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Grade 5

Test Preparation

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A

Published by Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, of McGraw-Hill Education, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.,

Two Penn Plaza, New York, New York 10121.

Copyright by Macmillan/McGraw-Hill. All rights reserved. The contents, or parts thereof, may be reproduced in print form

for non-profit educational use with Treasures, provided such reproductions bear copyright notice, but may not be reproduced

in any form for any other purpose without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not

limited to, network storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning.

Printed in the United States of America

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ContentsOverview of the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

ReadingSection 1: Words and Phrases in Context (L.A.A.1.2.3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Section 2: Main Idea/Essential Message, Details, and Chronological Order

(L.A.A.2.2.1)/ Authors Purpose (L.A.A.2.2.2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Section 3: Plot Development (L.A.E.1.2.2)/ Authors Purpose (L.A.A.2.2.2) . . . . . . 65

Section 4: Cause and Effect (LA.E.2.2.1)/ Authors Purpose (L.A.A.2.2.2). . . . . 97

Section 5: Comparison and Contrast (L.A.A.2.2.7)

Similarities and Differences (L.A.E.1.2.3)

Authors Purpose (L.A.A.2.2.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125

Section 6: Reference and Research Information (L.A.A.2.2.8)

Authors Purpose (L.A.A.2.2.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Writing+

Section 1: Writing+ Prompts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181

6-Point Writing Rubric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182

Writing Checklist for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183Writing Prompts: Explanation for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

Writing Prompts: Persuasive (LA.B.1.2.1, LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.1.2.3). . . . . . .185

Writing Prompts: Expository (LA.B.1.2.1, LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.1.2.3). . . . . . . . 189

Section 2: Writing Plan Format (LA.B.1.2.1, LA.B.1.2.2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .193

Writing Plan Format Explanation for Students. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194

Section 3: Writing Sample Format (LA.B.1.2.2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205

Writing Sample Format Explanation for Students. . . . . . . . . . . . .206

Section 4: Cloze Selection Format (LA.B.1.2.3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

Cloze Selection Format Explanation for Students. . . . . . . . . . . . . 218

Section 5: Stand-Alone Questions Format (LA.B.1.2.3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224

Stand-Alone Questions Format Explanation for Students. . . . . .225

Short-Response and Extended Response Rubrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231

Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232

Anchor Papers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250

FCAT

FCAT

FCAT

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Overview of the

The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) was developed by

the Florida Department of Education to assess students achievement of theskills outlined in the Sunshine State Standard Benchmarks.

Format of the Reading Test

The FCAT Reading Test has three main types of questions: multiple-choice items, short-response performance tasks, and extended-responseperformance tasks. The short-response and extended-response questionsare called Read, Think, and Explain performance tasks. In Grades 3 and 5,students are tested on multiple-choice items only.

Cognitive Complexity

The FCAT Reading Test includes questions of varying diffi culty orcognitive complexity. The FCAT divides these questions into the categoriesof low, moderate, or high. The following chart shows the skills assessed ineach level:

CognitiveComplexity Tested Skill Sample Test Question

Low Students demonstrate a

basic level of comprehension

Recall information,

facts, or detailsModerate Students analyze

informationCompare and contrastto reach a conclusion

High Students explain, generalize,or synthesize

Determine the authorspurpose or point ofview

Format of the Writing+ Test

The FCAT Writing+ (Writing Plus) test contains multiple-choice questions

and an essay. It is administered to students in Grades 4, 8, and 10. On themultiple-choice portion, students are tested on four aspects of writingskills: focus, organization, support, and conventions. On the essay portion,students must write in response to an assigned topic. Overall, the Writing+Test assesses students knowledge of punctuation, spelling, usage, sentencestructure, grammar, and the conventions of good writing.

FCAT

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FCAT Test Preparation and Practice isspecically modeled after items in the FCATReading Test and in the FCAT Writing+ Test.

Multiple test passages are given toprovide students with more practice for eachassessed benchmark. These passages canbe used for modeling, guided practice, forindependent practice, or for targeted practicefor students having diffi culty.

ReadingThe FCAT Reading test preparation is

divided into six sections, each coveringdifferent benchmarks:

Section 1: Words and Phrases in Context FCAT Benchmark LA.A.1.2.3

Section 2: Main Idea/Essential Message,Details, Chronological Order,FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.1

Authors Purpose

FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.2Section 3: Plot DevelopmentFCAT Benchmark LA.E.1.2.2

Authors Purpose FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.2

Section 4: Cause and EffectFCAT Benchmark LA.E.2.2.1Authors Purpose LA.A.2.2.2

Section 5: Comparison and ContrastFCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.7Similarities/Differences

FCAT Benchmark LA.E.1.2.3 Authors Purpose

FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.2Section 6: Reference and Research

FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.8 Authors Purpose

FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.2

Assessment questions include multiple

choice, short response, and extended response.Each section provides 56 practice exercisesfor each of the assessed benchmarks. AuthorsPurpose is assessed in each of the six sections.

Short-response performance tasks andextended-response questions are includedin both the Grade 3 and Grade 5 books, eventhough these questions only appear on theGrade 4 and Grade 8 tests. These questionsprovide students in Grade 3 and Grade 5 with

additional practice.

Writing+

Although the Writing+ FCAT Test isadministered to students in Grades 4, 8,and 10, the Writing+ FCAT test preparationsection is included in the Grade 3 and 5books in order to provide students withadditional practice.

The FCAT Writing+ is divided into vesections. The rst section contains writingprompts. The remaining sections contain avariety of reading passages and activitiesfollowed by multiple-choice questions. Thesesections measure the following benchmarks:

LA.B.1.2.1 OrganizationLA.B.1.2.2 Focus, SupportLA.B.1.2.3 Conventions

Rubrics

Short- and extended-response rubricsappear on page 231, and a six-point scoringrubric appears on page 182 and page 251.

Answer Key

The answer key begins on page 232.

How to Use This Book

5Test Preparation and Practice for Reading and Writing+ Grade 5FCAT

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Section 1

Benchmark

Words and Phrases in Context

BenchmarkLA.A.1.2.3

The student uses simple strategies to determine meaning and increase

vocabulary for reading, including the use of prefixes, suffixes, root words,

multiple meanings, antonyms, synonyms, and word relationships.

ContentsExplanationofSkillsfortheStudent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Passages Fears at the Fair Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Remembering the Great Depression Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Trouble in Boston Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

What the Tree Said Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Theater Through the Ages Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Test Preparation and Practice for Reading and Writing+ Grade 5FCAT

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Get Ready to Take On theIn this section, you will be answering questions based on theskills below.

Context Clues

One way to find the meaning of an unfamiliar word is

to look at the surrounding words in the same sentence

or a nearby sentence. For example, in the sentence

below, the word eeriemight be an unfamiliar word.

The eerie shadows made the room look frightening andstrange.

Since the eerie shadows are frightening and strange

you know that eerieprobably means frightening

and strange.

Synonyms and Antonyms

Sometimes looking for words that are related is one way

to find the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Words that aresimilar in meaning are called synonyms. The words tinyand

smallare synonyms. Words that are opposite in meaning are

called antonyms. The words hugeand smallare antonyms.

