Reading 1

The Big Interview

Charles sat in the cafeteria with five other students, waiting for Ms. Swanson to interview all of them. Ms. Swanson, the seventh-grade science teacher, was looking for a lab helper. Charles’s palms were sweaty and his face felt hot. He wondered if his face was red—and if anyone would notice.

As he prepared for his interview, Charles reviewed a set of index cards with notes that he had made earlier. On each card, he had written an answer to a question that Ms. Swanson might ask. “The emergency eyewash station is not a place to get a drink of water,” he quietly read aloud from one card.

Charles decided to check out the other candidates. Nearby, a girl with dark red hair was shuffling her own set of index cards. He watched as she tore a card into tiny pieces and stuffed the pieces into a pocket. Suddenly she looked up at Charles.

“Are you nervous?” she asked.

“No, I’m not nervous—not at all,” Charles stammered. “What about you?”

“Uh, no, me neither,” the girl responded.

At that moment, Ms. Swanson appeared. “Charles Locke?” she called out.

What is the passage mostly about?

• waiting to be interviewed

• working as a science teacher

• making notes on index cards

• a demanding science teacher

The Big Interview

Charles sat in the cafeteria with five other students, waiting for Ms. Swanson to interview all of them. Ms. Swanson, the seventh-grade science teacher, was looking for a lab helper. Charles’s palms were sweaty and his face felt hot. He wondered if his face was red—and if anyone would notice.

As he prepared for his interview, Charles reviewed a set of index cards with notes that he had made earlier. On each card, he had written an answer to a question that Ms. Swanson might ask. “The emergency eyewash station is not a place to get a drink of water,” he quietly read aloud from one card.

Charles decided to check out the other candidates. Nearby, a girl with dark red hair was shuffling her own set of index cards. He watched as she tore a card into tiny pieces and stuffed the pieces into a pocket. Suddenly she looked up at Charles.

“Are you nervous?” she asked.

“No, I’m not nervous—not at all,” Charles stammered. “What about you?”

“Uh, no, me neither,” the girl responded.

At that moment, Ms. Swanson appeared. “Charles Locke?” she called out.

What is most likely to happen next in the story?

• Charles will talk to Ms. Swanson.

• Charles will tear up his index cards.

• Charles will help the girl prepare for her interview.

• Charles will decide not to try for the job.

The Big Interview

Charles sat in the cafeteria with five other students, waiting for Ms. Swanson to interview all of them. Ms. Swanson, the seventh-grade science teacher, was looking for a lab helper. Charles’s palms were sweaty and his face felt hot. He wondered if his face was red—and if anyone would notice.

As he prepared for his interview, Charles reviewed a set of index cards with notes that he had made earlier. On each card, he had written an answer to a question that Ms. Swanson might ask. “The emergency eyewash station is not a place to get a drink of water,” he quietly read aloud from one card.

Charles decided to check out the other candidates. Nearby, a girl with dark red hair was shuffling her own set of index cards. He watched as she tore a card into tiny pieces and stuffed the pieces into a pocket. Suddenly she looked up at Charles.

“Are you nervous?” she asked.

“No, I’m not nervous—not at all,” Charles stammered. “What about you?”

“Uh, no, me neither,” the girl responded.

At that moment, Ms. Swanson appeared. “Charles Locke?” she called out.

You can tell that the girl is nervous because.......

• her face turns red

• she tears up one of her index cards

• her palms are sweaty

• she reads her index cards

The Big Interview

Charles sat in the cafeteria with five other students, waiting for Ms. Swanson to interview all of them. Ms. Swanson, the seventh-grade science teacher, was looking for a lab helper. Charles’s palms were sweaty and his face felt hot. He wondered if his face was red—and if anyone would notice.

As he prepared for his interview, Charles reviewed a set of index cards with notes that he had made earlier. On each card, he had written an answer to a question that Ms. Swanson might ask. “The emergency eyewash station is not a place to get a drink of water,” he quietly read aloud from one card.

Charles decided to check out the other candidates. Nearby, a girl with dark red hair was shuffling her own set of index cards. He watched as she tore a card into tiny pieces and stuffed the pieces into a pocket. Suddenly she looked up at Charles.

“Are you nervous?” she asked.

“No, I’m not nervous—not at all,” Charles stammered. “What about you?”

“Uh, no, me neither,” the girl responded.

At that moment, Ms. Swanson appeared. “Charles Locke?” she called out.

The student who gets the job will be working

• in the cafeteria

• in the science lab

• at the library

• at the eyewash station

The Big Interview

Charles sat in the cafeteria with five other students, waiting for Ms. Swanson to interview all of them. Ms. Swanson, the seventh-grade science teacher, was looking for a lab helper. Charles’s palms were sweaty and his face felt hot. He wondered if his face was red—and if anyone would notice.

As he prepared for his interview, Charles reviewed a set of index cards with notes that he had made earlier. On each card, he had written an answer to a question that Ms. Swanson might ask. “The emergency eyewash station is not a place to get a drink of water,” he quietly read aloud from one card.

Charles decided to check out the other candidates. Nearby, a girl with dark red hair was shuffling her own set of index cards. He watched as she tore a card into tiny pieces and stuffed the pieces into a pocket. Suddenly she looked up at Charles.

“Are you nervous?” she asked.

“No, I’m not nervous—not at all,” Charles stammered. “What about you?”

“Uh, no, me neither,” the girl responded.

At that moment, Ms. Swanson appeared. “Charles Locke?” she called out.

She looked up at Charles. What tense is it?

