Q2 Benchmark Review Reading Comprehension 12

“The Earth and the Suns”

(a folktale from China)

Long ago, ten suns brought light and heat to the earth. Each morning one sun would rise, climb into a dragon-pulled chariot, and ride across the sky to the Valley of Light in the East. The suns took turns each day, and this created the ancient ten-day week.

The suns, though, grew tired of working alone, week after week. One day, they arose early, and all ten of them rode across the sky together in their ten chariots pulled by ten dragons.

The earth burned and cracked. Its rivers ran dry. Its animals and people grew weak from too much heat. The people pled with their emperor to stop the suns. The suns only laughed. They were enjoying their time together, but each day, the people and animals suffered more. The emperor finally asked the suns' father, Di Jun, to make them stop. The suns did not listen, though, even to their father. To save the world, Di Jun sent for an archer, Yi, and gave him a magic bow and nine magic arrows.

Yi flew to the highest mountain he could find. Using the magic arrows in his quiver, he shot at nine of the suns. Each magic arrow found its target and turned the suns into birds.

The next day, the only remaining sun awoke. He climbed into his chariot, and as he rode across the sky, his tears of loneliness for his companions filled the rivers and allowed the plants to grow. In this way, the earth and its people recovered, and so we are here today. This sun still makes his journey across the sky, creating light and warmth.

Why does Yi shoot arrows at the suns?

A.so that they will grow hotter

B.so that they will move faster

C.because they are burning the earth

D.because he is angry at the emperor

• so that they will grow hotter

• so that they will move faster

• because they are burning the earth

• because he is angry at the emperor

Little Women

by Louisa May Alcott

(an excerpt)

It was a pretty little picture. The sisters sat together in a shady spot, with the sun and shadow flickering over them. The wind lifted their hair and cooled their hot faces. All of the little forest animals behaved as if these girls were not strangers, but old friends. Meg looked as fresh and sweet as a rose in her pink dress among the green trees. She sewed quietly. Beth was sorting the pinecones that lay nearby because she made pretty things from them. Amy was drawing a group of trees, while Jo read a book aloud to all of them.

A shadow passed over the boy's face as he watched them. He felt that he should go away, since they hadn't invited him. Yet he stayed because going home seemed so lonely. This group of sisters seemed so warm and happy. He longed to join them. He stood so still that a squirrel ran down a tree near him. Both the boy and the squirrel jumped back and the squirrel began to chatter at him. Beth looked up and saw the boy behind the trees. With a warm smile, she welcomed him into the group.

Which word best describes Beth?

• lonely

• pretty

• loud

• kind

"Doctor Goldsmith"

by James Baldwin

There was once a kind man whose name was Oliver Goldsmith. He wrote many delightful books, some of which you will read when you are older.

He had a gentle heart. He was always ready to help others and to share with them anything that he had. He gave away so much to the poor that he was always poor himself.

He was sometimes called Doctor Goldsmith; for he had studied to be a physician.

One day a poor woman asked Doctor Goldsmith to go and see her husband, who was sick and could not eat.

Goldsmith did so. He found that the family was in great need. The man had not had work for a long time. He was not sick, but in distress; and, as for eating, there was no food in the house.

"Call at my room this evening," said Goldsmith to the woman, "and I will give you some medicine for your husband."

In the evening the woman called. Goldsmith gave her a little paper box that was very heavy.

"Here is the medicine," he said. "Use it faithfully, and I think it will do your husband a great deal of good. But don't open the box until you reach home."

"What are the directions for taking it?" asked the woman.

"You will find them inside of the box," he answered.

When the woman reached her home, she sat down by her husband's side, and they opened the box. What do you think they found in it?

It was full of pieces of money. And on the top were the directions:—

"TO BE TAKEN AS OFTEN AS NEEDED."

Goldsmith had given them all the ready money that he had.

Which of the following best describes Doctor Goldsmith?

• funny, smart, tall

• kind, generous, loving

• brave, silly, mean

• angry, short, fragile

“Arachne"

(a folktale from Greece)

Long ago, a girl named Arachne lived in Greece. She liked to weave pictures into cloth. She was very good at this, and many people came to see her work. Arachne was very proud. She told people that she was a better weaver than the goddess Athena.

Athena was upset that Arachne would say this. She challenged Arachne to a weaving contest. One morning at dawn they set up their looms in the same room. They weaved until it was too dark to see.

The next day, they compared weavings. Athena had woven a cloth showing the gods and goddesses sitting on Mt. Olympus. They were doing good deeds for people. Prideful Arachne wove a cloth making fun of the gods and goddesses. It showed them making a mess of the world.

When Athena saw Arachne’s cloth, she became even angrier. This was especially because she knew that Arachne was a better weaver than she was. She pointed her finger at Arachne. Suddenly, Arachne’s legs and arms got long and skinny. Her body shrank until she was nothing but a spider.

“Now you can weave all you would like,” said Athena.

Which best describes Athena?

• She is an angry and powerful god.

• She is a prideful person.

• She is only okay at weaving.

• She is happy to share her talent.

“The Earth and the Suns”

(a folktale from China)

Long ago, ten suns brought light and heat to the earth. Each morning one sun would rise, climb into a dragon-pulled chariot, and ride across the sky to the Valley of Light in the East. The suns took turns each day, and this created the ancient ten-day week.

The suns, though, grew tired of working alone, week after week. One day, they arose early, and all ten of them rode across the sky together in their ten chariots pulled by ten dragons.

The earth burned and cracked. Its rivers ran dry. Its animals and people grew weak from too much heat. The people pled with their emperor to stop the suns. The suns only laughed. They were enjoying their time together, but each day, the people and animals suffered more. The emperor finally asked the suns' father, Di Jun, to make them stop. The suns did not listen, though, even to their father. To save the world, Di Jun sent for an archer, Yi, and gave him a magic bow and nine magic arrows.

Yi flew to the highest mountain he could find. Using the magic arrows in his quiver, he shot at nine of the suns. Each magic arrow found its target and turned the suns into birds.

The next day, the only remaining sun awoke. He climbed into his chariot, and as he rode across the sky, his tears of loneliness for his companions filled the rivers and allowed the plants to grow. In this way, the earth and its people recovered, and so we are here today. This sun still makes his journey across the sky, creating light and warmth.

Which best describes Di Jun?

• He is an angry leader who must always have his way.

• He is a weak person who is only concerned about his children.

• He is a responsible person who is concerned about the planet.

• He is an anxious leader who cannot control his subjects.