Prefixes and Suffixes

Another way to discover the meaning of an unfamiliar word is

to look for letters that are added to the beginning or the ending

of a word. Letters that are added to the beginning of a word

are called prefixes. Letters added to the ending of a word arecalled suffixes. For example, the suffix -fulmeans full of. So

the wordjoyfulmeans full of joy.

7Test Preparation and Practice for Reading and Writing+ Grade 5

Tip

Always read thequestions and

answer choicescarefully.

When you choosethe answer to aquestion, make

sure to fill inthe bubble

completely.

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Fears at the Fairby Tandeka Johnston

The weather is awless! my mother says as we step onto the

moist ground of the parking area and take our rst deep breaths of

country air. It was the beginning of a great day.

Every July, we drive upstate to the Cheshire County Fair.

Grandma Lena comes to spend time with her grandchildren. Mom

comes to photograph prize farm animals and such sights as thetallest sunower. Dad comes to play games. His favorite one tests

his skill at throwing table tennis balls into goldsh bowls.

The rides have great names like the Yo-Yo, the Spider, and

Rocket to Venus. I usually ride the Spider at least three times.

Its greatbig and black with eight thick legs. You step up into one

of the giant feet and try to get comfortable on the hard seat. The

metal bar descends over your lap. Then the engine starts whirring

and the ride starts twirling you around and around, faster and faster.

My only fear is of the rickety old Dragon Coaster. The way it

shakes and rattles, it feels like the wood beams holding it together

are about to splinter and fall apartbut it looks like a lot of fun. So

its a fear that I, June Berry, secretly hope to overcome today.


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My little brother Jimmy has not come here to meet any

challenges. He just loves the food. Two years ago, he consumed an

entire order of fried dough by himself, and then licked the sugar

off the paper plate! He was four years old. Its only 11 .., and heis nearly salivating. When Grandma Lena exclaims, Theres not a

cloud in the sky! Jimmy shouts, I see one! It looks like a bowl of

popcorn! Then he begs, Can I have some, Grandma? Please?

First, lets get to the entrance, my dad pipes in,

swooping Jimmy into his arms. Jimmy giggles gleefully.

I breathe in hard, imagining what I will do when I feel

my stomach drop, and the tracks seem to drop out from

under me. I exhale loudly. My grandmother takes my hand

and I notice that her breaths are soft and steady. She can

walk for hours without getting tired. In fact, shes an athlete

in the Senior Olympics. She won a silver medal in cycling

last year. She is determined to win the gold next year. Shes

fearless, and I want her courage.

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We can do it, she says. I wonder what she means.

As my dad pays the entrance fee, Grandma Lena surprises me.

Dont give me that puzzled look, she says. I know youre

afraid of the Dragon Coaster. I was here last year when you decidednot to ride it at the last minute. The memory makes me blush.

Grandma puts a smooth hand on my warm cheek. She doesnt mean

to embarrass me. I know you want to conquer your fears, June

Berry. Youre just like me in that way.

Shes right, I think. I do want to be like her. She knows it, too.

Something is going on. I can almost see the wheels turning in her

head. I want to know what it is.

Why are you telling me this, Grandma? I ask.Because I want to make a deal with you. I listen closely. Ive

been on the Dragon Coaster a million times. It has been a while, but

Im sure I can do it. Ill go on it with you if you help me get over my

greatest fear. I am terried of spiders. This year at the fair, theres a

special exhibition on spiders. I want you to walk through it with me.

They are having demonstrations with experts at 11:30. I want to go

and I want to hold one of those spiders.

Grandma! I burst out. I love spiders.I cant believe it. Grandma Lena is

afraid of something?


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It wont be anything dangerous. I dont want any tarantulas

crawling on my skin with their hairy legs. Just, maybe, a daddy long

legs. They dont bite.

Im not worried for you, Grandma. I just never thought you hadany fears, I replied.

Everyone is afraid of something, she tells me. When your dad

was a little boy, he would come into my bedroom in the middle of

the night. He would see chips of paint on the wooden bookcase by

his bed. He couldnt see too clearly in the moonlight, so he would

think they were moving. He thought the bookcase was crawling

with bugs!

Ha! I laugh at this story about my dad.Yes, but wed turn the lights on and show him it was just paint

chips. It was the bare wood showing. We would run his ngertips

over the chips so he could see there was nothing to them. No bugs.

No strange living things coming to crawl under the sheets and into

his pajamas!

So why are you afraid of spiders?

Maybe because no matter how bright the lights are, she

explains, they still crawl up and down the walls.Yeah, and the Dragon Coaster still shakes and rattles and makes

your stomach drop, even in the middle of the day.

Right. So, are the Berry women ready to face our fears at this

fair? Grandma says as she pulls me close to her.

I accept the deal with a handshake, believing we will both

overcome our fears today. I wonder if either of us will faint or get

sick. I think we will just yell with joy at the top of our lungs.


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Remembering the Great Depressionby Orlando Reed

The Stock Market Crash

The Great Depression was a difcult time in American history.

Banks closed, companies went out of business, and people lost their

jobs and homes. It took many years for the country to recover.

The Great Depression started in 1929 when the stock marketcrashed. People had spent their life savings on purchasing stocks.

They had bought shares of companies because they thought the

value of their shares would rise and they would earn lots of money.

The stock market had done very well during the 1920s. Most people

thought buying stocks was risk free. Unfortunately, they were in for

an unpleasant surprise.

On October 29th, thousands of people decided to sell their

stocks. Hardly anyone was buying. This sent the value of stocks way

down. Many investors lost all they had. People who had borrowed

money to buy stock were deep in debt and could not pay back their

loans. Banks lost money since they loaned money to people who

had lost everything. Many banks had to close down for years.


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People sought jobs, but there was no work to be found. Workers

had to compete against hundreds of hungry people for very low

wages. At the worst point of the Depression, nearly one in four

workers was jobless. Men formed lengthy lines for handouts of

food and clothing. Poor Americans had to seek charity from private

donors or organizations.

Alphabet Soup

At rst, the government did little to help. President Herbert

Hoover did not think it was the governments job to help the

poor. However, Franklin Delano Roosevelt disagreed. He was the

governor of New York at the start of the Depression. Under hisleadership, the state helped many people. That is part of the reason

why Roosevelt beat Hoover in the presidential election of 1932.

In his rst 100 days in ofce, Roosevelt created a number of new

departments. There was the T.V.A., the C.C.C., the F.E.R.A., and

many more. All these initials made people think of alphabet soup.

The departments were like chicken soup for a nation with a bad case

of the u. It gave jobs to people without work, help to farmers and

families in need, and hope to a country that had hit bottom.

One of Roosevelts

alphabet soup groups was

the W.P.A., or Works Progress

Administration. It gave people

jobs on projects from building

bridges to painting murals to

writing guide books.


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The Depression Comes to an End

Roosevelts programs did not x things right away. They started

to help the economy, but the United States was still in a lot oftrouble. The Depression lingered on into the 1940s as people and

businesses continued to struggle. The country still had a long way to

go in order to turn itself around.

