A Day on the Slopes

A Day on the Slopes

By: Jaclyn Einis, ReadWorks author

No matter how many times Bobby rode the chairlift, he always got frightened when he looked down. If he stared down long enough to get that tingly feeling, he’d grip the bar in front of him, take stock of the bar between his two legs, and reassure himself that he was secure.

Conversation helped distract him. He loved meeting people from all over the country, and even the world, on the chairlift. Games helped distract him, too. “I spy in my little eye, something…orange,” Bobby challenged.

“The plastic fence down there,” guessed Dad.

“Nope!”

“The square with the number on that pole,” Dad said, pointing to one of the big poles holding up the chairlift.

“Nope.”

“The stripe on that guy’s jacket in front of us.”

“Nope.”

“Um…the sunshine?”

“No way. The sun looks more yellow than orange right now, Dad.”

“Okay, fine. I give up!” Dad said, throwing his head back in defeat.

“The writing on the band of your goggles!”

“Tricky, tricky. I’ll stump you next time.”

Bobby loved winning, but he was no longer focused on playing “I Spy.” They were close to the top.

“Ready?” Dad asked.

“Ready,” Bobby replied, removing his hands from the bar and skis from the little footrests connected to the bar between his legs.

Dad pulled the bar up and over their heads, and they looked forward. Skis straight and poles held tightly, they pushed themselves away from the seat and down the small hill their skis touched at the top.

This was Bobby’s second time skiing, and he was getting the hang of it. During his first time skiing, Dad taught him how to do the “pizza,” skiing with his skis in a wedge like a slice of pizza. Bobby had advanced since then and could now do the “french fries,” skiing with his skis parallel and straight like two french fries side by side. When he felt himself going too fast, he would point his skis to the side instead of down the mountain. That would help bring him to a stop.

Normally, Bobby stayed far away from the forest, while avoiding big groups of people and ice. Luckily, there was a lot of powdery Colorado snow on this mountain and definitely not as much ice as there was on the mountain he had skied in New England.

“Want to try skiing the glades?” Dad asked when they had stopped for a rest mid-trail. Dad nodded to where a path veered off the trail and into the woods. Bobby saw a few skiers follow the path into the trees. About 10 seconds later, they popped out a little ways down the trail.

Bobby felt nervous and excited. “Let’s do it!” he said with a grin.

“Okay, you go, and I’ll be right behind you. Don’t go too fast. Keep your eyes on the trail, and try to stay focused and relaxed.”

“Here we go!” Bobby hollered as he glided to the side of the trail, his skis falling in line with a path on the left that gradually curved into the woods. There were trees on either side of Bobby, and the narrow path dipped down and then up a bit, down and then up. It felt like a waterslide but better, because he was in control. There was one last bump on the path, where it exited the woods. When Bobby got to it, he had gained some speed and even got a few inches of air. He wobbled for a second, but quickly regained his balance.

“Awesome!” he thought.

They were near the bottom of the hill, and the lifts were about to close.

“Up for one more run?” Dad asked.

“No time for talking!” Bobby said, hurrying back to the chairlift.

1. Which winter sport are Bobby and his dad doing?

Dad pulled the bar up and over their heads, and they looked forward. Skis straight and poles held tightly, they pushed themselves away from the seat and down the small hill their skis touched at the top.

Multiple Choice

1. Which winter sport are Bobby and his dad doing?

• skiing

• snowboarding

• sledding

• snowshoeing

2. Bobby gets frightened when he rides the chairlift. How does Bobby deal with this problem?

Conversation helped distract him. He loved meeting people from all over the country, and even the world, on the chairlift. Games helped distract him, too. “I spy in my little eye, something…orange,” Bobby challenged.

Multiple Choice

2. Bobby gets frightened when he rides the chairlift. How does Bobby deal with this problem?

• Bobby closes his eyes.

• Bobby hums to himself.

• Bobby plays games and talks.

• Bobby holds on to his dad.

3. Bobby has gotten better at skiing since the first time he skied. What evidence from the passage best supports this conclusion?

This was Bobby’s second time skiing, and he was getting the hang of it. During his first time skiing, Dad taught him how to do the “pizza,” skiing with his skis in a wedge like a slice of pizza. Bobby had advanced since then and could now do the “french fries,” skiing with his skis parallel and straight like two french fries side by side. When he felt himself going too fast, he would point his skis to the side instead of down the mountain. That would help bring him to a stop.

Multiple Choice

3. Bobby has gotten better at skiing since the first time he skied. What evidence from the passage best supports this conclusion?

• “Luckily, there was lots of powdery Colorado snow on this mountain, and definitely not as much ice as there was on the mountains he had skied in New England.”

• “During his first time skiing, Dad taught him how to do the ‘pizza,’ skiing with his skis in a wedge like a slice of pizza. Bobby had advanced since then and could now do the ‘french fries,’ skiing with his skis parallel and straight like two french fries side by side.”

• “When he felt himself going too fast, he would point his skis to the side instead of down the mountain. That would help bring him to a stop.”

• “When Bobby got to it, he had gained some speed and even got a few inches of air. He wobbled for a second, but quickly regained his balance.”

4. What is one character trait of Bobby?

Multiple Choice

4. What is one character trait of Bobby?

• timid

• crafty

• aggressive

• adventurous

5. What is this story mostly about?

Multiple Choice

5. What is this story mostly about?

• Bobby and his dad spend the day skiing.

• Bobby gets over his fear of the chairlift.

• Bobby’s dad teaches him how to ski.

• Bobby and his dad play "I Spy" on the chairlift.

6. Read the following sentences:

“No matter how many times Bobby rode the chairlift, he always got frightened when he looked down. If he stared down long enough to get that tingly feeling, he’d grip the bar in front of him, take stock of the bar between his two legs, and reassure himself that he was secure.”

As used in this sentence, what does the word “reassure” most nearly mean?

Multiple Choice

6. What does the word “reassure” most nearly mean?

• to believe something false

• to do something that makes you stop worrying

• to do something that makes you scared and uneasy

• to face your fears