What is the homophone for hair, as it is used in the following sentence?

I saw a horse with long white hair.

What type of figurative language is this?

The house was as hot as a desert?

Fill in the blank to correctly complete the tag question.

You love Halloween, don't _____?

They're walking to their car.

They're and their are examples of:

Abnormal or different from the usual expectations.

Tom wanted to go shopping, ____ he had something to do.

Which is an example of wordplay?

What is a homograph?

Playful use of words to create humor in writing. (Two buckets)

Which answer is correct?

The moon smiled over us.

This is an example of:

A phrase or expression that means something other than the literal meaning of its individual words.

Which of the follow is written correctly?

"The baby's skin was like a rose petal." What does this simile say to you?

What is the prepositional phrase in this sentence?

At the water park, Jimmy was playing with his younger brother.

Alladin runs like the wind across the field.

What is a Simile?

The sentences below are examples of Simile, EXCEPT.

The sentences below are examples of Metaphor, EXCEPT.

What is the meaning of this Metaphor?

"Time is Money."

The color of her hair is as yellow as Mango.

You are my sunshine.

A Simile is a comparison between two unlike things that have something in common using the word __________.

Which of the following sentences is an example of Simile?

Joy is as beautiful as Cinderella.

I am as happy as sunshine.

Identify the metaphor.

Which of the following is FALSE about metaphor?

Complete the metaphor:

The class _____.

Complete the following metaphor:

Computers at school __________________.

Find the interjection in the following sentence.

Ouch, it's time to get back to that dictionary.

Find the interjection in the following sentence.

Phew, this dictionary is heavy.

Find the interjection in the following sentence.

Jack will carry it for me. Hooray!

Find the interjection in the following sentence.

Oh, I thought I knew the definition of that word.

Find the interjection in the following sentence.

Hey, spellers! Watch out for me.

Find the interjection in the following sentence.

I had no idea so many common expressions were originally written by Shakespeare. Wow!

Find the interjection in the following sentence.

Oh, no! I forgot the double b in hobble.

Find the interjection in the following sentence.

Hey, do you know how to spell embarrass?

Find the interjection in the following sentence.

Great! I made no mistakes on my spelling test.

Find the interjection in the following sentence.

Oh, no! I think I spelled accommodate with one m and two d's.

An interjection is ...

Which of the following in an example of an interjection?

"____ , Mary! Come here! I want to talk to you.

_____! You made an A+ on the test.

Wow! that was a hard test, but you got a great grade.

What is the interjection in this sentence?

Which interjection can be added to this sentence:

______! That really hurt!

What interjection can be added to this sentence:

_______ ! You are finally finished with this test.

One summer's day, a merry Grasshopper was dancing, singing and playing his violin with all his heart. He saw an Ant passing by working hard to store food for the winter. “Come and sing with me instead of working so hard,” said the Grasshopper “Let’s have fun together.” “I must store food for the winter,” said the Ant,“ and I advise you to do the same.” “Don’t worry about winter, it’s still very far away,” said the Grasshopper, laughing at him. But the Ant wouldn’t listen and continued to work. When winter came, the starving Grasshopper went to the Ant’s house and humbly begged for something to eat. “If you had listened to my advice in the summer you would not now be in need,” said the Ant. “I’m afraid you will have to go without supper,” and he closed the door.

Which best represents the theme or moral?

"You can do it!" shouted her father, as he pushed Chloe and let go. She was going on her own, but suddenly fell. She cried, but said, "Again, daddy!" This time she went farther but fell into the ditch. A few moments later, she was riding down the street, smiling from ear to ear.

Which best represents the theme or moral?

The girls were coloring when Mike wanted to join along. One girl moved the crayons closer to them. The other girl proceeded to take the other crayon boxes. Mike had no crayons to use. One girl remarked, "These crayons are ours. Find your own."

Which best represents the theme or moral?

Susie was waiting for Tina to arrive in the crowded lunch room. She looked through the crowd to see if she could spot Tina from afar. Tina was standing in an area all by herself. She had a perplexed look on her face, as there were no other seats available. Thankfully, Susie had saved her a seat, and all was well.

Which best represents the theme or moral?

Speed eating, also known as competitive eating, lasts about fifteen minutes. The person who can eat the most is declared the winner and usually receives a monetary prize.

