Unit 1 Review

Multiple Choice

Mrs. Gorf had a long tongue and pointed ears. She was the meanest teacher in Wayside School. She taught the class on the thirtieth story. 

 

“If you children are bad,” she warned, “or if you answer a problem wrong, I’ll wiggle my ears, stick out my tongue, and turn you into apples!” Mrs. Gorf didn’t like children, but she loved apples.

 

Joe couldn’t add. He couldn’t even count. But he knew that if he answered a problem wrong, he would be turned into an apple. So he copied from John. He didn’t like to cheat, but Mrs. Gorf had never taught him how to add.

 

One day Mrs. Gorf caught Joe copying John’s paper. She wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned him into an apple. Then she turned John into an apple for letting Joe cheat.

 

“Hey, that isn’t fair,” said Todd. “John was only trying to help a friend.”

 

Mrs. Gorf wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left –stuck out her tongue, and turned Todd into an apple. “Does anybody else have an opinion?” she asked.

 

Nobody said a word.

 

Mrs. Gorf laughed and placed the three apples on her desk.

 

Stephen started to cry. He couldn’t help it. He was scared.

 

“I do not allow crying in the classroom,” said Mrs. Gorf. She wiggled her ears – first her right – then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned Stephen into an apple.

 

For the rest of the day, the children were absolutely quiet. When they went home, they were too scared even to talk to their parents.

 

But Joe, John, Todd, and Stephen couldn’t go home. Mrs. Gorf just left them on her desk. They were able to talk to each other, but they didn’t have much to say.

 

Their parents were very worried. They didn’t know where their children were. Nobody seemed to know.

The next day Kathy was late for school. As soon as she walked in, Mrs. Gorf turned her into an apple.

 

Paul sneezed during class. He was turned into an apple.

 

Nancy said, “God bless you!” when Paul sneezed. Mrs. Gorf wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned Nancy into an apple.

 

Terrence fell out of his chair. He was turned into an apple.

 

Maurecia tried to run away. She was halfway to the door as Mrs. Gorf’s right ear began to wiggle. When she reached the door, Mrs. Gorf’s left ear wiggled. Maurecia opened the door and had one foot outside when Mrs. Gorf stuck out her tongue. Maurecia became an apple.

 

Mrs. Gorf picked up the apple from the floor and put it on her desk with the others. Then a funny thing happened. Mrs. Gorf turned around and fell over a piece of chalk.

 

The three Erics laughed. They were turned into apples.

 

Mrs. Gorf had a dozen apples on her desk: Joe, John, Todd, Stephen, Kathy, Paul, Nancy, Terrence, Maurecia, and the three Erics—Eric Fry, Eric Bacon, and Eric Owens.

 

Louis, the yard teacher, walked into the classroom. He had missed the children at recess. He had heard that Mrs. Gorf was a mean teacher, so he came up to investigate. He saw the twelve apples on her desk. “I must be wrong,” he thought.” She must be a good teacher if so many children bring her apples.” He walked back down to the playground.

 

The next day a dozen more children were turned into apples. Louis, the yard teacher, came back into the room. He saw twenty-four apples on Mrs. Gorf’s desk. There were only three children left in the class. “She must be the best teacher in the world,” he thought.

Mrs. Gorf had a long tongue and pointed ears. She was the meanest teacher in Wayside School. She taught the class on the thirtieth story. 

 

“If you children are bad,” she warned, “or if you answer a problem wrong, I’ll wiggle my ears, stick out my tongue, and turn you into apples!” Mrs. Gorf didn’t like children, but she loved apples.

 

Joe couldn’t add. He couldn’t even count. But he knew that if he answered a problem wrong, he would be turned into an apple. So he copied from John. He didn’t like to cheat, but Mrs. Gorf had never taught him how to add.

 

One day Mrs. Gorf caught Joe copying John’s paper. She wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned him into an apple. Then she turned John into an apple for letting Joe cheat.

 

“Hey, that isn’t fair,” said Todd. “John was only trying to help a friend.”

 

Mrs. Gorf wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left –stuck out her tongue, and turned Todd into an apple. “Does anybody else have an opinion?” she asked.

 

Nobody said a word.

 

Mrs. Gorf laughed and placed the three apples on her desk.

 

Stephen started to cry. He couldn’t help it. He was scared.

 

“I do not allow crying in the classroom,” said Mrs. Gorf. She wiggled her ears – first her right – then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned Stephen into an apple.

 

For the rest of the day, the children were absolutely quiet. When they went home, they were too scared even to talk to their parents.

 

But Joe, John, Todd, and Stephen couldn’t go home. Mrs. Gorf just left them on her desk. They were able to talk to each other, but they didn’t have much to say.

 

Their parents were very worried. They didn’t know where their children were. Nobody seemed to know.

The next day Kathy was late for school. As soon as she walked in, Mrs. Gorf turned her into an apple.

 

Paul sneezed during class. He was turned into an apple.

 

Nancy said, “God bless you!” when Paul sneezed. Mrs. Gorf wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned Nancy into an apple.

 

Terrence fell out of his chair. He was turned into an apple.

 

Maurecia tried to run away. She was halfway to the door as Mrs. Gorf’s right ear began to wiggle. When she reached the door, Mrs. Gorf’s left ear wiggled. Maurecia opened the door and had one foot outside when Mrs. Gorf stuck out her tongue. Maurecia became an apple.

 

Mrs. Gorf picked up the apple from the floor and put it on her desk with the others. Then a funny thing happened. Mrs. Gorf turned around and fell over a piece of chalk.

 

The three Erics laughed. They were turned into apples.

 

Mrs. Gorf had a dozen apples on her desk: Joe, John, Todd, Stephen, Kathy, Paul, Nancy, Terrence, Maurecia, and the three Erics—Eric Fry, Eric Bacon, and Eric Owens.

 

Louis, the yard teacher, walked into the classroom. He had missed the children at recess. He had heard that Mrs. Gorf was a mean teacher, so he came up to investigate. He saw the twelve apples on her desk. “I must be wrong,” he thought.” She must be a good teacher if so many children bring her apples.” He walked back down to the playground.

 

"Louis saw the number of apples on Mrs. Gorf's desk and thought that she must be the best teacher in the world, even though the reader knows that she was very mean and turned students into apples."

This evidence supports the development of which of the following themes?

• Sometimes things are not quite as they seem.

• The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

• What goes around comes around.

• You win some you lose some.

Multiple Choice

Mrs. Gorf had a long tongue and pointed ears. She was the meanest teacher in Wayside School. She taught the class on the thirtieth story. 

 

“If you children are bad,” she warned, “or if you answer a problem wrong, I’ll wiggle my ears, stick out my tongue, and turn you into apples!” Mrs. Gorf didn’t like children, but she loved apples.