In 1941, the United States entered World War II. This was a huge

boost to the economy. More than 10 million Americans were part of

the military, and many were sent overseas for battle. That left a lot

of jobs that needed to be lled. Many new people were hired.

In addition, other countries in the war wanted the United States

to provide them with supplies. They needed weapons, ammunition,

ships, and more. The United States created millions of new factory

jobs to help build supplies. The government also spent a lot of

money to protect the country from attacks. People who had been out

of work for years suddenly had a way to make money.

People had money to spend. Businesses began to thrive and

prosper. Banks re-opened. The economy grew. Soon, the country

was healthy again. The Great Depression nally came to an end.


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The Great Depression was one of the most devastating times

in American history. Many people lost their homes, their jobs,

and their money. The country learned some vital lessons from the

Depression.

Folk Records

Although the economy returned to normal after the Great

Depression, the memories will never fade. During the Great

Depression, the government kept records to make sure of that. This

job was done through a branch of the W.P.A group called the F.W.P.,

or the Federal Writers Project.

In addition to sponsoring writing projects, the F.W.P. sent teamsof interviewers to record folk life. The word folk comes from the

Old High German wordfolc, which meanspeople. Records of folk

life focused on the songs and stories of common people.

Interviewers used machines the size of coffee tables. They

looked like record players, with a needle and a disk. The disk was

used for recording sound. The F.W.P. workers recorded the folk

songs, work songs, and stories of ex-slaves, shermen, railroad

workers, and fruit growers.

Today, the tunes and stories of these people help bring the

history of the period to life. When junior interviewer (and future

novelist) Zora Neale Hurston sings work songs into the machine, the

reader can imagine laying down railroad tracks.

Stetson Kennedy, of Jacksonville, Florida, also worked as a

F.W.P. junior interviewer, and he became a famous writer and

folklorist. His pay was $37.50 every two weeks. That may seem

modest today, but it seemed like a whole lot during the Depression.

The job was like a treasure hunt. Like other interviewers, Kennedyenjoyed discovering new songs and stories for the rst time, and

saving them for the enjoyment of generations to come.


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Trouble in Bostonby Amelia Sender

The city of Boston was covered with snow. Down at the harbor a

large whaling ship had just docked at Long Wharf. As the afternoon

sun began to set on this March day in 1770, seaman James Caldwell

was the rst to set out for the city. He plodded his way through the

snow and followed a winding path toward his favorite restaurant.

James noticed British soldiers were standing guard by the Old State

House. Their red coats clashed sharply with the white snow. Down a

nearby street, he saw several more British soldiers. Another one was

standing guard on a corner.

James stopped short. Boston seems to be lled with British

soldiers. I need to nd out more about this.

He passed several more soldiers before he nally got to the

restaurant. When he opened the door, his friend and fellow whaler,

Crispus Attucks, rose to greet him. Crispus, a six-foot-tall African

American, stood out among the rest. He was strong and muscular.

He had spent many days and nights guiding boats and throwing

harpoons on the rolling seas.


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Ellen, the waitress, gave two cups of coffee to the men.

Thanks, Ellen, James said with a smile. Its good to be back

in Boston, but why are the British guarding my favorite city?

Ellen shook her head and sighed. Two years ago, the King

decided to send troops over here, she explained. He wanted to

make sure we all followed British laws. As time went by, he sent

more soldiers. Now, there are about 4,000 British soldiers in the

city. Theyre decent fellows, but people are wary of them. People

here in Boston are very dismayed. We dont think the troops should

be here. We deserve to have our freedom.

This could be dangerous, James remarked. Those fellows are

carrying muskets!The soldiers are not allowed to re their guns within the city

without permission, said Ellen. Our rebellious young people are

not afraid to tease the soldiers. They think they wont ght back!

Some people call them redcoats and lobster-backs. They are very

disrespectful.


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Its not a good situation, said Crispus. One of these days,

someone is going to get hurt.

An hour later, James and Crispus said goodbye to Ellen and

headed out the door. As they turned the corner to Kings Street, theycame upon a mob of people shouting at one of the British guards.

The guard had just knocked down a young man who had taunted

him. An angry crowd gathered and began pelting the guard with

snowballs, ice, and sticks. Within minutes, a British captain and

several other soldiers arrived. They stood sternly with their muskets

in front of them, shining brightly in the sun. The soldiers and the

crowd continued to shout at each other.

This could go very wrong, said Crispus. Lets see if we cantalk some sense into these soldiers.

Crispus and James moved to the front of the crowd. The two

men tried to talk to the soldiers, but they could barely be heard over

the roar of the crowd. It seemed the British troops did not want to

listen, anyway. At a signal from the captain, the soldiers loaded their

muskets and directed them at the crowd.

What happened next was chaos. At that moment, a church bell

began to ring, and someone yelled Fire! Shots rang out. Crispuswas hit and fell forward onto the snow. James and two other men

were hit as well.

By the time the ght ended, the damage had been done. Five

men, including Crispus Attucks and James Caldwell, were dead.

It was an event that nobody would forget. Samuel Adams, a

famous patriot, later called it the Boston Massacre. Paul Revere

engraved a plate that showed the British soldiers ring on the

townspeople. Because of this event, the British troops were forced

to leave Boston. People in the colonies were furious at the British.

Not long afterward, the colonists fought for their freedom in the

American Revolution.


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Student Name

21 Read this sentence from the story.

They are very disrespectful.

What does the word disrespectfulmean?

a pleasant c uncaring

b full of respect d not showing respect


Theyre decent fellows, but people are wary of them.

In this sentence, the word warymeans

f proud. h unafraid.

g cautious. i tired.


They stood sternly with their muskets in front of them,

shining brightly in the sun.

Which word means almost the SAME as sternly?

a happily c seriously

b sleepily d thankfully

24 Read these sentences from the story.

People here in Boston are very dismayed. We dont think

the troops should be here.

Which word means the OPPOSITE of dismayed?

f confused h comforted

g forgetful i generous

24 Test Preparation and Practice for Reading and Writing+ Grade 5FCAT

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What the Tree Saidby Elsie Cohen

Summer dries

spring owers and transforms

green grasses to yellow.

Then summer fades.

Soon leaves change from greens to

rust, gold, pink,

orange, brown, and maroon.

Leaves begin to fall,

bare branches must endure

the harsh winter winds.

Winter closes in

and the maples, elms, and oaks

wish to be palmshung with dates

and coconuts lled with sweet milk.

They want to envelop the suns warmth

under a canopy of fronds.1

They want a life without the worry of

having leaves raked off their roots,

trunks tapped for sap, and acornsstuffed into greedy squirrel cheeks.

To be a palm

Trees have their dreams, too.

1fronds:the large leaves of a palm tree


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In ancient Greece over 2,500

years ago, theaters were verysimple buildings. They were

located outdoors, often at the

foot of a large hill. The people

watching would sit on the hill

and look down on the at and

circular stage.

Actors in the early Greek

plays were always men. Theyoften wore masks and costumes.

These represented gods and

the heroes of Greek myths, or

stories. There was also a chorus,

a group of actors who stood in

front of the stage. They dancedand chanted while the other

actors played their parts on stage.

