A Spy Trail
1 Spies are people who get information from other people secretly.
Spies have been around for many years.
2 George Washington was an American general during the American
Revolution. The American Colonies were struggling in their fight
against the British. Washington thought that if he had more
information about what the British were planning to do, he could win
the war. Washington helped build a “spy trail” in New York State.
3 Washington came up with the idea of sending spies to the British side.
These spies would be able to give his army information to help his
side win.
4 Washington knew his side was not as prepared as the British side
was. Secret information from the British would help Washington’s
army. Washington asked his friend Benjamin Tallmadge to put
together a group of spies.
5 Tallmadge got his friends in New York to join the spy group. He only
chose women and men he trusted. Here’s how it worked. A spy would
travel to Connecticut to collect helpful information about the British.
Then, the spy would go back to New York and give the information
to another spy. Next, that spy would give the reports to Tallmadge.
Finally, Tallmadge would pass the information on to Washington.
There were other spies who helped with keeping this information
secret.
6 The group of spies was able to find out about different British plans.
They found out about people who were helping the British. They even
learned about British spies. The information they collected helped
Washington and his army win the war against the British.
5
Reading Comprehension
Directions: Read the selection. Then answer each question.
Name
Which sentence from the selection tells the reader what spies mainly do?
Which of the following is the best summary of the details in paragraph 5?
What is the main idea of the selection?
The author wrote this selection to -
How does the author organize the information in the selection?
The Family Picnic
1 Kayla and Angela helped their mother put the last few things into
the car for their family picnic. Their dog, Turner, hopped in the car
just before they closed the door. The whole family had been looking
forward to the picnic all week. Everyone helped make food and pick
out the games to play. The one thing they didn’t decide was where
they wanted to set up their picnic blanket.
2 On the way, Kayla and Angela talked about where in the park they should go. “I think we should put the picnic blanket near the soccer
field. That way we can watch the people practicing and playing while we enjoy our picnic,” suggested Angela.
3 “No way!” said Kayla, “Our picnic needs to be in a part of the park that is quiet and beautiful to look at. Let’s put the blanket near the
lake. We might see some swans swim in the water.”
4 Angela didn’t like Kayla’s idea. “That doesn’t sound like fun, Kayla. We need to be in the more exciting part of the park.” Kayla folded her
arms as she shook her head. The two sisters continued to argue over
where to have their picnic.
5 Turner watched as they yelled their ideas. After several minutes, Turner jumped into their laps and turned around over and over again. His fur tickled the girls’ arms. They started to laugh very loudly.
6 Their mother looked back and smiled at them. “I think Turner is
reminding us of something important.” The girls knew what their
mother meant.
7 “We were being silly arguing about where to have our picnic,” said Angela.
8 Kayla added, “I know we can find a spot that everyone will like!”
How the Camel Got Its Hump
adapted from a story by Rudyard Kipling
Long, long ago, Horse, Camel, Ox, and Dog lived in the desert. In charge of the desert was a wise man.
One day, the wise man appeared and told the animals they must work to get their food. Most of the animals did their work, carrying things for the wise man. Camel was lazy, however, so he just ate sticks and leaves.
When Dog asked for help with the work, Camel just said, “Humpf,” and walked away. When Ox asked Camel to help, Camel “humpfed” again. Horse said to Camel, “You have to do your share!” Camel replied with another “humpf.”
The wise man saw that the animals had not done all the work. “You will have to work harder and also finish Camel’s work.” Ox, Dog, and Horse were upset and talked about what to do. Again, they asked Camel to do his share of work. Camel just said, “Humpf.”
The animals called upon the wise man. “Is it fair for Camel to leave us with his work?” they asked him.
“No,” he said. “I will take care of this.”
The wise man found Camel chewing noisily on twigs in the middle of the desert. “Because you are lazy, the other animals have to do your work,” he told Camel.
“Humpf,” said Camel.
“You’ll be sorry if you say that again,” said the wise man.
