway.
Wanga is about 6 inches tall. It has bushy black hair. It is dressed in a furry outfit
that looks like a bathrobe. Hopefully, he will be my new best friend.
There are three different powders in the kit. Each has its own separate bag.
The kit also comes with a set of detailed instructions. I am to follow them exactly.
I spread the powders out on the floor and place my wanga doll next to them. I
hope for the best. My mortgage is due tomorrow.
Questions:
1) What is the meaning of the
word sane ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
something that is foolish

something that is powerful
something that makes sense
something that makes money
3) Given what is said in the passage,

what is another way to write the
following sentence?
I am desperate.
A.
B.
C.
D.
I am crazy.
I full of hope.
I am willing to try anything.
I am not sure about anything
anymore.
5) What does it mean for something

to come true ?
2) Why does Nancy order a spell kit?

A.
B.
C.
D.
She needs a job.

She needs money.
She wants a boyfriend.
She wants to be a witch.
4) What can be said about Nancy from

this passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
She is well read.

She is very serious.
She was once very wealthy.
She can make fun of herself.
6) Which kit does Nancy order?

A. ____________________
A.
B.
C.
D.
It happens.
It tells the truth.
It brings money.
It is a fairy tale.
7) What does the wanga doll look like?

A.
B.
C.
D.
It is black.
It is 6 inches tall.
It has bushy hair.
It has on a furry outfit.
_______________________
_______________________
8) Which sentence from the story is

most likely an exaggeration?
A. I need a job.
B. Wanga is about 6 inches tall.
C. The kit arrives in three days, as
promised.
D. I have sent my resume to a
million companies.
9) According to the story, why would a
person buy the New Life Kit?
A.
B.
C.
D.
to have a baby
to become happy
to move to a new town
to be cured from sickness
11) How long does it take for the kit to

arrive?
A. ____________________
_______________________
10) What is special about the wanga

doll?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It is full of money.
It has bushy black hair.
It is Nancys best friend.
It has been blessed by a witch
doctor.
12) What would be the opposite

of detailed instructions?
A.
B.
C.
D.
many instructions
basic instructions
specific instructions
funny instructions
_______________________
13) How does Nancy pay for her spell

kit?
A.
B.
C.
D.
with cash
with a check
with a credit card
with a money order
Are you superstitious? Why or why not?

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What Number?
Becca and Kai played together all day.

The two friends played outside in the morning. They rode bikes and scooters.
They ate lunch on the porch. Beccas mom made sandwiches and lemonade.
They played hide and seek in the house right after lunch.
Then they did not know what to do.
I know! Lets play the number game, said Becca. What number am I thinking
of?
Is it five? asked Kai.
No, it is higher than five, Becca said.
Okay, is it one hundred?
No, it is lower than one hundred, Becca said.
Lets see, said Kai. Is it sixty?
Becca gave Kai a hint . It is between twenty and thirty.
Hmm, is it twenty-five?
No, but you are very close ! Becca said.
Well, is it higher or lower than twenty-five?
It is lower, Becca said.
Okay, I think I know. Is it twenty-two?
Yeah! You guessed it. Becca said. Good job!
Questions:
1) Where did Becca and Kai play
today?
A.
B.
C.
D.
They played at school.

They played at the park.
They played at Kai's house.
They played at Becca's house.
2) What did Becca and Kai do in the

morning?
A.
B.
C.
D.
rode bikes
rode scooters
played outside
played hide and seek
3) Where did Becca and Kai eat
lunch?
A. ________________
5) What was Kais second guess?

A.
B.
C.
D.
five
twenty-two
sixty
one hundred
7) Which sentence is correct?

A.
B.
C.
D.
178 is lower than 177.

178 is higher than 177.
178 is between 177.
178 is the same as 177.
9) Why was Kai's guess of twentyfive close ?

A. Twenty-five is a big number.
B. It is near the number Becca was
thinking about.
C. It is far away from the number
Becca was thinking.
D. Twenty-five is lower than the
number Becca was thinking.
11) What number was Becca thinking

about?
A. ___________________
4) Whose idea was it to play the

number game?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It was Kais idea.