At rst, Greek plays focused

on the gods. They had a religious

purpose. Later, the dramas on

stage focused on human beings.

The main characters in these

new stories were not regularpeople. They were powerful,

heroic Greek gures with some

of the same problems most

people have.

Theater Through the Agesby Nigel Trott


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Theater in Italy developed

a few centuries after Greek

theater. The ruins of ancient

amphitheaters1show how much

people enjoyed theater. These

places were much larger than

the early Greek theaters. They

held hundreds of people and

looked like todays football

stadiums.

Unlike the Greek plays

that came before them, Italianplays were not religious at all.

Comedies and farces, which put

silly characters in ridiculous

situations, were very popular.

As Christianity spread across

Europe, theaters moved into

small churches. Groups came to

watch stories of the lives of the

saints. These performances were

called mystery or miracle plays.

By the 1400s, large theaters

were less common. Acting

groups often traveled from one

village to the next. They would

show their plays in town squares

for local citizens. Sometimes

groups would set up several

platforms, and audiences wouldwalk from one to the next. The

skits during this time were funny

and playful. Often audiences

went to watch performers juggle

or walk on tightropes.

1amphitheaters:circular structure with rising rows of seats around an open space

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Inns had complex stages with

balconies or walkways. These

gave actors the freedom to move

around or use special effects.For example, sometimes, an

actor would rise up from below

the stage to represent a dead

character returning to life.

In the 1500s and 1600s,

playwrights in Europe thought

about the old theaters in ancient

Greece. For the rst time, theybuilt large, closed theaters in

Italy and France. These were

similar to the theaters we

know today. Actors played

their parts on large, raised

stages. They used painted

backdrops that could be changed

between scenes. These allowedplaywrights to quickly shift the

action in the story. Audiences

now sat or stood in front of the

stage. The wealthier people

watched from high balconies.

The most famous large,

circular outdoor theater was the

Globe. It was built in London,

England, in 1598. Some of the

greatest plays in the English

language were rst performed

there. They were written by

William Shakespeare. Many

think of him as the greatest

writer of all time. He wrote

poems as well as plays.

As theater became a hotticket in London, other theaters

soon sprang up throughout the

city. To attract audiences, theater

companies came up with bigger

and better staging. Shakespeare

and other playwrights often

staged huge battle scenes.

Audiences loved these displays.In 1609, during a performance

at the Globe, a cannon shot

onstage started a re on the roof.

The Globe burned to the ground.

The theater was rebuilt and stayed

active until 1644.

Since Shakespeares time,

theater has changed a lot.Some theaters now place the

action right in the center of the

audience. This is called theater

in the round. Some even place

the audience on stage! Sets

and staging have become more

complex than they ever were.

Like all important art forms,

theater continues to grow and

take new shapes. One thing is

certainstaged performances

will continue to draw audiences

to theaters for a long time.


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Section 2

Benchmarks

Main Idea/Essential Message, Details, and ChronologicalOrder

BenchmarkLA.A.2.2.1

The student reads text and determines the main idea or essential

message, identifies relevant supporting details and facts, and arranges

events in chronological order.

AuthorsPurpose

BenchmarkLA.A.2.2.2

The student identifies the authors purpose in a simple text.

Contents

ExplanationofSkillsfortheStudent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Passages Flying High Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

The Pony Express Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Confused Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

The Legend of Janette Riker Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Sports Are Good for You Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Riding the Snow Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60


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Get Ready to Take On the

In this section, you will be answering questions based on the

skills below.

Main Idea/Essential Message

The main ideaor essential messageof a paragraph

or article explains what the paragraph or article is

mostly about. You can usually explain the main idea or

essential message in one or two sentences.

Details

Detailsare facts, information, and events that support

the main idea.

Chronological Order

Authors usually present events in chronological

order, or the order in which they happen.

Authors Purpose

Knowing an authors purposecan help you decide what

an author is trying to say. Authors write to tell a story, to give

information, and to tell how to do something. Authors also

write to persuade. To persuade means to try to get somebody

to believe an idea or to act in a certain way.

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Flying Highby Geraldine Sinclair

It was early morning on May 20, 1927. A light but steady rain

was falling on Roosevelt Field in Long Island, New York. The

young pilot, Charles Lindbergh, prepared for the journey ahead.

Today, he would y his plane nonstop from New York to Paris.

His small plane, the Spirit of St. Louis, didnt look like much on the

outside, but Charles was sure it would be his key to success.

Charles watched with interest as the crew prepared his plane for

ight. The prize was big: $25,000. It would be awarded to the rst

pilot who could y nonstop from New York to Paris.

Weve nished loading the fuel, sir. Five tanks full! said one of

the mechanics. Youre going to win the prize, sir! Im sure of it!Im looking forward to a great ight, Lindbergh called back.

At just before 8:00 in the morning, the plane was ready for

takeoff. The crew watched as Charles climbed into the tiny cockpit.

He waved one last time and rumbled down the dirt runway.


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Tip

His ight almost came to a quick end before it began. The plane,

weighed down with fuel, did not take off very quickly. Charles held

his breath as he nearly crashed into the telephone wires at the edge

of the eld. Luckily, he pulled the plane into the air just in time.Charles sped over the state of New York, then over Connecticut

and Massachusetts. After that, he soared for twelve hours over

250 miles of water to Nova Scotia, then on to Newfoundland and

the open ocean under a moonless sky.

The night was dark, and the sea was black. He reached

for the crude handmade charts he had prepared. As the hours

stretched on, Charles grew more tired. To keep himself

awake, he set up a routine. He switched gas tanks every hour.

He wrote something in his log every fteen minutes. Yet he

still had to draw on every bit of energy he had to stay awake.

In the fourteenth hour of his ight, Charles encountereda storm. The strong winds tossed his plane around, and ice

began forming on the wings. Alarmed, he turned south and

ew through the storm. The ice began to thin out and Charles

regained control of the plane.


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Charles was halfway to Paris, but he was numb with hunger and

cold. At one point, Charles realized he was falling asleep in spite of

himself. He maneuvered his plane down toward the ocean, as close

as ten feet from the waves. He leaned out from his open cockpit andlet the spray from the ocean splash on his face and wake him up.

Whats that? he shouted out loud. It looks like a coastline.

Those are hills and trees, and islands near it. Im not close enough

to Ireland, so what is it?

He dived down and the coast seemed to vanish into thin air. It

was a mirage. Charles was so tired that he was seeing things. He

shook his head and continued ying.

An hour later, Charles saw another island, but this one looked

real. He ew the plane down and saw people running in the street,

waving up at him. He was over Ireland, just six hours away from

Paris. Twenty-eight hours of ying were behind him.

His spirits were high now. Close to 1,700 pounds of fuel had

been burned, and the plane felt lighter. The journey was almost over.

Soon, the coast of France, the country of his destination, greeted

him from below. Charles checked his instruments. He had own

3,500 miles. It was a new world record for a nonstop ight!


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In America and Europe, people had been rushing to the news

stands to nd out his fate. Had anyone seen Lucky Lindy yet?