Landfills are overflowing with garbage created by people who are too lazy to recycle single use plastic water bottles. Those individuals should purchase refillable bottles or recycle the plastic bottles. It is easy to recycle and it is the responsible thing to do.

Single-use bottled water is commonly derived from a municipal water source and goes through a purification process that uses charcoal filtration and reverse-osmosis.

The penny has outstayed its welcome in the United States. Pennies are obsolete. You cannot use a penny in most vending machines or to pay your way on most public transportation.

The dew on the grass made my running shoes damp. It didn't bother me. The sound of my feet hitting the street formed a rhythm, a steady pattern of light thumps. I timed my breathing with the rhythm. These sounds filled my head. I thought of nothing other than the next step and keeping my tempo. I soared over the sidewalks like concrete clouds.

What is the author's point of view on running?

I can make an inference without reading the text.

"Text Evidence" is

"Background Knowledge" is...

Based on this scene, what can we infer about Callie's personality?

Based on this scene, what can we infer about Justin's personality?

"Of all the chores Michael had around the house, it was his least favorite. Folding the laundry was fine; doing the dishes was alright too. But he could not stand hauling the large bags over to the giant silver canisters. He hated the smell and the possibility of rats. It was disgusting."

What chore does Michael hate?

"Due to their incredible force and unpredictability, floods can cause tremendous damage. They can ruin houses, roads and buildings. Floods can take down trees and cause mudslides. It often leaves mud, sand and debris behind. It can take months to clean up after a flood."

Based on what you have read, you can conclude that:

Choose the picture that best supports the following text:

My legs trembled as I sat down in the small seat. The bars came over my shoulders, and I grasped them. As soon as I began moving, my eyes grew wide and I let out a scream.

Jake is Cassie's older brother. One day they are walking home from school when a cold front rolls in and the temperature drops 20 degrees. Jake is dressed more appropriately for the weather than Cassie. He takes off his hooded sweatshirt and offers it to her. She gratefully accepts. Jake is now colder, but he is happier.

What character trait does Jake demonstrate?

Eric's car broke down in the woods and his phone wasn't getting a signal. He used his car antenna as a spear and caught fresh salmon. He started a fire with sparks from his car battery, and he ate the cooked salmon while waiting for help.

What character trait does Eric demonstrate?

What are inferences?

What statement about inferencing is CORRECT?

Read the passage below. Which words best helps you understand the meaning of the word obedient?

The obedient child always followed her mother's requests. That night, she brushed her teeth, folded her clothes, and went to bed before her mother had to come in and remind her.

Which sentence uses commas correctly?

Which of the sentences below, separates the items using commas correctly?

Where should you add commas in the following sentence?

Susan Brady Elsa and John want to go to the park after school.

Which sentence is correct?

Which sentence uses commas correctly?

Either blueberries, grapes or plums stained the front of my new jacket.

What change needs to be made to this sentence?

Enya plans to write a song, swim with the dolphins, and visit an active volcano before her next birthday.

What change needs to be made to this sentence?

What does the illustration tell about these characters?

What are Visual Elements?

What is the Visual Element which refers to the attitude, feeling or mood of the text or story?

The ideas being communicated by the author.

What type of visual element is above?

What type of visual element is this?

the combined use of different types of media

visual material used to clarify or add meaning to a text

Which of these main ideas in the story is expressed in the picture? Select the correct answer.

What multimedia element would be most likely to establish a playful tone?

"Asteroids are large objects in our solar system that orbit

the sun. They are made from rock and metal. Some are so large they have moons just like planets do. Meteoroids are like asteroids, but they are smaller. A meteoroid can be as small as a pebble, or even a grain of sand."

How are meteoroids different from asteroids?

"In 1848, gold was discovered in a river near San Francisco.

News of the find spread across the United States and even to other countries. Soon thousands of people were coming to California with dreams of finding enough gold to make themselves rich. By 1855, the California gold rush was over."

How long did the gold rush last?

Which of the following is NOT a text feature?

Many breeds of dogs are used for work. In many cultures dogs are used to herd sheep. The dogs keep the flock from being attacked by animals such as wolves. They also keep sheep from wandering off. Sheepdogs are known for their loyalty and gentleness.

Based on your reading of the text, you can INFER that:

Q:

You are trying to find the national languages of India. Which of the following resources would be most helpful?

