Summarizing Fictions

It had been an especially hard practice after school. Coach Ogle was really pushing the team. He wanted them to win state this year. Ryan was the team captain, so he worked harder than everyone else. He wanted to prove he was a great team captain. So when Ryan got on the bus that afternoon, he was really tired. He put on his headphones and quickly fell asleep.

When Ryan woke up, he did not recognize anything outside his window. He panicked and yelled at the bus driver to stop. He raced up to the front and asked the driver where they were. He hoped he could find his way home from here. Ryan knew his mom would be worried.

The driver was very nice. He told Ryan not to worry. He was starting his route over and could drop Ryan at his stop on the way back.

Which line shows an important idea that would be needed in a summary of this story?

• The driver was very nice.

• He put on his headphones and quickly fell asleep.

• Coach Ogle was really pushing the team

• He wanted to prove he was a great team captain.

A crowd of parents and students cheered as Russ and Stevie raced down the field. Russ and Stevie were champions in the three-legged race. They had won the race easily for the past three years. No matter how much they loved to win, they loved racing together more. They were best friends. In the race, Russ and Stevie took one stride at a time. They moved smoothly and perfectly. While other teams were falling and tripping over their feet, Russ and Stevie glided past them.

Both Russ and Stevie eyed the finish line, which was only few yards away. Both of them could feel that they were near the end of the race. Suddenly, the rope that tied them together snapped. Russ and Stevie broke apart and rolled to opposite ends of the race lane. They looked at each other and watched another team win the race. Russ brushed himself off first and helped Stevie up. "We'll just have to beat them next year. I guess," said Russ. Stevie replied, "Of course." They were happy as long as they did it together.

Which idea is most important to include in a summary of this story?

• "A crowd of parents and students cheered as Russ and Stevie raced down the field."

• "Russ and Stevie broke apart and rolled to opposite ends of the race lane."

• "No matter how much they loved to race, they loved racing together more."

• "Both Russ and Stevie eyed the finish line, which was only few yards away."

Mikah and his family took a vacation to Florida. Mikah had never been to the beach, so he was very excited. He wanted to swim and make a sand castle. He also wanted to look for sea shells.

They drove for two days to get to Florida. They played car games and told stories and listened to music. It was a very long drive. Mikah was glad when they made it to Florida.

When they arrived, it was raining. Mikah's mom said this happens by the beach. There is a lot of water in the air, so it sometimes rains a little bit each day. She thought the rain would be gone the next day.

The rain did not stop the next day. It kept going for six days. On the last day of their vacation, it finally stopped raining. Mikah and his brother played on the beach all day to make up for a rainy week. Mikah hoped they would never have such a wet vacation again.

Which of the following best summarizes the story?

• Mikah and his family drove to Florida for vacation. Mikah was excited to play on the beach, but when they arrived, it was raining. It rained for six days. On the last day, Mikah and his brother were finally able to play on the beach.

• Mikah's family drove for two days to go to the beach in Florida. Mikah was glad when they arrived because it took a long time to get there. It was a very long drive. When they got there, it was raining, and they were disappointed.

• Mikah and his brother spent their last vacation day on the beach because it had rained the entire rest of the time. His family had driven for two days to get to the beach in Florida. They played car games and told stories.

• Mikah wanted to build a sandcastle, swim, and look for sea shells, so his family drove for two days to get to Florida. They played car games and told stories and listened to music. It was raining when they got to the beach.

It was that time of year again. The fifth grade spelling bee was in one week, on Friday. Kendra was nervous. Every fifth grader in the school had to participate, and she was not a great speller. Kendra set herself a goal. She was going to get to the third round of the spelling bee. In third and fourth grade, she was out after the first round. She wanted to at least make it two more rounds.

Kendra had studied for weeks and weeks. She studied day and night. She even made her parents ask her words at dinner. Kendra was determined to do well this time.

The day of the spelling bee, Kendra felt like butterflies were in her stomach. She was really anxious. Her first turn, she spelled her word correctly. Kendra felt relieved. She was at least going to make it to the second round.

Round after round went by, and Kendra was still going. It was down to her and a new kid, Vinny. Vinny misspelled his word. Kendra stood up and walked to the microphone. She breathed in, thought a minute, and spelled the word.

Suddenly, everyone was clapping. Kendra had won the spelling bee!

Which of the following best summarizes the story?

• Kendra set a goal of making it to the third round of the spelling bee. She was extremely nervous, so she studied her words at dinner. Everyone clapped when she won the bee.

• Kendra and Vinny were the last students in the spelling bee. Vinny misspelled his word, but Kendra spelled her word correctly. Kendra ended up winning the spelling bee.

• Kendra was nervous about the spelling bee. She wanted to make it to the third round this year, so she studied very hard. Kendra ended up winning the spelling bee.

• Kendra studied hard and made her parents help her practice. She studied her words at dinner. Kendra spelled all of her words correctly, so she won the spelling bee.

Emily loved Grandma's doll collection. She hoped Grandma would share it with her one day. She especially wanted to have Clarissa. Clarissa was Grandma's favorite. It used to be her grandma's. One day, Emily was at Grandma's by herself when she found the door to the doll cabinet open. She peeked in the cabinet. Clarissa was gone!

Emily froze in fear. She was the only person home. Grandma would be so upset Clarissa was gone. Emily decided to find the doll. She looked all over the house. She searched each room from top to bottom. She even looked in closets and drawers.

Emily was just about to give up when Grandma came home. Grandma was holding something in her arms. It was Clarissa! Emily raced to give Grandma a hug. Grandma explained that Clarissa needed a little extra stuffing, so she took the doll to a special doll maker. She left the cabinet open on accident. Emily was so relieved.

