The Magic Button Box by Charlotte Levine Silverstein “Nana!” Zach yelled, flinging open the kitchen door. “I need a new button!” “No need to shout.” Nana looked up from her newspaper. “Why do you need a new button?” “This morning I lost a button right here.” Zach pointed to the top of his coat. “All day I’ve been so cold.” “Well, we can’t have that. I’ll get my magic button box,” Nana said. She headed for her bedroom and returned with an enormous tin box. 5 “Where did you get that?” Zach asked. “I’ve been collecting these buttons since I was a little girl,” Nana said, lifting the old box to the table. Then she tapped the lid as if she were knocking on a door. “Inside this box, Zach, is not just a button collection. Inside are a thousand stories and a million memories.” “But what makes it magic?” Zach asked. “You’ll see,” Nana said with a grin. Then she opened the box and poured a waterfall of a zillion buttons onto the table. There were large, round, silver ones and soft, football shaped, brown ones and black ones with diamonds and gold ones decorated with black thread. Some looked like beetles, others like shells. Zach wanted to examine each and every button.... “Where’d this one come from, Nana?” Zach picked up a big, old, square leather button. 10 “That one came from the coat your grandfather wore when he was courting me.” Nana smiled. “He was so tall and handsome. I remember him wearing that coat the first time we went ice-skating.” Grandpa must have heard Nana talking about him, because he came into the kitchen to see what she and Zach were doing. “I see you’ve brought out the magic button box,” he said. “Yes,” Zach answered, “but Nana still hasn’t told me what’s magic about it.” “Haven’t you figured it out yet?” 15 Zach shook his head and frowned. The three sat at the kitchen table for a long time, making the buttons dance between their fingers while Nana and Grandpa told Zach stories. It was nearly dark when Zach’s mom came home from work to find them hovering over their treasure. Nana jumped up, surprised. “I had no idea it was this late! I haven’t even started dinner,” she said. “What are you doing?” Mom asked. “Oh, you’ve brought out the magic button box. Let me see.” She sat down without even taking off her coat. Then she ran her fingers across the table. “I remember this one.” She picked up a brass button with an anchor engraved on it. “This came from a sailor suit I had when I was ten. I wore it the first time you took me to the ocean,” she said to Nana and Grandpa. She closed her eyes and smelled it, remembering the salty sea air. Nana found a tiny, white, silk button. “Look, Catherine. This was on the infant suit Zach wore when you brought him home from the hospital. Oh, he was so tiny and cuddly, remember?” 20 “I remember,” Mom said. “You mean that button was mine?” Zach asked. He picked it up for a closer look. “I didn’t know any of my buttons were in here.” “Of course they are. You’re part of this family, aren’t you?” Grandpa said. “Isn’t this from the tiger costume you wore last Halloween?” Grandpa picked out a furry, orange and-black-striped button. “Wow, let me see that,” Zach said. The fur tickled his hand. “I was so mad when you gave that costume away. I thought I’d never see it again. But here it is—at least a piece of it.” Grandpa nodded. “I think you’re starting to understand the magic of the button box, aren’t you, Zach?” 25 Zach grinned. “We still need to replace that coat button you lost,” Nana said. “How about using the button from my old coat?” Grandpa suggested. “Good idea, Grandpa,” Zach said. “There’s just one problem with that: a memory will be missing from the box.” “That’s OK, Zach. We’ll still remember,” Nana said. 30 But Zach wasn’t satisfied. He thought for a moment. Then he ran to the scissors drawer and snipped off the bottom button from his shirt. “What are you doing?” Mom asked. “I’m replacing a memory,” Zach said, tossing the button into the box. “And the next time I see that button, it’ll remind me of the day I found out the secret of the magic button box.” What is Zach's problem at the beginning of the passage?

He needs a new button for his coat

He does not know how to collect buttons

He wants to learn the magic of the button box

The Magic Button Box by Charlotte Levine Silverstein “Nana!” Zach yelled, flinging open the kitchen door. “I need a new button!” “No need to shout.” Nana looked up from her newspaper. “Why do you need a new button?” “This morning I lost a button right here.” Zach pointed to the top of his coat. “All day I’ve been so cold.” “Well, we can’t have that. I’ll get my magic button box,” Nana said. She headed for her bedroom and returned with an enormous tin box. 5 “Where did you get that?” Zach asked. “I’ve been collecting these buttons since I was a little girl,” Nana said, lifting the old box to the table. Then she tapped the lid as if she were knocking on a door. “Inside this box, Zach, is not just a button collection. Inside are a thousand stories and a million memories.” “But what makes it magic?” Zach asked. “You’ll see,” Nana said with a grin. Then she opened the box and poured a waterfall of a zillion buttons onto the table. There were large, round, silver ones and soft, football shaped, brown ones and black ones with diamonds and gold ones decorated with black thread. Some looked like beetles, others like shells. Zach wanted to examine each and every button.... “Where’d this one come from, Nana?” Zach picked up a big, old, square leather button. 10 “That one came from the coat your grandfather wore when he was courting me.” Nana smiled. “He was so tall and handsome. I remember him wearing that coat the first time we went ice-skating.” Grandpa must have heard Nana talking about him, because he came into the kitchen to see what she and Zach were doing. “I see you’ve brought out the magic button box,” he said. “Yes,” Zach answered, “but Nana still hasn’t told me what’s magic about it.” “Haven’t you figured it out yet?” 15 Zach shook his head and frowned. The three sat at the kitchen table for a long time, making the buttons dance between their fingers while Nana and Grandpa told Zach stories. It was nearly dark when Zach’s mom came home from work to find them hovering over their treasure. Nana jumped up, surprised. “I had no idea it was this late! I haven’t even started dinner,” she said. “What are you doing?” Mom asked. “Oh, you’ve brought out the magic button box. Let me see.” She sat down without even taking off her coat. Then she ran her fingers across the table. “I remember this one.” She picked up a brass button with an anchor engraved on it. “This came from a sailor suit I had when I was ten. I wore it the first time you took me to the ocean,” she said to Nana and Grandpa. She closed her eyes and smelled it, remembering the salty sea air. Nana found a tiny, white, silk button. “Look, Catherine. This was on the infant suit Zach wore when you brought him home from the hospital. Oh, he was so tiny and cuddly, remember?” 20 “I remember,” Mom said. “You mean that button was mine?” Zach asked. He picked it up for a closer look. “I didn’t know any of my buttons were in here.” “Of course they are. You’re part of this family, aren’t you?” Grandpa said. “Isn’t this from the tiger costume you wore last Halloween?” Grandpa picked out a furry, orange and-black-striped button. “Wow, let me see that,” Zach said. The fur tickled his hand. “I was so mad when you gave that costume away. I thought I’d never see it again. But here it is—at least a piece of it.” Grandpa nodded. “I think you’re starting to understand the magic of the button box, aren’t you, Zach?” 25 Zach grinned. “We still need to replace that coat button you lost,” Nana said. “How about using the button from my old coat?” Grandpa suggested. “Good idea, Grandpa,” Zach said. “There’s just one problem with that: a memory will be missing from the box.” “That’s OK, Zach. We’ll still remember,” Nana said. 30 But Zach wasn’t satisfied. He thought for a moment. Then he ran to the scissors drawer and snipped off the bottom button from his shirt. “What are you doing?” Mom asked. “I’m replacing a memory,” Zach said, tossing the button into the box. “And the next time I see that button, it’ll remind me of the day I found out the secret of the magic button box.” Read these words spoken by Nana in paragraph 6 Inside are a thousand stories and a million memories. What do these lines reveal?