Which type of graphic organizer should you use when comparing and contrasting two ideas or people?

You are using a book about the Civil War to research the clothing that Union soldiers wore. Which term below would be the most useful to look for in the index?

Which articles would be the most helpful when researching the best pizza crust? (choose 2)

You are finding books about the effects of plastic on the environment. Which books would be the BEST to use? (choose 2)

Recently, pollution levels in New York City have increased greatly. According to research conducted by the Department of Pollution and Environmental Studies, an increase in the quantity of industrial waste is one of the major factors responsible for the rise in air pollution. Research also shows that an increase in the number of vehicles, use of electronic devices, and agricultural waste have also led to rising air pollution.

According to the passage and the chart, what is the main cause of air pollution in New York?

Recently, pollution levels in New York City have increased greatly. According to research conducted by the Department of Pollution and Environmental Studies, an increase in the quantity of industrial waste is one of the major factors responsible for the rise in air pollution. Research also shows that an increase in the number of vehicles, use of electronic devices, and agricultural waste have also led to rising air pollution.

According to the chart, which category causes 18% of air pollution in New York City?

Karl Benz

A German engineer named Karl Benz built one of the first automobiles. He was born in 1844 in Karlsruhe, Germany. In 1878, he started putting together the first engine to be fueled by gasoline. Then in 1885, Benz finished his first car. It had three wheels—one in the front and two in the back. Some of the parts he used are still being used today. For example, the differential, the device that allows the wheels to move at speeds different from each other is still used. The water-cooled engine is also found in today's vehicles.

Benz founded his own company, Benz and Company, in 1883. The company designed and produced gasoline engines, and other car and truck parts. Benz continued working in his company for the rest of his life. On April 4, 1929, he died.

This is a chart showing the dates of major events in Karl Benz's life and his age at those times.

According to the chart and the details in the passage, how old was Karl Benz when he died?

Karl Benz

A German engineer named Karl Benz built one of the first automobiles. He was born in 1844 in Karlsruhe, Germany. In 1878, he started putting together the first engine to be fueled by gasoline. Then in 1885, Benz finished his first car. It had three wheels—one in the front and two in the back. Some of the parts he used are still being used today. For example, the differential, the device that allows the wheels to move at speeds different from each other is still used. The water-cooled engine is also found in today's vehicles.

Benz founded his own company, Benz and Company, in 1883. The company designed and produced gasoline engines, and other car and truck parts. Benz continued working in his company for the rest of his life. On April 4, 1929, he died.

This is a chart showing the dates of major events in Karl Benz's life and his age at those times.

According to the chart and the details in the passage, what did Karl Benz do when he was 41 years old?

The eyes are organs that let people see. They respond to light. Light enters the eye through the pupil. It hits the retina, which absorbs the light. The retina sends information about the light to the brain. The information travels through the optic nerve.

What part of the eye touches the retina?

"The Nile River in Africa is the longest river in the world. It is about 4,160 miles (6,670 km) long. The Nile River begins in Lake Victoria and flows through several countries before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile River is an

important source of water for these countries."

What is the best summary for this passage?

"If you are in a desert during the day, you will probably not see many animals, but that doesn't mean they aren't there. Most desert animals protect themselves from the hot sun by burrowing under-ground or hiding in the crevices between rocks. When the sun goes down, these animals will come out to find food in the cooler night air."

What is the best summary for this passage?

"Capybaras are the largest rodents in the world! A Capybara is about four feet (30 cm) long and can weigh up to 100 pounds (50 kg). That makes it about the size of a large dog. Capybaras are semi-aquatic, which means they spend a lot of their time in the water. They can be found in the swamps and marshes of Central and South America."

What is the best summary for this passage?

"The pictures on your computer screen are made from millions of tiny dots of light called pixels. Each pixel contains three colors: red, blue, and green. Together, these three colors make all the other colors.The pixels are arranged in different ways to make the pictures that you see on your screen."

What is the best summary for this passage?

"You probably know that seahorses are not really horses. In fact, a seahorse is a type of fish. Unlike most other fish, seahorses are not good swimmers. Instead of swimming, they spend most of their time anchored to sea grass or coral by their tails. From this position, they can use their long snouts to suck up plankton and other small bits of food."

What is the best summary of this passage?