 

Joe couldn’t add. He couldn’t even count. But he knew that if he answered a problem wrong, he would be turned into an apple. So he copied from John. He didn’t like to cheat, but Mrs. Gorf had never taught him how to add.

 

One day Mrs. Gorf caught Joe copying John’s paper. She wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned him into an apple. Then she turned John into an apple for letting Joe cheat.

 

“Hey, that isn’t fair,” said Todd. “John was only trying to help a friend.”

 

Mrs. Gorf wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left –stuck out her tongue, and turned Todd into an apple. “Does anybody else have an opinion?” she asked.

 

Nobody said a word.

 

Mrs. Gorf laughed and placed the three apples on her desk.

 

Stephen started to cry. He couldn’t help it. He was scared.

 

“I do not allow crying in the classroom,” said Mrs. Gorf. She wiggled her ears – first her right – then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned Stephen into an apple.

 

For the rest of the day, the children were absolutely quiet. When they went home, they were too scared even to talk to their parents.

 

But Joe, John, Todd, and Stephen couldn’t go home. Mrs. Gorf just left them on her desk. They were able to talk to each other, but they didn’t have much to say.

 

Their parents were very worried. They didn’t know where their children were. Nobody seemed to know.

The next day Kathy was late for school. As soon as she walked in, Mrs. Gorf turned her into an apple.

 

Paul sneezed during class. He was turned into an apple.

 

Nancy said, “God bless you!” when Paul sneezed. Mrs. Gorf wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned Nancy into an apple.

 

Terrence fell out of his chair. He was turned into an apple.

 

Maurecia tried to run away. She was halfway to the door as Mrs. Gorf’s right ear began to wiggle. When she reached the door, Mrs. Gorf’s left ear wiggled. Maurecia opened the door and had one foot outside when Mrs. Gorf stuck out her tongue. Maurecia became an apple.

 

Mrs. Gorf picked up the apple from the floor and put it on her desk with the others. Then a funny thing happened. Mrs. Gorf turned around and fell over a piece of chalk.

 

The three Erics laughed. They were turned into apples.

 

Mrs. Gorf had a dozen apples on her desk: Joe, John, Todd, Stephen, Kathy, Paul, Nancy, Terrence, Maurecia, and the three Erics—Eric Fry, Eric Bacon, and Eric Owens.

 

Louis, the yard teacher, walked into the classroom. He had missed the children at recess. He had heard that Mrs. Gorf was a mean teacher, so he came up to investigate. He saw the twelve apples on her desk. “I must be wrong,” he thought.” She must be a good teacher if so many children bring her apples.” He walked back down to the playground.

 

The next day a dozen more children were turned into apples. Louis, the yard teacher, came back into the room. He saw twenty-four apples on Mrs. Gorf’s desk. There were only three children left in the class. “She must be the best teacher in the world,” he thought.

Which is the best summary of the selection?

• Mrs. Gorf  was the meanest teacher in her school, and when her students misbehaved or displeased her, she turned them into apples. Louis, the yard teacher, saw all of the apples on her desk and thought she was the greatest teacher in the world. 

• Mrs. Gorf was a mean teacher. Joe cheated on his work. Kathy was late to class. The three Erics laughed when Mrs. Gorf got hurt. Even though her class was challenging, Louis, the yard teacher, thought Mrs. Gorf was the best teacher in the world.

• Mrs. Gorf was a mean teacher. All of her students went missing. The parents looked for them, but couldn't find them. Louis, the yard teacher, thought she was the best teacher in the world. 

• Mrs. Gorf was a mean teacher who liked apples. Her students brought them to her each day. By the end of the story, she only had three students left, but she had twenty-four apples. Louis, the yard teacher, thought she was the best teacher in the world. 

Multiple Choice

Mrs. Gorf had a long tongue and pointed ears. She was the meanest teacher in Wayside School. She taught the class on the thirtieth story. 

 

“If you children are bad,” she warned, “or if you answer a problem wrong, I’ll wiggle my ears, stick out my tongue, and turn you into apples!” Mrs. Gorf didn’t like children, but she loved apples.

 

Joe couldn’t add. He couldn’t even count. But he knew that if he answered a problem wrong, he would be turned into an apple. So he copied from John. He didn’t like to cheat, but Mrs. Gorf had never taught him how to add.

 

One day Mrs. Gorf caught Joe copying John’s paper. She wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned him into an apple. Then she turned John into an apple for letting Joe cheat.

 

“Hey, that isn’t fair,” said Todd. “John was only trying to help a friend.”

 

Mrs. Gorf wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left –stuck out her tongue, and turned Todd into an apple. “Does anybody else have an opinion?” she asked.

 

Nobody said a word.

 

Mrs. Gorf laughed and placed the three apples on her desk.

 

Stephen started to cry. He couldn’t help it. He was scared.

 

“I do not allow crying in the classroom,” said Mrs. Gorf. She wiggled her ears – first her right – then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned Stephen into an apple.

 

For the rest of the day, the children were absolutely quiet. When they went home, they were too scared even to talk to their parents.

 

But Joe, John, Todd, and Stephen couldn’t go home. Mrs. Gorf just left them on her desk. They were able to talk to each other, but they didn’t have much to say.

 

Their parents were very worried. They didn’t know where their children were. Nobody seemed to know.

The next day Kathy was late for school. As soon as she walked in, Mrs. Gorf turned her into an apple.

 

Paul sneezed during class. He was turned into an apple.

 

Nancy said, “God bless you!” when Paul sneezed. Mrs. Gorf wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned Nancy into an apple.

 

Terrence fell out of his chair. He was turned into an apple.

 

Maurecia tried to run away. She was halfway to the door as Mrs. Gorf’s right ear began to wiggle. When she reached the door, Mrs. Gorf’s left ear wiggled. Maurecia opened the door and had one foot outside when Mrs. Gorf stuck out her tongue. Maurecia became an apple.

 

Mrs. Gorf picked up the apple from the floor and put it on her desk with the others. Then a funny thing happened. Mrs. Gorf turned around and fell over a piece of chalk.

 

The three Erics laughed. They were turned into apples.

 

Mrs. Gorf had a dozen apples on her desk: Joe, John, Todd, Stephen, Kathy, Paul, Nancy, Terrence, Maurecia, and the three Erics—Eric Fry, Eric Bacon, and Eric Owens.

 

Louis, the yard teacher, walked into the classroom. He had missed the children at recess. He had heard that Mrs. Gorf was a mean teacher, so he came up to investigate. He saw the twelve apples on her desk. “I must be wrong,” he thought.” She must be a good teacher if so many children bring her apples.” He walked back down to the playground.

 

The next day a dozen more children were turned into apples. Louis, the yard teacher, came back into the room. He saw twenty-four apples on Mrs. Gorf’s desk. There were only three children left in the class. “She must be the best teacher in the world,” he thought.

