Predictor Prep

 What is the main conflict in the story?

•  A. Lila and Ben argue about whether to explore the marsh.

• B. The frogs and dragonflies are moving to a different habitat.

  
  

• C. The marsh is too deep for the birds to find food.

•  D. A construction project is diverting water, causing the marsh to dry up.

What is the main conflict of the story?

•  A. The birds in the marsh are disappearing because of pollution.

•  B. Lila and Ben discover that the marsh is drying up, which is harming the ecosystem.

• C. Lila and Ben get lost while exploring the marsh and cannot find their way home.

•  D. A factory is dumping waste into the marsh, making the water unsafe for animals.

What does the word "diverting" most likely mean based on the passage?

• A. Moving something in a different direction 

  
  

• B. Making a habitat safer for animals

• C. Destroying something completely

•  D. Cleaning and purifying water

How do Lila and Ben first realize something is wrong with the marsh?

• A. The trees near the marsh are growing taller.

  
  

•  B. A scientist tells them the marsh is disappearing.

   

  
  

• C. They see fewer birds and lower water levels.

   

• D. The frogs are louder than usual.

What action do Lila and Ben take to help the ecosystem?

• A. They clean up trash from the marsh.

•  B. They tell their teacher and contact environmental officials.

•  C. They convince the construction company to shut down.

•  D. They build a dam to stop the water from flowing.

Which sentence best expresses the theme of the passage?

• A. Exploring nature is fun.

• B. Construction projects should never be built near marshes.

•  C. The ecosystem can fix itself over time.

•  D. It is important to stand up for the environment.

Which three phrases from paragraph 7 best show Lila’s mood?

•  A. "Lila gasped."

  
  

•  B. "Her eyes widened in shock."

•  C. "That’s it! They’re diverting the water. The marsh is drying up!"

•  D. "She felt calm and unconcerned."

•  E. "Lila’s voice shook with worry."

Ben's thoughts in paragraphs 4 and 5 most contribute to the plot of the story by—

• A. Revealing his concern that the drying water is harming the birds and ecosystem.

•  B. Showing his excitement about exploring the marsh with Lila.

•  C. Demonstrating his belief that the marsh will fix itself over time.

•  D. Explaining why he thinks the dragonflies are disappearing.

What does the phrase "Birds had returned to the reeds" most likely mean in paragraph 10?

•  A. The birds were nesting in the reeds again.

•  B. The birds were being washed away by the rising water.

• C. The birds were trapped between the reeds and struggling to escape.

•  D. The birds were glowing under the sunlight.

What is the meaning of the word "flow" in the sentence below from the passage?

 "They followed a trickle of water that once had been a flowing stream."

•  A. A type of wind current

•  B. Something happening in the present time

•  C. The movement of water in a natural direction

•  D. A strong electrical charge