"Before toothbrushes were invented,

people used natural objects to clean

their teeth. People cleaned their teeth with small twigs. The first toothbrushes were made from bones and bristles from boars, horsehairs, or even feathers. Today the bristles on most toothbrushes are made from nylon."

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

"Solar ovens use energy from the sun. When a family uses a solar oven to cook their food, they do not have to collect wood for fuel or spend money to buy fuel. Solar ovens are a good option for many families in developing countries."

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

"Christopher Paolini became an author at a young age. He was just 15 years old when he wrote the first draft to the fantasy book Eragon. His parents helped him to self-publish and to promote the book in schools and libraries. Three years later, Knopf Books for Young readers asked Christopher's

family if they could publish the book. Today, Eragon is a best seller!"

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

"Beavers make dramatic changes to the environment. When beavers build a dam across a river, they create a pond or even a lake. Land that was once dry gets covered in water. The new lake becomes a home for birds, fish, and other kinds of wildlife."

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

"he thick, white coat of the Arctic fox keeps it warm in freezing temperatures. It also helps the fox to blend into the snowy landscape so that it can hide from predators and sneak up on prey without being seen."

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

The Giver (book)

Read the passage, "Make a Pen and Ink Drawing," then answer the question.

Make a Pen and Ink Drawing Make a Pen and Ink Drawing Unlike a painter who can use many different colors of paints, a pen and ink artist uses only a pen, ink, and paper to show textures, shadows, and shapes. Here is a simple exercise that will show you some of the techniques used to make a pen and ink drawing. You will start with a page from a child’s coloring book. By using a drawing from a coloring book, you will not have to worry about drawing the shape of the object to begin with. Instead, you can learn about the ink artist’s techniques. You may be surprised to see how simple lines, dots, and dashes create shape, texture, and shading. Materials • A page from a coloring book—Try to use a simple design that would require about four or five colors to complete. • Pencil—Any sharp pencil will do. • Eraser—Use a soft, clean, white rubber eraser because it will not smear. Do not use the pink type of eraser on the end of a pencil. This type of eraser has grit in it and can damage the surface of the paper. • Pen with black ink—You can use a simple ballpoint pen with black ink to start. It is not necessary to use a special pen. If you like working with ink, you may want to buy a technical pen later. Do not use a felt tip pen or marker because the ink will smudge. Here is what you will do: Plan 1. Use your pencil to do some planning that you will erase once the drawing is complete. Try various patterns of lines or dots to fill in the sections of the coloring book picture. You will erase the pencil lines when you are finished. 2. Choose a different kind of line or mark to represent each color. For instance, you may decide to use a pattern of wavy lines in all the parts of the picture that you would ordinarily color green or dots for the sections that ordinarily would be colored blue. Use only one pattern for a section. Notice the effects made by different patterns. 3. Draw lightly so you can easily erase the pencil lines later. When you erase, do it gently. You don’t want to smudge, mar, or tear the paper. Begin 1. Once you have chosen the pattern for each section, you will begin to ink the drawing. Inking is the process of filling in the design with lines of all sizes and shapes using the pen and ink. If you are right-handed, start inking in the upper left-hand corner. This will prevent you from dragging your hand through the wet ink. If you are left-handed, start in the upper right-hand corner. 2. When you are finished, erase all of the pencil lines, but do not be in a hurry. Ink—even ballpoint ink— can take a while to dry. 3. Stand back and take a look at your pen and ink drawing. What do you think? Are you ready to try to do a pen and ink drawing of your own?

What could happen if a left-handed person did NOT follow directions in Section 1 of “Begin”?

Read the selection from, "Doughnuts."

"More than ten million doughnuts (or donuts) are sold annually in the United States. In the baked-goods category, their popularity is second only to bread. So, where did they come from? Doughnuts have been around for centuries. Petrified doughnuts have been found in prehistoric ruins. “Modern” doughnuts came to America from Holland with Dutch pilgrims and were called “olykoeks” (oily cakes). The first recorded recipes for doughnuts are from the mid-19th century. Originally doughnuts had a major problem. They never got fully cooked in the middle. The Dutch solved this problem by filling them with apples, prunes, and raisins. That way, the center of the doughnuts only had to be warmed."

Based on the information you just read, which states the main ideas?

Read the following sentence from the passage, "Bessie Smith."