Which of the following best summarizes the story?

• Emily wanted Grandma's doll collection someday, especially Clarissa. One day, Emily noticed that the doll was missing from the cabinet. The door to the cabinet was open. Emily was very worried and searched the house.

• Emily searched the house, room by room, to find the missing doll, Clarissa. Her grandmother had taken the doll without telling Emily. Emily was very upset when she found that Clarissa was missing. She was happy when she returned.

• Grandma had taken the doll to get extra stuffing from a doll maker, and she had accidentally left the cabinet open. Emily had been very worried about the doll. When Grandma came home, Emily gave her a big hug.

• Emily loved her Grandma's doll Clarissa. One day Emily saw that the doll was missing, so she searched the house for it. Grandma came home and told Emily she had taken the doll to get extra stuffing. Emily was relieved.

Franklin loved to play checkers, but he wasn't a very good sport. If his piece was jumped, he would huff and pout. If he had to crown another player, he would slam his pieces on the table. If he lost... well, you wouldn't want to see what happened when he lost. Sometimes, the checkerboard went flying!

It's no wonder that, after a few months, Franklin ran out of checkers partners. His friends would play hopscotch and cards with him, and they would ride bikes. When he pulled out the checkerboard though, his friends would politely excuse themselves.

One day, he decided to ask Fonda, his big sister, to play. She wasn't a very good sport either!

"I don't have time to play right now, Franklin. I'm working on a book report," Fonda said.

"Well, boo! What am I supposed to do? I want to play checkers now!"

"Don't get in a huff, Franklin. Come with me."

Fonda put him in front of her computer, and on the screen was a giant checkerboard.

"Now you can get as mad as you want. You're playing a computer, and computers don't care!" Fonda explained.

Franklin was so happy. He found the perfect checkers partner for a bad sport like him!

Which line best shows an idea that is important to include in a summary of this story?

• His friends would play hopscotch and cards with him . . .

• He found the perfect checkers partner for a bad sport like him!

• "I don't have time to play right now, Franklin . . ."

• She wasn't a very good sport either!

Waldo McWillerbee wanted to be a magician. With a funny name like Waldo McWillerbee, what else could he be besides a magician? A banker? Certainly not a banker! With a name like Waldo McWillerbee, he was meant to entertain the world, and he was determined to do just that with his wondrous, wonderful magic.

For his first trick, he would make his mother's prized antique vase float in the air. The vase was simply beautiful! It was over a hundred years old, and it had tiny blue and gold flowers painted all over it. He covered the vase in his magical handkerchief. He took the vase in his hands—one hand holding the top, and the other hand supporting the bottom. He chanted, "Scmoozy, Foozy, Kitten Hairy! Make this vase float in the air-y!" He released the vase. BAM! Tiny glass pieces with blue and gold flowers showered the floor.

Then Waldo McWillerbee knew he must perform a magician's most important trick of all: make himself disappear! Off Waldo McWillerbee ran to hide under the bed!

Which line best shows an idea that is important to include in a summary of this story?

• He took the vase in his hands . . .

• Off Waldo McWillerbee ran to hide under the bed!

• He covered the vase in his magical handkerchief.

• Certainly not a banker!

Delia was so jealous! Her little brother, Ethan, had the chicken pox, and he was getting all of Grandma Thora's attention. When Delia was sick, she just got Mom telling her to rest and take a nap. Grandma Thora was giving Ethan ice cream and letting him watch all of Delia's favorite movies. She wanted to watch them!

Delia huffed and puffed. She could not go in his room because she had never had the chicken pox. She wanted the chicken pox if it meant she got to do fun things with Grandma Thora and miss school. She was going to get in Ethan's room, and fast!

Grandma Thora opened the door to Ethan's room and went downstairs to the kitchen. She was probably getting him more ice cream. Delia just knew he was getting the good sprinkles and chocolate sauce, too!

She slipped in Ethan's room quietly. He was napping. Delia walked up to the bed, took Ethan's arm, and rubbed it against hers. Then she snuck out before anyone would notice.

Two weeks later, Delia was in bed with the chicken pox. She cried and cried because she itched all over. The chicken pox was not fun at all!

Which of the following best summarizes the story?

• Delia was jealous because she wanted Grandma Thora to take care of her and give her ice cream. Delia huffed and puffed because she wanted the chicken pox too.

• Delia decided she was going to use her little brother to catch the chicken pox and get attention. When he was napping, she rubbed his arm against hers, and she got sick.

• Delia was mad that Grandma Thora ignored her and paid attention to her sick little brother. She decided to get sick too, so she rubbed Ethan's arm against hers.

• Delia was jealous of the attention her brother got when he was sick, so she tried to get sick too. Delia then got the chicken pox and realized they were no fun at all.

Francie was on the computer. She was allowed to play her games after she finished her homework. Francie liked playing on the computer. It was really fun. When her friends were over, they would play games together.

Today, Francie was playing by herself. She had music playing in the background, and her mother was out getting groceries. It was pretty quiet in the house. Francie had just gotten to the next level in Sky Mania, an airplane game, when the screen suddenly went black.

What happened? She was just playing her game. She didn't press anything she wasn't supposed to or pull on any of the cords. Francie started to get nervous. She was afraid she broke the computer. Her mom would be so mad!

Which line shows an idea that would be good to include in a summary of this story?

• She was just playing her game.

• Today, Francie was playing by herself.

• It was really fun.

• . . . when the screen suddenly went black.