Reading Inventory 679

: We played two games of chess, and I won both of them easily. Walowick didn't seem to mind. His idea was just to capture as many pieces as possible. If it led him to a bad position, he would just lose. I was glad the game wasn't hard. I didn't want anything hard to do.

I didn't want a _____ .

• Challenge

• Reason

• Message

• Commitment

The river nudged the bridge bottom. Still we boasted, "it won't flood us." But we left our radios crackling that night when we went to sleep. The warning whistle didn't have to blow twice.

We had to be _____ .

• Happy

• Angry

• Ready

• Quiet

"Karen, watch out!" called Mommy. I jumped back, but it was too late. Rocky shot out the door between my feet and raced down the hall. "I will get him!" I yelled. Then I dropped my notebook and pen by the door and tore after our cat.

Rocky had _____ .

• Escaped

• Listened

• Rested

• Smiled

"This is a great dinner," Nancy said enthusiastically, after they began to eat. She helped herself to a piece of bread. "I haven't eaten such good food in a long time."

Nancy was _____ .

• Sleepy

• Thankful

• Angru

• Afraid

"Let's get our sleeping bags," Jessie whispered to Violet. "We can snuggle by the fire with Blackie. Then it won't matter a bit that the heat is off."

Jessie wanted to be _____ .

• Different

• Warm

• Outside

• Alone

We hugged her. In the distance we heard the chug-chug-chugging of the train, its shrieking whistle coming closer. Maria started to cry.

Maria was _____ .

• Leaving

• Acting

• Reading

• Driving

If there had been a lightbulb over my head, it would have suddenly shone as bright as the sun. Carefully I reviewed Mother's words. As far as I could remember, she had said to buy Bobby a pet. I chuckled. Poor Mother. She thought she had trapped me, but she had given me a loophole.

I had a _____ .

• Mess

• Story

• FIght

• Plan

There was still an hour of daylight to waste. Arthur took his favorite fishing rod and walked down to his boat. Then he rowed to the center of the lake. He fished there by himself as the sun sank in the sky.

He _____ the rest of the day

• Planned

• Enjoyed

• Shared

• Spoil

Jess sat on the plush-carpeted floor in the cabin cruiser with her back against the couch. She and Billy were playing gin rummy. It was nice and warm because Billy had turned on the electric heater. There was music to listen to and snacks to munch on. Once again Jess felt free and at ease. No one knew where she was. No one could find her here. Sitting there in the boat she could almost pretend the rest of the world didn't exist.

She felt _____ .

• Angry

• Relaxed

• Brave

• Abandoned

The afternoon was crisp and quiet. Nicki pulled her long toboggan to the top of the hill where Grandpa Dan was standing tapping his boot in the snow. "Come along,"' he frowned. "I'm chilled to the bone."

Grandpa was _____ .

• Hungry

• Confused

• Cold

• Stylish