RL.5.1. Inferences #2

Hank was afraid of everything. The slightest unfamiliar noise made him run for cover. He was a very unhappy dog because of his fear. One evening, the wind blew the tree branches against the house. Hank did not know what was making that scraping sound. He hid under the porch, but the noise was too loud and too close. Hank ran away from the terrible sound. He took off into the woods and didn't stop until he could no longer hear the noise. Suddenly, an owl hooted at him and asked, "Why were you running?"

Hank was afraid of the owl and started running again. The owl followed him, which only made Hank run faster. Finally, Hank was too tired to run anymore. He hid under a log and hoped that the owl would go away.

The owl landed on the log and quietly said, "I won't hurt you, dog. I want to be your friend. Please tell me why you're so afraid."

Hank stopped shaking and looked at the owl. He could see that the owl didn't look mean.

He answered in a quivering voice, "I—I don't know why I'm afraid. I just feel like there are a lot of dangers all around me."

"Well," said the owl, "don't you think it would be better to know if you are really in danger before you run away? You might miss out on a good opportunity—like making a new friend."

Hank thought for a minute about what the owl said. Then, he replied, "Yes, but how do I check if there really is danger without getting hurt?"

"You live on the Erickson's Farm—right?" The owl asked.

"Yes, since I was born, that has been my only home," Hank answered.

"Has anything ever attacked you?" the owl inquired.

"No, nothing has ever attacked me," Hank said.

"So, your home is a pretty safe place—right?" the owl asked.

Hank thought for another minute. He tried to remember a time when he was really in danger. The timid dog realized that each time he had run away, it had turned out to be a noise like a tractor starting, Billy throwing a ball against the barn, or farm animals like cows and horses hollering about food.

Hank chuckled and said, "I guess there really isn't any reason to be afraid. I've been a very silly dog. Thanks, Mr. Owl, for helping me to realize that I don't have to run away all of the time."

"Well, you know what they say about owls, don't you?" Mr. Owl asked.

"They're nice?" Hank questioned.

"No, everyone says that we're 'real wise guys,' " Mr. Owl smiled and flew away.

Hank went back home wagging his tail because of the new revelation that he was safe.

In the passage, the owl says that owls are wise birds. Which dialogue from the passage best suggests this idea?

• "You live on the Erickson's Farm—right?"

• "You might miss out on a good opportunity—like making a new friend."

• "Please tell me why you're so afraid."

• "Why were you running?"

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.2.6

Ramona, a twelve-year-old girl, was riding the bus to school. She hated the long, bumpy ride to school. This ride didn’t seem any different until the bus turned a corner and slid off the icy road into the ditch. After several attempts to back out of the ditch and some under-the-breath grumbling, Mac, the driver, told the kids that they would all have to walk to the nearest house. Ramona grabbed her backpack and exited the warm bus. She was up to her knees in snow. She trudged behind some of the older kids, trying to follow the path that they plowed through the deep snow. She pulled her knitted hat down over her ears and shoved her gloveless hands deep into her pockets. After hiking a couple hundred yards in the snow, they reached the house of the next would-have-been passenger.

Ramona heard the surprise in the mother’s voice when she answered the door. “What happened? Is everyone alright?”

The bus driver told the woman what had happened and asked if everyone could take shelter in her home, until other arrangements could be made.

She cheerfully welcomed the dozen or so of them into the house. Patrick, the boy who was supposed to have been picked up, was happy for the delay from school. All of the kids started asking if they were going to make it to school.Phone calls were made and the group was told to stay put until the road conditions improved.

Patrick’s mom set about making her guests comfortable.She baked chocolate chip cookies and made hot cocoa. The kids sat in front of the fireplace playing cards, laughing, and telling stories. Patrick showed Ramona and some of the others his room and his electric guitar.

It was a morning and afternoon that no one would forget.School was over by the time the country roads were clear.Parents came and picked up their children from Patrick’s house. Many words of thanks were expressed to Patrick’s mom.

The next day was clear and bright. Ramona sat on the edge of her seat willing the bus to slide off the road, but it did not.

Which sentence from the passage suggests that it was cold outside?

• "Patrick, the boy who was supposed to have been picked up, was happy for the delay from school."

• "Ramona sat on the edge of her seat willing the bus to slide off the road, but it did not."

• "Phone calls were made and the group was told to stay put until the road conditions improved."

• "She pulled her knitted hat down over her ears and shoved her gloveless hands deep into her pockets."

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RF.5.4C

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

"Ugh, what's that noise?" Elsa Watson asked her dad when she got home from school. The apartment was fairly shaking with what sounded like World War III coming from the unit below them.