Although Bessie’s career was short-lived, her legendary voice continues to live on through her music.

What does the word legendary mean as it is used in this sentence?

Read the passage, "The Community Library," then answer the question.

The library is an important part of the community. People go there to learn, meet with each other, and have fun. People of all ages can use the library, whether they are one year old or one hundred! Children at the Library Young children can enjoy the library. If you have a little brother or sister, you should bring them to the library with you. It is never too early to learn to love books. Children love to listen to stories so reading out loud and pointing out the pictures as you go can be fun. Maybe the children would like to look at kids’ magazines. The best magazines are the ones with large, simple words and bright pictures. Help young children turn the pages so that the magazine does not get ripped. Playing games on the computers at the library is another great activity that makes learning letters, numbers, shapes, and colors more interesting. Just make sure you follow internet safety rules for any online games. Adults at the Library Older people can enjoy the library, too. There are common things for students and adults to do at the library. You can have a meeting with people who share your interests. Some libraries have a special room just for that purpose. You can work on a project or just talk about things you like. If you want to find out about new things you can ask the librarians to help you find books and materials that cover the topic of interest. Since most libraries have computers available, you can use them to send an e-mail, play games, or look for information online. The library is free to use. Remember to be careful with the materials you use or borrow, so that other people can enjoy the library as much as you do!

What detail does the author include to show that people are encouraged to gather at the library?

Read the sentence from "Teeny Tiny Tardigrades."

If water bears can survive a visit to outer space, who knows what other creatures might live there?

Which sentence uses the word space as it is used in the sentence above?

Read the excerpt from "Robert Fulton."

Robert Fulton was the son of a poor Irish farmer in Pennsylvania. He did not care much for books, but liked to draw pictures with pencils, which he hammered out of pieces of lead. Like most boys, he was fond of fishing. He used to go out in an old scow, or flat-bottomed boat, on a river near his home. He and another boy would push the scow along with poles. But Robert said, there is an easier way to make this boat go. I can put a pair of paddle-wheels on her, and then we can sit comfortably on the seat and turn the wheels by a crank. He tried it, and found that he was right. The boys now had a boat which suited them exactly. When Robert was seventeen, he went to Philadelphia. His father was dead, and he earned his living and helped his mother and sisters by painting pictures. He stayed in Philadelphia until he was twenty-one. By that time he had saved up money enough to buy a small farm for his mother, so that she might have a home of her own. Soon after buying the farm for his mother, young Fulton went to England and then to France. He stayed in those countries twenty years. In England Fulton built some famous iron bridges, but he was more interested in boats than in anything else. While he was in France, he made what he called a diving-boat. It would go under water nearly as well as it would on top, so that wherever a fish could go, Fulton could follow him. His object in building such a boat was to make war in a new way. When a swordfish attacks a whale, he slips round under him and stabs the monster with his sword. Fulton said, “If an enemy’s warship should come into the harbor to do mischief, I can get into my diving-boat, slip under the ship, fasten a torpedo to it, and blow the ship ‘sky high.’ ” Napoleon Bonaparte liked nothing so much as war, and he let Fulton have an old vessel to see if he could blow it up. He tried it, and everything happened as he expected: nothing was left of the vessel but the pieces. Then Fulton went back to England and tried the same thing there. He went out in his divingboat and fastened a torpedo under a vessel, and when the torpedo exploded, the vessel, as he said, went up like a “bag of feathers,” flying in all directions. The English people paid Fulton seventy-five thousand dollars for showing them what he could do in this way. Then they offered to give him a great deal more—in fact, to make him a very rich man—if he would promise never to let any other country know just how he blew vessels up. But Fulton said, “I am an American; and if America should ever want to use my diving boat in war, she shall have it first of all.” [The Beginners American History by D. H. Montgomery. Project Gutenberg, 2006. www.gutenberg.org/files/18127/18127-h/18127-h.htm#chap22 (06/10/2013).]

How did Fulton’s creativity affect his life?

Kara chose a difficult piece to play for the piano

recital. Her teacher advised her to select an easier piece, but Kara knew she could do it.

Kara practiced every day after school. When her friends called to see if she could play, Kara told them that she couldn't and continued to practice. Even with all that practicing, a week before the recital, Kara still could not play the piece without making mistakes. Kara thought about giving up and switching to an easier piece, but instead she decided to double her practice time.