The buttons reminded Nana of different times in her life

There are thousands, if not a million, buttons in the box

Nana started collecting buttons when she was a little girl

Nana has told stories about the buttons to thousands of people

The Magic Button Box by Charlotte Levine Silverstein “Nana!” Zach yelled, flinging open the kitchen door. “I need a new button!” “No need to shout.” Nana looked up from her newspaper. “Why do you need a new button?” “This morning I lost a button right here.” Zach pointed to the top of his coat. “All day I’ve been so cold.” “Well, we can’t have that. I’ll get my magic button box,” Nana said. She headed for her bedroom and returned with an enormous tin box. 5 “Where did you get that?” Zach asked. “I’ve been collecting these buttons since I was a little girl,” Nana said, lifting the old box to the table. Then she tapped the lid as if she were knocking on a door. “Inside this box, Zach, is not just a button collection. Inside are a thousand stories and a million memories.” “But what makes it magic?” Zach asked. “You’ll see,” Nana said with a grin. Then she opened the box and poured a waterfall of a zillion buttons onto the table. There were large, round, silver ones and soft, football shaped, brown ones and black ones with diamonds and gold ones decorated with black thread. Some looked like beetles, others like shells. Zach wanted to examine each and every button.... “Where’d this one come from, Nana?” Zach picked up a big, old, square leather button. 10 “That one came from the coat your grandfather wore when he was courting me.” Nana smiled. “He was so tall and handsome. I remember him wearing that coat the first time we went ice-skating.” Grandpa must have heard Nana talking about him, because he came into the kitchen to see what she and Zach were doing. “I see you’ve brought out the magic button box,” he said. “Yes,” Zach answered, “but Nana still hasn’t told me what’s magic about it.” “Haven’t you figured it out yet?” 15 Zach shook his head and frowned. The three sat at the kitchen table for a long time, making the buttons dance between their fingers while Nana and Grandpa told Zach stories. It was nearly dark when Zach’s mom came home from work to find them hovering over their treasure. Nana jumped up, surprised. “I had no idea it was this late! I haven’t even started dinner,” she said. “What are you doing?” Mom asked. “Oh, you’ve brought out the magic button box. Let me see.” She sat down without even taking off her coat. Then she ran her fingers across the table. “I remember this one.” She picked up a brass button with an anchor engraved on it. “This came from a sailor suit I had when I was ten. I wore it the first time you took me to the ocean,” she said to Nana and Grandpa. She closed her eyes and smelled it, remembering the salty sea air. Nana found a tiny, white, silk button. “Look, Catherine. This was on the infant suit Zach wore when you brought him home from the hospital. Oh, he was so tiny and cuddly, remember?” 20 “I remember,” Mom said. “You mean that button was mine?” Zach asked. He picked it up for a closer look. “I didn’t know any of my buttons were in here.” “Of course they are. You’re part of this family, aren’t you?” Grandpa said. “Isn’t this from the tiger costume you wore last Halloween?” Grandpa picked out a furry, orange and-black-striped button. “Wow, let me see that,” Zach said. The fur tickled his hand. “I was so mad when you gave that costume away. I thought I’d never see it again. But here it is—at least a piece of it.” Grandpa nodded. “I think you’re starting to understand the magic of the button box, aren’t you, Zach?” 25 Zach grinned. “We still need to replace that coat button you lost,” Nana said. “How about using the button from my old coat?” Grandpa suggested. “Good idea, Grandpa,” Zach said. “There’s just one problem with that: a memory will be missing from the box.” “That’s OK, Zach. We’ll still remember,” Nana said. 30 But Zach wasn’t satisfied. He thought for a moment. Then he ran to the scissors drawer and snipped off the bottom button from his shirt. “What are you doing?” Mom asked. “I’m replacing a memory,” Zach said, tossing the button into the box. “And the next time I see that button, it’ll remind me of the day I found out the secret of the magic button box.” In paragraph 22, why does Grandpa say, "You're part of this family, aren't you?"

Zach is surprised to see buttons that once belonged to him

Zach thinks he has to ask permission to look at the buttons

Grandpa means that Zach can now add new buttons to the box

Grandpa thinks that Zach is now old enough to see the buttons

The Magic Button Box by Charlotte Levine Silverstein “Nana!” Zach yelled, flinging open the kitchen door. “I need a new button!” “No need to shout.” Nana looked up from her newspaper. “Why do you need a new button?” “This morning I lost a button right here.” Zach pointed to the top of his coat. “All day I’ve been so cold.” “Well, we can’t have that. I’ll get my magic button box,” Nana said. She headed for her bedroom and returned with an enormous tin box. 5 “Where did you get that?” Zach asked. “I’ve been collecting these buttons since I was a little girl,” Nana said, lifting the old box to the table. Then she tapped the lid as if she were knocking on a door. “Inside this box, Zach, is not just a button collection. Inside are a thousand stories and a million memories.” “But what makes it magic?” Zach asked. “You’ll see,” Nana said with a grin. Then she opened the box and poured a waterfall of a zillion buttons onto the table. There were large, round, silver ones and soft, football shaped, brown ones and black ones with diamonds and gold ones decorated with black thread. Some looked like beetles, others like shells. Zach wanted to examine each and every button.... “Where’d this one come from, Nana?” Zach picked up a big, old, square leather button. 10 “That one came from the coat your grandfather wore when he was courting me.” Nana smiled. “He was so tall and handsome. I remember him wearing that coat the first time we went ice-skating.” Grandpa must have heard Nana talking about him, because he came into the kitchen to see what she and Zach were doing. “I see you’ve brought out the magic button box,” he said. “Yes,” Zach answered, “but Nana still hasn’t told me what’s magic about it.” “Haven’t you figured it out yet?” 15 Zach shook his head and frowned. The three sat at the kitchen table for a long time, making the buttons dance between their fingers while Nana and Grandpa told Zach stories. It was nearly dark when Zach’s mom came home from work to find them hovering over their treasure. Nana jumped up, surprised. “I had no idea it was this late! I haven’t even started dinner,” she said. “What are you doing?” Mom asked. “Oh, you’ve brought out the magic button box. Let me see.” She sat down without even taking off her coat. Then she ran her fingers across the table. “I remember this one.” She picked up a brass button with an anchor engraved on it. “This came from a sailor suit I had when I was ten. I wore it the first time you took me to the ocean,” she said to Nana and Grandpa. She closed her eyes and smelled it, remembering the salty sea air. Nana found a tiny, white, silk button. “Look, Catherine. This was on the infant suit Zach wore when you brought him home from the hospital. Oh, he was so tiny and cuddly, remember?” 20 “I remember,” Mom said. “You mean that button was mine?” Zach asked. He picked it up for a closer look. “I didn’t know any of my buttons were in here.” “Of course they are. You’re part of this family, aren’t you?” Grandpa said. “Isn’t this from the tiger costume you wore last Halloween?” Grandpa picked out a furry, orange and-black-striped button. “Wow, let me see that,” Zach said. The fur tickled his hand. “I was so mad when you gave that costume away. I thought I’d never see it again. But here it is—at least a piece of it.” Grandpa nodded. “I think you’re starting to understand the magic of the button box, aren’t you, Zach?” 25 Zach grinned. “We still need to replace that coat button you lost,” Nana said. “How about using the button from my old coat?” Grandpa suggested. “Good idea, Grandpa,” Zach said. “There’s just one problem with that: a memory will be missing from the box.” “That’s OK, Zach. We’ll still remember,” Nana said. 30 But Zach wasn’t satisfied. He thought for a moment. Then he ran to the scissors drawer and snipped off the bottom button from his shirt. “What are you doing?” Mom asked. “I’m replacing a memory,” Zach said, tossing the button into the box. “And the next time I see that button, it’ll remind me of the day I found out the secret of the magic button box.” Which sentence best states the theme of the passage?

