Theme Assessment Review

Passage 1

The Little Golden Bird

Once upon a time, five Buddhist monks lived in a great temple that stood in a beautiful garden full of flowers and rare plants. The monks spent their days praying and meditating. The beauty of their home was all they needed to make them forget the world. Then one day, a young monk arrived, upsetting their lives by telling them all about the outside world beyond the garden wall. He told them about cities, the bright lights, everyday life full of entertainments and pleasure. And when the monks heard about this different world, their paradise started to seem like a lonely life. The monks decided they would leave the temple to go and see the world. But just as they were about to go, a golden bird fluttered over their heads, dangling five white strings. Each monk grasped a string, and suddenly the little group found itself carried away to the land of their dreams. And there, they saw the outside world as it really was, full of hate, misery and violence, where there was no peace. It was a long journey, and when the golden bird brought them back to the temple garden, they decided never to leave it again.

Passage 2

The Wizard of Oz

In the famous story of The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy wishes she could travel "over the rainbow." Then she dreams she is in the Land of Oz where animals can walk and talk like people, and everything is very colorful. But after she is there for a while, she begins to miss her home on the farm in Kansas and all the people she knew there. When she finally wakes up from her dream, she is so happy to see her family around her. She decides to never wander so far from home again.

How are the themes of these two stories similar?

• In both stories, happiness is found at home.

• Both stories say you have to travel to find happiness.

• Both stories are about monks and birds.

• In both stories, there is a magical Land of Oz.

Passage 1

The Little Golden Bird

Once upon a time, five Buddhist monks lived in a great temple that stood in a beautiful garden full of flowers and rare plants. The monks spent their days praying and meditating. The beauty of their home was all they needed to make them forget the world. Then one day, a young monk arrived, upsetting their lives by telling them all about the outside world beyond the garden wall. He told them about cities, the bright lights, everyday life full of entertainments and pleasure. And when the monks heard about this different world, their paradise started to seem like a lonely life. The monks decided they would leave the temple to go and see the world. But just as they were about to go, a golden bird fluttered over their heads, dangling five white strings. Each monk grasped a string, and suddenly the little group found itself carried away to the land of their dreams. And there, they saw the outside world as it really was, full of hate, misery and violence, where there was no peace. It was a long journey, and when the golden bird brought them back to the temple garden, they decided never to leave it again.

Passage 2

The Wizard of Oz

In the famous story of The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy wishes she could travel "over the rainbow." Then she dreams she is in the Land of Oz where animals can walk and talk like people, and everything is very colorful. But after she is there for a while, she begins to miss her home on the farm in Kansas and all the people she knew there. When she finally wakes up from her dream, she is so happy to see her family around her. She decides to never wander so far from home again.

How are the themes of the two stories different?

• The theme of the first story is almost exactly the same as the theme of the second story, with no real differences.

• In the first story, the monks discover that peace is found at home; in the second, Dorothy learns that love and family are found at home.

• In the first story, the characters decide to leave home for good; in the second, Dorothy only travels to Oz for a short while and then returns home.

• In the first story, there is hate and misery in the world and peace in the temple; in the second, there are animals that talk.

Passage 1

Aesop’s "The Lion, the Donkey, and the Fox"

A lion, a fox, and a donkey made an agreement. They would share all of the food they gathered in the forest, splitting it among them at the end of a day. By the end of the first day, they piled all of their food into one great heap, and the lion asked the donkey to divide the food as he saw fit. The donkey very carefully divided all of the food into three exactly equal portions. When the lion was presented his share, he grew angry, and then he killed and ate the donkey. The lion then turned to the fox. He asked the fox to divide the food as best he saw fit. The fox piled most of the food into one stack, leaving only the tiniest portion of meat for himself. The lion was happy. “Who taught you such a fair skill at arithmetic, Fox?” the lion asked. “The donkey,” the fox replied.

Passage 2

Aesop’s "The Lame Lion"

A lion had become too old to chase down game, so he thought of a ruse to continue to hunt. The lion lied down in his cave and pretended to be ill. He made it a point to let all the other animals in his kingdom know that he was ill. One by one, the other animals lined up outside to pay their respects. Each went into the cave, one at a time, to wish the lion a quick recovery from his “illness.” As each of them entered, the lion leapt on each one in turn, devouring them before the others knew or grew wary. Soon, only the fox remained outside the cave. The fox leaned close to the cave opening and yelled down to the lion, “I do wish you recover soon, King Lion. I am sorry that you are ill.” The lion said, “Come a bit closer. Come into my cave. I am ill, and I cannot see you where you stand.” “I think not,” replied the fox, “For you see, there are many footprints leading into your cave, but none leading away. I think I shall stay outside where it is safe.”

