Reading Inventory

The day has just begun.

A white mist hangs over the park.

No one is here yet, and the park is very still.

Under a tree sits a single white park bench.

In the park it was ________.

• Very hot

• quiet

• busy

• Late at night

The early risers are the first to arrive.

Some do exercises. Others walk their dogs.

The white bench is just now waking up.

Look, here comes the park worker in his little motor cart.

This story begins _____________

• late

  in the day

• at lunch time

• in the morning

• late

  at night

“Good morning, my dear park bench,”

Says the worker. “It’s cleaning day for the

park,” and he gives the bench a friendly little pat.

Children pass by on their way to school.

Adults pass by on their way to work.

The town is becoming lively.

The day of the week this story happened may be ________

• Sunday

• Saturday

• Friday

Here comes an old man taking his walk.

He moves very slowly, leaning on his cane.

He stops to smell the flowers and then to feed the birds.

He’s not in any hurry.

“Now it’s time for a rest,” says the old man.

He sits on the white bench.

“The perfect bench in just the right place,” he thinks.

The old man is ________

• going

  to work

• coming

  to clean the park

• is retired and doesn’t go to work.

• is a policeman.

Along comes a mother and her baby.

“Let’s sit in the sun,” she says.

“The white bench is bathed in sunlight.”

“Da, da,” the baby babbles.

“Goo, goo,” the old man replies.

What can they be talking about?

“The white bench is bathed in sunlight.” means ______

• The

  bench is wet.

  
  

  
  

• The

  bench has bubbles on it.

• The

  bench is being cleaned.

• The

  bench has sunlight shining all over it.

Friends meet at the park.

The two mothers begin to chat.

They talk on and on.

Chitter-chatter, chitter-chatter, until it’s time to eat.

All the while the white bench listens quietly.

The white bench listens quietly because _______

• It

  has ears.

  
  

  
  

• It

  never moves, just stays.

• It

  never says a word.

• It

  doesn’t get a chance to say a word.

It’s lunch time. The park worker eats under a large tree.

Here come the cats and the birds.

“Okay, my little friends. I’ll give you some food,” he says.

“But, oops, don’t make the bench dirty.”

The park worker is ________

• being

  friendly with the birds and cats.

• fussing

  at the birds.

• is

  tired of cleaning up after the birds.

• expecting

  the birds to answer him.

During the noon hour, lots of people come to the park to relax.

“This park bench is my favorite spot for a nap,” says a man.

A gentle breeze is blowing, and the park bench begins to feel drowsy, too.

There ________

• are

  lots of people sitting on the bench.

  
  

• are

  two people sitting on the bench.

• is

  one person on the bench.

• is

  a bird and a man on the bench.

A young man waits for his friend who is late.

“Let’s meet in the park, at the white bench,”

they had agreed. “But now, where can she be?”

(“Wait, who left a book on the bench?”

the park worker wonders.”)

Which of the following did not happen.

• The

  young man fell asleep on the bench.

  
  

  
  

• The

  young man read a book.

• The

  young man was waiting for a girl.

• The

  young man quit waiting and left.

Here comes a group of children running to the park.

This is the liveliest time of day.

“What are we going to play today?” asked one child.

“Let’s talk it over.

The children are probably ________

• going

  to have fun.

  .

• tired.

• going

  to sit down and read.

• tattle

  tale on each other