Remembering shared experiences brings people closer

Using items more than once allows a person to avoid waste

Children learn some important lessons on their own

Worthless things are often quite valuable recycled

Whoosh! by Sharon Creech The sea, the sea, the sea! Yesterday afternoon, Cody came running down the dock saying, “Uncle Dock says it’s zero hour. Get your stuff. We’re going.” “You mean now?” I said. “Like right this minute?” “Yep!” He was grinning his wide, wide grin. “This is it, Sophie!” 5 I ran around getting my stuff and didn’t have a whole lot of time to think about what was happening or how I felt about it, but here we are, we are on our way! Whoosh, we are off! The first couple hours were frenzied , with everyone double-checking his own stuff and arguing over space, and Uncle Stew and Brian handing out assignments and schedules and trying their best to make me feel like a slug, but I was having none of it, and I kept my cool and didn’t even get too snotty with them. As we were leaving the Bay of Fundy, we heard a plop and another plop and plop plop plop! Surrounding us were dozens of seals, sticking their sweet faces out of the water to have a look around. “Hey, there, darlin’—” Cody said, as they twitched their whiskers at us. Even Brian seemed taken with them; for once he didn’t have a bossy comment to make. He sat on deck with his hands cupped under his chin, watching the seals. Uncle Mo sat on the aft deck, sketching. I like his drawings. He showed me how the seals that are farther away should appear smaller in the drawing than the ones closer up. I tried to draw them, too, but my drawing wasn’t as good as Uncle Mo’s. 10 “Are you an artist?” I asked him. “Me?” he said. “No.” “But you look like an artist to me,” I said. “You draw really good stuff.” “Naw,” he said. “This isn’t so hot. I’m pretty rusty.” I asked him what his job was, what he did for a living. He frowned. “I’m a number-cruncher. I sit at a computer all day and mess around with numbers.” 15 “But did you want to be an artist?” I asked. “Before you were a number-cruncher?” “Sure,” he said. “So why didn’t you?” “Why didn’t I what?” Mo said. He was putting whiskers on the seals in his drawing. “Be an artist. Why didn’t you become an artist instead of a number-cruncher?” 20 He used his finger to smudge the water line in his drawing, making it look soft and fuzzy and more like water. I thought maybe he hadn’t heard me, but finally he said, “I dunno. Why does anybody become anything?” “Isn’t it because they want to?” I asked. “Don’t you become what you want to become?” He looked at me. His mouth was partly open and it seemed like there were words in there but they couldn’t come out. He closed his mouth and tried again. “Not usually, Sophie. That’s not the way it works usually.” “But why not? Why wouldn’t a person do what he was good at and what he wanted to do?” Now Uncle Mo was drawing ripples around the seals. “Because sometimes, Sophie, a person just needs a job. And sometimes the job he can get is not the one he most wants.” 25 “Well, I hope I don’t do that,” I said. “I hope I don’t get a job I don’t want. It seems like such a waste.” “Ah,” Uncle Mo said, putting away his drawing. “Youth.” There was no moon that first night, and it was eerie, so dark, the sky and the sea folding a huge black blanket around us. I saw a sparkle and a flash in the water, and then more sparkles and flashes, little streams of light trailing beside the boat, as if the lights were little beacons from someone lost down below. “Phosphorescent plankton!” Uncle Dock said. “Beauteous!” All along the sides of the boat, little spots flashed all night, like underwater fireflies. It seemed magical and mysterious, as if they were sending me a message in code. I wanted so badly to decode their message, but I couldn’t, and I got yelled at because I was so busy watching the flashing fish-lights that I wasn’t paying attention to the sails. 30 Later that night, as we were pushing out into the open ocean, we heard a loud rushing of water, a spewing and bellowing. Whales! It was too dark to see them, but one blew so close to us that I nearly shinnied up the mast. It sounded huge, gargantuan! Sometimes when I think about what is happening, I get the cold shivers. We’re crossing the ocean! And now we won’t be able to get off the boat and walk around. There will be no new people to meet, no new foods to try, no time alone, no land, no fresh water, no trees, no exercise except boat exercise. And how will we all get along, cooped up like this, with no chance to get away from each other? Which is the best summary of the passage?

A girl sets out on an ocean voyage as part of a ship’s crew. Once the crew is settled onto the ship, the girl joins her uncle on the ship’s deck, where they discuss his choice of jobs while they draw. Later, the girl sees and hears creatures in the night as she thinks about the upcoming trip

A girl leaves suddenly for a trip across the ocean. Everyone is busy when the crew gets onto the ship, but the girl finds her uncle on the ship’s deck. He teaches her how to smudge a drawing to make it look more like water, and he tells her that he wanted to be an artist.

A girl who is part of a ship’s crew is taking a long trip across the ocean. She encounters many animals on her first day on the ship. Some of them include seals diving into the ocean, plankton glowing under the water’s surface, and huge whales swimming near the ship.

A girl is part of a ship’s crew, and she has many assignments. She stays calm even when other people are arguing. Later, she watches beautiful plankton beneath the ocean’s surface and is so busy watching the creatures that she forgets to watch the sails. She gets in trouble for not doing her job.