The night of the recital arrived. Kara was the last student to play. As she walked onto the stage to take her place at the piano, she remembered the long hours she had spent practicing.

Kara began to play. Her hands danced across the

keyboard. She knew the piece so well! When the

final note faded the room erupted in applause. She

had played the piece perfectly!

Mara's family lived next door to a very grumpy old lady named Mrs. Olson. Mrs. Olson was always yelling at Mara's family for making too much noise, or leaving toys in the driveway, or letting their grass grow too long.

One day, Mara was playing in the front yard when Mrs. Olson dropped a whole bag of groceries on her porch. Mara rushed to help. Despite Mrs. Olson's objections, Mara helped her to bring the groceries inside and to clean up the broken jar of applesauce.

The next day, Mrs. Olson called Mara over to her house. At first, Mara was a little scared. But Mrs. Olson just wanted her to help get some boxes down from the attic. After that, Mara started helping Mrs. Olson around the house a few times a week. Sometimes, Mrs. Olson would offer her tea and the two of them would sit at Mrs. Olson's big kitchen table and drink their tea and chat.

The years passed and Mara grew up and went to college, but whenever she came home, she always made sure to visit Mrs. Olson. One day, Mara got a letter from a lawyer.

Mrs. Olson had died in her sleep. Mara was sad, but also surprised. The letter said that Mrs. Olson had thousands of dollars in the bank and she left it all to Mara.

Cassie was having a great time at summer camp. Her counselor was really nice and she had made friends with all of the girls in her cabin.

One day, a package arrived for Cassie. All the girls in her cabin watched as she opened it. It was a box of homemade chocolate chip cookies. Cassie's mother made the best chocolate chip cookies in the world! Cassie took one out of the box and was just about to take a bite when one of the other girls asked if she could have a cookie. Then all the girls were asking. Cassie counted the cookies in the box. There were exactly twelve of them. There were ten girls in the cabin. If she gave a cookie to each girl, there would only be two left for herself. Cassie knew that if she shared with one girl, she would have to share with everyone, so she decided not to share at all.

Cassie got to eat all of the cookies herself, but from

then on the other girls hardly talked to her at all and no one wanted to be her friend anymore.

Kevin wasn't worried about his book report. He had

three whole weeks to get it done. There was no reason to get started right away, especially when he had just gotten a new video game!

The next day, Kevin thought about going to the library to pick out a book for his report, but decided to play with his friends instead. He could go to the library on the weekend. The weekend came and instead of going to the library, Kevin spent the whole weekend at his cousin's farm. He didn't go to the library the next week either; there was always something fun to do instead.

Two weeks passed and Kevin still hadn't picked out a book. By the time he finally got to the library, there was not enough time to read the book and write the report. Kevin tried to write the report without reading the whole book, but

it did not go very well. Kevin failed the assignment.

Sarah didn't play with the new girl in her class, Laila,

at recess. No one did. Laila had come to their school after

winter break. She wore strange clothes and she spoke with an accent.

Then one day, the teacher put Sarah and the Laila together as partners on a class project. At first Sarah was nervous about working with someone so different, but then they began to talk. She found out that Laila had a little brother just like she did. Not only that, they both loved to draw and they both collected sea shells.

Sarah invited Laila over after school to work on the project and see her shell collection. The girls worked well together and before she left, Sarah gave Laila one of her best shells to take home for her collection.

The next day, Laila invited Sarah over dinner. The food was really different than what Sarah was used to, but it was also really good. Laila's parents were nice too.

The girls got an A on their project, but even better,

they became good friends.

Mr. Jones decided to take his family camping. It was a beautiful weekend and the family was excited about the trip. So he packed up the car and away they went.

At first they had trouble finding an empty campsite. Most of the other campers had made reservations ahead of time. When they finally found one, Dad asked the kids, Tim and Katie, to pitch the tent. It wasn't long before Tim reported that he could not find the tent stakes. Sure enough, they were nowhere to be found.

Meanwhile, mom was trying to light the portable stove, but Dad had forgotten the matches. Not only that, they did not have a can opener to open the can of spaghetti sauce they had brought for dinner or a pot big enough to cook the noodles. Then Katie discovered that they had forgotten to bring the sleeping bags!