How are the themes of these two stories similar?

• It is best to remain apart from the group.

• It is wise to learn from others' mistakes.

• It is best not to anger powerful people.

• It is always better to negotiate in peace.

Passage 1

Aesop’s "The Lion, the Donkey, and the Fox"

A lion, a fox, and a donkey made an agreement. They would share all of the food they gathered in the forest, splitting it among them at the end of a day. By the end of the first day, they piled all of their food into one great heap, and the lion asked the donkey to divide the food as he saw fit. The donkey very carefully divided all of the food into three exactly equal portions. When the lion was presented his share, he grew angry, and then he killed and ate the donkey. The lion then turned to the fox. He asked the fox to divide the food as best he saw fit. The fox piled most of the food into one stack, leaving only the tiniest portion of meat for himself. The lion was happy. “Who taught you such a fair skill at arithmetic, Fox?” the lion asked. “The donkey,” the fox replied.

Passage 2

Aesop’s "The Lame Lion"

A lion had become too old to chase down game, so he thought of a ruse to continue to hunt. The lion lied down in his cave and pretended to be ill. He made it a point to let all the other animals in his kingdom know that he was ill. One by one, the other animals lined up outside to pay their respects. Each went into the cave, one at a time, to wish the lion a quick recovery from his “illness.” As each of them entered, the lion leapt on each one in turn, devouring them before the others knew or grew wary. Soon, only the fox remained outside the cave. The fox leaned close to the cave opening and yelled down to the lion, “I do wish you recover soon, King Lion. I am sorry that you are ill.” The lion said, “Come a bit closer. Come into my cave. I am ill, and I cannot see you where you stand.” “I think not,” replied the fox, “For you see, there are many footprints leading into your cave, but none leading away. I think I shall stay outside where it is safe.”

Both of these fables by Aesop include a fox as a character. Which sentence might best explain why Aesop chose a fox as the main character of a fable?

• Foxes are known to be cowardly.

• Foxes are known to be sly.

• Foxes are common animals in fables.

• Foxes are the natural enemies of lions.

Passage 1

Aesop’s "The Lion, the Donkey, and the Fox"

A lion, a fox, and a donkey made an agreement. They would share all of the food they gathered in the forest, splitting it among them at the end of a day. By the end of the first day, they piled all of their food into one great heap, and the lion asked the donkey to divide the food as he saw fit. The donkey very carefully divided all of the food into three exactly equal portions. When the lion was presented his share, he grew angry, and then he killed and ate the donkey. The lion then turned to the fox. He asked the fox to divide the food as best he saw fit. The fox piled most of the food into one stack, leaving only the tiniest portion of meat for himself. The lion was happy. “Who taught you such a fair skill at arithmetic, Fox?” the lion asked. “The donkey,” the fox replied.

Passage 2

Aesop’s "The Lame Lion"

A lion had become too old to chase down game, so he thought of a ruse to continue to hunt. The lion lied down in his cave and pretended to be ill. He made it a point to let all the other animals in his kingdom know that he was ill. One by one, the other animals lined up outside to pay their respects. Each went into the cave, one at a time, to wish the lion a quick recovery from his “illness.” As each of them entered, the lion leapt on each one in turn, devouring them before the others knew or grew wary. Soon, only the fox remained outside the cave. The fox leaned close to the cave opening and yelled down to the lion, “I do wish you recover soon, King Lion. I am sorry that you are ill.” The lion said, “Come a bit closer. Come into my cave. I am ill, and I cannot see you where you stand.” “I think not,” replied the fox, “For you see, there are many footprints leading into your cave, but none leading away. I think I shall stay outside where it is safe.”

How are the themes in these two stories different from each other?

• The first is about knowing which battles to fight; the second is about looking before you leap.

• The two stories have exactly the same theme; they are just told in two completely different ways.

• The first story deals with bravery on the part of the donkey; the second one is about being foolish.

• The first story is about a good fox against an evil lion; the second is mainly about avoiding life's challenges.