Whoosh! by Sharon Creech The sea, the sea, the sea! Yesterday afternoon, Cody came running down the dock saying, “Uncle Dock says it’s zero hour. Get your stuff. We’re going.” “You mean now?” I said. “Like right this minute?” “Yep!” He was grinning his wide, wide grin. “This is it, Sophie!” 5 I ran around getting my stuff and didn’t have a whole lot of time to think about what was happening or how I felt about it, but here we are, we are on our way! Whoosh, we are off! The first couple hours were frenzied , with everyone double-checking his own stuff and arguing over space, and Uncle Stew and Brian handing out assignments and schedules and trying their best to make me feel like a slug, but I was having none of it, and I kept my cool and didn’t even get too snotty with them. As we were leaving the Bay of Fundy, we heard a plop and another plop and plop plop plop! Surrounding us were dozens of seals, sticking their sweet faces out of the water to have a look around. “Hey, there, darlin’—” Cody said, as they twitched their whiskers at us. Even Brian seemed taken with them; for once he didn’t have a bossy comment to make. He sat on deck with his hands cupped under his chin, watching the seals. Uncle Mo sat on the aft deck, sketching. I like his drawings. He showed me how the seals that are farther away should appear smaller in the drawing than the ones closer up. I tried to draw them, too, but my drawing wasn’t as good as Uncle Mo’s. 10 “Are you an artist?” I asked him. “Me?” he said. “No.” “But you look like an artist to me,” I said. “You draw really good stuff.” “Naw,” he said. “This isn’t so hot. I’m pretty rusty.” I asked him what his job was, what he did for a living. He frowned. “I’m a number-cruncher. I sit at a computer all day and mess around with numbers.” 15 “But did you want to be an artist?” I asked. “Before you were a number-cruncher?” “Sure,” he said. “So why didn’t you?” “Why didn’t I what?” Mo said. He was putting whiskers on the seals in his drawing. “Be an artist. Why didn’t you become an artist instead of a number-cruncher?” 20 He used his finger to smudge the water line in his drawing, making it look soft and fuzzy and more like water. I thought maybe he hadn’t heard me, but finally he said, “I dunno. Why does anybody become anything?” “Isn’t it because they want to?” I asked. “Don’t you become what you want to become?” He looked at me. His mouth was partly open and it seemed like there were words in there but they couldn’t come out. He closed his mouth and tried again. “Not usually, Sophie. That’s not the way it works usually.” “But why not? Why wouldn’t a person do what he was good at and what he wanted to do?” Now Uncle Mo was drawing ripples around the seals. “Because sometimes, Sophie, a person just needs a job. And sometimes the job he can get is not the one he most wants.” 25 “Well, I hope I don’t do that,” I said. “I hope I don’t get a job I don’t want. It seems like such a waste.” “Ah,” Uncle Mo said, putting away his drawing. “Youth.” There was no moon that first night, and it was eerie, so dark, the sky and the sea folding a huge black blanket around us. I saw a sparkle and a flash in the water, and then more sparkles and flashes, little streams of light trailing beside the boat, as if the lights were little beacons from someone lost down below. “Phosphorescent plankton!” Uncle Dock said. “Beauteous!” All along the sides of the boat, little spots flashed all night, like underwater fireflies. It seemed magical and mysterious, as if they were sending me a message in code. I wanted so badly to decode their message, but I couldn’t, and I got yelled at because I was so busy watching the flashing fish-lights that I wasn’t paying attention to the sails. 30 Later that night, as we were pushing out into the open ocean, we heard a loud rushing of water, a spewing and bellowing. Whales! It was too dark to see them, but one blew so close to us that I nearly shinnied up the mast. It sounded huge, gargantuan! Sometimes when I think about what is happening, I get the cold shivers. We’re crossing the ocean! And now we won’t be able to get off the boat and walk around. There will be no new people to meet, no new foods to try, no time alone, no land, no fresh water, no trees, no exercise except boat exercise. And how will we all get along, cooped up like this, with no chance to get away from each other? Which quotation from the passage best reveals Uncle Mo's attitude toward his work?

“And sometimes the job he can get is not the one he most wants.” (paragraph 24)

"This isn't so hot. I'm pretty rusty (paragraph 13)

“I sit at a computer all day and mess around with numbers.” (paragraph 14)

Why does anybody become anything?” (paragraph 20)

Whoosh! by Sharon Creech The sea, the sea, the sea! Yesterday afternoon, Cody came running down the dock saying, “Uncle Dock says it’s zero hour. Get your stuff. We’re going.” “You mean now?” I said. “Like right this minute?” “Yep!” He was grinning his wide, wide grin. “This is it, Sophie!” 5 I ran around getting my stuff and didn’t have a whole lot of time to think about what was happening or how I felt about it, but here we are, we are on our way! Whoosh, we are off! The first couple hours were frenzied , with everyone double-checking his own stuff and arguing over space, and Uncle Stew and Brian handing out assignments and schedules and trying their best to make me feel like a slug, but I was having none of it, and I kept my cool and didn’t even get too snotty with them. As we were leaving the Bay of Fundy, we heard a plop and another plop and plop plop plop! Surrounding us were dozens of seals, sticking their sweet faces out of the water to have a look around. “Hey, there, darlin’—” Cody said, as they twitched their whiskers at us. Even Brian seemed taken with them; for once he didn’t have a bossy comment to make. He sat on deck with his hands cupped under his chin, watching the seals. Uncle Mo sat on the aft deck, sketching. I like his drawings. He showed me how the seals that are farther away should appear smaller in the drawing than the ones closer up. I tried to draw them, too, but my drawing wasn’t as good as Uncle Mo’s. 10 “Are you an artist?” I asked him. “Me?” he said. “No.” “But you look like an artist to me,” I said. “You draw really good stuff.” “Naw,” he said. “This isn’t so hot. I’m pretty rusty.” I asked him what his job was, what he did for a living. He frowned. “I’m a number-cruncher. I sit at a computer all day and mess around with numbers.” 15 “But did you want to be an artist?” I asked. “Before you were a number-cruncher?” “Sure,” he said. “So why didn’t you?” “Why didn’t I what?” Mo said. He was putting whiskers on the seals in his drawing. “Be an artist. Why didn’t you become an artist instead of a number-cruncher?” 20 He used his finger to smudge the water line in his drawing, making it look soft and fuzzy and more like water. I thought maybe he hadn’t heard me, but finally he said, “I dunno. Why does anybody become anything?” “Isn’t it because they want to?” I asked. “Don’t you become what you want to become?” He looked at me. His mouth was partly open and it seemed like there were words in there but they couldn’t come out. He closed his mouth and tried again. “Not usually, Sophie. That’s not the way it works usually.” “But why not? Why wouldn’t a person do what he was good at and what he wanted to do?” Now Uncle Mo was drawing ripples around the seals. “Because sometimes, Sophie, a person just needs a job. And sometimes the job he can get is not the one he most wants.” 25 “Well, I hope I don’t do that,” I said. “I hope I don’t get a job I don’t want. It seems like such a waste.” “Ah,” Uncle Mo said, putting away his drawing. “Youth.” There was no moon that first night, and it was eerie, so dark, the sky and the sea folding a huge black blanket around us. I saw a sparkle and a flash in the water, and then more sparkles and flashes, little streams of light trailing beside the boat, as if the lights were little beacons from someone lost down below. “Phosphorescent plankton!” Uncle Dock said. “Beauteous!” All along the sides of the boat, little spots flashed all night, like underwater fireflies. It seemed magical and mysterious, as if they were sending me a message in code. I wanted so badly to decode their message, but I couldn’t, and I got yelled at because I was so busy watching the flashing fish-lights that I wasn’t paying attention to the sails. 30 Later that night, as we were pushing out into the open ocean, we heard a loud rushing of water, a spewing and bellowing. Whales! It was too dark to see them, but one blew so close to us that I nearly shinnied up the mast. It sounded huge, gargantuan! Sometimes when I think about what is happening, I get the cold shivers. We’re crossing the ocean! And now we won’t be able to get off the boat and walk around. There will be no new people to meet, no new foods to try, no time alone, no land, no fresh water, no trees, no exercise except boat exercise. And how will we all get along, cooped up like this, with no chance to get away from each other? The conversation between Sophie and Uncle Mo mostly shows that Sophie......