This was a nickname given to Charles Lindbergh by the media after

he parachuted from a plane during a storm.The good news poured in all across the world. The reports came

in that Charles had been seen in Ireland, then in England, then in

France. People were thrilled. That evening, thousands of people in

Paris headed toward the Le Bourget Aireld, where he was to land.

Charles saw the glow of Paris up aheadlines and curves and

squares of white light. He circled the Eiffel Tower and then headed

out to the airport.

Several times, Charles circled the eld. He fastened his safetybelt, checked his instrument panel, and gured where to bring his

plane down. He came in close and made his nal approach.

It was 10:24 p.m., more than 33 hours after take-off in New

York. The wheels of the Spirit of St. Louistouched ground, bounced

gently, then returned to Earth. Charles taxied the plane toward the

oodlights.

He looked out of his cockpit window, startled. More than

150,000 people were rushing toward him. Lindbergh! Lindbergh!they were chanting.

He opened the cockpit door, and arms grabbed him.

Are there any mechanics here? he asked, hoping someone

would be able to check his plane for damage.

Before he could say another word, he was pulled from the plane

and carried across the aireld in celebration.

Charles Lindbergh had made it. He had completed his nonstop

ight from New York to Paris and made aviation history.


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The Pony Expressby David Hebner

In the mid-1800s, Americans

were moving west because they

had heard wonderful stories

about the new territories

Louisiana, Oregon, and

California. Families wanted thechance to claim fresh, new land.

Soon, wagon trains set out on the

trail to the West.

In 1849, gold was found in

California. Even more people

headed to the West, hoping

to strike it rich. Stores and

restaurants appeared, banks

opened, and small businesses

grew in this new region.

Soon, Americans realized the

country had a big problem

mail delivery. Mail from the

East Coast was sent by rail to

the West, but it could travel only

as far as Missouri. The railroadwent no further. Postal ofcials

had to nd another way to get

mail to California and other

western areas.

The Buttereld Overland

Stage opened for business in

Missouri in 1858. The company

had a eet of horse-drawn stage

coaches and promised speedier

mail delivery to California.


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Twice a week the Buttereld

stage coaches carried mail from

Missouri to California. The trip

took about twenty-ve days.

For people in California, this

was not quick enough. People

were getting rich. Businesses

were growing rapidly and the

merchants and bankers in the

West felt that twenty-ve days

was too long to wait for mail.

Something had to change.Three menWilliam Russell,

William Waddell, and Alexander

Majorssoon developed a new

system. They reasoned that letters

and packages could be delivered

by riders on horseback. The trip

could go twice as quickly if the

riders rode in relays. A ridercould ride as fast as he could for

a short time, then he would get

a fresh horse, and then ride until

he could turn over the mail to

another rider. The riders would

have to travel day and night,

in summer and in winter under

rough conditions. It would be

called the Pony Express.

Russell, Waddell, and

Majors sent agents to nd good

horses. These animals had to

ride through deserts and over

mountains. They would need to

be able to endure hunger, thirst,and all kinds of bad weather.

In time, 400 strong, fast horses

were obtained.

The company set up about

165 stations between Missouri

and California. Each station was

separated from the next by ten to

fteen miles. Several fast horseswere placed at each station. The

station master had to keep the

horses well fed and rested.

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Next, the company hired

riders. Only young, lightweight

men could apply. In fact, none

of the riders hired weighedmore than 125 pounds. Like

jockeys on racehorses, they

were expected to ride as fast

as possible. They also had to

be brave enough to face rough

conditions during the ride. Some

of the riders were only

14 years old, but they couldmake between $100 and $125 a

month. In those days, that was

fantastic money!

The Pony Express began on

April 3, 1860. A rider named

Henry Wallace was given the

honor of starting the rst ride.

He carried a message fromPresident James Buchanan to the

governor of California. Wallace

left from St. Joseph, Missouri.

Ten days later, a different

rider arrived with the letter in

Sacramento, California.The Pony Express was much

quicker than other mail services

because it covered 250 miles in

a day. Stage coaches could only

travel 100 to 125 miles a day.

The Pony Express depended on

the speed of the horses and the

strength of the riders. A riderhad to race his pony as hard as

he could for ten to fteen miles

until he rode into a relay station.

There, two men held a fresh

horse for the rider. It took him

less than ten seconds to slide

onto the back of the horse. Two

minutes later, he was riding outof the station, racing his fresh

horse as fast as it could go.


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UtahKansas

Salt Lake

City

SacramentoSt. Joseph

Califo

rnia

PonyExpressTrail

After riding 75 to 125 miles,

the rider rode into a home station

where a new rider took over. At

last, he could rest after a difcult

six-hour ride.

The Pony Express ran day

and night through all kinds of

weather. They faced attacks

by hostile Native Americans,

as well. Still, the riders came

through. Only one time in 19

months did the riders fail todeliver the mail.

The Pony Express played

an important role in the Civil

War. The people of the South

wanted California to join them.

However, leaders of the North

used the Pony Express to stay

in contact with California. Theyconvinced California to side with

the North. This was a key reason

that the North won the Civil War.

The Pony Express was

important in its time. However,

only eighteen months after it

started, it was no longer needed.

The rst telegraph system was

completed. The telegraph used

electricity to send quick

messages through wires. People in

the East could now immediately

contact the West without sending

letters. The owners closed down

the Pony Express on October 24,

1861. They could not compete

with the speed of the telegraph.The route followed by the

Pony Express riders is not

completely gone today. Much

of the trail has been changed,

and some of it has disappeared.

However, short sections of the

trail have been preserved. It is

called the Pony Express NationalHistoric Trail. It is part of the

National Trails System.

Many of the relay stations

have been saved as well. Each

summer, tourists visit these

stations and walk around parts

of the nearby trails. Although

it wasnt around very long, thePony Express will always have a

place in our countrys history.


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Student Name

Now answer Numbers 7 through 10. Base your answers onthe article The Pony Express.

7 This article is MOSTLY about

a how the telegram system put the Pony Express out of business.

b the history of the Pony Express.

c the rst ride of the Pony Express.

d how the Pony Express helped the North win the Civil War.

8 Why did the author write The Pony Express?

f to convince readers that the Pony Express was betterthan the telegraph

g to teach readers how mail systems changedthroughout history

h to entertain readers with funny stories about thePony Express

i to inform readers about the history of the Pony Express

9 Which statement would the author of The Pony ExpressMOST likely agree with?

a The Pony Express put riders in great danger forno reason.

bWorking for the Pony Express was probably not worththe money.

c The Pony Express lasted a short time but is an

important part of history.

d The Pony Express was a silly idea.

Tip

In the lastsentence, theauthor suggeststhat the PonyExpress system

will always beremembered.Which statement isthe most similar tothis idea?

TipThink about whatan author wantsyou to gain fromreading an article.Is the authorstating facts ortrying to persuadeyou to believe in a

point of view?


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Confusedby Chandra Riley

Befuddled and muddled!

A pain in the brain!

My head is a goofy turnip

I cant quite explain.

My thoughts are just blots,

my nose is all runny,my speaking is creaking,

and my face feels all gummy.