How did the conflict with Mrs. Gorf cause Joe's actions in class?

• Joe was mad at Mrs. Gorf, so he cheated.

• Joe forgot to study for a test, so he cheated.

• Joe was scared to get a problem wrong, so he cheated.

• Joe didn't like school or Mrs. Gorf, so he cheated. 

Multiple Choice

Mrs. Gorf had a long tongue and pointed ears. She was the meanest teacher in Wayside School. She taught the class on the thirtieth story. 

 

“If you children are bad,” she warned, “or if you answer a problem wrong, I’ll wiggle my ears, stick out my tongue, and turn you into apples!” Mrs. Gorf didn’t like children, but she loved apples.

 

Joe couldn’t add. He couldn’t even count. But he knew that if he answered a problem wrong, he would be turned into an apple. So he copied from John. He didn’t like to cheat, but Mrs. Gorf had never taught him how to add.

 

One day Mrs. Gorf caught Joe copying John’s paper. She wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned him into an apple. Then she turned John into an apple for letting Joe cheat.

 

“Hey, that isn’t fair,” said Todd. “John was only trying to help a friend.”

 

Mrs. Gorf wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left –stuck out her tongue, and turned Todd into an apple. “Does anybody else have an opinion?” she asked.

 

Nobody said a word.

 

Mrs. Gorf laughed and placed the three apples on her desk.

 

Stephen started to cry. He couldn’t help it. He was scared.

 

“I do not allow crying in the classroom,” said Mrs. Gorf. She wiggled her ears – first her right – then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned Stephen into an apple.

 

For the rest of the day, the children were absolutely quiet. When they went home, they were too scared even to talk to their parents.

 

But Joe, John, Todd, and Stephen couldn’t go home. Mrs. Gorf just left them on her desk. They were able to talk to each other, but they didn’t have much to say.

 

Their parents were very worried. They didn’t know where their children were. Nobody seemed to know.

The next day Kathy was late for school. As soon as she walked in, Mrs. Gorf turned her into an apple.

 

Paul sneezed during class. He was turned into an apple.

 

Nancy said, “God bless you!” when Paul sneezed. Mrs. Gorf wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned Nancy into an apple.

 

Terrence fell out of his chair. He was turned into an apple.

 

Maurecia tried to run away. She was halfway to the door as Mrs. Gorf’s right ear began to wiggle. When she reached the door, Mrs. Gorf’s left ear wiggled. Maurecia opened the door and had one foot outside when Mrs. Gorf stuck out her tongue. Maurecia became an apple.

 

Mrs. Gorf picked up the apple from the floor and put it on her desk with the others. Then a funny thing happened. Mrs. Gorf turned around and fell over a piece of chalk.

 

The three Erics laughed. They were turned into apples.

 

Mrs. Gorf had a dozen apples on her desk: Joe, John, Todd, Stephen, Kathy, Paul, Nancy, Terrence, Maurecia, and the three Erics—Eric Fry, Eric Bacon, and Eric Owens.

 

Louis, the yard teacher, walked into the classroom. He had missed the children at recess. He had heard that Mrs. Gorf was a mean teacher, so he came up to investigate. He saw the twelve apples on her desk. “I must be wrong,” he thought.” She must be a good teacher if so many children bring her apples.” He walked back down to the playground.

 

The next day a dozen more children were turned into apples. Louis, the yard teacher, came back into the room. He saw twenty-four apples on Mrs. Gorf’s desk. There were only three children left in the class. “She must be the best teacher in the world,” he thought.

The main conflict in the story results in _____________ changing into ______________.

• Mrs. Gorf changing into a nice teacher. 

• Mrs. Gorf changing into a mean teacher.

• Students changing into apples.

• Louis, the yard teacher changing into a classroom teacher.

Multiple Choice

Mrs. Gorf had a long tongue and pointed ears. She was the meanest teacher in Wayside School. She taught the class on the thirtieth story. 

 

“If you children are bad,” she warned, “or if you answer a problem wrong, I’ll wiggle my ears, stick out my tongue, and turn you into apples!” Mrs. Gorf didn’t like children, but she loved apples.

 

Joe couldn’t add. He couldn’t even count. But he knew that if he answered a problem wrong, he would be turned into an apple. So he copied from John. He didn’t like to cheat, but Mrs. Gorf had never taught him how to add.

 

One day Mrs. Gorf caught Joe copying John’s paper. She wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned him into an apple. Then she turned John into an apple for letting Joe cheat.

 

“Hey, that isn’t fair,” said Todd. “John was only trying to help a friend.”

 

Mrs. Gorf wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left –stuck out her tongue, and turned Todd into an apple. “Does anybody else have an opinion?” she asked.

 

Nobody said a word.

 

Mrs. Gorf laughed and placed the three apples on her desk.

 

Stephen started to cry. He couldn’t help it. He was scared.

 

“I do not allow crying in the classroom,” said Mrs. Gorf. She wiggled her ears – first her right – then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned Stephen into an apple.

 

For the rest of the day, the children were absolutely quiet. When they went home, they were too scared even to talk to their parents.

 

But Joe, John, Todd, and Stephen couldn’t go home. Mrs. Gorf just left them on her desk. They were able to talk to each other, but they didn’t have much to say.

 

Their parents were very worried. They didn’t know where their children were. Nobody seemed to know.

The next day Kathy was late for school. As soon as she walked in, Mrs. Gorf turned her into an apple.

 

Paul sneezed during class. He was turned into an apple.

 

Nancy said, “God bless you!” when Paul sneezed. Mrs. Gorf wiggled her ears ---first her right one, then her left—stuck out her tongue, and turned Nancy into an apple.

 

Terrence fell out of his chair. He was turned into an apple.

 

Maurecia tried to run away. She was halfway to the door as Mrs. Gorf’s right ear began to wiggle. When she reached the door, Mrs. Gorf’s left ear wiggled. Maurecia opened the door and had one foot outside when Mrs. Gorf stuck out her tongue. Maurecia became an apple.

 

Mrs. Gorf picked up the apple from the floor and put it on her desk with the others. Then a funny thing happened. Mrs. Gorf turned around and fell over a piece of chalk.

 

The three Erics laughed. They were turned into apples.

 

Mrs. Gorf had a dozen apples on her desk: Joe, John, Todd, Stephen, Kathy, Paul, Nancy, Terrence, Maurecia, and the three Erics—Eric Fry, Eric Bacon, and Eric Owens.

 

Louis, the yard teacher, walked into the classroom. He had missed the children at recess. He had heard that Mrs. Gorf was a mean teacher, so he came up to investigate. He saw the twelve apples on her desk. “I must be wrong,” he thought.” She must be a good teacher if so many children bring her apples.” He walked back down to the playground.

