Name: Date: Some days at school are exciting no matter where you are. Read this story about an exciting day at school in Japan and then answer the questions that follow. from The Bicycle Man by Allen Say When I was a small boy I went to a school in the south island of Japan. The schoolhouse stood halfway up a tall green mountain... From the playground we could see the town, the ships in the harbor, the shining sea. One fine spring day we had our sports day. All the children and teachers were out in the playground long before the first bell rang. "Did everybody remember to bring a headband?" asked Mrs. Morita. She was our first-grade teacher. Eagerly we showed her our headbands. They were red on one side and white on the other. "Remember, we're on the red team," she told us. We swept the playground with all the brooms in the school. We tied colored flags and streamers to bamboo poles. We drew white lines on the ground with powdered chalk. Our parents came....they spread their straw mats and sat around the oval track. When everything was ready Mrs. Morita rang the bell. It was nine o'clock. The principal stood on the platform and said, "Parents, children, my fellow teachers, let us remember that we are gathered here in the spirit of sportsmanship. Whether we win or lose, let us enjoy ourselves." We cheered and clapped our hands. The youngest children were the first to race. We lined up six at a time at the starting line. "Ready, set, go!" Mr. Oka, the art teacher, boomed at us. We first graders leaped out and dashed around the track. 1. The boy in the story is in what grade? A. first B. second C. third D. fourth 2. Who raced first? A. the red team B. the white team C. the first graders D. the fourth graders 1
3. "When everything was ready Mrs. Morita rang the bell." What is another good way to write this sentence? A. Mrs. Morita rang the bell when everything was ready. B. When the bell rang, Mrs. Morita was ready. C. When Mrs. Morita was ready, she rang the bell. D. When Mrs. Morita rang the bell, everything was ready. 4. What did the children wear to show what team they were on? A. T-shirts B. flags C. numbers D. headbands 5. What do Mrs. Morita and Mr. Oka both do in the story? A. sit on straw mats with the parents B. ask about the children's headbands C. sweep the playground with brooms D. help the children with their sports day 6. "Ready, set, go!' Mr. Oka, the art teacher, boomed at us." In the sentence above, the word boomed is used to show that Mr. Oka A. ran. B. shouted. C. was surprised. D. was angry. 7. What happened first in the story? A. The first graders ran a race. B. The parents arrived at school. C. The students swept the playground. D. The students showed the teacher their headbands. 8. This story is mostly about A. a school house on a mountain. B. how a small boy won a race. C. sports day at a school in Japan. D. children and their families. 03_2_Read_Skills_Vocab_T6 (03_2_Read_Skills_Vocab_T6) 9. Which sentence BEST shows that the first graders were excited about the race? A. One fine spring day we had our sports day. B. We cheered and clapped our hands. C. We swept the playground with all the brooms in the school. D. The youngest children were the first to race. 2
10. Where does this story take place? A. on a ship in the harbor B. on the top of a mountain C. at a school in Japan D. on a bamboo platform 03_2_Read_Skills_Vocab_T6 (03_2_Read_Skills_Vocab_T6) How does a boy get to be a king? Read this story about King Henry to find out and then answer the questions that follow. The Green Time from Henry and Mudge in the Green Time by Cynthia Rylant Beside Henry's House was a big green hill. Late on summer days, Henry and Mudge went to the top of the green hill. They looked down. They saw Henry's white house. They saw Henry's blue bike. They saw Henry's wooden swing. On top of the green hill, Henry felt big. He felt like a king. He saw his things below him, and he felt very big. "I am King of the Green Hill," Henry said. He looked at Mudge. "You are my dragon." Mudge wagged his tail. "Your name," Henry said, "is Fireball." Mudge wagged again. "And you are very scary," Henry said. Mudge wagged some more. Henry and Mudge marched all over the top of the green hill. They met other kings who had dragons. They chased them away. They met monsters. Mudge ate them. They marched and marched till they could march no more. Then they found a magic tree on the green hill. It was a tree for kings and dragons who were tired. Henry and Mudge sat down under the tree. Henry put his arms around Mudge. They were glad for a magic tree. They closed their eyes. And a boy and a dog slept, together, on the green hill in their green time. 11. Where did Henry and Mudge go to sleep? A. in Henry's house B. on Henry's swing C. next to the blue bike D. under the magic tree 3
