The Sand Castle Contest

Lines 1 through 4 are important to the poem because they -

• introduce the speaker's problem.

• describe the setting.

• ask the reader important questions.

• identify the speaker's friend.

Which line from the poem best helps the reader picture the speaker's sandcastle?

• Let's fill a bucket with water and pour it on the land.

• To make the sand muddy and damp, to work with it by hand.

• To start a mighty castle on the playground made of sand.

• Then make the sand like towers; form walls that stretch up high.

Read lines 15 & 16 from the poem. These lines emphasize that the speaker most likely feels -

• worried that the sandcastle is not finished.

• confused about what will happen to the sandcastle.

• surprised by the height of the sandcastle.

• pleased to have spent the day working on a sandcastle.

In stanza 3, the reader can conclude that the speaker -

• has more important tasks than finishing the sandcastle.

• would rather build the sandcastle alone.

• is not yet satisfied with the sandcastle.

• is unsure of how the completed sandcastle should look.

According to information in "Building a Better Sandcastle," a tall sandcastle tower might fall if --

• its base is too small to support it.

• it is not built by an expert sculptor.

• too many details are carved into the sandcastle.

• tools are not used when building the sandcastle.

In paragraph 1, the prefix mis- helps the reader determine that the word misshapen means --

• badly shaped

• having many shapes

• before being shaped

• being shaped again

The author wrote this selection mainly to --

• provide the history of sandcastle building.

• explain how to construct a sandcastle successfully.

• tell about some famous sandcastle builders.

• describe different kinds of sandcastles.

According to the selection, a paintbrush can be used when building a sandcastle in order to --

• correct errors.

• pack the sand.

• add decorations.

• carve details.

The speaker in the poem and the author of the selection both emphasize the importance of --

• selecting the perfect location for building a sandcastle.

• using items from nature to decorate a sandcastle.

• mixing the sand just right before building a sandcastle.

• finishing the details of a sandcastle in just one day.

With which statement would the poet and the author of the selection most likely agree?

• It is important to ask for help when building a sandcastle.

• The details of a sandcastle should be carved by hand.

• Children like building sandcastles more than adults do.

• A well-made sandcastle takes time to build.