 

The next day a dozen more children were turned into apples. Louis, the yard teacher, came back into the room. He saw twenty-four apples on Mrs. Gorf’s desk. There were only three children left in the class. “She must be the best teacher in the world,” he thought.

Which statement BEST explains why Mrs. Gorf changes students into apples?

• The students forgot their homework. 

• The students answered a problem wrong or misbehaved.

• The students were quiet in the hallway. 

• The students did not bring apples to Mrs. Gorf. 

Multiple Choice

     The kids in Mrs. Brisbane’s class love taking care of their hamster, Humphrey.  The weekends are especially fun because one of them takes Humphrey home.  This weekend, the lucky student is A.J. 

 

     The bus let us ofatto A. J.’s house.  It was a two-story old house with a big porch.  As soon as I entered, I got a warm welcome from A. J.’s mom, his younger brother, Ty, his little sister, DeeLee, and his baby brother, Beau. 

 

     “Anthony James, introduce us to your little friend,” his mom said, greeting us. 

 

     Anthony James?  Everybody at school called A.J. by his initials or just “Aje.”

 

     “This is Humphrey,” he answered.

 

     “Hello, Humphrey,” said Mrs. Thomas.  “So how was your day, Anthony?”

 

     “Lousy.  Garth kept shooting rubber bands at me.  He won’t leave me alone.”

 

     “But you two used to be friends,” his mother said.

 

     “Used to be,” said A.J.  “Until he turned into a JERK.”

 

     Mom patted her son on the shoulder.  “Well, you’ve got the whole weekend to get over it.  Now take Humphrey into the den and get him settled.” 

 

     Mrs. Brisbane called him “Lower-Your-Voice-A.J. because A.J. always talked extra loud in class.  I soon noticed that everybody at A. J.’s house talked extra loud.  They had to, because in the background the TV was always blaring. 

 

     Now, every house I’ve been in so far has a TV, and I’ve always enjoyed some of the shows I’ve seen. 

 

     There’s one channel that has nothing but frightening shows about wild animals attacking one another.  I mean wild, like tigers and bears and hippopotamuses.  (Gee, I hope that’s not on our vocabulary test in the near future.)  Those shows make me appreciate the protection of a nice cage.  As long as the lock doesn’t quite lock. 

 

     There’s another channel that only has people in funny-looking clothes dancing and singing in very strange places.  It makes me glad that I have a fur coat and don’t have to figure out what to wear every day. 

 

     Mostly, I like the cartoon shows.  Sometimes they have mice and rabbits and other interesting rodents, although I’ve never seen a hamster show.  Yet. 

 

     Anyway, the difference at the Thomas’s’ house is that the television is on all the time.  There’s a TV on a table across from a big comfy couch and a big comfy chair and someone’s almost always sitting there watching.  I know because they put my cage down on the floor next to the couch.  I had a very good view of the TV. 

 

     A few hours later, the doorbell rang.

 

     The visitor turned out to be Garth Tugwell and his father!  “I really appreciate this,” Mr. Tugwell told the Thomases.  “It was Mrs. Brisbane’s idea.  Since Garth can’t have Humphrey at our house right now, she suggested that he could help A.J. take care of him over here.”

 

     Sounds like Mrs. Brisbane.  As if I’m trouble to take care of. 

 

     But Garth had been crying because he couldn’t have me.  So maybe—maybe—she was trying to be nice. 

 

     After Mr. Tugwell left, Mr. Thomas called A. J. in. 

 

     A. J. ran into the room and practically backed out again when he saw Garth. 

 

     “We have a guest,” said Mr. Thomas.  “Shake hands, Anthony.  Garth is here to help you take care of Humphrey.”

 

     A.J. and Garth reluctantly shook hands. 

 

     “How come?” asked A.J.

 

     Garth shrugged his shoulders.  “Mrs. Brisbane said to.”

 

     “Well, come on.  We’ll clean his cage and get it over with,” A.J. said. 

 

     The boys didn’t talk much while they cleaned the cage.  But they started giggling when they cleaned up my potty corner.  (I don’t know why that makes everybody giggle.)

 

     After they stopped giggling, they started talking and kidding around.  They decided to let me out of the cage, so they took a set of old blocks from DeeLee’s room and built me a huge maze.  Oh, I love mazes.

 

      When we were all tired of that game, A.J. offered to teach Garth to play Crazy Eights and then Ty and DeeLee joined them in a game of Go Fish. 

 

     Nobody mentioned the TV.  Nobody shot any rubber bands. 

 

     Later in the afternoon, the kids were all outside playing football.  I was fast asleep until Mrs. Thomas came into the den with a broom and started sweeping.  A minute later, Mr. Thomas entered. 

 

     “What are you doing, hon?”

 

     “What does it look like?  I’m sweeping.  You know, all the snacking we do in here makes a real mess on the floor,” she said. 

 

     “Beau’s asleep?” her husband asked.

 

     “Uh-huh.”

 

     Mr. Thomas walked over to his wife and took the broom away from her.  “Then you sit down and rest a spell, hon.  I’ll sweep.  Go on, don’t argue.”

 

     Mrs. Thomas smiled and thanked him and sat down on the couch.  Mr. Thomas swept all around the outside of the room. 

 

     Even behind the TV.  Uh-oh.

 

     When he got there, he stopped sweeping and leaned down. 

 

     “Well, I’ll be,” he muttered. 

 

     “What’s wrong?” asked Mrs. Thomas. 

 

     “The TV is unplugged,” he said.  “It’s unplugged!”  He came out from behind the TV, plug in hand and a very puzzled look on his face. 

 

     “But it couldn’t have just come unplugged while we were sitting there watching.  I mean, a plug doesn’t just fall out,” he said. 

 

     “Plug it in.  See if it works,” his wife told him. 

 

     Well, you guessed it.  The TV came on as bright and loud as ever.

 

     “I don’t get it,” Mr. Thomas muttered.  “But at least we don’t have to pay to get it fixed.”

 

     Mrs. Thomas stared at the screen for a few seconds, then glanced out the window at the kids playing happily outside. 

 

      “Charlie, what do you say we keep it unplugged for a couple more days?” she asked.  “We just won’t tell the kids.”

 

      Mr. Thomas grinned.  Then he bent down and unplugged the TV.  “Couldn’t hurt,” he said. 

 

      He put down the broom and sat on the couch near his wife and the two of them just sat there in the den, giggling like—well, like Stop-Giggling-Gail! 

 

     Suddenly, Mr. Thomas looked over at me. 

 

      “You don’t mind a little peace and quiet, do you, Humphrey?”

 

      “NO-NO-NO!” I squeaked.  And I promptly fell asleep.

Which lesson did Mr. Thomas most likely learn in this passage?

• Beauty comes from within.

• Quality time with his wife is more important than TV.

