Michi the Stonecutter

On a hot summer day in China, a stone-cutter worked long and hard swinging his hammer under the hot sun. As he wiped the sweat from his brow, he thought to himself, “Surely the sun is the most powerful being in the world.”

“I wish I could be the sun!” he said.

What can we conclude (tell) about the stone-cutter based on what he has said? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

• He wants to be power full, Because,he thought sun is the most powerful being in the world and he wish I could be the sun

• He wants to live in a cold area because it was hard work to swing a hammer in the sun

• He wishes he had a helper because there was lots of work to do.

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A fairy heard his wish and the sun he became. Without wasting a second, he began to send hot sunbeams down to the land. It was wonderful to shine so bright! Then a cloud came drifting along and his light grew dim. How could that be? A cloud mightier than him!

What is the meaning of the word dim from the paragraph above? Use evidence from the text to

support your answer.

• it means 10 cents

• not as bright

• a mans name

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One last time, the stone-cutter got his wish. He picked up his hammer and went back to work under the sweltering sun.

What is the meaning of the word sweltering from the paragraph above?

• red

• orange

• hot

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Now a white fluffy cloud was what he wanted to be. That wish too was granted and he became a cloud, happy just to float through the blue Chinese sky. Then along came the wind. It fluttered and whirled around him and would not let him be!

“If I can’t have my peace, then I’d rather blow free,” he declared. “I want to be a fierce wind!”

The fairy listened and once more she offered help. Now he twisted and twirled. He teased branches and chased leaves. He dashed here and there until he blew against a rock that stood in his way. He blew as hard as he could, but the stone didn’t move.

“If I were a stone,” he thought, “no one would bother me. A stone is the best thing to be!”

So the fairy turned him into a big, heavy rock. He sat very still and watched time go by. Until one day a group of stone-cutters came his way. They pounded away at him - just doing their job.

“Please, fairy!” he begged. “Being a stone is not what I want after all. From now on I want to be nobody else but me.”

One last time, the stone-cutter got his wish. He picked up his hammer and went back to work under the sweltering sun.

At the end, why might the man want to be nobody else but himself? Use evidence from the text to

support your answer.

• He didn't like being any of the things the fair turned him into. He begged the fairy to be a stone-cutter.

• He missed his hammer. He picked up his hammer and went back to work.

• He liked his name and the clothes he wore as a stone cutter.

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What is the moral, or lesson, of this story? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

• You should want to be a stone-cutter, because that is when the main character was happiest.

• You should like who you are. The stone-cutter was happiest when he was himself.

• You should find a fairy and make a wish. The main character had a fairy

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Name one trait of the stonecutter. Explain using text evidence why you think this word best

describes him.

• Opinionated, he bossed that fairy around.

• Unhappy, he wanted to be other things because he didn't like who he was.

• Silly, who wants to be a cloud.

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Write a summary for the text, The Stone-cutter Who Was Never Satisfied.

• If you want power ask to be the sun. Then ask to be a cloud and stay a cloud.

• The sun won't make y you powerful, clouds can cover you.

• The sun won't make you powerful, clouds can cover you. Being a cloud won't bring you peace, wind will swirl you around. Being the wind wont make you fierce, a rock can stop you. Being a rock won't make you will be bothered, stone cutters will try and cut you.

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