Adding up the Clues M9W3 Assessment HMH

Why is the setting of Sam’s bedroom important to the plot?

• It is so dark, the abacus is hard to see.

• It is so messy, the abacus is hard to find.

• It is the only place the band can practice.

• It is where the friends store their instruments.

Which clause from the story helps to create a mysterious tone?

• pennies covered the floor

• but then it just disappeared

• she began to circle the room

• the sun shone through the window

Read the sentence from paragraph 21.

Nina bent down and, reaching between a pile of clothes on the floor and the wall under the window, pulled out the abacus; she waved it, triumphant, before handing it over to Lily.

Think about the Latin suffix -ant. What is the meaning of triumphant as it is used above?

• celebrating a victory

• trying to clean off a surface

• in the grip of a difficult battle

• without appreciating a success

What event leads Nina to resolve the mystery?

• She agrees to help find the abacus for the price of a dolphin key chain.

• She learns that an abacus was used by ancient people to do difficult math.

• She finds that the abacus is actually just hidden under all the dust in the bedroom.

• She notices that the abacus had been sitting on the windowsill before it disappeared.

Read the sentence from paragraph 22.

“I guess I owe you, Nina,” said Sam, sheepishly looking around the room, “but do you think you could help me find that key chain, too?”

What tone does the author create in this sentence?

• gloomy

• anxious

• amused

• excited

In the Story "A Puzzling Puzzle"

What change should be made in sentence 2?

• Change “I sure am Mom!” to “I sure am, Mom!”

• Change “I sure am Mom!” to “I, sure am Mom!”

• Change “I sure am Mom!” to “I sure, am Mom!”

• No change is needed.

In the Story "A Puzzling Puzzle"

What change should be made in sentence 4?

• Change First I located to First; I located.

• Change First I located to First, I located.

• Change First I located to First. I located.

• No change is needed.

In the Story "A Puzzling Puzzle"

What change should be made in sentence 6?

• Change the colon after groups to a period.

• Add a comma after red.

• Delete the comma after blue.

• No change is needed.