12. When Henry was a king, what was Mudge? A. a monster B. a prince C. a dragon D. a dinosaur 13. Where did Henry and Mudge go on summer days? A. to the white house B. to the wooden swing C. to the top of the green hill D. to the bicycle path in the park 14. Which word means the opposite of late? A. early B. after C. last D. before 15. Which of these could happen in real life? A. Henry and Mudge found a magic tree. B. Henry and Mudge went to the top of the green hill. C. Henry and Mudge met other kings who had dragons. D. Henry and Mudge met monsters and chased them away. 16. What made Henry feel like a king? A. being with Mudge B. having a blue bike C. having a wooden swing D. being on the hill 4
Moving to a new home is sad if you have to leave a pet behind. Read this story about Faith and her pet, Josefina, and then answer the questions that follow. from The Josefina Story Quilt by Eleanor Coerr It was May 1850. Faith was excited. They were going to California in a covered wagon. "Please," Faith asked Ma, "can I take Josefina?" Josefina was her pet hen and Faith loved her. She liked the way Josefina snuggled in her arms. She liked the way Josefina followed her around. Ma was baking bread for the long journey. "Ask your Pa," she said. Pa and Faith's brother, Adam, were loading the wagon. "Please, Pa," Faith said, "please can I take Josefina?" "There is no room in the wagon for pets," Pa said. "That isn't fair," said Faith. "Adam can bring his colt." "A colt is not a pet," said Pa. "A colt can carry a load of corn...." Faith's eyes filled with tears. She ran back to the house. Ma sat down in the rocker and held Faith on her lap. "We all must leave things behind," she said gently. "I love this rocker, but there is no room for it in the wagon." Faith gulped down her sobs. "I have looked after Josefina since she was a little chick," she said. "What will happen to her?" "Perhaps a neighbor will take her," said Ma.... Early in the morning the wagon was ready. It had blue trim and a white cloth roof. Ma stood back to admire it. "A big flowerpot on wheels!" she said. "Isn't it beautiful?" Faith did not answer. She was worried about Josefina. "Did you pack the food?" Ma asked Pa. "And my kitchen things?" Pa nodded. "Then that is everything except the bedding," said Ma. Faith thought sadly, "And Josefina." 17. Which kind of animal was Josefina? A. a cat B. a hen C. a dog D. a colt 18. Which did Ma have to leave behind? A. her colt B. her rocker C. her flowerpot D. her kitchen things 19. How did Faith feel when the wagon was ready? A. She was tired from loading the wagon. B. She was scared of riding in the wagon. C. She was worried about leaving Josefina. D. She was excited about going to California. 5
20. Ma was baking bread for the long journey. In this sentence, what does the word journey mean? A. job B. trip C. wagon D. morning 21. Which word means the opposite of early? A. late B. ever C. soon D. after 22. Why can Adam bring his colt to California? A. It is small. B. It eats very little. C. It is useful. D. It is friendly. 23. Ma stood back to admire the wagon. What does the word admire mean? A. to decorate with paint B. to load with boxes C. to look at with pride D. to clean and polish 24. In the story, Adam and Pa were loading the wagon. Which prefix could you add to the beginning of loading to give it the OPPOSITE meaning? A. re- B. ex- C. in- D. un- 25. Who decided that Josefina could not come? A. Pa B. Ma C. Faith D. Adam 6
26. Faith was worried about Josefina because she thought A. no one would take care of her. B. dogs would chase her. C. there was not enough room on the wagon for her. D. the neighbors would take her. 03_2_Read_Skills_Vocab_T6 (03_2_Read_Skills_Vocab_T6) 7
Answer Key 1. A) first 2. C) the first graders 3. A) Mrs. Morita rang the bell when everything was ready. 4. D) headbands 5. D) help the children with their sports day 6. B) shouted. 7. D) The students showed the teacher their headbands. 8. C) sports day at a school in Japan. 9. B) We cheered and clapped our hands. 10. C) at a school in Japan 11. D) under the magic tree 12. C) a dragon 13. C) to the top of the green hill 14. A) early 15. B) Henry and Mudge went to the top of the green hill. 16. D) being on the hill 17. B) a hen 18. B) her rocker 19. C) She was worried about leaving Josefina. 20. B) trip 21. A) late 22. C) It is useful. 23. C) to look at with pride 24. D) un- 25. A) Pa 26. A) no one would take care of her. 8