Analyzing Literary Text #1

The morning sun cast a soft glow over the opening in the forest.  Martha rested on a tree stump and breathed in the fresh air.  It was full of the scent of pine needles and flower blossoms.  She heard two mockingbirds singing together and saw a butterfly flutter past.  Martha wished every morning could be exactly like this one.

 

What best describes the mood of the passage?

• spooky

• peaceful

• exciting

Lisa gets on the bus.  Mrs. Cantu says hi to her.  Lisa sees Jill and Ken.

Who says hi to Lisa?

• Mrs. Cantu

• Ken

• Jill

Although I often go skating with my friends, I don’t really like to skate.

Why might this character participate in an activity he doesn’t like?

• He enjoys being with his friends

• He wants to learn to skate

• He likes the food and the skating rink

Jack and Dad walk from their house to the front gates and pay admission. The first thing they see as they enter is the house of mirrors. Cautiously, they make their way through its winding halls full of different types of mirrors. The twisted and stretched images in the mirrors make Jack laugh at his appearance. Jack and Dad agree this is a fun way to end the day!

 

Which describes the setting of the paragraph?

• At the carnival near Jack’s house in the evening

• Before a picnic in a park in another small town

• During a museum visit on a busy family vacation

Emma saw May, the new girl, eating lunch by herself. She didn’t want May to have to sit by herself. So Emma invited May to sit with her and her friends.

 

Emma thinks it is important to _______.

• always bring you lunch to school

• help new people feel welcome

• let people eat by themselves

Thunder rolled across the sky, shaking the house as if it were made of cards. The wind howled and moaned. The children tiptoed down the stairs holding tightly to the railing. The sounds of the storm had made it impossible for them to stay upstairs. They decided they wanted to be downstairs with their parents.

Which describes the mood of the passage?

• hopeless

• calm

• alarming

One day, a kitten finds a small, white bell. It sits on a chair and rings the bell. Poof! The kitten is now a little girl.

Where would you find this story?

• in a book of true stories

• in a fairy tale book

• in a newspaper

The real path to getting and staying fit is to exercise you heart, lungs, muscles, and joints every day. Choose exercise that is fun for you. Ride a bike or take a walk. If you prefer the encouragement of a group, then why not start some sort of ball game? Many fun exercise options cost little or nothing. A rubber ball, a pair of sneakers and a jump rope can keep you moving for hours.

What is the purpose of this article?

• To entertain people with funny stories about exercising

• To inform people about expensive exercise equipment

• To persuade people that exercise can be easy and fun

There was a lion who liked scaring mice. The lion scared them all the time. But one day the lion was caught in a net. The mice felt sorry for him and chewed through the net. They set the lion free, and so the lion never scared the mice again.

What did the lion learn?

• To be nicer to the mice

• To roar as loudly as possible

• That lions never need help

Ricky and Noah read the sign on the bulletin board. There was going to be a neighborhood park clean-up day on Saturday afternoon. Noah wanted to take part in the cleanup. Ricky said he would rather do something else.

“But Ricky,” Noah explained, “track season is over so we don’t have to practice. There’s nothing good on TV on Saturday afternoon. Besides, we use the park a lot, so we should help keep it clean.”

Which is the best reason for Ricky to help?

• There is nothing good on television on Saturday afternoon.

• Track season is over so they don’t have to go to practice.

• They use the park a lot, so they should help keep it clean.