• It is better to give than to receive. 

• Treat others the way you want to be treated. 

Multiple Choice

     The kids in Mrs. Brisbane’s class love taking care of their hamster, Humphrey.  The weekends are especially fun because one of them takes Humphrey home.  This weekend, the lucky student is A.J. 

 

     The bus let us ofatto A. J.’s house.  It was a two-story old house with a big porch.  As soon as I entered, I got a warm welcome from A. J.’s mom, his younger brother, Ty, his little sister, DeeLee, and his baby brother, Beau. 

 

     “Anthony James, introduce us to your little friend,” his mom said, greeting us. 

 

     Anthony James?  Everybody at school called A.J. by his initials or just “Aje.”

 

     “This is Humphrey,” he answered.

 

     “Hello, Humphrey,” said Mrs. Thomas.  “So how was your day, Anthony?”

 

     “Lousy.  Garth kept shooting rubber bands at me.  He won’t leave me alone.”

 

     “But you two used to be friends,” his mother said.

 

     “Used to be,” said A.J.  “Until he turned into a JERK.”

 

     Mom patted her son on the shoulder.  “Well, you’ve got the whole weekend to get over it.  Now take Humphrey into the den and get him settled.” 

 

     Mrs. Brisbane called him “Lower-Your-Voice-A.J. because A.J. always talked extra loud in class.  I soon noticed that everybody at A. J.’s house talked extra loud.  They had to, because in the background the TV was always blaring. 

 

     Now, every house I’ve been in so far has a TV, and I’ve always enjoyed some of the shows I’ve seen. 

 

     There’s one channel that has nothing but frightening shows about wild animals attacking one another.  I mean wild, like tigers and bears and hippopotamuses.  (Gee, I hope that’s not on our vocabulary test in the near future.)  Those shows make me appreciate the protection of a nice cage.  As long as the lock doesn’t quite lock. 

 

     There’s another channel that only has people in funny-looking clothes dancing and singing in very strange places.  It makes me glad that I have a fur coat and don’t have to figure out what to wear every day. 

 

     Mostly, I like the cartoon shows.  Sometimes they have mice and rabbits and other interesting rodents, although I’ve never seen a hamster show.  Yet. 

 

     Anyway, the difference at the Thomas’s’ house is that the television is on all the time.  There’s a TV on a table across from a big comfy couch and a big comfy chair and someone’s almost always sitting there watching.  I know because they put my cage down on the floor next to the couch.  I had a very good view of the TV. 

 

     A few hours later, the doorbell rang.

 

     The visitor turned out to be Garth Tugwell and his father!  “I really appreciate this,” Mr. Tugwell told the Thomases.  “It was Mrs. Brisbane’s idea.  Since Garth can’t have Humphrey at our house right now, she suggested that he could help A.J. take care of him over here.”

 

     Sounds like Mrs. Brisbane.  As if I’m trouble to take care of. 

 

     But Garth had been crying because he couldn’t have me.  So maybe—maybe—she was trying to be nice. 

 

     After Mr. Tugwell left, Mr. Thomas called A. J. in. 

 

     A. J. ran into the room and practically backed out again when he saw Garth. 

 

     “We have a guest,” said Mr. Thomas.  “Shake hands, Anthony.  Garth is here to help you take care of Humphrey.”

 

     A.J. and Garth reluctantly shook hands. 

 

     “How come?” asked A.J.

 

     Garth shrugged his shoulders.  “Mrs. Brisbane said to.”

 

     “Well, come on.  We’ll clean his cage and get it over with,” A.J. said. 

 

     The boys didn’t talk much while they cleaned the cage.  But they started giggling when they cleaned up my potty corner.  (I don’t know why that makes everybody giggle.)

 

     After they stopped giggling, they started talking and kidding around.  They decided to let me out of the cage, so they took a set of old blocks from DeeLee’s room and built me a huge maze.  Oh, I love mazes.

 

      When we were all tired of that game, A.J. offered to teach Garth to play Crazy Eights and then Ty and DeeLee joined them in a game of Go Fish. 

 

     Nobody mentioned the TV.  Nobody shot any rubber bands. 

 

     Later in the afternoon, the kids were all outside playing football.  I was fast asleep until Mrs. Thomas came into the den with a broom and started sweeping.  A minute later, Mr. Thomas entered. 

 

     “What are you doing, hon?”

 

     “What does it look like?  I’m sweeping.  You know, all the snacking we do in here makes a real mess on the floor,” she said. 

 

     “Beau’s asleep?” her husband asked.

 

     “Uh-huh.”

 

     Mr. Thomas walked over to his wife and took the broom away from her.  “Then you sit down and rest a spell, hon.  I’ll sweep.  Go on, don’t argue.”

 

     Mrs. Thomas smiled and thanked him and sat down on the couch.  Mr. Thomas swept all around the outside of the room. 

 

     Even behind the TV.  Uh-oh.

 

     When he got there, he stopped sweeping and leaned down. 

 

     “Well, I’ll be,” he muttered. 

 

     “What’s wrong?” asked Mrs. Thomas. 

 

     “The TV is unplugged,” he said.  “It’s unplugged!”  He came out from behind the TV, plug in hand and a very puzzled look on his face. 

 

     “But it couldn’t have just come unplugged while we were sitting there watching.  I mean, a plug doesn’t just fall out,” he said. 

 

     “Plug it in.  See if it works,” his wife told him. 

 

     Well, you guessed it.  The TV came on as bright and loud as ever.

 

     “I don’t get it,” Mr. Thomas muttered.  “But at least we don’t have to pay to get it fixed.”

 

     Mrs. Thomas stared at the screen for a few seconds, then glanced out the window at the kids playing happily outside. 

 

      “Charlie, what do you say we keep it unplugged for a couple more days?” she asked.  “We just won’t tell the kids.”

 

      Mr. Thomas grinned.  Then he bent down and unplugged the TV.  “Couldn’t hurt,” he said. 

 

      He put down the broom and sat on the couch near his wife and the two of them just sat there in the den, giggling like—well, like Stop-Giggling-Gail! 

 

     Suddenly, Mr. Thomas looked over at me. 

 

      “You don’t mind a little peace and quiet, do you, Humphrey?”

 

      “NO-NO-NO!” I squeaked.  And I promptly fell asleep.

Which detail is NOT important to the theme?

• "Nobody mentioned the TV."

• "Charlie, what do you say we keep it unplugged for a couple more days?" she asked. 

• "Mrs. Thomas stared at the screen for a few seconds, then glanced out the window at the kids playing happily outside."

• "Mr. Thomas swept all around the outside of the room."

Multiple Choice

     The kids in Mrs. Brisbane’s class love taking care of their hamster, Humphrey.  The weekends are especially fun because one of them takes Humphrey home.  This weekend, the lucky student is A.J. 

