Understanding Character Traits

 

This shows that Thomas is probably….

 

• brave

• daring

• responsible

• lazy

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

Zeke shrugged. “Well, suit yourself. I’m going out to have a great day.”

Thomas sighed. He picked up the broom and started sweeping the store. Outside, a horse and wagon clattered by. Thomas swept around the barrels and crates, getting at all of the dust just like his uncle had showed him. “No one wants to shop in a dusty store,” Uncle Art always said.

The bells on the door clattered and someone came in. Thomas picked up the broom and went behind the counter, just like Uncle Art had told him to do when customers came in.

This shows that Thomas is probably...

• helpful

• irresponsible

• studious

• kind

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

A man came in, followed by a little girl and a boy about Thomas’s age. “Hello,” Thomas said politely.

The man gave a curt nod. “I’m looking for a new rake,” he said.

“Those are in the back,” Thomas replied. “If you walk through the doorway, you’ll find my uncle. He’ll show you where they are.”

The man nodded again. To the boy and girl he said, “You stay here and don’t move a muscle. If you break anything, I’ll take it out of your hide.”

The boy and girl nodded and the man stomped to the back. Thomas couldn’t help but notice that the children were dirty, and their clothes were old and looked too small. Both of them had bare feet.

“Would you like a piece of candy?” Thomas asked them. “I can give you each one piece.” Uncle Art said that it was okay to give away one piece of candy each to kids who came to the store.

Uncle Art seems like he is...

• stingy

• generous

• carefree

• hard-working

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

“Thank you,” said the boy politely. Thomas gave each of the children a piece of striped candy. “Don’t eat it now,” the boy whispered to the girl. “Save it to share with Suzy and Vernon.”  Very carefully, he wrapped the two pieces of candy in a tattered handkerchief and put them in his pocket.

“Do you two live around here?” Thomas asked.

The boy shook his head quickly and looked away. It seemed like he didn’t want to talk. Thomas sighed and picked up the broom again. He still had to sweep up that pile of dirt over in the corner. If Uncle Art saw it, he wouldn’t be pleased.

As Thomas was sweeping, he heard muffled whispers from the other side of the store. The whispers got louder, and then there was the sound of something falling.

The boy probably wrapped the cand in the handkerchief because he is...

• greedy

• rude

• considerate

• shy

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.1

Thomas walked over to see that one of the china teapots from a children’s tea set had fallen on the floor. The little girl was staring at it in horror. “I was just looking at it,” she whispered. “I was pretending to pour the tea. I’ve always wanted a tea set.” Tears filled her eyes.

Uncle Art and the man came in from the back at just that moment. “What did I tell you?” the man snapped at the girl. “Did you break that? You worthless girl, didn’t I tell you not to touch anything?”

“I—I broke it,” Thomas said quickly. Uncle Art and the man looked at him. Thomas swallowed, and went on. “I—I was sweeping, and I accidentally knocked it over. I’m very sorry.”

“Hmmph.” The man gave them a long look and walked over to the cash register to pay for his items.

“I’ll have a talk with you later, young man,” Uncle Art said.

Thomas swallowed and started sweeping up the pieces of the teapot. He looked at the price for the set. Three dollars. If he got a nickel each Saturday, how many Saturdays would he have to work to pay for the set?

Thomas probably said that he was the one who knocked over the teapot because he is...

• dishonest

• lazy

• clumsy

• protective

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

The man and the children left. The girl gave Thomas a last look as she followed her father. Uncle Art left the cash register to come and stand next to Thomas.

“I’ll pay for it,” Thomas said quickly. “Three dollars. That’s sixty Saturdays.”

“Fifty-nine, after today,” Uncle Art said. He sighed. “A lie is a lie, Thomas. Whether you do it for a good reason or not.”

“I know,” Thomas said. He leaned down and picked up the rest of the pieces. “But I’m not sorry,” he muttered.

“I don’t know that you should be,” Uncle Art replied.

What do you think of Thomas's actions?