Passage 1

The Princess and the Pea

In England, there was a tale of a prince who sought a wife to be his queen. This prince wanted a woman who was the most sensitive to the needs of his people. One day, a visiting king brought his daughter with him on a visit to the prince. After a night of feasting and talking, the young princess grew tired. The prince offered her a room in which to sleep. But secretly before this, he had a servant sneak into the young woman’s room and place a single pea underneath her mattress. The princess retired to her bedchambers and tried to sleep. The next day at breakfast, when the visiting king and his daughter joined the prince to eat, the prince asked how each of them had slept. “Oh, I slept remarkably well. Your beds are the most comfortable in all the land,” remarked the visiting king. The young princess looked sad. “I am sorry to say, your highness, I did not sleep well at all. I felt my mattress was lumpy, and it kept me up most of the night.” Instantly, the prince asked the king’s daughter for her hand in marriage, convinced he had found the bride he sought.

Passage 2

The Prince and the Vine

In Italy, there is a tale of a king who sought the gentlest of noble women as a wife. He was always grumpy and in a foul mood. He felt a gentle and kind wife would teach him how to be gentler, and his people would benefit from his newfound kindness. One day a young noble woman came to visit his court, and they went on a stroll through his gardens. As they walked, a single leaf fell from a jasmine vine and landed on the noblewoman’s foot. “Ouch,” she cried, and immediately her foot began to swell as if it had been horribly hurt. “I do not feel I can walk any further,” she said, “It seems I have broken my foot.” The king picked her up and carried her back to his castle where his doctors bound her foot. After her foot healed, the king asked her for her hand in marriage and the two lived happily ever after.

How are these two stories similar?

• The stories teach how unwise it is for readers to be overly sensitive to issues.

• Both stories show how nobles and royals would visit each other from time to time.

• The first story is about an English prince, and the second story is about an Italian king.

• The sensitivity of both women is represented by their senses of touch.

The Dropout

by c. safos

Every day, when Darnell came home from school, he worked on his science project. He quit playing pick-up basketball games with his friends. He quit the Macoon Art Club at school. He didn't have time for his afternoon television shows, and he barely spoke to his sister, except at dinner.

Darnell was consumed with the school's annual science fair. He had won two years in a row, and now, this year, the grand prize was $1,000. Darnell was focused on making sure he would win for a third year. He thought about having a huge party and inviting all his friends. He would hire a D.J. He would cater food. He would have dancing. He had it in mind that he would win first prize again, and he and his friends and family could celebrate.

As the fall changed into winter, Darnell was getting closer and closer to completion. He had drawn up blueprints for a robot that talked. It was his best invention yet. He could just imagine the trophy and all his friends and family cheering for him as he was presented with the check.

The days seemed to fly by, and many people in Darnell's life began to miss him. Then, many became sad because he had ignored them while he worked at his science project. Slowly, his friends stopped calling his house to see if he wanted to go see a movie or play a game of basketball. His sister stopped going to Darnell to show him her newest piece she had made in the Macoon Art Club. The sad thing was that Darnell didn't even notice any of these changes. The day of the science fair arrived. As the judges made their selections for the best of the competition, Darnell couldn't contain himself. They awarded third place to Martin Freeman for his invention. Second place went to Sophie Romo for her turbine engine. Finally, the judges awarded first place—Darnell won! As he became excited, he realized none of his friends were there to cheer for him. Not even his sister was there to congratulate him. He looked around the room to see Martin Freeman surrounded by his friends cheering him on. Sophie Romo had her family there taking pictures.

Then, Darnell remembered the fall. He thought about the phone calls he missed. He thought about the times he ignored his sister and her accomplishments. Suddenly, his check for $1,000 didn't seem like quite enough. Suddenly, he found himself wanting to cash it in to have the fall back again.

How do Darnell's actions contribute to the theme?

• He makes his sister quit making art at the Macoon Art Club.

• He wins the big prize, and everyone around him gets jealous.

• He forgets how to play basketball, and his friends desert him.

• He isolates himself and turns his friends and family against him.

The Dropout

by c. safos

Every day, when Darnell came home from school, he worked on his science project. He quit playing pick-up basketball games with his friends. He quit the Macoon Art Club at school. He didn't have time for his afternoon television shows, and he barely spoke to his sister, except at dinner.

