The Mystery of the Breathing Bush

Before going to Lori's house for the first time, Kayla--

• finds a hidden pipe in a bush

• thinks of several names for a dog

• hints to her mother that she wants a pet

• hears a whooshing sound in a nearby alley

Which sentence from the story best presents Kayla and Lori's relationship?

• Clutching the bag of groceries, (Kayla) and Lori hurried home.

• Kayla's friend Lori opened the window of the house next door.

• As the girls passed, the bush "inhaled" gurgling like water choking down a clogged drain.

• Kayla and Lori's rule was: if one of them had to go by the breathing bush, the other went too.

Read the sentence from paragraph 5 of the story:

An immense oleander bush spread across most of the alley behind the store.

The word immense means--

• drooping

• frightening

• giant

• leafy

Casting: 1. throwing off or away. 2.directing the eyes toward a certain place. 3.making light appear in a place. 4.removing something from the mind.

Which meaning fits the way casting is used in the following sentence from paragraph 13?

Sunshine streamed through the leaves, casting eerie shadows on a concrete box.

• definition 1

• definition 2

• definition 3

• definition 4

Read the sentences from paragraph 10:

Kayla peeked down the alley. The shadows from neon store signs were monsters behind every trash can.

The author compares the shadows to monsters to show that---

• the alley is unfamiliar to Kayla

• the alley is very spooky to Kayla

• Kayla likes to make up ghost stories

• Kayla cannot see very well in the alley

Kayla's second trip to the store is important because afterward she ---

• realizes Loris is her best friend

• solves the mystery of the bush

• receives money from her mother

• decides what kind of pet she wants

What causes Kayla to dive into the breathing bush?

• Her curious nature

• Her love of animals

• Her fearless attitude

• Her need for attention

Who is the narrator of the story?

• Kayla

• Lori

• Mom

• Someone outside the story

Which is one of the story's theme?

• Facing one's fears is easy to do.

• Things are not always what they seem.

• Dogs are the best pets for young people.

• True friends spend most of their time together.

What is the author's purpose of the story?

• To entertain the reader with a story about two best friends.

• To entertain the reader with a story about two girls and a breathing bush.

• To persuade the reader to face their fears.

• To inform the reader about the breathing bush.