 

     The bus let us ofatto A. J.’s house.  It was a two-story old house with a big porch.  As soon as I entered, I got a warm welcome from A. J.’s mom, his younger brother, Ty, his little sister, DeeLee, and his baby brother, Beau. 

 

     “Anthony James, introduce us to your little friend,” his mom said, greeting us. 

 

     Anthony James?  Everybody at school called A.J. by his initials or just “Aje.”

 

     “This is Humphrey,” he answered.

 

     “Hello, Humphrey,” said Mrs. Thomas.  “So how was your day, Anthony?”

 

     “Lousy.  Garth kept shooting rubber bands at me.  He won’t leave me alone.”

 

     “But you two used to be friends,” his mother said.

 

     “Used to be,” said A.J.  “Until he turned into a JERK.”

 

     Mom patted her son on the shoulder.  “Well, you’ve got the whole weekend to get over it.  Now take Humphrey into the den and get him settled.” 

 

     Mrs. Brisbane called him “Lower-Your-Voice-A.J. because A.J. always talked extra loud in class.  I soon noticed that everybody at A. J.’s house talked extra loud.  They had to, because in the background the TV was always blaring. 

 

     Now, every house I’ve been in so far has a TV, and I’ve always enjoyed some of the shows I’ve seen. 

 

     There’s one channel that has nothing but frightening shows about wild animals attacking one another.  I mean wild, like tigers and bears and hippopotamuses.  (Gee, I hope that’s not on our vocabulary test in the near future.)  Those shows make me appreciate the protection of a nice cage.  As long as the lock doesn’t quite lock. 

 

     There’s another channel that only has people in funny-looking clothes dancing and singing in very strange places.  It makes me glad that I have a fur coat and don’t have to figure out what to wear every day. 

 

     Mostly, I like the cartoon shows.  Sometimes they have mice and rabbits and other interesting rodents, although I’ve never seen a hamster show.  Yet. 

 

     Anyway, the difference at the Thomas’s’ house is that the television is on all the time.  There’s a TV on a table across from a big comfy couch and a big comfy chair and someone’s almost always sitting there watching.  I know because they put my cage down on the floor next to the couch.  I had a very good view of the TV. 

 

     A few hours later, the doorbell rang.

 

     The visitor turned out to be Garth Tugwell and his father!  “I really appreciate this,” Mr. Tugwell told the Thomases.  “It was Mrs. Brisbane’s idea.  Since Garth can’t have Humphrey at our house right now, she suggested that he could help A.J. take care of him over here.”

 

     Sounds like Mrs. Brisbane.  As if I’m trouble to take care of. 

 

     But Garth had been crying because he couldn’t have me.  So maybe—maybe—she was trying to be nice. 

 

     After Mr. Tugwell left, Mr. Thomas called A. J. in. 

 

     A. J. ran into the room and practically backed out again when he saw Garth. 

 

     “We have a guest,” said Mr. Thomas.  “Shake hands, Anthony.  Garth is here to help you take care of Humphrey.”

 

     A.J. and Garth reluctantly shook hands. 

 

     “How come?” asked A.J.

 

     Garth shrugged his shoulders.  “Mrs. Brisbane said to.”

 

     “Well, come on.  We’ll clean his cage and get it over with,” A.J. said. 

 

     The boys didn’t talk much while they cleaned the cage.  But they started giggling when they cleaned up my potty corner.  (I don’t know why that makes everybody giggle.)

 

     After they stopped giggling, they started talking and kidding around.  They decided to let me out of the cage, so they took a set of old blocks from DeeLee’s room and built me a huge maze.  Oh, I love mazes.

 

      When we were all tired of that game, A.J. offered to teach Garth to play Crazy Eights and then Ty and DeeLee joined them in a game of Go Fish. 

 

     Nobody mentioned the TV.  Nobody shot any rubber bands. 

 

     Later in the afternoon, the kids were all outside playing football.  I was fast asleep until Mrs. Thomas came into the den with a broom and started sweeping.  A minute later, Mr. Thomas entered. 

 

     “What are you doing, hon?”

 

     “What does it look like?  I’m sweeping.  You know, all the snacking we do in here makes a real mess on the floor,” she said. 

 

     “Beau’s asleep?” her husband asked.

 

     “Uh-huh.”

 

     Mr. Thomas walked over to his wife and took the broom away from her.  “Then you sit down and rest a spell, hon.  I’ll sweep.  Go on, don’t argue.”

 

     Mrs. Thomas smiled and thanked him and sat down on the couch.  Mr. Thomas swept all around the outside of the room. 

 

     Even behind the TV.  Uh-oh.

 

     When he got there, he stopped sweeping and leaned down. 

 

     “Well, I’ll be,” he muttered. 

 

     “What’s wrong?” asked Mrs. Thomas. 

 

     “The TV is unplugged,” he said.  “It’s unplugged!”  He came out from behind the TV, plug in hand and a very puzzled look on his face. 

 

     “But it couldn’t have just come unplugged while we were sitting there watching.  I mean, a plug doesn’t just fall out,” he said. 

 

     “Plug it in.  See if it works,” his wife told him. 

 

     Well, you guessed it.  The TV came on as bright and loud as ever.

 

     “I don’t get it,” Mr. Thomas muttered.  “But at least we don’t have to pay to get it fixed.”

 

     Mrs. Thomas stared at the screen for a few seconds, then glanced out the window at the kids playing happily outside. 

 

      “Charlie, what do you say we keep it unplugged for a couple more days?” she asked.  “We just won’t tell the kids.”

 

      Mr. Thomas grinned.  Then he bent down and unplugged the TV.  “Couldn’t hurt,” he said. 

 

      He put down the broom and sat on the couch near his wife and the two of them just sat there in the den, giggling like—well, like Stop-Giggling-Gail! 

 

     Suddenly, Mr. Thomas looked over at me. 

 

      “You don’t mind a little peace and quiet, do you, Humphrey?”

 

      “NO-NO-NO!” I squeaked.  And I promptly fell asleep.

Which is the best summary of the selection?

• A.J.'s family watches so much TV that they rarely spend quality time together, play outside, or enjoy peace and quiet. One day, A.J. brought the school pet, a hamster, home for the weekend. After the TV was unplugged, the house became quiet and the family found other things to do. 

• Garth Tugwell was a jerk at school. He shot rubber bands at A.J. The two boys were forced to work together to take care of the hamster. 

• Every house Humphrey visits has a TV. A.J.'s is the loudest. He enjoys some of the shows. His favorite shows are cartoons. 

• Mrs. Brisbane's class has a pet hamster. Every student gets a chance to take the hamster home for the weekend.. Garth was upset that he wasn't able to take the hamster home with him.

