Read this selection. Then answer the questions that follow it.

The End of the Storm



1 Thi Liên watched from the window as the rain poured

down. In the distance beyond the dark clouds, she could see

Sam Mountain at the edge of her village. Thi Liên had

always thought Sam was a silly name. The shape of the

mountain resembled a gigantic king crab, so people called it

Sam, which means “king crab” in Vietnamese.


2 “The floodwaters have risen so high that I might as well

be living by the sea with the king crabs,” Thi Liên mumbled.


3 Heavy rains were a part of life in Vietnam. Each year

seasonal winds brought seemingly endless downpours. The

rainy season, called the monsoon, usually lasted from May

through September. Though the rains were torrential, they

weren’t always destructive. The rain washing down from the

hillsides carried silt that was rich in nutrients. The

floodwaters made the land along the Mekong River fertile

for growing rice.


4 Suddenly a gust of wind and rain swept through the

doorway as Thi Liên’s father returned from their neighbor’s

home. He was drenched and shivering. “News from upriver

is not encouraging,” he said, trying not to upset them. “This

season’s rains have overflowed the river’s banks. Surging

floodwaters are claiming almost everything in their path.

Families have had to move to safer locations, and there are

reports that some houses have been swept away.”


5 Thi Liên stared out the window. She tried to focus on
the bountiful rice harvest that the floodwaters would bring,

but fear rose within her like the rising river.



6 Grandfather came over and put his hand on her

shoulder. “The floodwaters have visited our village before,

but they have never knocked on our door,” he said softly.


7 Thi Liên thought about what her grandfather said. Yet

he could not deny that this year’s rains were unusually

heavy. Days had gone by without even a ray of sunlight.


8 Father paced back and forth, shooting nervous glances

in Grandfather’s direction. Grandfather remained standing

near the window, watching the rain as it continued to fall.


9 Later, while several neighbors waded through the

flooded streets, her parents made a decision. “It’s time to

evacuate,” Father announced. “We can go to the community

center. It’s on higher ground, so we should be safe there.”


10 “No!” Grandfather said firmly. “It’s wrong to drag your

family out of their home in fear.”


11 “We’re leaving with thoughts of safety, not fear,” Father

replied forcefully.


12 Thi Liên shuddered. She had never heard her father

raise his voice to his own father. Though Father was an

adult, arguing with Grandfather was considered

disrespectful.

13 Father and Grandfather faced each other, neither

speaking another word. Their long, uneasy silence seemed

as if it would last forever. Suddenly a loud clap of thunder

sounded, breaking the silence. Father walked boldly to the

door and opened it. Thi Liên, her mother, and her

grandfather followed obediently.

14 They waded knee-deep through the drowning streets.

Holding on to one another, they struggled against the

currents. Thi Liên kicked off her sandals, hoping she would

have better footing in her bare feet. She had no choice but to

watch as her sandals were quickly swept away.




15 Finally they reached the crowded community center. It

was filled with other families looking for refuge from the

rising water. Exhausted from the struggle, Thi Liên lay

down on a mat and tried to sleep, but all she could think

about was Grandfather’s expression as Father opened the

door. Thi Liên turned to face the wall. The rain pounding on

the metal roof muffled her sobs.

16 Early the next morning Thi Liên was awakened by a

gentle touch on her shoulder. Turning, she saw her

grandfather. He brushed her long dark hair away from her

face. “I’ve been a foolish man,” he said softly. “Because of my

pride, I have refused to speak to your father when I should

be thankful.”

17 Thi Liên could not think of any reason that they should

be thankful. Their home was probably full of water by now.

They were living in cramped conditions with many other

families. And the rain was still falling!


18 “I don’t understand,” she said slowly.

19 “Here we have shelter from the rain and more than

enough food,” Grandfather explained. “Others are living in

rescue camps or sleeping in makeshift shelters quickly built

from whatever they can find to protect them from the

weather. Some people’s homes have been completely washed

away. We don’t know whether our home is still standing, but

it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we are safe and


together.”

20 Thi Liên studied her grandfather’s expression. In his

eyes she could see his profound sense of gratitude.

