Reading Practice Day 1: "Tricking Your Memory"

Name (First and Last)

1. How is Gina feeling at the beginning of the story?

• confident
• concerned
• excited
• bored

2. Which option below best summarizes the story?

• Using a mnemonic device will guarantee the students receive a good grade on their quiz.
• All information can be learned by using mnemonic devices.
• Mnemonic devices are songs, rhymes, or catchy phrases.
• Mnemonic devices can be a helpful tool to help remember information.

3. Why did the author include a pronunciation key?

• to help the reader know how to spell difficult words in the story
• to help the reader understand the story
• to help the reader know how to pronounce difficult words in the story
• to help the reader learn new vocabulary words

4. What is Gina's problem in this story?

• Gina doesn't know how to pronounce the word mnemonic.
• Gina is having trouble memorizing the order of the planets for Friday's quiz.
• Gina is having trouble choosing a planet for her project.
• Gina needs to improve her science grade.

5. Based on the evidence, how might Gina solve her problem?

• She will ask her sister.
• She will sing the ABCs.
• She will use rhyming words.
• She will use a mnemonic device.

5. Which detail from the text helps you know that the story takes place at school?

• "How am I going to memorize the order of the planets in the solar system for Friday's quiz?"
• "The ABC song is a mnemonic device."
• "No problem," said Gina, confidently. "We can come up with a mnemonic device of our own!"
• "I think Raul means mnemonic, not pneumonia," offered Mrs. Jackson, the school librarian.

6. According to the story, what is a mnemonic device?

• They can be found in the library.
• They are a computer game that helps you in school.
• They are memory tricks that help you remember information.
• They are only used by high school students to study for tests.

7. What detail from the text tells you that Gina is feeling frustrated at the beginning of the story?

• "My older sister said she uses pneumonia devices to help her study."
• Gina looked at her science notes and shook her head.
• "Don't ask me."
• "Isn't pneumonia a disease?"

8. Edward feels mnemonic devices are too hard for kids his age. How does Mrs. Jackson change his mind?

• She agrees that mnemonic devices are too hard for kids his age.
• She tells Edward that he is smart and should not doubt himself.
• She sings him a song.
• She shows him he has been using mnemonic devices since he was a toddler.