Reading Assessment 2.4- The Saga of Pecos Bill

1 Which sentence best tells how the beginning of the play helps the reader understand the rest of the play?

• It tells how big the state of Texas is.
• It tells what made Pecos Bill an unusual child.
• It tells why people used to move West a long time ago.
• It tells how Ma and Pa kept forgetting their children’s names.

2 Ma and Pa could not afford a teddy bear. What does the word "afford " mean?

• sell
• make
• find
• pay for

3 Why is Cowboy 1 surprised when he first sees Pecos Bill drinking water at the river?

• Pecos Bill is acting like a coyote.
• Pecos Bill is fighting a grizzly bear.
• Pecos Bill is riding a mountain lion.
• Pecos Bill is making a lasso out of a snake.

4 How does Pecos Bill help the cowboys?

• He ends a drought.
• He watches their cows.
• He gets rid of the trees.
• He protects them from animals.

5 Why is Pecos Bill’s fight with the tornado important?

• It explains why cowboys carry a rope
• It tells how Pecos Bill became a cowboy.
• It tells how big tornadoes used to become.
• It explains why there are wide open spaces across Texas.

6. Which of the following statements helps the reader understand this story is a tall tale?

• You see, Pecos Bill wasn't originally from Texas.
• Bill decided that the only way to tame the tornado was to ride it until it spun itself out.
• Well friend, you're welcome to stay as long as you want.
• "I just want to learn how to be a cowboy and help you fellas out"

7. What happened last in the story?

• Pecos Bill bounced out of the wagon alongside the road.
• Spun a snake that grew thinner and thinner
• Pecos Bill rode a mountain lion
• Pecos Bill jumped on the tornados back

8. What does the word tame mean?

• to spin and turn very quickly
• to teach an animal to do something
• to shape something into loops
• to give food to someone

9. Who is NOT a character in this play?

• Pecos Bill
• Mountain lion
• Pecos' grandma
• Cowboy 2

10. According to The Saga of Pecos Bill, the wide-open spaces all over Texas are due to

• the forest fires
• the wresting match between Pecos Bill and the tornado
• the rivers
• Ma and Pa traveling the same road to California