I cant return to normal!

(Believe me, Ive tried.)

I should have avoided

the Speedy-Spin ride.


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Student Name

Can I come, too? Janette asked.

Father shook his head. Its too dangerous, he said. We need

someone to keep an eye on the wagon.

OK, Father, Janette said. Ill use this time to clean out the

wagon. Then the two men disappeared into the distance.

After they had gone, Janette got to work thoroughly cleaning out

the familys sturdy Conestoga wagon. It was packed tightly with

supplies for the journey ahead. By the time the afternoon sun started

going down, Janette felt proud of herself for cleaning so thoroughly.

Soon Janette had a blazing re going near the wagon so when

her father and brother returned, dinner would be ready.

The sun began to set over the snow-covered mountains. Where

are those two? she thought.

The stars came out. As the night passed, she began to feel the

rst twinges of panic. She crawled under a blanket and tried to calm

herself. She hoped she could sleep.

Dawn sent warm streaks across the horizon. Janette scrambled

to her feet after a restless night. To her dismay, she found that her

father and brother still had not returned.


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Janette studied the ground looking for the footprints of her father

and brother. When she found the footprints, she followed them

into the woods. Three miles later she came to a deep gorge but the

footprints stopped at the edge. Janette began searching the nearbyforest, but there was no sign of her father and brother.

Janette stumbled back to the wagon and began weeping. There

was no trace of her family. She was afraid that they were lost

forever. She gazed at the mighty Rockies surrounding her like the

walls of a prison.

Id better not try to nd my way through them, she thought to

herself. Its best to stay here. Maybe someone will nd me.

Time to build a shelter for myself, she whispered to herself. Ineed to prepare for the winter. I must take care of myself.

Janette tried to remember everything her father had taught her.

She took out the axes from the wagon. She cut down logs and set

poles in place to mark four corners. She placed more logs, one on

the other, to form walls. She stuffed the spaces between the logs

with wild grasses. She attened the earth around the bottom of her

hut. Finally, she threw the Conestogas white covering over the top

of her hut and drove its corners into the ground with stakes.Next, Janette lled her hut with supplies. She unloaded a small

stove, some kitchen items, blankets, and supplies from the wagon and

packed them into her hut. She cut down trees, one after another. Soon,

she had a huge woodpile. She could keep warm through the winter.


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Janette saw the oxen outside her hut. She was thankful for all the

hard work of the oxen. They had pulled the family all the way to

Montana. Now, she badly needed meat to help her survive. Janette

sighed as she headed outside and looked for the fattest ox. When shereturned, she had enough meat to last the winter.

It was getting colder now. Snow was starting to fall. Janette

settled herself in for Montanas long, cold winter. At night, wolves

and mountain lions came down from the mountains, following the

scent of burning meat. Sometimes, Janette heard them pace outside

her shelter. She didnt dare to move.

January came. Snow banks had built up along the sides of the

hut. The wild animals could no longer get through the drifts thatalmost buried her.

Day followed day, and then she heard the sound of running

water. It was a March thaw! The snowdrifts had melted and water

ooded the valley. Janette watched it rise inside her hut. Before

she was ooded out, she grabbed blankets and other supplies and

climbed into the wagon for safety.

One day in April, she awoke to see a Native American leaning

over her. He and his companions had spotted the wagon. Theywanted to know what she was doing in their valley.

Janette told them the whole story. They were amazed when they

heard about everything Janette had gone through. They decided to help

this resourceful girl who had shown such courage. They led her through

the difcult terrain and helped her nish her journey to the West.

Before long, Janette

was reunited with her

friends in Walla Walla.

Though she never found

out what happened to

her father and brother,

she made a new life for

herself in Oregon.


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Sports Are Good for Youby Steve Brunzell

Playing sports can help you in all kinds of ways. It strengthens

your body and your mind, making you tter and more condent.

It also teaches you how to cooperate with other people. No matter

what the sportsoftball, soccer, track and eld, tennis, or anything

elsethere are many important lessons to learn.

Sports and Your Body

Exercise can help you in more ways than you might realize. You

probably know that it can make your muscles stronger. Did you

know that exercise is also good for your mood? Besides being fun,

it makes your brain release chemicals called endorphins, which can

make you feel happier.

Of course, when you exercise, you also do other good things for

your health. For one thing, if you exercise hard enough to make youbreathe faster, it helps your heart. Thats because youre taking in

more oxygen than usual. This makes your heart pump blood faster.

Many kinds of exercise make you more exible, so your body

can bend and move more easily. Gymnastics are a great way to

become more exible. Martial arts, like karate, can also make you

more exible. Stretching before any sport improves your exibility

and also helps to prevent sports-related injuries.


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Sports and Your Mind

Being on the baseball team, the swim team, or any other team

does more than just mold your muscles. It can also do great thingsfor your personality!

When a group of people all want to win a race or achieve a

goal, you have to work together. If you disagree about how to do

something, you all need to make a decision. You learn to be patient

while everyone has a turn swinging the bat or using the balance beam.

The skills you learn on the eld might help you in a group

project at school, or when you meet new people. If you have learned

how to get along with others and respect their opinions, you will

nd it easier to make friends.

Sports can also help your self-esteem, which improves how you

feel about yourself. Imagine that you join a basketball team, and

shooting a three-pointer seems impossible. So you practice hard,

and get closer and closer to making it. You learn to make the two-

point shot easily and soon you can shoot the ball from a farther

distance. One day, you start making baskets from the three-point

mark, all because of your hard work. Youd feel pretty good about

yourself, wouldnt you? Being on a sports team gives you lots of

chances to feel great.


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For shy people, approaching others can be hard. Playing sports

can also help you become more outgoing. Wouldnt it be easier if

you had something in common to talk about? Playing sports allows

you to get to know people, whether youre asking for help with askill or helping someone else. Before you know it, you might nd

that youre a lot less nervous around other people.

Be Careful Out There!

Its easy to get caught up in a sport and start thinking that

winning is the most important thing. Sports are supposed to be funand although you might not win every game, losing should not

ruin your day. Its important to always treat your competitors with

respect, just as you would with your friends and teammates. Even

though you are trying to win the game, there is no need to play

unfairly or taunt your opponent. Keep the competition friendly.


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For your own protection, you should always follow safety rules.

Wear proper safety equipment, such as a batting helmet for baseball

and shinguards for soccer. Also, never try to do something you have

not yet learned. You could end up hurting yourself. Some day, afteryou have learned the right moves, youll be able to reach your goals!

Being on a team can be a great part of your life, but it shouldnt

be your whole life. If you are so tired or so busy that youre having

trouble in schoolits time to cut back on sports. If sports make

you feel worried all the time, it might be time for a change.

Play Hard!

Always put in your full effort. Dont give a half-hearted attempt

or act like you dont care. Being committed to your team should

be important to you and your teammates. That does not mean you

have to play a perfect game. As long as you try your best, you have

something to be proud of.Joining a sports team is fun and good for you. So grab a bat, a ball,

or a bathing suit, and go have a great time!