Darnell was consumed with the school's annual science fair. He had won two years in a row, and now, this year, the grand prize was $1,000. Darnell was focused on making sure he would win for a third year. He thought about having a huge party and inviting all his friends. He would hire a D.J. He would cater food. He would have dancing. He had it in mind that he would win first prize again, and he and his friends and family could celebrate.

As the fall changed into winter, Darnell was getting closer and closer to completion. He had drawn up blueprints for a robot that talked. It was his best invention yet. He could just imagine the trophy and all his friends and family cheering for him as he was presented with the check.

The days seemed to fly by, and many people in Darnell's life began to miss him. Then, many became sad because he had ignored them while he worked at his science project. Slowly, his friends stopped calling his house to see if he wanted to go see a movie or play a game of basketball. His sister stopped going to Darnell to show him her newest piece she had made in the Macoon Art Club. The sad thing was that Darnell didn't even notice any of these changes. The day of the science fair arrived. As the judges made their selections for the best of the competition, Darnell couldn't contain himself. They awarded third place to Martin Freeman for his invention. Second place went to Sophie Romo for her turbine engine. Finally, the judges awarded first place—Darnell won! As he became excited, he realized none of his friends were there to cheer for him. Not even his sister was there to congratulate him. He looked around the room to see Martin Freeman surrounded by his friends cheering him on. Sophie Romo had her family there taking pictures.

Then, Darnell remembered the fall. He thought about the phone calls he missed. He thought about the times he ignored his sister and her accomplishments. Suddenly, his check for $1,000 didn't seem like quite enough. Suddenly, he found himself wanting to cash it in to have the fall back again.

What is the theme of this story?

• People with friends and family are not usually successful.

• Reward is not as great without someone to share it with.

• Working hard in school will always pay off in the end.

• Hard work will most likely drive family and friends away.

Investigating Life in Planet Newn

CHARACTERS:

ROB

TARA

SETTING: Somewhere in the space. Rob and Tara are floating in the shuttle. They look out the window and try to balance as they talk.

ROB: She seems so blue from here.

TARA: Yeah. Round and blue.

ROB: Did you ever imagine you'd be here?

TARA: I wanted to, but I didn't know I would get to do it.

ROB: Yeah. So beautiful. She is beautiful.

TARA: Nothing like her.

ROB: All this vast space out here, and I think of that one ball. It is getting smaller as we move away.

TARA: Why do you think we want to look at Earth when we are out in the space? Didn't we get out to see the space?

ROB: We did, but we all miss home when we leave.

How does the title reflect the theme of the drama?

• It tells that the journey is about finding many homes in the universe.

• It tells that the characters will be discovering new things forever.

• It tells that Rob and Tara will be out in the space for a long time.

• It tells that the journey is about discovering a planet away from home.

Once upon a time a peacock and a tortoise became great friends. The peacock lived on a tree on the banks of the stream in which the tortoise had his home. The peacock had a drink of water and displayed his feathers for his friend every day. One unfortunate day, a bird-catcher caught the peacock and was about to take him away to the market. The unhappy bird begged of his captor to allow him to say goodbye to his friend, as it would be the last time he would see him. The bird-catcher allowed it and took him to the tortoise, who was greatly moved to see his friend a captive.

The tortoise asked the bird-catcher to let the peacock go. But he laughed at the request, saying that was his way of earning money.

The tortoise then said, "If I make you a handsome present, will you let my friend go?" "Certainly," answered the bird-catcher, "that is all I want."

The tortoise dove into the water and in a few seconds came up with a handsome pearl. To the great astonishment of the bird-catcher, the tortoise handed it to him. This was beyond his expectations, and he let the peacock go immediately.

A short time after, the man came back and told the tortoise that he thought he had not paid enough for the release of his friend. He threatened that unless a match to that pearl was obtained for him, he would again catch the peacock.

The tortoise, who had already advised his friend to flee to a distant jungle, was greatly enraged at this man.

"Well," said the tortoise, "if you insist on having another pearl like it, give it to me and I will fish you out an exact match for it." The foolish bird-catcher speedily gave the pearl to the wily tortoise who swam out with it saying, "I am no fool to take one and give two!" The tortoise then disappeared, leaving the bird-catcher to be sorry forever after.

adapted from The World's Story: A History of the World in Story, Song, and Art by Eva March Tappan

What is the theme of this story?

• Greediness doesn't pay off in the end.

• He who laughs last, laughs best.

• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

• Every cloud has a silver lining.