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WorksheetsThe First Day of School Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 41mins
The description of the setting in paragraphs 1–2 shows that —
A John has enjoyed the long summer days
B John’s mother likes the routine of school
C John is reluctant to see the end of summer
D John’s mother is worried about the passage of time
The main way that readers learn that this day is different from days that have come before is through —
F John’s actions
G Audrey’s dress
H dialogue between John and Audrey
J dialogue between John and his mother
Which statement expresses a main theme of the story?
A Things can be broken very easily.
B You cannot escape from your problems.
C It is important to overcome fear to take a stand.
D It is impossible to know what others are thinking.
How does John’s reaction to hearing a rain crow in paragraph 18 contribute to the story?
F It indicates that the students are up early
G It highlights the potential danger.
H It reveals that John is superstitious.
J It shows that John tends to daydream.
Which phrase helps readers know the meaning of the word stealthily in paragraph 23?
A she wasn’t asleep
B bring his parents word
C the others who had come into town
D whispering of information
Read the thesaurus entry.
lingered v: remained, dawdled, hung around, remained alive
Which synonym best matches the meaning of the word lingered as it is used in paragraph 25?
F Remained
G Dawdled
H Hung around
J Remained alive
How does the flashback in paragraphs 27–28 affect the story?
A It reflects John’s fear of what is to come
B It explains how Audrey feels toward John.
C It shows that John’s mother gives wise advice.
D It explains why John disagrees with his mother
Read the sentence from a student essay about “The First Day of School.
” Not John or Audrey had been to their new school."
How should this sentence be changed?
F Either John or Audrey had been to their new school.
G Either John nor Audrey had been to their new school.
H Neither John or Audrey had been to their new school.
J Neither John nor Audrey had been to their new school.
Which two conflicts are at the center of “The First Day of School”?
A John vs. nature
B John vs. society
C John vs. Audrey
D John vs. his fears
E John vs. his mother
Put the following events from the story in the correct order:
A John talks to his mother about the day.
B John learns that his father has been laid off from work.
C John hears his mother calling to him from the driveway. D John and Audrey fight over whether she will go to
school.
(a)
In the story, John consistently reflects on the danger that lurks in the crowds of people who want to stop him. When he realizes that there is no way to protect himself, he tries to find a way out for his sister.
What does this suggest about how John feels about going to school?
F excited
G angry
H anxious and afraid
J John is ready to seize the day.
What does John learn in his confrontation with Audrey?
A John learns that his father has lost his job.
B John learns that his mother has lost her job.
C John learns that his father got a new job.
D . John learns that his mother got a new job.
Learning that his father has risked his job makes John more determined to...
F run away
G hide
H plan a school event
J face his fears
What does tooling mean in Paragraph 2? (pg. 355)
A ignoring
B working with something, as with a tool used as a spoon
C cooking
D using magic
What does resentment mean in Paragraph 13? (pg. 356)
F regret
G peaceful
H anger; irritation
J curious
Fill in the blank.
Paragraph 19 (pg. 357): "The rain crow was wrong about the weather. And still, John thought, its (a) , repeated call must mean something.
Check all the synonyms for serene? (Paragraph 36/pg. 360)
frustrated
calm
unflustered
anxious
Who is the author of "The First Day of School"?
Judy Blume
R.V. Cassill
Jeff Anderson
Ms. Haynes
The short story has a historical context (background). "The First Day of School" was written to illustrate what event in 1954? (See pg. 355)
A The US Supreme Court ruled that segregation in public schools is unconstitutional.
B The US Supreme Court ruled that segregation in public schools is constitutional.
When did R. V. Cassill write this story?
A 2019
B 1978
C 1958
D 1964
