Not Alone

What object is Sunil holding up with his powers at the beginning of this story

• a flower pot

• a huge tree branch

• a small dog

• a school desk

What happens after Crystal realizes that the tree branch will fall on Sunil’s head if he lets it go?

• She uses her powers to move Sunil away from the tree branch.

• She is frozen in fear and lets Sunil figure out the situation

• She rolls out of the way and calls for help from their teachers.

• She uses her powers to move the tree branch away from Sunil.

Read the following sentences from the text.

“As they talked about their lives, they discovered other similarities. It turned out that Sunil had also just moved to Clearwater and that his mom also worked at the Institute.

‘It’s like a movie,’ she said. ‘It can’t be a coincidence. It must be connected to the Institute. Bioengineering… whatever that is.’”

What can you conclude about Crystal and Sunil based on this information?

• Crystal and Sunil want to find everyone else who shares their powers.

• Crystal and Sunil don’t have much in common except their powers.

• Crystal and Sunil don’t want to talk about their families or their lives.

• Crystal and Sunil think that one outside force caused their powers to appear.

How would you describe Sunil and Crystal’s relationship by the end of this text?

• They are friends who have bonded over their shared powers

• They are jealous of each other but trying to become friends.

• They are unsure of whether they like each other or not.

• They don’t like each other but agree to keep their secrets

What is one theme of this text?

• Friends who truly understand you are very rare to find and hard to keep.

• Having a friend who understands you can make you feel happier and less lonely.

• Family members always mean well, even if you don’t understand them.

• The best way to make yourself feel better is to distract yourself.

“‘Maybe someone else saw… like, through a window.’ Crystal tugged on a stray twist of hair. It was what she did when she was thinking.

‘Naw,’ Sunil said as he shook his head. He waved his hand and said, ‘If someone else had seen, the whole school would know by now.’

Crystal smiled, relieved. ‘That’s true. Do you think it’s just us? Are there others?’

What does the word relieved most closely mean as it’s used here?

• no longer feeling happy or excited

• realizing that someone is lying to you

• no longer feeling stressed or anxious

• understanding an idea that you didn’t understand before

Choose the word that best completes this sentence.

At first, Crystal thinks she’s the only person with powers, but _____ she discovers Sunil, who she can share her experience with.

• however

• first

• because

• eventually