Wit and Wisdom Boris and Amos

from Amos & Boris

by William Steig

Amos introduced himself and told Boris how he came to be there in the middle of the ocean. The whale said he would be happy to take Amos to the Ivory Coast of Africa, where he happened to be headed anyway, to attend a meeting of whales from all the seven seas. But Amos said he’d had enough adventure to last him a while. He wanted only to get back home and hoped the whale wouldn’t mind going out of his way to take him there.

“Not only would I not mind,” said Boris, “I would consider it a privilege. What other whale in all the world ever had the chance to get to know such a strange creature as you! Please climb aboard.” And Amos got on Boris’s back.

“Are you sure you’re a mammal?” Amos asked. “You smell more like a fish.” Then Boris the whale went swimming along, with Amos the mouse on his back.

Read this sentence from the passage.

“‘I would consider it a privilege.’”

1. What is a privilege?

• a special opportunity

• a difficult task

• a fight between animals

• a gathering of friends

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from Amos & Boris

by William Steig

Amos introduced himself and told Boris how he came to be there in the middle of the ocean. The whale said he would be happy to take Amos to the Ivory Coast of Africa, where he happened to be headed anyway, to attend a meeting of whales from all the seven seas. But Amos said he’d had enough adventure to last him a while. He wanted only to get back home and hoped the whale wouldn’t mind going out of his way to take him there.

“Not only would I not mind,” said Boris, “I would consider it a privilege. What other whale in all the world ever had the chance to get to know such a strange creature as you! Please climb aboard.” And Amos got on Boris’s back.

“Are you sure you’re a mammal?” Amos asked. “You smell more like a fish.” Then Boris the whale went swimming along, with Amos the mouse on his back.

Which detail from the passage is the best clue to the answer to number 1....what is a privilege?

• whales from all the seven seas

• and hoped the whale wouldn't mind going out of his way

• what other whale in all the world would ever have the chance

• such a strange creature as you

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from Amos & Boris

by William Steig

Amos introduced himself and told Boris how he came to be there in the middle of the ocean. The whale said he would be happy to take Amos to the Ivory Coast of Africa, where he happened to be headed anyway, to attend a meeting of whales from all the seven seas. But Amos said he’d had enough adventure to last him a while. He wanted only to get back home and hoped the whale wouldn’t mind going out of his way to take him there.

“Not only would I not mind,” said Boris, “I would consider it a privilege. What other whale in all the world ever had the chance to get to know such a strange creature as you! Please climb aboard.” And Amos got on Boris’s back.

“Are you sure you’re a mammal?” Amos asked. “You smell more like a fish.” Then Boris the whale went swimming along, with Amos the mouse on his back.

Why does Amos want Boris to give him a ride?

• Amos has not been to the Ivory Coast of Africa

• Amos has already met all the other whales

• Amos is not sure Boris is a mammal

• Amos does not want any more adventures

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from Amos & Boris

by William Steig

Amos introduced himself and told Boris how he came to be there in the middle of the ocean. The whale said he would be happy to take Amos to the Ivory Coast of Africa, where he happened to be headed anyway, to attend a meeting of whales from all the seven seas. But Amos said he’d had enough adventure to last him a while. He wanted only to get back home and hoped the whale wouldn’t mind going out of his way to take him there.

“Not only would I not mind,” said Boris, “I would consider it a privilege. What other whale in all the world ever had the chance to get to know such a strange creature as you! Please climb aboard.” And Amos got on Boris’s back.

“Are you sure you’re a mammal?” Amos asked. “You smell more like a fish.” Then Boris the whale went swimming along, with Amos the mouse on his back.

Which statement is the best summary of the passage?

• Boris goes to meet other whales and is excited to take Amos home

• Amos meets Boris, and Boris happily agrees to take Amos home.

• Amos questions whether Boris is really a mammal and not a fish

• Boris finds Amos and tells him about the Ivory Coast of Africa

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Directions: For this Question Set you will need Amos & Boris by William Steig. Turn to the middle of the book. Start reading at “They became the closest possible friends,” and stop at “Amos dived off Boris’s back and swam to the sand.”

Word to Know

ambitions: Hopes and dreams

Read this sentence from the passage.

“Amos was fascinated by the whale’s accounts of what went on deep under the sea.”

1. What is the meaning of accounts in the passage?

• goals

• stories

• homes

• fish

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Directions: For this Question Set you will need Amos & Boris by William Steig. Turn to the middle of the book. Start reading at “They became the closest possible friends,” and stop at “Amos dived off Boris’s back and swam to the sand.”

Word to Know

ambitions: Hopes and dreams

Read the first sentence of the passage.

“They became the closest possible friends.”

Which detail from the passage supports the idea in this sentence?

• they shared their deepest secrets

• the whale was very curios about life on land

• when he was hungry he ate plankton

• Amos dived off Boris back and swam to the sand

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Directions: For this Question Set you will need Amos & Boris by William Steig. Turn to the middle of the book. Start reading at “They became the closest possible friends,” and stop at “Amos dived off Boris’s back and swam to the sand.”

Word to Know

ambitions: Hopes and dreams

What challenge do Amos and Boris face in this passage?

• Amos and Boris are having trouble agreeing

• Amos and Boris must live in different places

• Amos does not want to help Boris in the future

• Amos does not understand why Boris must leave

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CCSS.RL.3.9

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Directions: For this Question Set you will need Amos & Boris by William Steig. Open to the end of the book. Start reading at “It also just so happened,” and stop at “what can such a little fellow do?”

Word to Know

moisture: Liquid or wetness

Read these words from the passage.

“Boris was lying high and dry on the sand, losing his moisture in the hot sun and needing desperately to be back in the water”

What is the meaning of desperately?

• excitedly

• greedily

• very seriously

• very happily

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Directions: For this Question Set you will need Amos & Boris by William Steig. Open to the end of the book. Start reading at “It also just so happened,” and stop at “what can such a little fellow do?”

Word to Know

moisture: Liquid or wetness

Why does Amos rush toward Boris?

• He is worried because the whale should be in the water

• he wants to see if really the whale is his hold friend

• he wants to tell Boris about the hurricane damage

• he is excited to find out why Boris is on the Beach

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Directions: For this Question Set you will need Amos & Boris by William Steig. Open to the end of the book. Start reading at “It also just so happened,” and stop at “what can such a little fellow do?”

Word to Know

moisture: Liquid or wetness

Which words support the reason from question 9 of why Amos rushed to Boris.

• storm had cleared up

• Hurricane Yetta

• these old friends

• desperate situation

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