Selection: G-4

G-4

Grade level: 7

Word count: 1872 words

Author: Mike Buchanan and Diane Lang

Synopsis: A teenager learns to view her life in a new light.

Excerpt: "Will you take me to the park again, even though I ran into the street?" he asked.

"Yes, we'll go to the park, but first we're going to talk Mom into getting us a puppy. Then you won't be scared of dogs."

"Puppies are so cute. I want a puppy!" Lucas cried excitedly.

Question: Why does Olivia think a dog would be a good pet for Lucas?

1. It would cure his fear of dogs.
2. It would teach him responsibility.
3. It would help him communicate better.
4. It would show him the consequences of his actions.

Selection: G-12

G-12

Grade level: 7

Word count: 1893 words

Author: Anonymous

Synopsis: A plan has been made to trick the Frost King to return the hammer, but will it work?

Excerpt: The hammer was safe once more in Asgard, and you and I know how it came to be there, so someone must have told. I wonder if Loki whispered the tale to some outsider after all.

Question: From this last paragraph, you can conclude that

1. Loki probably told this story to someone else.
2. Thor and Loki became best friends.
3. Loki never played another trick in Asgard.
4. Thor was sorry he had followed Loki's plan.

Selection: G-13

G-13

Grade level: 7

Word count: 1532 words

Author: Beth Renaud

Synopsis: Gwendolyn Brooks wrote about the people and places around her.

Excerpt: After attending a theater performance that featured street gangs on the South Side, Brooks became so inspired by their raw talent that she organized a poetry writing workshop for gang members. In the workshop, she showed them how to write poetry and express their feelings. Soon her home became a meeting place for young people interested in art and politics, particularly those interested in mixing black art with the ideas of Black Power.

Question: This excerpt shows that Brooks was a person who

1. strived to give back to her community.
2. earned privileges because of her reputation.
3. liked to be recognized for her talent.
4. shined brightest in a college classroom.

Selection: G-23

G-23

Grade level: 7

Word count: 1834 words

Author: Luke Cooper

Synopsis: Your taste buds work hard to help you enjoy your food.

Excerpt: A sweet taste is produced by sugars and a few other things in the food and is mostly regarded as a pleasant taste. That is one of the reasons why ice cream tastes so good. It has a lot of sugar in it! A sour taste is produced by the acid in the food and is mostly found in fruits such as lemons, grapes, and grapefruit. A salty taste is produced by salt and other things in the food. A bitter taste is mostly regarded as a sharp and unpleasant taste, which is present in poisonous plants as well as in foods such as coffee, cocoa, and olives.

Question: How can the sense of taste protect people from harm?

1. A bitter taste can warn people a food may be poisonous.
2. A sweet taste can induce people to finish their meals.
3. A sour taste can attract people to eating healthy fruits.
4. A salty taste can make people want to drink more fluids.

Selection: G-16

G-16

Grade level: 7

Word count: 1578 words

Author: Nancy McCloskey

Synopsis: A former slave gives his master something to think about.

Excerpt: Sir: I got your letter, and was glad to find that you had not forgotten Jourdon, and that you wanted me to come back and live with you again, promising to do better for me than anybody else can. I have often felt uneasy about you. I thought the Yankees would have hung you long before this, for harboring Rebs they found at your house. I suppose they never heard about your going to Colonel Martin's to kill the Union soldier that was left by his company in their stable. Although you shot at me twice before I left you, I did not want to hear of your being hurt, and am glad you are still living.

Question: Read this excerpt. When the former slave master read Jourdan's letter, he probably was

1. outraged.
2. appreciative.
3. proud.
4. hopeful.