It was Moms idea.
It was Beccas idea.
It was Kai and Beccas idea.
6) What is another way to write the

number sixty ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
6
16
60
66
8) Check all that are correct.

A.
B.
C.
D.
224 is lower than 256.

224 is higher than 256.
224 is between 220 and 230.
224 is between 220 and 210.
10) What does it mean to give

someone a hint ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
to give someone a clue

to make a question hard
to tell someone to give up
to give someone the answer
12) What other number could Becca

have been thinking about?
A.
B.
C.
D.
ten
fifteen
twenty-three
twenty-eight
ReadTheory.Org 2010
Name________________
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Wild
I was 16 when my father unequivocally decided that he would send me to

wilderness camp for several months. He had threatened many times before, but
my mother had always managed to persuade him from actually packing me up
and shipping me off.
My latest transgression was viewed as the last straw. In a fit of unbridled rage, I
had shoved my math teacher down a flight of steps at school. He broke his arm
in two places and severely dislocated his shoulder. The man hadnt done a thing
to me. I am hard pressed to remember why I was so irritated at him.
Anyway, Mr. Ford, my math teacher, had agreed not to press charges as favor to
my dad. He was a friend of my dads from way back. Mr. Ford knew what was at
stake. We all did.
Dad was in the middle of a tight race for sheriff in our town. This latest Danny
Thing, as all of my reckless behavior was now called, had all my dads closest
advisors talking.
John, hes your son and hes a kid, but he is dragging you down, I heard Jake
Hutch tell my dad through his closed office door the night after I pushed Mr. Ford.
If it appears you cant set the course for enforcement in your own home, how
can you set the course for this town?
So, off to the Pisgah National Forest I went. I knew in my heart that Wilderness
Camp was surely just a euphemism for Torture Center. I imagined hours of
untold abuse at the hands of some lumberjack-sized drill sergeant. I resolved not
to be broken and to emerge from the program unchanged. I was who I was.
Nearly every day for six months, a small group of other troubled teens and I
lugged our 30-pound backpacks on a trek that covered about 10 miles. We hiked
in a rugged wilderness that seemed untouched by civilization. The grandeur of
the sky, rock and wilderness made me reverent.
Our counselors, were firm, but gentle, not the ogres I had imagined. We learned
how to make a fire without matches and create a shelter with twigs, branches
and grass. We learned which plants were safe to eat out in the wild. Late into the
night, we talked about our fears and hopes.
We were devoid of radios, televisions and cell phones. I felt myself change. I was
calm and often reflective. My old, impulsive self was gone.
One morning, six months later, my dad came to pick me up. I ran to hug him and
saw relief and love in his eyes.
So whats it like being sheriff? I asked on the ride home.

I lost the race, Danny, he said.
Im sorry, Dad. I knew my behavior probably had a lot to do with his defeat.
Dad squeezed my shoulder and brought me close. As long as I dont ever lose
you, Im okay.
Questions:
2) "I was 16 when my father
unequivocally decided that he would
send me to wilderness camp for several
months."
Danny goes to wilderness camp;
it is in a national forest.
Danny is out of control; he is
sentence.
sent into the wilderness.
Danny changes at wilderness
A. I was 16 when my father angrily
camp; his father loses a tight
decided that he would send me to
race for sheriff.
wilderness camp for several months.
Danny hikes in the rugged
B. I was 16 when, over the course of
wilderness; he becomes
several months, my father decided he
respectful of nature and others.
would send me to wilderness camp.
C. I was 16 when my father finally
decided that he would send me to
wilderness camp for several months.
D. I was 16 when my father decided
without question that he would send
me to wilderness camp for several
months.
1) Which best describes the doublemeaning of the title?

A.
B.
C.
D.
3) What does the idiomatic

expression, "the last straw,"
suggest?
A. the biggest problem of all
B. the worst thing someone could
have done
C. the last in a line of unacceptable
occurrences
D. the deed someone wishes he or
she could take back

for unbridled?
A.
B.
C.
D.
amusing
peaceful
restrained
understandable
5) What lesson did Danny seem to
learn in this passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Fight fire with fire.