has strong ideas about her future

hopes to be a famous artist some day

thinks number crunching is interesting

wants to learn how to draw sea animals

Whoosh! by Sharon Creech The sea, the sea, the sea! Yesterday afternoon, Cody came running down the dock saying, “Uncle Dock says it’s zero hour. Get your stuff. We’re going.” “You mean now?” I said. “Like right this minute?” “Yep!” He was grinning his wide, wide grin. “This is it, Sophie!” 5 I ran around getting my stuff and didn’t have a whole lot of time to think about what was happening or how I felt about it, but here we are, we are on our way! Whoosh, we are off! The first couple hours were frenzied , with everyone double-checking his own stuff and arguing over space, and Uncle Stew and Brian handing out assignments and schedules and trying their best to make me feel like a slug, but I was having none of it, and I kept my cool and didn’t even get too snotty with them. As we were leaving the Bay of Fundy, we heard a plop and another plop and plop plop plop! Surrounding us were dozens of seals, sticking their sweet faces out of the water to have a look around. “Hey, there, darlin’—” Cody said, as they twitched their whiskers at us. Even Brian seemed taken with them; for once he didn’t have a bossy comment to make. He sat on deck with his hands cupped under his chin, watching the seals. Uncle Mo sat on the aft deck, sketching. I like his drawings. He showed me how the seals that are farther away should appear smaller in the drawing than the ones closer up. I tried to draw them, too, but my drawing wasn’t as good as Uncle Mo’s. 10 “Are you an artist?” I asked him. “Me?” he said. “No.” “But you look like an artist to me,” I said. “You draw really good stuff.” “Naw,” he said. “This isn’t so hot. I’m pretty rusty.” I asked him what his job was, what he did for a living. He frowned. “I’m a number-cruncher. I sit at a computer all day and mess around with numbers.” 15 “But did you want to be an artist?” I asked. “Before you were a number-cruncher?” “Sure,” he said. “So why didn’t you?” “Why didn’t I what?” Mo said. He was putting whiskers on the seals in his drawing. “Be an artist. Why didn’t you become an artist instead of a number-cruncher?” 20 He used his finger to smudge the water line in his drawing, making it look soft and fuzzy and more like water. I thought maybe he hadn’t heard me, but finally he said, “I dunno. Why does anybody become anything?” “Isn’t it because they want to?” I asked. “Don’t you become what you want to become?” He looked at me. His mouth was partly open and it seemed like there were words in there but they couldn’t come out. He closed his mouth and tried again. “Not usually, Sophie. That’s not the way it works usually.” “But why not? Why wouldn’t a person do what he was good at and what he wanted to do?” Now Uncle Mo was drawing ripples around the seals. “Because sometimes, Sophie, a person just needs a job. And sometimes the job he can get is not the one he most wants.” 25 “Well, I hope I don’t do that,” I said. “I hope I don’t get a job I don’t want. It seems like such a waste.” “Ah,” Uncle Mo said, putting away his drawing. “Youth.” There was no moon that first night, and it was eerie, so dark, the sky and the sea folding a huge black blanket around us. I saw a sparkle and a flash in the water, and then more sparkles and flashes, little streams of light trailing beside the boat, as if the lights were little beacons from someone lost down below. “Phosphorescent plankton!” Uncle Dock said. “Beauteous!” All along the sides of the boat, little spots flashed all night, like underwater fireflies. It seemed magical and mysterious, as if they were sending me a message in code. I wanted so badly to decode their message, but I couldn’t, and I got yelled at because I was so busy watching the flashing fish-lights that I wasn’t paying attention to the sails. 30 Later that night, as we were pushing out into the open ocean, we heard a loud rushing of water, a spewing and bellowing. Whales! It was too dark to see them, but one blew so close to us that I nearly shinnied up the mast. It sounded huge, gargantuan! Sometimes when I think about what is happening, I get the cold shivers. We’re crossing the ocean! And now we won’t be able to get off the boat and walk around. There will be no new people to meet, no new foods to try, no time alone, no land, no fresh water, no trees, no exercise except boat exercise. And how will we all get along, cooped up like this, with no chance to get away from each other? In the last paragraph of the passage, what does the narrator mean when she describes the travelers as "cooped up"?

The travelers are in a small space

The travelers have little experience

The travelers are of different ages

The travelers have few supplies

The Delightful Mr. Dahl by Jordan Thibadeaux Many people discover Roald Dahl through his stories and poems. His books are translated into several languages. He has also inspired TV and radio shows and movies. With his help, kids all over the world imagine strange candies, friendly giants, and awful villains. Indeed, Roald Dahl led a life full of adventure. Yet, he had other interests, too. More Than Just Words: The Roald Dahl Foundation Roald Dahl became interested in helping people who had serious injuries and diseases. As a writer, Roald cared about helping children read more. To carry out these goals, his family set up the Roald Dahl Foundation. The foundation helps people, hospitals, and charities by giving money for medical and educational needs. It continues the spirit of giving that Roald expressed throughout his life. Stories For All Ages: The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre* Roald Dahl’s widow, Felicity Dahl, wanted to set up a central place to protect all of Roald’s writings. She helped create the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Buckinghamshire, England. It holds a collection of Roald’s writings and recordings for the public to review. His personal letters and postcards are found there, as well as photographs and many of his awards. As you can see, one can get a pretty complete picture of Roald Dahl’s life by reviewing this library. The museum also encourages people to write creatively. Now, people of all ages are learning about Roald Dahl through his works. Through his stories, the foundation, and the museum, Roald Dahl will continue to help and delight communities around the world for years. Jordan Thibadeaux is a freelance writer in London, England. He has spent many years as a librarian at the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre. *Centre: British spelling of center Which sentence best states the main idea of "The Delightful Mr. Dahl"?

The Roald Dahl Foundation and Roald Dahl Museum reveal the author's many interests and concerns

Many people learn about Roald Dahl's sense of adventure through his books and movies.

Roald Dahl's wife wants her husband to be remembered for his outstanding stories and poems

Visitors are encouraged to use their imaginations at the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre

Entry from the Encyclopedia Children’s Authors of the World “Roald Dahl” Roald Dahl Roald Dahl (1916–1990) is a well-known author of children’s literature. He has published many short stories, poems, and novels. He has also written several movie scripts. Born in Llandaff, Wales, Dahl was one of five siblings. His parents were from Norway. He was educated in England but did not attend a university. Instead, he went to work right away at Shell Oil Company. When World War II began, Dahl left Shell and joined the Royal Air Force to become a fighter pilot. After his experience, a friend encouraged him to write a story about what had happened. Americans liked his story, and he was paid to write many more. His first book was The Gremlins (1943). Walt Disney liked it so much that he considered making it into a film. Dahl also published stories in many important American magazines, including The Saturday Evening Post and The Atlantic. Roald Dahl eventually shifted his attention toward writing mainly for children. His own children encouraged him to create imaginative stories for them at bedtime. This helped him make up a lot of good stories. He wrote over nineteen novels for children. The most famous of these novels include Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. His books have been translated into several languages. They are read by children all over the world. Which BEST describes how the information in the "Roald Dahl" entry from Children's Authors of the World is organized?

