Close Reading Passages

Which detail from the passage best explains why the father must stop working in the field?

• a. The father needs to return home to cook dinner.

• b. The father asks the neighbor to do the work in the fields for him.

• c. The father’s sons depend on him to stay home and care for them.

• d. The father’s age makes it too difficult to do farm work any longer.

What does the word astonished most likely mean?

• a. Disappointed

• b. Discovered

• c. Satisfied

• d. Surprised

Which sentence is most likely true about both sons in the passage?

• a. Both wish that they will always live on the farm.

• b. Both wish to have more treasure than anyone else.

• c. Both learn that treasure can have more than one meaning.

• d. Both want to teach their father how to grow rice in the field.

Which detail from the passage best shows that the old man’s sons are lazy?

• a. Since the man had to tend the field, the boys took care of the house.

• b. “Oh, they would, “the father replied again, “but they are still young.”

• c. Though they sometimes tended the field with him, they always made excuses to go home early.

• d. The sons were sad, for they not only depended on their father, but they also loved him.

The Painting

An easel is a frame used to hold an artist’s canvas.

The rain had been falling all day. Outside her window, Jenna saw bright red and yellow leaves swirling around in a puddle near her house. One leaf was so bright red and beautiful that Jenna wanted to take a picture of it. Jenna imagined standing near the puddle, taking a photo of the beautiful leaf, but she did not have a camera.

The next day Jenna went to art class. She sat in front of her easel, trying to paint the leaf she had seen floating in the puddle. The painting was not going very well. Jenna could not seem to remember what the leaf looked like, only that it was bright red.

“What are you painting?” Mrs. Suzuki stood behind Jenna, looking at the pencil outline of a leaf Jenna had drawn on the canvas.

Jenna sighed. “I’m trying to paint a leaf I saw in a puddle yesterday. It was so pretty, but I can’t remember what it looked like.”

Mrs. Suzuki nodded. “I understand. Sometimes, it is really hard to remember something you want to paint.”

Jenna looked at her canvas. How would she ever paint something she could not see?

“Why don’t you take an easel outside and paint the leaf?” Mrs. Suzuki stood next to Jenna. In her hand, Mrs. Suzuki held a small wooden easel. “This is the easel I sometimes use when I paint outside. When your painting is complete, you can bring the easel back to me.”

That weekend, Jenna sat on the grass outside her house, the easel and canvas in front of her. It had finally stopped raining. The puddle had grown larger, but there was still one bright red leaf floating in it.

Jenna raised her paintbrush to the canvas and began to paint.

Which highlighted sentence from the passage suggests Jenna’s main problem during art class?

• “Outside her window, Jenna saw bright red and yellow leaves swirling around in a puddle near her house.”

• “How would she ever paint something she could not see?”

• “In her hand, Mrs. Suzuki held a small wooden easel.”

• “It had finally stopped raining.”

Which detail from the passage best explains why the protagonist struggles with their task?

• The protagonist is distracted by other tasks.

• The protagonist lacks the necessary tools.

• The protagonist cannot remember the details.

• The protagonist is uninterested in the task.

What does the word 'meticulous' most likely mean in the context of the passage?

• Careless

• Thorough

• Quick

• Indifferent

Which sentence is most likely true about the protagonist's motivation?

• The protagonist is motivated by a desire for recognition.

• The protagonist is motivated by personal satisfaction.

• The protagonist is motivated by financial gain.

• The protagonist is motivated by external pressure.

Which detail from the passage best shows the protagonist's determination?

• The protagonist gives up easily when faced with challenges.

• The protagonist seeks help from others to overcome obstacles.

• The protagonist continues working despite difficulties.

• The protagonist changes their goal frequently.

What is the main theme of the passage?

• The importance of teamwork

• The value of perseverance

• The impact of technology

• The role of luck in success