“Humpf,” said Camel. “Humpf, humpf,” he huffed and puffed.
As Camel huffed and puffed and “humpfed” again, he saw a big hump start to grow in the middle of his back.
“Now, you will work,” the wise man told him.
“I can’t work with this hump on my back!” cried Camel.
“Of course you can,” said the wise man. “The hump is filled with fat. Your body can use it instead of food. You can work without eating for three days.”
“Camel said, “Humpf, humpf.” Then he joined the other animals and went to work.
From that day on, all camels have had a hump on their backs.
Part A. Which sentence best states the theme of the story?
The Girl Scouts and How They Grew
Girl Scouts is one of many clubs for children today. When the Girl Scouts started in 1912, there were few clubs for girls.
Starting the Girl Scouts
Juliette Low grew up in Savannah, Georgia. As a young girl, she loved the outdoors, nature, and animals. She was good at organizing her playmates for games and activities. She also liked to put on plays. Juliette’s family was wealthy and sent her to private schools. She believed it was important to help people who were not wealthy.
As an adult, Juliette wanted to find ways to help others. In 1911, she met Robert Baden-Powell. He had started the Boy Scouts a few years earlier. Juliette immediately knew what she would do. She called her cousin. “I’ve got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world, and we’re going to start it tonight!” she said.
At this time, some people did not think of women as leaders. Low believed women should learn to become leaders and make the world better. Her first Girl Scout troop had eighteen girls.
Scouts Today
Times have changed. Now there are all kinds of clubs and activities for girls. More than a million girls are Girl Scouts. The Girl Scouts still teach girls to be leaders and to make the world better.
Here are just a few effects of Girl Scout leadership:
A city in Texas put in a sidewalk where there had been only grass.
An elementary school in New York switched from plastic water bottles to reusable bottles.
A town in Mississippi put a special swing in the park for children with disabilities.
A food bank gave out 167 meals.
Military troops in Afghanistan received care packages and letters.
Girl Scouts learn new things while they have fun. Girl Scouts go on camping trips, explore the outdoors, and learn about nature. They make new friends. Low would be proud of her scouts today!
A Poem with History
Paul Revere made a famous ride during the American Revolution. His ride warned people that British soldiers were coming. Revere has not always been so famous, however. Few people remembered him before a poet made him into a hero.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wanted to write about an American hero. He learned about Paul Revere and decided to write about him.
To make his poem more exciting, Longfellow changed some of the facts about Paul Revere’s ride. Two other men rode with Revere, but Longfellow left them out of the poem. He decided that a poem about one man would be better.
Longfellow wrote “Paul Revere’s Ride,” in 1860. Many years later, people still read his poem. The picture before the poem is an artist’s drawing of Paul Revere’s ride as told in Longfellow’s poem. Thanks to the poem and pictures like this, we remember the ride of Paul Revere.
Paul Revere rides through a town on his horse.
from Paul Revere’s Ride
Listen, my children, and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-Five:
Hardly a man is now alive
5 Who remembers that famous day and year.
He said to his friend, “If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry-arch
Of the North-Church-tower, as a signal-light, —
10 One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country-folk to be up and to arm.”
Part A Longfellow and Revere were both —
What is the theme of the selection?
The setting is important to the plot because it -
Which sentence tells the reader about the relationship between the two girls?
The girls solve the problem of deciding where the blanket would go by -
This selection is written from the point of view of -
Part B. Which sentence from the selection supports your answer to Part A.
The author uses bullets in paragraph 6 to show that this text —
Which detail from the selection supports the idea that the Girl Scouts can help make the world a better place?
The headings show that the selection is organized by —
Which sentence makes a claim that encourages girls to join the Girl Scouts?
Part A The author includes details about Low’s life most likely to —
Part B Low's life was unusual at the time because she —
Part B Which sentence from the selection supports your answer in Part A?
Which part of the poem is shown in the drawing?
What is the setting where the events in the poem take place?