21 “Will you ever speak to Father again?” she asked.

22 “Of course I will,” he assured her. “In fact, I think I’ll go

over right now and tell him how foolish I’ve been.”


23 Thi Liên watched as Grandfather walked to the table

where Father was seated. After exchanging a few words,

Grandfather sat down across from his son.

24 Off in the distance, a ray of sunlight broke through the

clouds.

Grandfather's tone in paragraph 16 can best be described as —

Read this selection. Then answer the questions that follow it.

The End of the Storm



1 Thi Liên watched from the window as the rain poured

down. In the distance beyond the dark clouds, she could see

Sam Mountain at the edge of her village. Thi Liên had

always thought Sam was a silly name. The shape of the

mountain resembled a gigantic king crab, so people called it

Sam, which means “king crab” in Vietnamese.


2 “The floodwaters have risen so high that I might as well

be living by the sea with the king crabs,” Thi Liên mumbled.


3 Heavy rains were a part of life in Vietnam. Each year

seasonal winds brought seemingly endless downpours. The

rainy season, called the monsoon, usually lasted from May

through September. Though the rains were torrential, they

weren’t always destructive. The rain washing down from the

hillsides carried silt that was rich in nutrients. The

floodwaters made the land along the Mekong River fertile

for growing rice.


4 Suddenly a gust of wind and rain swept through the

doorway as Thi Liên’s father returned from their neighbor’s

home. He was drenched and shivering. “News from upriver

is not encouraging,” he said, trying not to upset them. “This

season’s rains have overflowed the river’s banks. Surging

floodwaters are claiming almost everything in their path.

Families have had to move to safer locations, and there are

reports that some houses have been swept away.”


5 Thi Liên stared out the window. She tried to focus on
the bountiful rice harvest that the floodwaters would bring,

but fear rose within her like the rising river.



6 Grandfather came over and put his hand on her

shoulder. “The floodwaters have visited our village before,

but they have never knocked on our door,” he said softly.


7 Thi Liên thought about what her grandfather said. Yet

he could not deny that this year’s rains were unusually

heavy. Days had gone by without even a ray of sunlight.


8 Father paced back and forth, shooting nervous glances

in Grandfather’s direction. Grandfather remained standing

near the window, watching the rain as it continued to fall.


9 Later, while several neighbors waded through the

flooded streets, her parents made a decision. “It’s time to

evacuate,” Father announced. “We can go to the community

center. It’s on higher ground, so we should be safe there.”


10 “No!” Grandfather said firmly. “It’s wrong to drag your

family out of their home in fear.”


11 “We’re leaving with thoughts of safety, not fear,” Father

replied forcefully.


12 Thi Liên shuddered. She had never heard her father

raise his voice to his own father. Though Father was an

adult, arguing with Grandfather was considered

disrespectful.

13 Father and Grandfather faced each other, neither

speaking another word. Their long, uneasy silence seemed

as if it would last forever. Suddenly a loud clap of thunder

sounded, breaking the silence. Father walked boldly to the

door and opened it. Thi Liên, her mother, and her

grandfather followed obediently.

14 They waded knee-deep through the drowning streets.

Holding on to one another, they struggled against the

currents. Thi Liên kicked off her sandals, hoping she would

have better footing in her bare feet. She had no choice but to

watch as her sandals were quickly swept away.




15 Finally they reached the crowded community center. It

was filled with other families looking for refuge from the

rising water. Exhausted from the struggle, Thi Liên lay

down on a mat and tried to sleep, but all she could think

about was Grandfather’s expression as Father opened the

door. Thi Liên turned to face the wall. The rain pounding on

the metal roof muffled her sobs.

16 Early the next morning Thi Liên was awakened by a

gentle touch on her shoulder. Turning, she saw her

grandfather. He brushed her long dark hair away from her

face. “I’ve been a foolish man,” he said softly. “Because of my

pride, I have refused to speak to your father when I should

be thankful.”

17 Thi Liên could not think of any reason that they should

be thankful. Their home was probably full of water by now.

They were living in cramped conditions with many other

families. And the rain was still falling!


18 “I don’t understand,” she said slowly.

