5th Grade LEAP Poem-The Train Track Signal

Part A: What is the central message of “The Train Track Signal”?

• Families must stay together during storms.

• Children should always ask for help.

• Courage can make a big difference.

• Trains should not run during winter storms.

Part B: Which two lines best support the answer to Part A?

• “He stepped into the icy blast / And vanished into night.” (lines 35–36)

• “Your father’s gone to town,” Ma said, / ‘Before the storm rolled in.’” (lines 13–14)

• “Eli nodded, heart thumping fast, / And wrapped his coat up tight.” (lines 33–34)

• “And led us all the way.” (line 52)

• “The signal arm was stuck halfway, / Neither stop nor go,” (lines 17–18)

Part A: Which sentence best summarizes the plot of the poem?

• A mother and son struggle to keep warm as a snowstorm traps them inside.

• A boy prevents a train crash by fixing a broken signal during a storm.

• A father works far away while his family handles life on their own.

• A storm knocks out the train signals, and the train is forced to stop.

Part B: Which two quotes best support the answer to Part A?

• “The signal arm was stuck halfway, / Neither stop nor go,” (lines 17–18)

• “Eli nodded, heart thumping fast, / And wrapped his coat up tight.” (lines 33–34)

• “Her breath came short and tight.” (line 26)

• “A red light glowed against the snow— / The signal clear and bright,” (lines 41–42)

• “And cheers from passengers rang out / Along the snowy span.” (lines 47–48)

Part A: Why does Eli choose to fix the signal?

• He is told to do so by the train company.

• His father trained him to work in bad weather.

• His mother is too sick to help, and he knows others are in danger.

• He enjoys the challenge of climbing the ladder.

Part B: Which detail from the poem best supports the answer to Part A?

• “The village came to say— / ‘We saw your light...’” (lines 49–50)

• “Ma stirred and clutched her chest in pain, / Her breath came short and tight.” (lines 25–26)

• “You’ve climbed that ladder too.” (line 30)

• “You saved our lives, young man!” (line 45)

Part A: What tone is created by the final stanza of the poem?

• Regretful

• Joyful

• Lonely

• Confused

Part B: Which line from the final stanza best supports the answer to Part A?

• “Next morning when the winds had passed,” (line 49)

• “The village came to say—” (line 50)

• “We saw your light, it held us fast,” (line 51)

• “And led us all the way.” (line 52)