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Riding the Snowby Antoinette Jordan

Experts make snowboarding look so easy that you might think

they have been doing it forever. In truth, the snowboard is a fairly

recent invention. The rst one was built only about forty years ago.

In the 1960s, surng in the ocean was a hobby or sport for many

people, as it still is today. The problem was that surfers could not

ride ocean waves during the winter. Surfers wondered if they coulduse a different surface insteadlike snow. They worked hard to

invent a new apparatus that would help them surf on the slopes.

In 1965, Sherman Poppen developed a model for the snowboards

that we use today. He tested skis and surfboards, by trying ways to

put them together. Finally, he came up with a new invention, which

he called The Snurfer. The word combines the words surfand

snow. He made it by connecting two skis to each other

with a rope attached to the front. He gave his

rst Snurfer to his daughter, Wendy. Soon, all

of Wendys friends wanted Snurfers, too.

A year later, Poppen put Snurfers for sale in

stores for $15 each. One million Snurfers were

sold in the next ten years. The Snurfer, however,

eventually vanished. People thought it was more

of a toy for children. In addition, the Snurfer was

hard to control.


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People tried to come up with a better way to surf on snow. One

of them was Dimitrije Milovich, who got his idea by riding down

snowy hills on cafeteria trays! His creation looked more like a

surfboard than the Snurfer did. Milovich built a snowboard calledWinterstick. Reporters from around the country wrote articles

about Milovich.

After that, others tried their hand at making snowboards. Bob

Webber built one in 1977 and at about the same time, friends Tom

Sims and Chuck Barfoot developed a new design. Their snowboard

looked a lot like a skateboard. Even kids got into the act. Mike Olson

rst made a snowboard in junior high school!

Jake Burton Carpenter was a skier and a surfer who had beenriding Snurfers since he was in high school. Over the years, he

made changes to the Snurfer to make it easier to control. He created

a snowboard that was longer than a skateboard and shorter than

a surfboard. He constructed the top part out of wood. He added

smooth, sharp metal edges so that the rider

could make quick stops and turns. He put

a tough plastic on the bottom part of the

snowboard. Jakes snowboards were safe,fun, and cheap. He started a company

called Burton Snowboards.


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The rst people who bought Jakes snowboards were skiers.

They took their snowboards and went to ski resorts. Many ski resort

owners would not let snowboarders onto their slopes. They said that

snowboards were too dangerous. Soon, some shops even refused tosell snowboards!

Jeff Grell solved the problem. He knew that snowboards

did not yet have secure bindings which would keep the rider on

the snowboard. In 1983, he invented a plastic foot cover and

connected it to the snowboard with straps and metal buckles. Now,

snowboarders could move around safely on ice and snow.

By 1995, most ski areas were accepting snowboarders. Soon

the hills were lling up with talented riders. They would leapinto the air and twist and turn, almost like dancers. They would

launch themselves off cliffs or hills and take the air. They would

ride down steep slopes with ease. They took part in races and

competitions.

Snowboarding has gotten more and more popular

over time. In 1985, the rst magazine about

snowboarding came out and in 1998, snowboarding

became an Olympic sport. It was introducedat the Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. Now

people from countries all over the world could

compete against each other. In just a short

time, snowboarding had come into its own

as a major sport.


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Section 3

Benchmarks

Plot Development

BenchmarkLA.E.1.2.2

The student understands the development of plot and how conflicts are

resolved in a story.

Authors Purpose

BenchmarkLA.A.2.2.2

The student identifies the authors purpose in a simple text.

Contents

ExplanationofSkillsfortheStudent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Passages Louise and the Missing Book Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Barking on Thin Ice Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

A Gift from Aunt Martha Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

The New Girl Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Cousin Carmen Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91


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Get Ready to Take On the

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Louise and the Missing Bookby Katherine Rawson

Come on, Louise, hurry up! said Sam in a loud whisper. Well

miss the bus if you dont get moving. Lets go!

Im coming right now, replied Louise as she stuffed her library

card back into her pocket. Then she gathered up the pile of library

books in her arms and hurried out the main door after Sam. As she

went out, she glanced up at the huge clock above the door and sawthat it was 4:55. They had just ve minutes to get to the bus stop.

Sam laughed when he saw Louise stagger out of the library

carrying her pile of books. Let me take some of those, he offered.

Thats OK, Ive got them, said Louise. Can you get my

change purse out of my coat pocket for me? I cant get it myself

with all the books Im balancing.

Sam pulled the purse out of Louises pocket and peered inside it.

Lucky you! You have just enough for the bus fare, he observed.


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Thats a relief! Of course, thats all the money Ill have until

I get my allowance next month, said Louise. She thought of the

snacks and movies she would miss for the next couple of weeks

because she had already spent her entire months allowance. Shehadnt been able to resist buying a new sketchbook and a set of

forty-eight colored pencils when she saw them in the store window.

The next few weeks without pocket money would pass quickly if

she spent the time trying out every color in her new set.

Sam and Louise reached the corner just as the bus was arriving.

They climbed on and plunked the fare down the chute. Setting the

books on the seat beside her, Louise sat down with a sigh of relief.

What do you need all those books for, anyway? asked Samfrom across the aisle.

Im an artist, said Louise proudly. I have to study

art. All these books explain techniques about how to draw

different things.

Wow, said Sam. I didnt know you were an artist.

Well, Im learning, replied Louise.

When the bus came to Louises stop, she gathered up her

books and made her way to the back exit. See you at schooltomorrow, she called to Sam.

Yeah, see you, he called back. Work on some

drawings! I want to see just how good an artist you are! I

would love it if you could draw me a robot!

I think that might be my next project, Louise said with a giggle

as Sam waved goodbye to her.

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After dinner that evening, Louise happily ipped through her

library books. She had a book about drawing horses, two books

about drawing cats, one about how to use colored pencils, another

about drawing landscapes, and one about owers. Where was thebook about drawing owers? Louise was sure she had checked it

out. Yes, she was absolutely certain she had. She even remembered

the title: Flower Sketching Basics.

Louise looked all over her room, but she couldnt nd the book

anywhere. Then she had a terrible thought. She must have left the

book on the bus. She had been carrying so many books. It would

have been easy to leave one behind without noticing it. The more

she thought about it, the more certain she was that the book wasstill on that empty seat. Now she would have to pay the library

for the book. It was a hardcover bookwhich made it even more

expensive. How many months allowance would it take to pay for

that book? Louise felt like she was going to cry.


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Louise began to wish she hadnt spent all her money on the

colored pencils. She would have to go to the library tomorrow and

ask if they would let her pay for the missing book little by little.

She thought of the months ahead with no movies and no snacksbecause she would have to use all her allowance to pay for the book.

Maybe she wouldnt even be allowed to borrow more library

books until she paid for the lost one.

Louise hurried to the library the next day. Mr. Harris, thelibrarian, looked up as she walked in. He already knows I lost the

book, Louise whispered to herself nervously.

Arent you the girl who was in here yesterday looking for art

books? asked Mr. Harris.

Yes, I I but you see . Louise stammered.

