Study Island-Theme(Day 3)

Copyright © 2015 Edmentum - All rights reserved.

Generation Date: 10/28/2015
Generated By: Joe Shimmel

 

Passage 1

Zach and the Egyptian Relic

     Zach is embarrassed that his history project is too lame. It's an imitation of a relic that his father brought back from a trip to Egypt. Zach tells his class that the relic is real. His teacher asks permission to display the ancient relic in the History Fair. Zach realizes that if everyone found out about his lie, no one would ever trust him again.

Passage 2

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

     When the shepherd boy called for help to save his sheep from an attacking wolf, the townspeople who rushed to his rescue were not amused when they learned it was only a trick. When he did it a second and a third time, they started to get angry. When he called for help again—and this time it was for real—no one came to his rescue.
adapted from "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" by Aesop

1. How do these two stories differ?

A.

In one, Zach learns he has to be brave. In the other, the shepherd learns not to be foolish.

 

B.

In one, Zach learns how to be cunning and clever. In the other, the shepherd learns to tell the truth.

 

C.

In one, Zach lies once and realizes he should always tell the truth. In the other, the shepherd lies three times before the townspeople stop coming and he finally learns a hard lesson.

 

2. What is the theme of both of these stories?

A.

Be trustworthy and honest.

 

B.

Do what your teacher asks.

 

C.

Yell for help when you need it.

 

Passage 1

     When Marisol was young, she lived in a small house out in the country. Marisol enjoyed fishing and swimming in the pond and playing in the shade of the forest. However, she wished that she lived in the city. Marisol knew that it would be more exciting to live in a busy city.
     At the age of 18, Marisol finished high school and moved to the city to attend college. At first, she was excited to live in the city. Marisol ate in restaurants, shopped at the mall, and visited the museums. Then, Marisol started to miss seeing the stars in the night sky. She missed the peace and quiet of the country. Marisol was also tired of all the traffic noise and smog. She decided that she would move back to the country after she finished college.

Passage 2

     Freddie only had two real friends. She really wanted to be popular. For her birthday, Freddie’s parents gave her some money. She went to the mall and bought an outfit in the latest style. Freddie wore her new clothes to school the next day. The popular girls started being nice to Freddie. They asked her to sit with them at lunch. When Freddie’s friends came to sit with her, the popular girls said that the seats were taken. Freddie said to her friends, “I’ll see you two later.”
     One of the popular girls said, “Why would you want to hang out with those losers? You’re with us now.”
     Freddie shrugged her shoulders, and all of the popular girls laughed together, as if Freddie had done something really funny.
     “What are you wearing tomorrow?” the popular girl nearest to Freddie asked.
     Freddie suddenly realized that she was wearing the only brand-name clothes she owned. “I haven’t decided yet. What about you?” Freddie replied.
     “I am going to wear the cutest FuFu top with my Overpriced jeans and my . . .,” the popular girl continued, but Freddie didn’t hear her. She was thinking about how being popular was not very fun. First off, if she wanted to stay in the popular group, she would have to stop talking to her two best friends. Secondly, she would have to get a job and spend every last dime on clothes. Thirdly, the popular girls were boring.
     Freddie left the popular table and found her friends. She asked, “Can I sit here?”
     “Of course you can!” Freddie’s friends answered.

3. What is different between the two stories?

A.

The first story is about someone who wants to change locations; the second story is about someone who wants to become popular.

 

B.

The first story is about someone who wants to leave her family; the second story is about someone who wants to leave her old friends.

 

C.

The first story is about a girl that is determined to go to college; the second story is about a girl who hates school and doesn't plan to go to college.

 

4. Which theme is shared by both stories?

A.

People should appreciate what they have and not always want something different.

 

B.

People should go after the finer things in life no matter what it costs them.

 

C.

People should take adventures while they are young, before they are too old to enjoy adventures.

 

Passage 1

Theseus and the Minotaur

     Theseus was a young Greek hero who lived in Athens. The people of Athens were suffering because of the Minotaur. The Minotaur was a horrible monster who lived in a maze on the island of Crete. The minotaur would carry off young people from Athens. They would never be seen again. Theseus swore to help the people of Athens and defeat this horrible monster.
     When Theseus arrived in Crete, the daughter of the king fell in love with him. She was afraid he would get lost in the Minotaur's maze. To help Theseus find his way out of the maze, the king's daughter gave him a ball of string. Theseus entered the maze with a ball of string, and he would let out a little bit as he went so that it left a trail behind him.
     Theseus found the Minotaur and defeated him. The hero also found all the missing people from Athens. Together, they followed the string out of the maze and escaped back to Athens.

Passage 2

Hansel and Gretel

     Once upon a time, a girl named Gretel and her brother Hansel became lost in the woods. They had a bit of bread with them, and Gretel left behind a trail of crumbs so they could remember where they had been. Unfortunately, birds came and ate the crumbs, so the children became lost.
     After a while, Hansel and Gretel found a house made of candy and gingerbread. The two were so starved that they ran over to the house and began eating it. Quickly, they were caught by an old witch. She locked them up and would not let them out.
     The children were able to trick the witch and escape. Gretel pushed her into the oven, and the children ran away into the woods. They happened to run into a woodcutter who led them to safety. They were never troubled by the witch again.

5. Which of the following is most likely a theme shared by these stories?

A.

Children should not go into dangerous places.

 

B.

