Tranquility Falls

Tranquility Falls

Brayden could not muster his usual enthusiasm for their annual father-son camping trip. The day before, Brayden’s parents had broken the news to him that he would be spending the remainder of his vacation studying algebra in summer school.

Introduction (Continued)

Six weeks of finding the value of x. No skateboarding with his friends or swimming at the community pool. Brayden chewed on his straw, the empty juice pouch hovering in front of his face. He hoisted his backpack and slung its straps over his shoulders.

Multiple Choice

Read the sentence from the story.

He hoisted his backpack and slung its straps over his shoulders.

What does the use of the words hoisted and slung suggest?

• A. It indicates that the backpack is heavy.

• B. It clarifies how the backpack should be carried.

• C. It illustrates that the backpack is difficult for Brayden to handle.

• D. It shows that carrying the backpack is a new experience for Brayden.

Paragraph 1

 Tranquility Falls glittered like fine sugar in the distance as Brayden and his father pulled up to the trailhead. Brayden opened the car door and recoiled at the sharp scent of pine. He slurped the last bit of juice from his juice pouch and flattened the container.

Multiple Choice

Which word BEST replaces recoiled without changing the meaning of the sentence?

Brayden opened the car door and recoiled at the sharp scent of pine.

• A. blinked

• B. cringed

• C. leaped

• D. hesitated

Paragraph 2

 “Leave your trash in the car or we’ll just have to carry it back—pack it in, pack it out,” yelled his father, already twenty yards up the trail. The car chirped as his father locked it too quickly for Brayden to do as he was asked. “Let’s go, slowpoke! First-night festivities await!” Brayden groaned, stuffed the juice pouch into his back pocket, and followed his father up the trail.

Paragraph 3

 Six miles from the trailhead, they began to set up camp in the forest along the Tranquility River. It had been a long, tiresome hike, and Brayden now struggled to set up his new tent until his patience was spent. When his father tried to help, Brayden snapped. “Can you quit rushing me? I can do this by myself!” Brayden dropped his poles onto a heap of twisted nylon and stormed off toward the river. 

Multiple Choice

This question has two parts. Answer Part A, and then answer Part B.

Part A How does the author build suspense in the first half of the story?

• A. by showing that Brayden does not like the smells of the forest

• B. by showing the father tell a tale with a message

• C. by showing Brayden becoming angry

• D. by showing the father quickly locking the car

Multiple Choice

Part B Which text from the story BEST supports the answer in Part A?

• A. “Let’s go, slowpoke! First-night festivities await!”

• B. “Can you quit rushing me? I can do this by myself!”

• C. Upriver, Brayden stood on his favorite boulder and watched the sun sink beneath the trees.

• D. Brayden was silent as he ate his dinner and endured his father’s cheesiest tradition, the proprietary and confidential first-night campfire story.

Paragraph 4

Upriver, Brayden stood on his favorite boulder and watched the sun sink beneath the trees. As he sat down, the juice pouch in his back pocket crinkled, reminding him of the morning, of summer school, and of his dad shutting the car before he was ready. He grabbed the pouch and threw it at the water as hard as he could. Sighing, he turned to head back to the camp.

Multiple Choice

Why does Brayden MOST LIKELY throw the juice pouch into the river?

• A. He does not know any better.

• B. He does not want to carry it around.

• C. He is bored from spending time with his family.

• D. He is expressing his frustration with recent events.

Paragraph 5

 By the time Brayden returned to the camp, it was pitch black, save for the light of the campfire that had guided him back. Brayden was silent as he ate his dinner and endured his father’s cheesiest tradition, the proprietary and confidential first-night campfire story. 

Multiple Choice

Which sentence from the story shows that Brayden has negative feelings?

• A. He slurped the last bit of juice from his juice pouch and flattened the container.

• B. He hoisted his backpack and slung its straps over his shoulders.

• C. He grabbed the pouch and threw it at the water as hard as he could.

• D. He turned and saw a coyote directly opposite him on the other side of the river.

Paragraph 6

“Native Americans say that Bear was king of this land once,” his father began in a hushed voice, “as his father had been king before him. He had a great temper; he slept in the open and was proud, vain, and greedy. He left a trail of waste and wreckage everywhere he went as a warning to all who crossed his path. One day Coyote dared to approach him and said, ‘Bear, I will have pups soon, and it breaks my heart to think they will have to live as I do, in the wake of your thoughtlessness!’ Bear roared with rage and tossed Coyote aside by her ears, but as he did this, he saw behind her a river flowing not with water, but with his own thoughtless waste. Ashamed, Bear dug a den and stayed in it for five months, eating mostly berries, plants, and fish when he emerged. Forever onward to this day, the bears eat this way, and all stay in their dens for five months a year in observance of their former king’s great realization: the land is not ours to own, but rather just to borrow.”

Paragraph 7

The next morning, Brayden went to the river to splash cold water on his face. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a silver flash in the water: his empty juice pouch was stuck in some low-hanging branches. His father’s story echoed in his mind and made him think about his own thoughtlessness. He grabbed the juice pouch and slowly walked back to the camp.

Multiple Choice

How does the campfire story influence Brayden’s actions?

• A. by inspiring Brayden to pick up his litter

• B. by giving Brayden an example of forgiveness

• C. by inspiring Brayden to go camping again

• D. by giving Brayden a reason to talk to his father

Paragraph 8

When he arrived at the camp, he saw his father picking up the trash from breakfast. “I’m sorry, Dad,” Brayden sighed. “I’ve just been really frustrated . . . like I can’t get everything done right, you know? I think I started this trip off on the wrong foot.” His father gave him a look of understanding and an affectionate pat on the back.

Multiple Choice

What is a similarity between Brayden and Bear in the story?

• A. They are both happier outdoors than indoors.

• B. They both expect to have things done for them.

• C. They are both influenced by a wise father figure.

• D. They both learn that being considerate is important.

Paragraph 8

That evening before dinner, as Brayden walked to his boulder, a blur of rust-colored movement caught his eye. He turned and saw a coyote directly opposite him on the other side of the river. The beautiful animal stared at Brayden for a brief moment. Then she inclined her head toward him and seemed to nod, before turning away and disappearing into the purple twilight.

Multiple Choice

What does the phrase seemed to nod suggest to the reader?

Then she inclined her head toward him and seemed to nod, before turning away and disappearing into the purple twilight.

• A. The coyote accepts Brayden’s presence within her territory.

• B. The coyote believes Brayden is someone who can be trusted.

• C. The coyote approves of Brayden’s effort to correct his mistake.

• D. The coyote recognizes Brayden from his many trips to the area.

Multiple Choice

How does the story draw from traditional works of fiction?

• A. The main character goes on a quest.

• B. The main character has to correct his mistake.

• C. The main character outsmarts an enemy.

• D. The main character must overcome his pride.