Well, you left one behind, said Mr. Harris kindly, as he handed

Louise the book on drawing owers. I was sure to set it aside for

you. I had a feeling you would be back.Louise stared at the book in her hands. She couldnt believe her

eyes. She silently nodded her thanks to Mr. Harris. Then Louise

ran happily out the door with a head full of ideas for sketching a

beautiful bouquet of owers.

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Test Preparation and Practice for Reading and Writing+ Grade 5

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Barking on Thin Iceby Telly Heath

Christopher grabbed his skates and hockey stick as he eagerly

headed out the front door. See you later, Mom, he called.

All right, honey, called his mother from the next room.

Remember to stay on the far side of the pond. Its dangerous

because the ice is very thin on this side.

I know, Mom. Dont worry. We always play on the other side.As Christopher closed the door, Skip came running down the hall

and stuck his wet nose in Christophers hand.

No, Skip, you cant come with me because youll just

get in the way, Christopher said. He gave Skip a playful

scratch behind the ears, made sure that Skip was safely

inside, and shut the door behind him. Skip ran to the window

and pressed his nose against it. Skip desperately scratched

the glass and whined as he watched Christopher cross the

street. Christopher turned around briey and waved, and

then he made his way to the skating pond across the street.

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Christopher enjoyed taking Skip with him everywhere he went,

but he especially liked to take Skip to the park to play catch. Skip

loved to go bounding after his old rubber ball. Then he would bring

it back to Christopher and drop it at his feet. Panting from the effort,Skip would gaze up at Christopher expectantly and wait for him to

throw the ball again.

Skip really loved playing catch, and that was exactly why

Christopher stopped taking him to hockey games. Skip always tried

to run after the hockey puck the way he ran after the ball. He ran

into the hockey players, slipping and sliding and getting tangled

up in skates and hockey sticks, causing everyone to fall on the ice.

After that, everyone on the team, including Christopher, agreed thatSkip could not come to another hockey game.

Skip, of course, paid no attention to this decision. Every time

he saw Christopher leave the house with hockey equipment, Skip

tried to nd a way to follow. He sniffed at the door and whined and

scratched, but no one would let him out.

This afternoon seemed no different. Skip was just settling down

for a nap when there was a sudden knock at the door. Christophers

mother opened the door for a delivery person, who had a largepackage. Skip didnt understand all this, but he did understand one

thing: the door was wide open! This was his chance to make it to the

outside world!


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Skip leaped up, and before

anyone could realize it, he

shot out the door and across

the street to the park.Skip, come back! called

Christophers mother, but

Skip didnt hear her. He ran

as fast as he could toward

Christopher, who was playing

with his friends on the far side

of the pond. When he neared

the ponds edge, he didntstop but went running and

slipping across the ice as fast

as he could until crack!

the ice broke beneath him,

and into the water he fell.

Skip tried to pull himself

out of the water and back onto the solid ice, but every time he put

his paws on the ice it broke apart even more. Christopher and hisfriends heard barking and saw what had happened to Skip. They

quickly pulled off their skates, pulled on their boots, and ran around

to the other side of the pond.

Come on, Skip, come here, boy, called Christopher

desperately. Skip tried as hard as he could, but he couldnt pull

himself out of the frigid water.

What are we going to do? How are we going to get him out of

there? cried Christopher.

I know, said his teammate Amanda, with excitement in her

voice. We can pull him out with our hockey sticks!

Yes! agreed the other kids. Lets try that!


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Trent and Tisha ran to get help from an adult. Meanwhile,

Amanda and Christopher stood at the edge of the pond and held

their hockey sticks out as far as they could reach. Come on, Skip,

called Christopher. Grab the sticks.He cant grab them, said Amanda. Well have to try to hook

him. She balanced herself on her toes and reached her hockey stick

toward the broken edge of the ice, while some of the other kids held

onto her jacket to keep her from falling in. Here, Skip! she called.

Christopher held his stick out over the ice, too. Skip whimpered

as he struggled to reach them. Amanda and Christopher stretched

out their arms until nally Christopher was able to hook the curved

end of his stick under one of Skips front legs. Amanda hookedSkips other leg, and together they pulled until Skip was close to the

rocks at the ponds edge. Then, spraying icy water everywhere, Skip

scrambled out of the pond and jumped happily on Christopher.

Christophers mother came running from the house with a pile of

towels. Oh, Skip! said Christopher, laughing as he rubbed Skips

wet fur with a towel. I told you that you shouldnt play hockey.

Skip responded by giving Christopher a big wet kiss. At that

moment, he was the happiest dog anyone had ever seen.


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A Gift from Aunt Marthaby Christopher Saltzman

Jessica hadnt seen her Aunt Martha since she was an infant, but

every year Jessica still got a birthday present from her. Of course,

since Aunt Martha hadnt visited with Jessica in so long, she was

unaware of Jessicas interests. Last year she had sent a long woolly

sweater, which was in Jessicas least favorite colortangerine. The

previous year, when Jessica turned nine, Aunt Martha sent her alarge baby doll, but Jessica had outgrown dolls long ago.

Dad, complained Jessica, doesnt Aunt Martha understand

Im way too old for dolls?

She means well, replied Jessicas dad. Besides, there are

plenty of girls your age that still like dolls. How was she to know

that you didnt? You should understand that she is just trying to be

considerate, and she has good intentions.

I know, said Jessica. Its not the gift, but the thought that

counts. She was reminded of that every time she unwrapped a

present from Aunt Martha.

So this year, when Jessica recognized Aunt Marthas handwriting

on the gift label of a present, she didnt rush to open it. After the

other packages had been unwrapped, it was time to nd out what

Aunt Martha had sent.


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Slowly, Jessica tore off the pink wrapping paper and then pulled

out a narrow cardboard box. Inside the box was a translucent1

plastic tube with several holes in it. What could it possibly be?

What am I supposed to do with this? wondered Jessica outloud. What is this thing anyway, Dad?

To Jessicas surprise, her dad appeared quite interested in the

plastic tube. Its a bird feeder, he announced, with delight. Look,

you insert one of these little sticks underneath each hole, he

pointed out. These are perches, and then you put a wire through

here so you can hang it from a tree. You ll it with seeds, and the

birds stand on the perches and pull the seeds out through the holes.

Really? doubted Jessica. It doesnt look like any kind of birdfeeder Ive ever seen.

Just you wait! It will be amazing! her dad answered. We can

suspend it from that tree near the kitchen window, and then we can

sit in the kitchen and watch the birds when they come to eat.

Would the birds really come to eat seeds from a simple plastic

tube? And if they did, what was so interesting about that? Her dad

seemed to believe that it was a wonderful present. Jessica wasnt so

sure of that yet.Ill bring a bag of seeds home tomorrow, and then well get the

feeder set up, he said enthusiastically.

The following day, Jessicas dad brought home a bag of

sunower seeds to ll the tube. He opened the tube, carefully

poured in the seeds, and strung a wire through the top part of it.

Then, he reached out the kitchen window and hooked the wire over

a tree branch that was just outside.

1translucent: allowing some light to pass through


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There! he exclaimed proudly to Jessica. Before long youll

see plenty of birds right outside our window.

Jessica pulled a

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