Wasting food can get you into a bad trouble.

 

C.

Knowing the way to get home is important.

 

     A lion was awakened from sleep by a mouse running over his face. Rising up angrily, he caught the mouse and was about to kill it. The mouse begged, saying, "If you would only spare my life, I would be sure to repay your kindness." The lion laughed and let him go. It happened shortly after this that the lion was caught by some hunters. They bound him by strong ropes to the ground. The mouse recognized his roar. So the mouse gnawed the rope with his teeth and set the lion free, exclaiming, "You laughed at the idea of my ever being able to help you. You never expected to receive any repayment from me; now you know that it is possible for even a mouse to help out a lion."

6. What is the main theme of the story?

A.

Even small beings can perform great acts.

 

B.

A funny mouse doesn't make a good snack.

 

C.

Don't ever get caught by hunters.

 

     When George Washington Carver was born, he had many things against him. He was a sick, weak little baby. His father had just died, and his mother was left alone to care for him and for his brother, James. And even worse, he was the son of slaves. There seemed to be no hope for the future. But George Washington Carver was no ordinary man. He was a man who turned evil into good, sadness into hope, and hatred into love. He was a man who devoted his whole life to helping his people and the world around him.
      Carver was always curious. He wanted to learn everything he could. He tried to go to college, but he was turned down because he was black. He finally was accepted at Simpson College. He became a teacher and encouraged his students to learn for themselves. He became famous when he taught farmers better ways to grow crops. He invented more than 300 ways to use peanuts and more than 100 ways to use sweet potatoes. Carver was elected to the Agricultural Hall of Fame. He was the second African American to be honored in the Hall of Fame for Great Americans.
adapted from George Washington Carver by Tanya Taylor

7. What is the theme of this selection?

A.

You can overcome many problems if you have a love of learning and work hard.

 

B.

When you have many things against you, become a teacher.

 

C.

Carver showed the farmers how to grow better crops.

 

The Dancing Monkeys

     A prince had some monkeys trained to dance. They were great at copying men's actions. They were very good students. When dressed in their rich clothes and masks, they danced as well as any of the courtiers. People believed they were human dancers. The dance was often repeated to great applause. That is until a mischievous courtier took a handful of nuts and threw them upon the stage. At the sight of the nuts, the monkeys forgot their dancing. They became (as indeed they were) monkeys instead of actors. They pulled off their masks and began tearing their robes. They fought one another for the nuts. The dancing came to an end among the laughter and anger of the audience.
adapted from "The Dancing Monkeys" by Aesop

8. What is the theme of "The Dancing Monkeys"?

 

A.

The monkeys were good at copying men's actions.

 

B.

The monkeys did what the prince told them to do.

 

C.

Everything that you see is not what it appears to be.

     Jimmy had a big problem: he had waited till the last minute to do his research paper. Although his teacher had given the class a full six weeks to get it done, Jimmy had played with his friends every afternoon. He never cracked a book or even did an online search of the subject. Now, he had two days to get it done.
     When he asked his mother for help, she asked how long he'd known about the assignment. He considered lying to her and blaming his teacher for not giving them enough time. He decided against that strategy because he knew his mother would call Mrs. Ransom and ask. She'd done that before, and he had gotten grounded for lying.
     "I've had six weeks," he answered.
     "You know Jimmy, it's not really my job to save you from your own bad decisions," she said. "You're going to have to do this on your own. I think that's the only way you're ever going to learn not to put things off. Haven't you ever heard the saying 'don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today'?"
     "Oh, Mom, I can do it in two days if you'll help me."
     "Sorry, son, I've got other things to do," she said. "You're on your own."

9. Which of the following might be a story with a similar theme to this one?

A.

a teacher discovers that a student cheated on a social studies test

 

B.

a basketball player overcomes a serious ankle injury to play in a big game

 

C.

an actress in a play does not learn her lines until the day the play opens

 

10. What is the main theme of this passage?

A.

Playing with friends after school is a bad idea.

 

B.

Parents cannot always be counted on for help.

 

C.

Do not wait till the last minute to do things.

 

     It was my own fault. I should have listened to Mom as she went out the door to work, but I didn't. Walking out the door, she had said, "You need to read Margaret's note." Margaret was out of town, and I was taking care of her five cats. I had taken care of them a dozen times. It was sunny, and I was in a hurry. The note was in the back bedroom, and I was at the front door. I knew Margaret's alarm code.
     At Margaret's, I unlocked the door and went right to the keypad for the alarm. It was beeping as I typed in 5-2-4-1. It continued beeping. I punched in 5-2-4-1. Still beeping. I pulled off my sunglasses and punched in 5-2-4-1, harder than before. Still beeping! What's wrong?
     I went back to the front door and closed it, hoping that would stop the beeping. It didn't! I ran back to the keypad and typed in 5-2-4-1; then the alarm started going going off.
     It was horrible! The cats just zoomed out of sight. My ear drums felt like they would burst.
     With the alarm still blaring, I went to my house and found Margaret's note. She had changed her code. With note in hand, I went back and punched in the correct code. The alarm stopped. I went to the den and sat on the couch. After a few minutes, the cats came out one by one. We were all thankful for the silence.

11. Which of the following might be a story with a theme similar to this one?

A.

a soccer team learns that its star goalie is out for the season

 

B.

police discover that a stray dog has set off a car alarm

 

C.

a man finds a wall blocking a trail he had hiked years before