Multiple Choice

     The kids in Mrs. Brisbane’s class love taking care of their hamster, Humphrey.  The weekends are especially fun because one of them takes Humphrey home.  This weekend, the lucky student is A.J. 

 

     The bus let us ofatto A. J.’s house.  It was a two-story old house with a big porch.  As soon as I entered, I got a warm welcome from A. J.’s mom, his younger brother, Ty, his little sister, DeeLee, and his baby brother, Beau. 

 

     “Anthony James, introduce us to your little friend,” his mom said, greeting us. 

 

     Anthony James?  Everybody at school called A.J. by his initials or just “Aje.”

 

     “This is Humphrey,” he answered.

 

     “Hello, Humphrey,” said Mrs. Thomas.  “So how was your day, Anthony?”

 

     “Lousy.  Garth kept shooting rubber bands at me.  He won’t leave me alone.”

 

     “But you two used to be friends,” his mother said.

 

     “Used to be,” said A.J.  “Until he turned into a JERK.”

 

     Mom patted her son on the shoulder.  “Well, you’ve got the whole weekend to get over it.  Now take Humphrey into the den and get him settled.” 

 

     Mrs. Brisbane called him “Lower-Your-Voice-A.J. because A.J. always talked extra loud in class.  I soon noticed that everybody at A. J.’s house talked extra loud.  They had to, because in the background the TV was always blaring. 

 

     Now, every house I’ve been in so far has a TV, and I’ve always enjoyed some of the shows I’ve seen. 

 

     There’s one channel that has nothing but frightening shows about wild animals attacking one another.  I mean wild, like tigers and bears and hippopotamuses.  (Gee, I hope that’s not on our vocabulary test in the near future.)  Those shows make me appreciate the protection of a nice cage.  As long as the lock doesn’t quite lock. 

 

     There’s another channel that only has people in funny-looking clothes dancing and singing in very strange places.  It makes me glad that I have a fur coat and don’t have to figure out what to wear every day. 

 

     Mostly, I like the cartoon shows.  Sometimes they have mice and rabbits and other interesting rodents, although I’ve never seen a hamster show.  Yet. 

 

     Anyway, the difference at the Thomas’s’ house is that the television is on all the time.  There’s a TV on a table across from a big comfy couch and a big comfy chair and someone’s almost always sitting there watching.  I know because they put my cage down on the floor next to the couch.  I had a very good view of the TV. 

 

     A few hours later, the doorbell rang.

 

     The visitor turned out to be Garth Tugwell and his father!  “I really appreciate this,” Mr. Tugwell told the Thomases.  “It was Mrs. Brisbane’s idea.  Since Garth can’t have Humphrey at our house right now, she suggested that he could help A.J. take care of him over here.”

 

     Sounds like Mrs. Brisbane.  As if I’m trouble to take care of. 

 

     But Garth had been crying because he couldn’t have me.  So maybe—maybe—she was trying to be nice. 

 

     After Mr. Tugwell left, Mr. Thomas called A. J. in. 

 

     A. J. ran into the room and practically backed out again when he saw Garth. 

 

     “We have a guest,” said Mr. Thomas.  “Shake hands, Anthony.  Garth is here to help you take care of Humphrey.”

 

     A.J. and Garth reluctantly shook hands. 

 

     “How come?” asked A.J.

 

     Garth shrugged his shoulders.  “Mrs. Brisbane said to.”

 

     “Well, come on.  We’ll clean his cage and get it over with,” A.J. said. 

 

     The boys didn’t talk much while they cleaned the cage.  But they started giggling when they cleaned up my potty corner.  (I don’t know why that makes everybody giggle.)

 

     After they stopped giggling, they started talking and kidding around.  They decided to let me out of the cage, so they took a set of old blocks from DeeLee’s room and built me a huge maze.  Oh, I love mazes.

 

      When we were all tired of that game, A.J. offered to teach Garth to play Crazy Eights and then Ty and DeeLee joined them in a game of Go Fish. 

 

     Nobody mentioned the TV.  Nobody shot any rubber bands. 

 

     Later in the afternoon, the kids were all outside playing football.  I was fast asleep until Mrs. Thomas came into the den with a broom and started sweeping.  A minute later, Mr. Thomas entered. 

 

     “What are you doing, hon?”

 

     “What does it look like?  I’m sweeping.  You know, all the snacking we do in here makes a real mess on the floor,” she said. 

 

     “Beau’s asleep?” her husband asked.

 

     “Uh-huh.”

 

     Mr. Thomas walked over to his wife and took the broom away from her.  “Then you sit down and rest a spell, hon.  I’ll sweep.  Go on, don’t argue.”

 

     Mrs. Thomas smiled and thanked him and sat down on the couch.  Mr. Thomas swept all around the outside of the room. 

 

     Even behind the TV.  Uh-oh.

 

     When he got there, he stopped sweeping and leaned down. 

 

     “Well, I’ll be,” he muttered. 

 

     “What’s wrong?” asked Mrs. Thomas. 

 

     “The TV is unplugged,” he said.  “It’s unplugged!”  He came out from behind the TV, plug in hand and a very puzzled look on his face. 

 

     “But it couldn’t have just come unplugged while we were sitting there watching.  I mean, a plug doesn’t just fall out,” he said. 

 

     “Plug it in.  See if it works,” his wife told him. 

 

     Well, you guessed it.  The TV came on as bright and loud as ever.

 

     “I don’t get it,” Mr. Thomas muttered.  “But at least we don’t have to pay to get it fixed.”

 

     Mrs. Thomas stared at the screen for a few seconds, then glanced out the window at the kids playing happily outside. 

 

      “Charlie, what do you say we keep it unplugged for a couple more days?” she asked.  “We just won’t tell the kids.”

 

      Mr. Thomas grinned.  Then he bent down and unplugged the TV.  “Couldn’t hurt,” he said. 

 

      He put down the broom and sat on the couch near his wife and the two of them just sat there in the den, giggling like—well, like Stop-Giggling-Gail! 

 

     Suddenly, Mr. Thomas looked over at me. 

 

      “You don’t mind a little peace and quiet, do you, Humphrey?”

 

      “NO-NO-NO!” I squeaked.  And I promptly fell asleep.

Which statement explains how A.J. and Garth's friendship changed after they took care of Humphrey together?

• Both boys decided they couldn't be friends. 

• Each boy realized that each of them were acting as jerks. 

• Each boy realized that each of them were acting as jerks. 

• They decided to not take Humphrey home on the weekend. 

Multiple Choice

     The kids in Mrs. Brisbane’s class love taking care of their hamster, Humphrey.  The weekends are especially fun because one of them takes Humphrey home.  This weekend, the lucky student is A.J. 

 

     The bus let us ofatto A. J.’s house.  It was a two-story old house with a big porch.  As soon as I entered, I got a warm welcome from A. J.’s mom, his younger brother, Ty, his little sister, DeeLee, and his baby brother, Beau. 

 

     “Anthony James, introduce us to your little friend,” his mom said, greeting us. 

 

     Anthony James?  Everybody at school called A.J. by his initials or just “Aje.”

 

     “This is Humphrey,” he answered.

 

     “Hello, Humphrey,” said Mrs. Thomas.  “So how was your day, Anthony?”

 

     “Lousy.  Garth kept shooting rubber bands at me.  He won’t leave me alone.”

 

     “But you two used to be friends,” his mother said.

 

     “Used to be,” said A.J.  “Until he turned into a JERK.”

 

     Mom patted her son on the shoulder.  “Well, you’ve got the whole weekend to get over it.  Now take Humphrey into the den and get him settled.” 

 

     Mrs. Brisbane called him “Lower-Your-Voice-A.J. because A.J. always talked extra loud in class.  I soon noticed that everybody at A. J.’s house talked extra loud.  They had to, because in the background the TV was always blaring. 

 

     Now, every house I’ve been in so far has a TV, and I’ve always enjoyed some of the shows I’ve seen. 

 

     There’s one channel that has nothing but frightening shows about wild animals attacking one another.  I mean wild, like tigers and bears and hippopotamuses.  (Gee, I hope that’s not on our vocabulary test in the near future.)  Those shows make me appreciate the protection of a nice cage.  As long as the lock doesn’t quite lock. 

 

     There’s another channel that only has people in funny-looking clothes dancing and singing in very strange places.  It makes me glad that I have a fur coat and don’t have to figure out what to wear every day. 

 

     Mostly, I like the cartoon shows.  Sometimes they have mice and rabbits and other interesting rodents, although I’ve never seen a hamster show.  Yet. 

 

     Anyway, the difference at the Thomas’s’ house is that the television is on all the time.  There’s a TV on a table across from a big comfy couch and a big comfy chair and someone’s almost always sitting there watching.  I know because they put my cage down on the floor next to the couch.  I had a very good view of the TV. 

 

     A few hours later, the doorbell rang.

 

     The visitor turned out to be Garth Tugwell and his father!  “I really appreciate this,” Mr. Tugwell told the Thomases.  “It was Mrs. Brisbane’s idea.  Since Garth can’t have Humphrey at our house right now, she suggested that he could help A.J. take care of him over here.”

 

     Sounds like Mrs. Brisbane.  As if I’m trouble to take care of. 

 

     But Garth had been crying because he couldn’t have me.  So maybe—maybe—she was trying to be nice. 

 

     After Mr. Tugwell left, Mr. Thomas called A. J. in. 

 

     A. J. ran into the room and practically backed out again when he saw Garth. 

 

     “We have a guest,” said Mr. Thomas.  “Shake hands, Anthony.  Garth is here to help you take care of Humphrey.”

 

     A.J. and Garth reluctantly shook hands. 

 

     “How come?” asked A.J.

 

     Garth shrugged his shoulders.  “Mrs. Brisbane said to.”

 

     “Well, come on.  We’ll clean his cage and get it over with,” A.J. said. 

 

     The boys didn’t talk much while they cleaned the cage.  But they started giggling when they cleaned up my potty corner.  (I don’t know why that makes everybody giggle.)

 

     After they stopped giggling, they started talking and kidding around.  They decided to let me out of the cage, so they took a set of old blocks from DeeLee’s room and built me a huge maze.  Oh, I love mazes.

 

      When we were all tired of that game, A.J. offered to teach Garth to play Crazy Eights and then Ty and DeeLee joined them in a game of Go Fish. 

 

     Nobody mentioned the TV.  Nobody shot any rubber bands. 

 

     Later in the afternoon, the kids were all outside playing football.  I was fast asleep until Mrs. Thomas came into the den with a broom and started sweeping.  A minute later, Mr. Thomas entered. 

 

     “What are you doing, hon?”

 

     “What does it look like?  I’m sweeping.  You know, all the snacking we do in here makes a real mess on the floor,” she said. 

 

     “Beau’s asleep?” her husband asked.

 

     “Uh-huh.”

 

     Mr. Thomas walked over to his wife and took the broom away from her.  “Then you sit down and rest a spell, hon.  I’ll sweep.  Go on, don’t argue.”

 

     Mrs. Thomas smiled and thanked him and sat down on the couch.  Mr. Thomas swept all around the outside of the room. 

 

     Even behind the TV.  Uh-oh.

 

     When he got there, he stopped sweeping and leaned down. 

 

     “Well, I’ll be,” he muttered. 

 

     “What’s wrong?” asked Mrs. Thomas. 

 

     “The TV is unplugged,” he said.  “It’s unplugged!”  He came out from behind the TV, plug in hand and a very puzzled look on his face. 

 

     “But it couldn’t have just come unplugged while we were sitting there watching.  I mean, a plug doesn’t just fall out,” he said. 

 

     “Plug it in.  See if it works,” his wife told him. 

 

     Well, you guessed it.  The TV came on as bright and loud as ever.

 

     “I don’t get it,” Mr. Thomas muttered.  “But at least we don’t have to pay to get it fixed.”

 

     Mrs. Thomas stared at the screen for a few seconds, then glanced out the window at the kids playing happily outside. 

 

      “Charlie, what do you say we keep it unplugged for a couple more days?” she asked.  “We just won’t tell the kids.”

 

      Mr. Thomas grinned.  Then he bent down and unplugged the TV.  “Couldn’t hurt,” he said. 

 

      He put down the broom and sat on the couch near his wife and the two of them just sat there in the den, giggling like—well, like Stop-Giggling-Gail! 

 

     Suddenly, Mr. Thomas looked over at me. 

 

      “You don’t mind a little peace and quiet, do you, Humphrey?”

 

      “NO-NO-NO!” I squeaked.  And I promptly fell asleep.

Which of the following explains how the unplugged TV changed the Thomas family?

• The Thomas family was spending more time together. 

• The Thomas family was disagreeing more and more. 

• The Thomas family didn't want Humphrey to stay with them. 

• The Thomas family decided to buy a better TV. 

Multiple Choice

What is the theme of the story?

• Put things away when you are done with them.

• You shouldn't leave crayons out in the sun.

• Lucy is lazy and inconsiderate.

• You should not be jealous of other people.

Multiple Choice

What is the theme in the passage?

• It is too hard for young people to live on their own.

• Sasha should grow up and get a job.

• Parents should not spoil their children.

• Family is important.

Multiple Choice

What did Claire learn about life in the story?

• Claire loves her grandpa.

• Family is important.

• It is important to listen to your mother.

• It's nice to visit people who are sick.

Multiple Choice

Which point of view is the passage told in?

• 1st person point of view

• 3rd person point of view

Multiple Choice

• 1st person point of view

• 3rd person point of view