19 “Here we have shelter from the rain and more than

enough food,” Grandfather explained. “Others are living in

rescue camps or sleeping in makeshift shelters quickly built

from whatever they can find to protect them from the

weather. Some people’s homes have been completely washed

away. We don’t know whether our home is still standing, but

it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we are safe and


together.”

20 Thi Liên studied her grandfather’s expression. In his

eyes she could see his profound sense of gratitude.

21 “Will you ever speak to Father again?” she asked.

22 “Of course I will,” he assured her. “In fact, I think I’ll go

over right now and tell him how foolish I’ve been.”


23 Thi Liên watched as Grandfather walked to the table

where Father was seated. After exchanging a few words,

Grandfather sat down across from his son.

24 Off in the distance, a ray of sunlight broke through the

clouds.

The conflict of the story begins when —

Read this selection. Then answer the questions that follow it.

The End of the Storm



1 Thi Liên watched from the window as the rain poured

down. In the distance beyond the dark clouds, she could see

Sam Mountain at the edge of her village. Thi Liên had

always thought Sam was a silly name. The shape of the

mountain resembled a gigantic king crab, so people called it

Sam, which means “king crab” in Vietnamese.


2 “The floodwaters have risen so high that I might as well

be living by the sea with the king crabs,” Thi Liên mumbled.


3 Heavy rains were a part of life in Vietnam. Each year

seasonal winds brought seemingly endless downpours. The

rainy season, called the monsoon, usually lasted from May

through September. Though the rains were torrential, they

weren’t always destructive. The rain washing down from the

hillsides carried silt that was rich in nutrients. The

floodwaters made the land along the Mekong River fertile

for growing rice.


4 Suddenly a gust of wind and rain swept through the

doorway as Thi Liên’s father returned from their neighbor’s

home. He was drenched and shivering. “News from upriver

is not encouraging,” he said, trying not to upset them. “This

season’s rains have overflowed the river’s banks. Surging

floodwaters are claiming almost everything in their path.

Families have had to move to safer locations, and there are

reports that some houses have been swept away.”


5 Thi Liên stared out the window. She tried to focus on
the bountiful rice harvest that the floodwaters would bring,

but fear rose within her like the rising river.



6 Grandfather came over and put his hand on her

shoulder. “The floodwaters have visited our village before,

but they have never knocked on our door,” he said softly.


7 Thi Liên thought about what her grandfather said. Yet

he could not deny that this year’s rains were unusually

heavy. Days had gone by without even a ray of sunlight.


8 Father paced back and forth, shooting nervous glances

in Grandfather’s direction. Grandfather remained standing

near the window, watching the rain as it continued to fall.


9 Later, while several neighbors waded through the

flooded streets, her parents made a decision. “It’s time to

evacuate,” Father announced. “We can go to the community

center. It’s on higher ground, so we should be safe there.”


10 “No!” Grandfather said firmly. “It’s wrong to drag your

family out of their home in fear.”


11 “We’re leaving with thoughts of safety, not fear,” Father

replied forcefully.


12 Thi Liên shuddered. She had never heard her father

raise his voice to his own father. Though Father was an

adult, arguing with Grandfather was considered

disrespectful.

13 Father and Grandfather faced each other, neither

speaking another word. Their long, uneasy silence seemed

as if it would last forever. Suddenly a loud clap of thunder

sounded, breaking the silence. Father walked boldly to the

door and opened it. Thi Liên, her mother, and her

grandfather followed obediently.

14 They waded knee-deep through the drowning streets.

Holding on to one another, they struggled against the

currents. Thi Liên kicked off her sandals, hoping she would

have better footing in her bare feet. She had no choice but to

watch as her sandals were quickly swept away.




15 Finally they reached the crowded community center. It

was filled with other families looking for refuge from the

rising water. Exhausted from the struggle, Thi Liên lay

down on a mat and tried to sleep, but all she could think

about was Grandfather’s expression as Father opened the

door. Thi Liên turned to face the wall. The rain pounding on

the metal roof muffled her sobs.

16 Early the next morning Thi Liên was awakened by a

gentle touch on her shoulder. