A Leader - STAAR Passage

Which sentence best supports the idea that there was value in Baatar’s search for the sponge?

• “No, you can only find it in a distant land.” (paragraph 6)

• All he wanted was a warm place to sleep and some food in his belly. (paragraph 12)

• Baatar had nothing to lose, so he went along. (paragraph 14)

• “You sent me to find this thing so that I would learn what it meant to be a servant.” (paragraph 26)

Which sentence best describes Baatar’s relationship with his father?

• Baatar admires his father.

• Baatar is annoyed by his father’s ideas

• Baatar feels that his father is too demanding.

• Baatar keeps trying to find ways to impress his father

Which sentence best explains why Baatar is surprised when he discovers the sponge?

• “But first, I must demand that you travel west, to a very distant land and find a treasure.” (paragraph 4)

• “Is it not something I can get here in Mongolia?” (paragraph 5)

• Of those he met, nobody knew what a sponge was, and nobody knew who his father was, either. (paragraph 12)

• From out of the water, he lifted the dripping thing that he used every day to clean the floor. (paragraph 16)

6 In paragraphs 2 through 6, what can the reader infer about Baatar?

• Baatar needs to learn how to earn people’s respect

• Baatar is worried that his behavior is upsetting his father.

• Baatar needs to feel more comfortable with new experiences

• Baatar becomes greedy when he hears about a treasure.

What is the best summary of the story?

• Baatar likes to tell his friends what to do. Baatar’s friends think poorly of Baatar, but they play with him because of who his father is. Baatar’s father, Saihan, does not approve of Baatar’s behavior, and Saihan sends Baatar on a journey to a distant land. Saihan hopes his son will learn to be a good leader.

• Baatar mistreats others, so his father, Saihan, sends Baatar to search for a sponge to teach him a lesson. In a faraway land, Baatar finds work scrubbing floors and learns he has had a sponge all along. Baatar returns home, and Saihan knows Baatar will be a good leader.

• Baatar leaves his home to find something for his father, Saihan. Baatar is unsure about what he is trying to find, and his father does not give him any clues, other than what it is called. Saihan thinks his father should send one of the servants to look in the mountains but agrees to take the journey anyway.

• Baatar wants to be a leader, and his father, Saihan, encourages Baatar. Saihan sends Baatar on a treasure hunt. While traveling, very few people offer to help Baatar. He needs to find a home and becomes a king’s servant. In the king’s palace, Baatar realizes he has found the treasure for his father.

Why is paragraph 27 important to the plot?

• The paragraph shows Saihan’s joy at the change in Baatar’s behavior.

• The paragraph shows Saihan’s curiosity about Baatar’s journey.

• The paragraph suggests that Saihan had worried about Baatar’s safety.

• The paragraph suggests that Saihan is excited to see what Baatar found.