As a sequence of important life experiences

As an explanation of why he remains popular

As a comparison of his early writing to his later writing

As a description of the effect of education on his career

Musical Plumbing by Laura Biggs 1 When plumbing makes funny noises, it’s not always a good sign. But John Kovac, a harpist from Virginia, likes the pipes to sing. He thinks plumbing pipes make good musical instruments. 2 Kovac has made standard harps out of wood for more than 20 years. He says he feels a special thrill when he creates an instrument with his hands and uses it to make music come alive. But it takes years of training and special tools to make a traditional musical instrument. Kovac wanted to share the joy of making instruments with people who might not have the time or money to do it. So he decided to find an easier way. The Music of PVC 3 Plumbing was the answer. Kovac found PVC pipes at a local hardware store. PVC stands for polyvinyl chloride. It’s the white tubing that many plumbers use. You might find it in your house under a sink or in the basement. 4 Kovac says that PVC pipes are great for making instruments because they are inexpensive, come in many shapes and sizes, and fit together perfectly. 5 Kovac makes harps, guitars, violins, and cellos out of PVC pipes. He also makes uncommon instruments like the udu (a curved drum) from Nigeria, the cuíca (a friction drum) from Brazil, and the Rührtrommel (a stir drum) from Germany. 6 His instruments may look as if they come from outer space, but they really work. He and some of his music students and friends even started a band called the East Coast PVC Band. Jamming with Pipes 7 Sally Seabright is a violin teacher who plays PVC violin with the band. At first, the rounded shape of the PVC violin made it difficult to hold between her chin and shoulder, but Kovac modified the violin by adding a piece that fits perfectly under her chin. 8 That kind of adaptability is what Kovac admires about PVC. He says, “I know it’s not easy for the average person to make a musical instrument, but I hope to enable anyone who has ever dreamed of making a violin, harp, or guitar to fulfill his or her dreams.” 9 So if you think making an instrument sounds like fun, try using PVC pipes or other household materials to experiment with different sounds and creations. You could even call a few friends and form your own band! With homemade instruments, you, too, can make the pipes sing. What is the main purpose of paragraph 2?

to explain why Kovac came up with his idea

to explain how to join a PVC band

to describe how PVC instruments are made

to describe the different instruments Kovac makes

Musical Plumbing by Laura Biggs 1 When plumbing makes funny noises, it’s not always a good sign. But John Kovac, a harpist from Virginia, likes the pipes to sing. He thinks plumbing pipes make good musical instruments. 2 Kovac has made standard harps out of wood for more than 20 years. He says he feels a special thrill when he creates an instrument with his hands and uses it to make music come alive. But it takes years of training and special tools to make a traditional musical instrument. Kovac wanted to share the joy of making instruments with people who might not have the time or money to do it. So he decided to find an easier way. The Music of PVC 3 Plumbing was the answer. Kovac found PVC pipes at a local hardware store. PVC stands for polyvinyl chloride. It’s the white tubing that many plumbers use. You might find it in your house under a sink or in the basement. 4 Kovac says that PVC pipes are great for making instruments because they are inexpensive, come in many shapes and sizes, and fit together perfectly. 5 Kovac makes harps, guitars, violins, and cellos out of PVC pipes. He also makes uncommon instruments like the udu (a curved drum) from Nigeria, the cuíca (a friction drum) from Brazil, and the Rührtrommel (a stir drum) from Germany. 6 His instruments may look as if they come from outer space, but they really work. He and some of his music students and friends even started a band called the East Coast PVC Band. Jamming with Pipes 7 Sally Seabright is a violin teacher who plays PVC violin with the band. At first, the rounded shape of the PVC violin made it difficult to hold between her chin and shoulder, but Kovac modified the violin by adding a piece that fits perfectly under her chin. 8 That kind of adaptability is what Kovac admires about PVC. He says, “I know it’s not easy for the average person to make a musical instrument, but I hope to enable anyone who has ever dreamed of making a violin, harp, or guitar to fulfill his or her dreams.” 9 So if you think making an instrument sounds like fun, try using PVC pipes or other household materials to experiment with different sounds and creations. You could even call a few friends and form your own band! With homemade instruments, you, too, can make the pipes sing. Read the sentence from paragraph 6: His instruments may look as if they come from outer space, but they really work . What does the sentence mostly show about the instruments?

They are different than expected.

They are large like the planets

Musical Plumbing by Laura Biggs 1 When plumbing makes funny noises, it’s not always a good sign. But John Kovac, a harpist from Virginia, likes the pipes to sing. He thinks plumbing pipes make good musical instruments. 2 Kovac has made standard harps out of wood for more than 20 years. He says he feels a special thrill when he creates an instrument with his hands and uses it to make music come alive. But it takes years of training and special tools to make a traditional musical instrument. Kovac wanted to share the joy of making instruments with people who might not have the time or money to do it. So he decided to find an easier way. The Music of PVC 3 Plumbing was the answer. Kovac found PVC pipes at a local hardware store. PVC stands for polyvinyl chloride. It’s the white tubing that many plumbers use. You might find it in your house under a sink or in the basement. 4 Kovac says that PVC pipes are great for making instruments because they are inexpensive, come in many shapes and sizes, and fit together perfectly. 5 Kovac makes harps, guitars, violins, and cellos out of PVC pipes. He also makes uncommon instruments like the udu (a curved drum) from Nigeria, the cuíca (a friction drum) from Brazil, and the Rührtrommel (a stir drum) from Germany. 6 His instruments may look as if they come from outer space, but they really work. He and some of his music students and friends even started a band called the East Coast PVC Band. Jamming with Pipes 7 Sally Seabright is a violin teacher who plays PVC violin with the band. At first, the rounded shape of the PVC violin made it difficult to hold between her chin and shoulder, but Kovac modified the violin by adding a piece that fits perfectly under her chin. 8 That kind of adaptability is what Kovac admires about PVC. He says, “I know it’s not easy for the average person to make a musical instrument, but I hope to enable anyone who has ever dreamed of making a violin, harp, or guitar to fulfill his or her dreams.” 9 So if you think making an instrument sounds like fun, try using PVC pipes or other household materials to experiment with different sounds and creations. You could even call a few friends and form your own band! With homemade instruments, you, too, can make the pipes sing. Based on the article, the most likely reason the author chose the title “Musical Plumbing” is that the article.....

explains how plumbing materials can make musical instruments

describes a group of plumbers who formed a band.

explains why pipes are shaped like musical instruments.

describes musical sounds heard from the pipes under a house

General Reading Comprehension Practice 2 (32 Questions)

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4th Grade

CCSS covered

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General Reading Comprehension Practice 2 (32 Questions)

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MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

15 mins • 1 pt

The Final Laugh
by Tracy Alan White

1 A bullfrog plump named Ogden Glump
hopped into a bog landed splud amid the mud,
fine place for a frog.

5 But whizzing by came Buzz McFly.
The local razzing pest
he saw the frog stuck in the bog,
so nearby came to rest. Ornery glee he laughed, “hee hee,

10 rejoicing in his luck
to see below his bloated foe,
helpless in the muck.
“Your mom’s a toad!” he loudly crowed,
“and oh the rotten break,

15 While on his pad, your poor old dad
was swallowed by a snake!
But Ogden Glump, the bullfrog plump,
trained a marksman’s eye,
and with lightning slurp and froggy burp,

20 he swallowed Buzz McFly!

1. Bloated: puffy, overfed

Which sentence describes how the poem “The Final Laugh” is structured?

Each group of lines presents a new detail about the setting.

At the beginning and end of each line are short to create a fast rhythm.