"It's our new neighbors." Mr. Watson said and rolled his eyes. "They evidently like to watch high-action movies all day on that giant flat-screen TV that I saw them unload. I should've known that thing would bring us grief."

Just then, Elsa's little brother Jimmy walked in, plugging his ears. "Jeez!" he yelled. "Do we have to listen to this?"

Mr. Watson set out a plate of cookies for his kids as he spoke. "I went down there earlier to say "howdy" and asked if they could keep the volume a bit lower. I guess this is their idea of 'lower.' It's a young couple, named Sid and Rita, and they said they work nights and hang out at home during the day."

"When do they sleep?" Elsa asked, her head pounding with the booming noise from below.

"They don't need sleep," Mr. Watson joked. "They're young."

"Why couldn't our old neighbors, the Bowers, have stayed here and not moved to Florida?" Jimmy whined.

By dinnertime, the noise had stopped. Elsa was relishing the quiet, but she knew it would only start up again the next day.

"Hey, where's Mom?" Elsa asked her dad as they were sitting down at the dining table.

But before he could answer, in she walked, carrying a brown paper bag and grinning.

"I think I have the answer to our little noise problem," Mrs. Watson said as she kissed her kids on top of their heads.And from the bag, she produced not one but two boxes from the local electronics store. "Headphones," she announced, "his and hers. Thought I'd bring them cookies tomorrow and these little housewarming gifts."

"You mean house-quieting gifts, don't you?" Mr. Watson said. "It's brilliant, my dear, just brilliant."

What can be inferred about the quiet at dinnertime?

• The neighbors have just left for work.

• The neighbors have decided to move out.

• The neighbors have bought a new stereo.

• The neighbors have turned down the volume.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RI.4.1

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RL.4.1

"Ugh, what's that noise?" Elsa Watson asked her dad when she got home from school. The apartment was fairly shaking with what sounded like World War III coming from the unit below them.

"It's our new neighbors." Mr. Watson said and rolled his eyes. "They evidently like to watch high-action movies all day on that giant flat-screen TV that I saw them unload. I should've known that thing would bring us grief."

Just then, Elsa's little brother Jimmy walked in, plugging his ears. "Jeez!" he yelled. "Do we have to listen to this?"

Mr. Watson set out a plate of cookies for his kids as he spoke. "I went down there earlier to say "howdy" and asked if they could keep the volume a bit lower. I guess this is their idea of 'lower.' It's a young couple, named Sid and Rita, and they said they work nights and hang out at home during the day."

"When do they sleep?" Elsa asked, her head pounding with the booming noise from below.

"They don't need sleep," Mr. Watson joked. "They're young."

"Why couldn't our old neighbors, the Bowers, have stayed here and not moved to Florida?" Jimmy whined.

By dinnertime, the noise had stopped. Elsa was relishing the quiet, but she knew it would only start up again the next day.

"Hey, where's Mom?" Elsa asked her dad as they were sitting down at the dining table.

But before he could answer, in she walked, carrying a brown paper bag and grinning.

"I think I have the answer to our little noise problem," Mrs. Watson said as she kissed her kids on top of their heads.And from the bag, she produced not one but two boxes from the local electronics store. "Headphones," she announced, "his and hers. Thought I'd bring them cookies tomorrow and these little housewarming gifts."

"You mean house-quieting gifts, don't you?" Mr. Watson said. "It's brilliant, my dear, just brilliant."

Which of Mr. Watson's actions shows that he is unhappy about the neighbors?

• He watches them move in.

• He cracks jokes a lot.

• He rolls his eyes.

• He sets out cookies.

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

Finally the big day had arrived. It was opening day for the school play, and Carly had the lead role. Carly and the rest of the cast had been practicing after school for nearly two months. They were anxious and excited at the same time because this was the first time that the fifth grade students at South Elementary were putting on a play, and the whole community was eager to see the children perform. Mrs. Johns made sure that all the sets were ready and that the costumes were just right. All of the students had learned their lines carefully.

As the curtain was about to open at the start of the play, Carly suddenly became frightened about performing in front of so many people. She then realized that she was prepared and thrilled to be acting in this play. She took a deep breath and practiced her opening line in her head. Just then, Mrs. Johns raised the curtain, and Carly forgot all about being nervous. All of the students quickly got into character and performed perfectly. The first fifth grade play was a success!

1

At the end of the story, the reader can tell that Carly

• is pleased with her performance.

• wants to perform in the next play.

• has the leading role in the next play.

• is the best actor in the play.

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3