Forgetting the Words

Forgetting the Words

By: W.M. Akers

https://www.readworks.org/article/Forgetting-the-Words/888f4ae8-dc15-49eb-ba75-8bd71d180bd6#!articleTab:content/

Andy is frightened when he sees the pirates. They have eye patches and big swords, and they do not look happy to see him. But the pirates are not the reason why Andy feels scared. The pirates are supposed to be there, because Andy is starring in the school play. He had been excited when Mrs. Roberts, his teacher, chose him to star in Treasure Island. The play is based on a famous novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, and it is one of Andy’s favorites. He has been looking forward to this for weeks. But now that he’s up on stage, with his family and friends watching from the audience, something terrible has happened. Andy does not remember what he’s supposed to say.

Multiple Choice

How is Andy involved in the school play?

• Andy is watching his friends act in the play.

• Andy is starring in the school play.

• Andy is writing the play.

• Andy is directing the play.

Multiple Choice

What problem does Andy have when he stands up to perform?

• He cannot remember his lines.

• He says the wrong word.

• He moves to the wrong spot.

• He speaks too fast.

It’s the big scene at the end of the play, when Andy fights the pirates. When they were practicing the play, this was his favorite scene, because he got to run and jump and fight with his sword. Andy loves pretending to be a pirate. He and his friends spend every recess imagining the jungle gym is a ship. They run back and forth across it, having sword fights and yelling about buried treasure. Sometimes they jump off the side and pretend to be eaten by sharks. During recess, they pretend to fight with swords, and hold them like pirates.

But before the fight can happen, there’s something Andy has to say to Long John Silver, the leader of the pirates. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t remember his line.

Is he supposed to say, “This is the end for you, Long John Silver!"? Is he supposed to say, “Get your hands off my treasure!"? Maybe he’s supposed to say, “En garde!" That’s what people say in pirate movies. But Andy doesn’t want to just make up the words. If he says something wrong, he might confuse the other actors. He might get in trouble.

Andy’s mother was very proud of him when he got picked to star in the play. He can’t see her in the audience, but he knows she’s out there somewhere, waiting for his big scene. Andy is worried about letting her down. The other actors are waiting for him to say something. They look angry. He isn’t sure if their anger is pretend. He waves his sword at them, but they don’t do anything. Nothing can happen until he says his line. Andy is beginning to sweat.

From somewhere out in the audience, he hears a voice yell, “Get ‘em, Andy!" It’s his mom! Suddenly, Andy knows just what he has to do. He still can’t remember his line, but it doesn’t matter. Andy raises his sword above his head and roars like a lion. He runs at the pirates, and they begin to fight.

Multiple Choice

Based on this last part of the story, Andy's mom can be described as...

• playful

• angry

• annoying

• supportive

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is evidence that Andy is no longer frightened by being on stage in the play?

• “Andy is worried about letting her down.”

• “He has been looking forward to this for weeks.”

• “He still can’t remember his line, but it doesn’t matter.”

• “Andy loves pretending to be a pirate.”

Multiple Choice

The main idea of the story is that...

• Andy is not able to perform in the play because he is so nervous.

• Andy is able to get over his nerves and feel confident with encouragement.

• Andy says the wrong thing, his mother sees, and the whole play is ruined

• People sometimes do not know what to do when on stage and don’t say anything

Multiple Choice

Read the following sentence from the story:

“Andy raises his sword above his head and roars like a lion.”

The author uses the phrase “roars like a lion” to describe how Andy...

• yells loudly

• speaks quietly

• pretends to be a lion

• talks normally

Open Ended

What lesson to do you think Andy learned by the end of the play?