Important phrases are repeated throughout to show the personalities of the characters.

Sounds at the ends of the lines and within the long lines create a regular rhyming pattern.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.3.4

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.4.5

CCSS.RL.5.5

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

15 mins • 1 pt

The Final Laugh
by Tracy Alan White

1 A bullfrog plump named Ogden Glump
hopped into a bog landed splud amid the mud,
fine place for a frog.

5 But whizzing by came Buzz McFly.
The local razzing pest
he saw the frog stuck in the bog,
so nearby came to rest. Ornery glee he laughed, “hee hee,

10 rejoicing in his luck
to see below his bloated foe,
helpless in the muck.
“Your mom’s a toad!” he loudly crowed,
“and oh the rotten break,

15 While on his pad, your poor old dad
was swallowed by a snake!
But Ogden Glump, the bullfrog plump,
trained a marksman’s eye,
and with lightning slurp and froggy burp,

20 he swallowed Buzz McFly!

1. Bloated: puffy, overfed

Which pair of phrases from the poem best describes Buzz McFly?

“amid the mud” and “helpless in the muck”

“whizzing by” and “razzing pest!”

”On his pad” and “swallowed by a snake”

"bullfrog plump” and “lightning slurp’ “

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.3.4

CCSS.RL.4.5

CCSS.RL.3.5

CCSS.RL.5.5

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

15 mins • 1 pt

The Final Laugh
by Tracy Alan White

1 A bullfrog plump named Ogden Glump
hopped into a bog landed splud amid the mud,
fine place for a frog.

5 But whizzing by came Buzz McFly.
The local razzing pest
he saw the frog stuck in the bog,
so nearby came to rest. Ornery glee he laughed, “hee hee,

10 rejoicing in his luck
to see below his bloated foe,
helpless in the muck.
“Your mom’s a toad!” he loudly crowed,
“and oh the rotten break,

15 While on his pad, your poor old dad
was swallowed by a snake!
But Ogden Glump, the bullfrog plump,
trained a marksman’s eye,
and with lightning slurp and froggy burp,

20 he swallowed Buzz McFly!

1. Bloated: puffy, overfed

What is the most likely reason that Buzz McFly “came to rest” in the bog?

Wants Ogden Glump to hear his words clearly.

He thinks that the mud is a peaceful place to relax.

He believes that Ogden Glump cannot harm him.

He does not know that any other creature is there.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.3.4

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.4.5

CCSS.RL.3.5

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

15 mins • 1 pt

The Final Laugh
by Tracy Alan White

1 A bullfrog plump named Ogden Glump
hopped into a bog landed splud amid the mud,
fine place for a frog.

5 But whizzing by came Buzz McFly.
The local razzing pest
he saw the frog stuck in the bog,
so nearby came to rest. Ornery glee he laughed, “hee hee,

10 rejoicing in his luck
to see below his bloated foe,
helpless in the muck.
“Your mom’s a toad!” he loudly crowed,
“and oh the rotten break,

15 While on his pad, your poor old dad
was swallowed by a snake!
But Ogden Glump, the bullfrog plump,
trained a marksman’s eye,
and with lightning slurp and froggy burp,

20 he swallowed Buzz McFly!

1. Bloated: puffy, overfed

Read lines 17 and 18 from the poem.

“But Ogden Glump, the bullfrog plump,
trained a marksman’s eye, “

Which sentence uses trained in the same way?

The athlete trained for the final race on Saturday.

Traveler trained her telescope on the distant shore.

The band trained for the contest for many hours after school.

The boss trained his workers on how to use the new machine.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RI.3.4

CCSS.RL.5.1

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

15 mins • 1 pt

The Final Laugh
by Tracy Alan White

1 A bullfrog plump named Ogden Glump
hopped into a bog landed splud amid the mud,
fine place for a frog.

5 But whizzing by came Buzz McFly.
The local razzing pest
he saw the frog stuck in the bog,
so nearby came to rest. Ornery glee he laughed, “hee hee,

10 rejoicing in his luck
to see below his bloated foe,
helpless in the muck.
“Your mom’s a toad!” he loudly crowed,
“and oh the rotten break,

15 While on his pad, your poor old dad
was swallowed by a snake!
But Ogden Glump, the bullfrog plump,
trained a marksman’s eye,
and with lightning slurp and froggy burp,

20 he swallowed Buzz McFly!

1. Bloated: puffy, overfed

What most likely leads to Ogden Glump’s treatment of Buzz McFly at the end of the poem?

McFly’s location in Glump’s favorite spot

McFiy’s laughter when he sees Glump

McFly’s words about Glump’s mother and father

McFly’s description of Glump as “bloated

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.4.5

CCSS.RL.3.5

CCSS.RL.5.5

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

15 mins • 1 pt

The Final Laugh
by Tracy Alan White

1 A bullfrog plump named Ogden Glump
hopped into a bog landed splud amid the mud,
fine place for a frog.

5 But whizzing by came Buzz McFly.
The local razzing pest
he saw the frog stuck in the bog,
so nearby came to rest. Ornery glee he laughed, “hee hee,

10 rejoicing in his luck
to see below his bloated foe,
helpless in the muck.
“Your mom’s a toad!” he loudly crowed,
“and oh the rotten break,

15 While on his pad, your poor old dad
was swallowed by a snake!
But Ogden Glump, the bullfrog plump,
trained a marksman’s eye,
and with lightning slurp and froggy burp,

20 he swallowed Buzz McFly!

1. Bloated: puffy, overfed

Which sentence best states the theme of the poem?

Unkind deeds are often punished.

Respect is necessary between friends.

Paying attention leads to opportunities

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.3.9

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.9

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

15 mins • 1 pt

Where Does Chocolate Come From?
by Robert Burleigh

1 How is it made? Did Columbus discover it? Did Thomas Edison invent it? Did someone just find it growing somewhere, ready to eat? The truth is even stranger: All chocolate comes from the seeds of one kind of tree. The seeds, of course, go through many changes on the way to a candy bar. But it all starts in the tropical rainforests of the world.

3 These rainforests are found near the equator. They are warm and humid and filled with exotic birds, animals, flowers, and trees. And one of those trees is the source of all chocolate—the cacao (caCOW) tree. Cacao. Kakawa. The name was first used 3,000 years ago, when a people called the Olmecs inhabited what is now Mexico. Perhaps while wandering through the dense undergrowth, the Olmecs came upon a tree with small, five-petaled white flowers and oddly shaped pods. And so the chocolate story begins.

5 The cacao tree, reaching a height of thirty feet or more, grows under the sheltering shade, or canopy, of the taller trees around it. Its flowers, which are pollinated by a gnat-like fly called a midge, bloom throughout the year. But that is only the beginning.

What comes next is perhaps the strangest thing about the cacao’s appearance. Dozens of oval-shaped, foot-long pods, which change color from green to yellow to purple-red as they ripen, grow from all parts of the tree, even the trunk. From the trunk? Early European drawings of the cacao tree, showing the pods growing from the trunk, were thought by many to be just bad illustrations. But it is true. Imagine a tree dotted with many colorful footballs!