It soon became clear that camping was not going to happen.

Grumpily, Dad packed everything back into the car and they drove back to the city. They picked up a pizza on the way home and everyone slept in their own beds that night.

Benny and Danny were twins. Each week, they each

got five dollars in allowance. Benny always spent all of his allowance on candy and small toys. Every so often, Danny bought some candy, but he saved most of his money in a piggy bank that he kept on his nightstand by his bed. Sometimes, Danny did extra chores around the house to earn more money. He always put his earnings into his bank.

The months passed and soon school was out for summer. One day, Danny asked his parents to take him to the bike store. He had saved enough money for a new bike! Danny picked out a red bike with blue handlebars. His parents were so impressed with how much he had saved that they bought him a helmet and a bike lock.

Danny spent the summer riding his new bike around

the neighborhood with his friends. Since he did not

have a bike, Benny spent most of his summer alone

at home.

Lucy never put anything away. When she made her

breakfast in the morning, she left the cereal and the milk out on the counter, and she left her dirty bowl on the table.

When she got home from school, she tossed her coat and her backpack on the floor where her mother often tripped on them when she came in from work.

One day, Lucy and her friend Amelia decided to color pictures outside under the big oak tree. Lucy had just gotten a brand new box of 108 crayons and she wanted to try them out. They sat under the tree, happily coloring until it was time for Amelia to go home. "Want me to help clean up?" Amelia asked before she left.

"Nah, I'll do it later," Lucy replied as she headed inside to watch TV. Lucy watched three shows and forgot about the crayons. The next day, when Lucy went outside to play, she found that the sun had melted her new crayons

into a big, goopy mess.

One day Michael's new friend, Brice, invited him over for dinner. Brice's family had a lot of money and Michael was amazed at how big their house was. His family's whole apartment would probably fit in Brice's living room!

Michael's amazement turned to envy when he saw Brice's bedroom. Brice had his own computer, a big screen TV, and about every video game that was ever made! Michael had to share his tiny room with his brother and all they had was a shelf full of books.

When it was time for dinner, the boys went down to the dining room and sat at a long, fancy table. No one else came to sit with them. A woman served them their dinner and cleaned up after they were done.

"Is that your mom?" Michael asked.

"No, that's Ana, our maid." Brice replied. "My parents always work late. I almost never see them before I go to bed."

Brice thought about how his own family always ate dinner together. He thought about how his dad helped him with his homework and how his mom always came in to say goodnight to him at bedtime. Suddenly, he didn't feel so envious of Brice anymore.

Ethan had never learned to swim. He hadn't really

needed to in the city where he had lived. But then his family moved to a new town. The town was on a lake and it soon became clear that everyone hung out down by the lake all summer long.

Ethan's family had moved in the spring and Ethan had made some great new friends at the end of the school year. But now he had a big problem. Everyone just assumed he could swim and he was too embarrassed to set them straight. So far, no one had really noticed that he never went into the water.

Then one day his friends decided they wanted to sit on the dock instead of on the beach. Ethan knew it would look strange if he did not come along, so he followed them out onto the dock. When they got past the shallow part of the lake, the boys started to horse around, and pretty soon they were pushing each other into the water. Suddenly, Ethan felt hands on his back. He lost his balance and plunged into the cold water. Down, down he sunk. Fortunately, the lifeguard was paying attention and was able to save Ethan from drowning.

Sam had wanted to be a writer for as long as he could remember. He was always writing stories. In fifth grade his school had a short story contest. Sam worked on his entry for weeks. When he won first prize, which came with a check for $100, his classmates kept saying how lucky he was.

Sam continued to write through middle school. In high school he took every English and writing class that he could. He even took a special writing class over the summer. Sam applied for three writing scholarships for college and got two of them! His brother, who had not applied for any scholarships, said that he was really lucky.

Sam worked hard in college. He became the editor of the college newspaper and started posting his stories on the internet. Toward the end of his senior year, one of his writing instructors told his class about well-known magazine that was looking to hire a junior writer.

Hundreds of students applied for the job, including Sam. Sam worked for hours on his application letter. When he was selected for an interview, he spent days getting ready.

Sam impressed the editors and got the job. "Man, how did you get so lucky?" asked one of his classmates.

"Luck has nothing to do with it." replied Sam.