• Present Perfect

• Past Perfect

• Simple Past

• Simple Present

A Long Day

Jamie was tired. She had been on her feet for hours. Her mom owned a small but busy restaurant in town. Three of her mom’s employees had called in sick that morning. There was a big festival in the city park that day, and Jamie had wanted to go. But her mom had asked for her help at the restaurant.

All Jamie wanted to do was sit down for a while. Instead, she hurried around the restaurant, taking orders and refilling coffee cups. As soon as one table was cleared, a new set of customers walked in. The customers just kept coming! That meant more orders and more coffee.

“Order up!” called the cook from the kitchen. Jamie stared at the kitchen. She thought about all of the food stalls at the festival. Cooks there were preparing special foods from all over the world. Jamie imagined the delicious smells of new and exotic foods.

“Hurry, Jamie!” the cook called, catching Jamie lost in thought.

“I’m coming,” Jamie grumbled. But her mom had already picked up the plates of hot food from the counter and delivered them to a table by the window.

“Wake up, Jamie,” her mom said. “I know you don’t want to be here, but I need your help.”

Why is Jamie daydreaming?

• She is half asleep.

• She has nothing better to do.

• She would rather be working in the kitchen.

• She wants to be somewhere else.

A Long Day

Jamie was tired. She had been on her feet for hours. Her mom owned a small but busy restaurant in town. Three of her mom’s employees had called in sick that morning. There was a big festival in the city park that day, and Jamie had wanted to go. But her mom had asked for her help at the restaurant.

All Jamie wanted to do was sit down for a while. Instead, she hurried around the restaurant, taking orders and refilling coffee cups. As soon as one table was cleared, a new set of customers walked in. The customers just kept coming! That meant more orders and more coffee.

“Order up!” called the cook from the kitchen. Jamie stared at the kitchen. She thought about all of the food stalls at the festival. Cooks there were preparing special foods from all over the world. Jamie imagined the delicious smells of new and exotic foods.

“Hurry, Jamie!” the cook called, catching Jamie lost in thought.

“I’m coming,” Jamie grumbled. But her mom had already picked up the plates of hot food from the counter and delivered them to a table by the window.

“Wake up, Jamie,” her mom said. “I know you don’t want to be here, but I need your help.”

What will most likely happen next in the story?

• The cook will quit.

• Jamie will leave and go to the festival.

• Jamie will become busy again.

• Jamie’s mom will close the restaurant.

A Long Day

Jamie was tired. She had been on her feet for hours. Her mom owned a small but busy restaurant in town. Three of her mom’s employees had called in sick that morning. There was a big festival in the city park that day, and Jamie had wanted to go. But her mom had asked for her help at the restaurant.

All Jamie wanted to do was sit down for a while. Instead, she hurried around the restaurant, taking orders and refilling coffee cups. As soon as one table was cleared, a new set of customers walked in. The customers just kept coming! That meant more orders and more coffee.

“Order up!” called the cook from the kitchen. Jamie stared at the kitchen. She thought about all of the food stalls at the festival. Cooks there were preparing special foods from all over the world. Jamie imagined the delicious smells of new and exotic foods.

“Hurry, Jamie!” the cook called, catching Jamie lost in thought.

“I’m coming,” Jamie grumbled. But her mom had already picked up the plates of hot food from the counter and delivered them to a table by the window.

“Wake up, Jamie,” her mom said. “I know you don’t want to be here, but I need your help.”

What will Jamie most likely do when she gets home?

• make dinner for her mom

• go for a walk

• see if the festival is still going on

• apply for a waitress job

A Long Day

Jamie was tired. She had been on her feet for hours. Her mom owned a small but busy restaurant in town. Three of her mom’s employees had called in sick that morning. There was a big festival in the city park that day, and Jamie had wanted to go. But her mom had asked for her help at the restaurant.

All Jamie wanted to do was sit down for a while. Instead, she hurried around the restaurant, taking orders and refilling coffee cups. As soon as one table was cleared, a new set of customers walked in. The customers just kept coming! That meant more orders and more coffee.

“Order up!” called the cook from the kitchen. Jamie stared at the kitchen. She thought about all of the food stalls at the festival. Cooks there were preparing special foods from all over the world. Jamie imagined the delicious smells of new and exotic foods.

“Hurry, Jamie!” the cook called, catching Jamie lost in thought.

“I’m coming,” Jamie grumbled. But her mom had already picked up the plates of hot food from the counter and delivered them to a table by the window.

“Wake up, Jamie,” her mom said. “I know you don’t want to be here, but I need your help.”

What is the main idea of the story?

• Festivals are more fun than work.

• It is important to daydream.

• Owning a restaurant is difficult.

• We cannot always do what we want to do.

A Long Day

Jamie was tired. She had been on her feet for hours. Her mom owned a small but busy restaurant in town. Three of her mom’s employees had called in sick that morning. There was a big festival in the city park that day, and Jamie had wanted to go. But her mom had asked for her help at the restaurant.

All Jamie wanted to do was sit down for a while. Instead, she hurried around the restaurant, taking orders and refilling coffee cups. As soon as one table was cleared, a new set of customers walked in. The customers just kept coming! That meant more orders and more coffee.

“Order up!” called the cook from the kitchen. Jamie stared at the kitchen. She thought about all of the food stalls at the festival. Cooks there were preparing special foods from all over the world. Jamie imagined the delicious smells of new and exotic foods.

“Hurry, Jamie!” the cook called, catching Jamie lost in thought.

“I’m coming,” Jamie grumbled. But her mom had already picked up the plates of hot food from the counter and delivered them to a table by the window.

“Wake up, Jamie,” her mom said. “I know you don’t want to be here, but I need your help.”

"her mom had already picked up the plates of hot food" What tense is it?

• Simple Past

• Present Perfect

• Past Perfect

• Simple Present