1. pollinated: having received pollen from another flower in order to reproduce

7 Split the pod open and look inside. It is filled with a thick whitish pulp. Dig deeper still. Stacked in columns in the center of the pulp (which is delicious but has no taste of chocolate) are rows of pale, almond-sized seeds. And it is these cacao-tree seeds—after they are fermented,2 dried, roasted, shelled, and crushed to a smooth paste—from which chocolate is made.

2. fermented: having gone through a process that chemically changes the seeds

Which sentence best states the main idea of “Where Does Chocolate Come From?”

Pulp from the pod of a cacao tree is an important food source for people in the rainforest.

People living in the rainforest discovered chocolate hundreds of years ago.

The cacao tree provides the basic ingredient for all chocolate.

The story of how chocolate was first made is interesting, but few people know about it

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

15 mins • 1 pt

Where Does Chocolate Come From?
by Robert Burleigh

1 How is it made? Did Columbus discover it? Did Thomas Edison invent it? Did someone just find it growing somewhere, ready to eat? The truth is even stranger: All chocolate comes from the seeds of one kind of tree. The seeds, of course, go through many changes on the way to a candy bar. But it all starts in the tropical rainforests of the world.

3 These rainforests are found near the equator. They are warm and humid and filled with exotic birds, animals, flowers, and trees. And one of those trees is the source of all chocolate—the cacao (caCOW) tree. Cacao. Kakawa. The name was first used 3,000 years ago, when a people called the Olmecs inhabited what is now Mexico. Perhaps while wandering through the dense undergrowth, the Olmecs came upon a tree with small, five-petaled white flowers and oddly shaped pods. And so the chocolate story begins.

5 The cacao tree, reaching a height of thirty feet or more, grows under the sheltering shade, or canopy, of the taller trees around it. Its flowers, which are pollinated by a gnat-like fly called a midge, bloom throughout the year. But that is only the beginning.

What comes next is perhaps the strangest thing about the cacao’s appearance. Dozens of oval-shaped, foot-long pods, which change color from green to yellow to purple-red as they ripen, grow from all parts of the tree, even the trunk. From the trunk? Early European drawings of the cacao tree, showing the pods growing from the trunk, were thought by many to be just bad illustrations. But it is true. Imagine a tree dotted with many colorful footballs!

1. pollinated: having received pollen from another flower in order to reproduce

7 Split the pod open and look inside. It is filled with a thick whitish pulp. Dig deeper still. Stacked in columns in the center of the pulp (which is delicious but has no taste of chocolate) are rows of pale, almond-sized seeds. And it is these cacao-tree seeds—after they are fermented,2 dried, roasted, shelled, and crushed to a smooth paste—from which chocolate is made.

2. fermented: having gone through a process that chemically changes the seeds

Which detail from the passage best supports the main idea?

“The truth is even stranger: All chocolate comes from the seeds of one kind of tree.”

“The seeds, of course, go through many changes on the way to a candy bar.”

“The name was first used 3,000 years ago, when a people called the Olmecs inhabited what is now Mexico.”

“Stacked in columns in the center of the pulp (which is delicious but has no taste of chocolate) are rows of pale, almond-sized seeds.”

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

15 mins • 1 pt

Where Does Chocolate Come From?
by Robert Burleigh

1 How is it made? Did Columbus discover it? Did Thomas Edison invent it? Did someone just find it growing somewhere, ready to eat? The truth is even stranger: All chocolate comes from the seeds of one kind of tree. The seeds, of course, go through many changes on the way to a candy bar. But it all starts in the tropical rainforests of the world.

3 These rainforests are found near the equator. They are warm and humid and filled with exotic birds, animals, flowers, and trees. And one of those trees is the source of all chocolate—the cacao (caCOW) tree. Cacao. Kakawa. The name was first used 3,000 years ago, when a people called the Olmecs inhabited what is now Mexico. Perhaps while wandering through the dense undergrowth, the Olmecs came upon a tree with small, five-petaled white flowers and oddly shaped pods. And so the chocolate story begins.

5 The cacao tree, reaching a height of thirty feet or more, grows under the sheltering shade, or canopy, of the taller trees around it. Its flowers, which are pollinated by a gnat-like fly called a midge, bloom throughout the year. But that is only the beginning.

What comes next is perhaps the strangest thing about the cacao’s appearance. Dozens of oval-shaped, foot-long pods, which change color from green to yellow to purple-red as they ripen, grow from all parts of the tree, even the trunk. From the trunk? Early European drawings of the cacao tree, showing the pods growing from the trunk, were thought by many to be just bad illustrations. But it is true. Imagine a tree dotted with many colorful footballs!

1. pollinated: having received pollen from another flower in order to reproduce

7 Split the pod open and look inside. It is filled with a thick whitish pulp. Dig deeper still. Stacked in columns in the center of the pulp (which is delicious but has no taste of chocolate) are rows of pale, almond-sized seeds. And it is these cacao-tree seeds—after they are fermented,2 dried, roasted, shelled, and crushed to a smooth paste—from which chocolate is made.

2. fermented: having gone through a process that chemically changes the seeds

How are the ideas in the passage mostly organized?

in chronological order to tell about the process of how cacao seeds grow

by cause and effect to show why cacao seeds grow best in rainforests

as a problem and solution to explain how early explorers found cacao trees

through comparison and contrast to explore how cacao trees are different from most trees

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.5

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

10.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

15 mins • 1 pt

Where Does Chocolate Come From?
by Robert Burleigh

1 How is it made? Did Columbus discover it? Did Thomas Edison invent it? Did someone just find it growing somewhere, ready to eat? The truth is even stranger: All chocolate comes from the seeds of one kind of tree. The seeds, of course, go through many changes on the way to a candy bar. But it all starts in the tropical rainforests of the world.

3 These rainforests are found near the equator. They are warm and humid and filled with exotic birds, animals, flowers, and trees. And one of those trees is the source of all chocolate—the cacao (caCOW) tree. Cacao. Kakawa. The name was first used 3,000 years ago, when a people called the Olmecs inhabited what is now Mexico. Perhaps while wandering through the dense undergrowth, the Olmecs came upon a tree with small, five-petaled white flowers and oddly shaped pods. And so the chocolate story begins.

5 The cacao tree, reaching a height of thirty feet or more, grows under the sheltering shade, or canopy, of the taller trees around it. Its flowers, which are pollinated by a gnat-like fly called a midge, bloom throughout the year. But that is only the beginning.

What comes next is perhaps the strangest thing about the cacao’s appearance. Dozens of oval-shaped, foot-long pods, which change color from green to yellow to purple-red as they ripen, grow from all parts of the tree, even the trunk. From the trunk? Early European drawings of the cacao tree, showing the pods growing from the trunk, were thought by many to be just bad illustrations. But it is true. Imagine a tree dotted with many colorful footballs!

1. pollinated: having received pollen from another flower in order to reproduce

7 Split the pod open and look inside. It is filled with a thick whitish pulp. Dig deeper still. Stacked in columns in the center of the pulp (which is delicious but has no taste of chocolate) are rows of pale, almond-sized seeds. And it is these cacao-tree seeds—after they are fermented,2 dried, roasted, shelled, and crushed to a smooth paste—from which chocolate is made.

2. fermented: having gone through a process that chemically changes the seeds

In paragraph 5, what does the word canopy mean?

closeness

pressure

height

cover

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.3.4

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RI.3.4

CCSS.RI.5.4

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