Cody had not studied for the big math test. When he got his test, he quickly realized that he had no idea how to solve the problems. Luckily, Cody sat right behind Emily.

Emily was the best math student in the class and he could see her paper. Cody copied all of Emily's answers.

The next day when Mrs. Jenkins passed back the graded tests, she told that class that only two students had gotten A's. Since these two students had done so well, she would have them explain some of the more challenging problems to the class.

Emily was first. Mrs. Jenkins wrote a problem on the board. Emily solved it easily and explained each step to the class. Then it was Cody's turn. Again, Mrs. Jenkins wrote a problem on the board. Of course, Cody did not know how to solve the problem. A long moment passed as Cody stood in front of the board trying to figure out what to do. Some of his classmates started to whisper and snicker.

"Can you solve this problem?" Mrs. Jenkins finally asked. Humiliated, Cody just shook his head. Now everyone knew he had cheated and he was in big trouble.

Maria had never been so bored in all her life. Staying at her cousin Carina’s house in the country was not her idea of a good time. She missed the big city with its shopping malls, movie theaters, and restaurants.

“Nothing ever happens here,” Maria complained. “You can’t even get cell phone service!”

Carina smiled. “Life in the country can be exciting, I promise,” she said.

The two girls took a walk through the forest next to Carina’s house. They stopped beside a rushing stream where a beaver was building a dam.

Maria was impressed. “The only dams I’ve seen are the man-made ones,” she said.

A second later, Maria turned at the sound of branches cracking. No more than ten feet away was a bear cub.

Maria screamed. The bear cub turned and fled.

Maria was trembling with fear, but when she turned to look at her cousin, Carina started laughing hysterically. “You should have seen your face!” Carina said.

“Very funny,” Maria said smiling. “I guess maybe it’s a little too exciting out here for me!”

Marcy wanted to ride the Jet Ski, but her father insisted on taking the canoe instead. "It's a more peaceful way to travel," he said.

There was no breeze, and the surface of the lake was so calm it looked like a mirror of the sky. Marcy noticed how their canoe skimmed the surface, almost like they were floating above the water.

After fifteen minutes of paddling, the rough wood of the paddle handle started to give her a blister on her thumb. Fortunately, her father was prepared. He had a bandage in his pocket. Marcy accepted it from him gratefully and unwrapped it. Without thinking, she dropped the paper packaging into the lake.

"Marcy!" her father scolded. "What have I always told you? You should leave nature cleaner than it was when you arrived."

He fished the package from the lake with the end of his paddle. As he did this, Marcy noticed a water bug using its thin legs to move itself across the water. The bug was so lightweight that it left no mark on the water. Watching the bug, she realized why her father preferred the canoe to the Jet Ski.

Rabbit’s Big Dinner

Characters

BEAVER

RABBIT

OTHER ANIMALS

[Inside an underground rabbit hole, the places at the dining table are set for a large party. Rabbit sits alone, crying. There is a knock on the door and Beaver enters. He is holding something behind his back, just out of view.]

BEAVER: Rabbit? Are you all right?

RABBIT: (drying his eyes) No! The big dinner is off. My entire family cannot come due to the bad weather.

BEAVER: Well, I warned you not to plan a dinner in the dead of winter, didn’t I? Perhaps I can stay and keep you company?

RABBIT: I’m afraid I would rather be alone. Oh, I miss my family terribly! My mother was going to bring her famous apple pie!

BEAVER: (revealing the bottle that was concealed behind his back) Perhaps this apple cider will cheer you up?

RABBIT: Gee, Beaver. That is awfully kind . . .

BEAVER: What are friends for?

RABBIT: I suppose I will have to reschedule my dinner for spring.

BEAVER: (uncorking the apple cider) Not so fast! Wait until you see what’s outside!

[Suddenly, Rabbit’s door bursts open and all the animals of the forest enter with steaming plates of food and beverages.]

RABBIT: My goodness!

BEAVER: Don’t look so surprised! Didn’t you know you could count on your friends?

[Curtain.]

Which of the following correctly uses a commas?

Which of the following correctly uses a comma?

Which of the following correctly uses a comma?

Which of the following correctly uses a comma?

Which sentence correctly uses a comma?

Which sentence correctly uses a comma?

Which sentence correctly uses a comma?

Which sentence correctly uses a comma?