Faith will move mountains.
Nature exceeds nurture.
A reed before the wind lives on,
while mighty oaks do fall.
7) What kind of character is Jake

Hutch in this passage?
A. round, meaning fully developed
B. protagonist, meaning the main
character
C. antihero, meaning he lacks
heroic traits
D. flat, meaning only having
enough traits to fulfill his function
in the passage
9) What is evident by the end of this

passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
how much John loves his son

how much Danny has
changed
that Danny has made lasting
friendships
that John has given up
running for office
6) What is a euphemism?
A.
B.
C.
D.
a code word
a nickname
a detailed description
a less offensive term
8) "The grandeur of the sky, rock and

wilderness made me reverent."
sentence.
A. I was humbled by the vastness of

the sky, rock and wilderness.
B. I felt small in comparison to the
sheer size of the sky, rock and
wilderness.
C. The power of the sky, rock and
wilderness made me regret my past
behavior.
D. The inherent danger of the sky, rock
and wilderness made me nervous.
10) If the counselors at the wilderness

camp had been ogres, how might they
have behaved?
A. by giving teenagers water only when
they were thirsty
B. by making the teenagers figure out
how to build a fort in the rain
C. by refusing to treat the teenagers
wounds when they got injured
D. by encouraging the teens to
socialize with one another even if
they didn't want to
ReadTheory.Org 2010
Name________________
Date________________
Worth Working For

Paola and Imran have been married for 8 years.

They have had many good times together.
They have travelled the world together.
They have two little girls together.
They have started a chocolate business together.
Lately, Paola and Imran have been fighting a lot.
Business at the chocolate store is slow. Imran thinks it is Paolas fault.
They are having trouble with money. Paola thinks Imran spends too much.
One evening, Paola decides to visit her mom for advice.
Paola knocks on her moms door. Paolas mom is happy. It is a surprise visit.
She quickly sees, however, that something is wrong.
Paola looks sad and tired. Paola, what is the matter? Mom asks.
Paola tells her mom all that is going on.
Mom smiles gently. She rubs Paolas back. Then she tells Paola a story.
Your father and I have a wonderful marriage. But we dont always get along.
There was a time when things were very bad between us. We fought all the time.
You were just a little girl. One day we watched you playing on the floor. We knew
we wanted to make our marriage work. We loved you very much. We loved each
other very much. We knew we had to work harder on our marriage.
What did you do? asks Paola.
We agreed to talk more. We planned a special night each week for the two of
us. We went to see someone who helps people with their marriages, Mom says.
It was worth it. I cant imagine not having your father in my life.
Paola begins to feel better. You are right, she says. What Imran and I have is
worth working for.
Questions:
1) Why does Paola want to see her
mom?
A.
B.
C.
D.
to have dinner
to get advice
to have a laugh
to see how she is doing
2) Where does the talk take place?

A.
B.
C.
D.
at Mom's house
at a restaurant
at Paola's house
at the chocolate store
Questions:
3) What good times have Paola and
Imran had?
A.
B.
C.
D.
4) How long have Imran and Paola

been married?
A. ____________________
They have travelled the

world.
They have had two children.
They have built a house.
They have started a
____________________
____________________
business.
5) Why does Mom seem to know how

Paola feels?
A. She is a good guesser.
B. She has been told by Imran.
C. She and Paola have discussed
this problem before.
D. She has experienced the same
problem before in her own
marriage.
7) How does Paola feel at the end of

the talk with her Mom?
A.
B.
C.
D.
sad
better
grim
stupid
9) What does the reader NOT learn in

this story?
A. what Imran has to say
B. why Paola visits her mom
C. how many kids Paola and Imran
have
D. what kind of business Paola and
Imran have
6) What advice does Mom give Paola?

A.
B.
C.
D.
Give up.
Talk to each other.
Work hard.
Tell the children.
8) What kind of relationship does Paola

seem to have with her Mom?
A.
B.
C.
D.
open
tense
angry
loving
10) What lesson does Paola learn?

A. Two children is too many.
B. Marriage should be easy.
C. Eight years of marriage is too
long.
D. Even a good marriage can
sometimes be hard work.

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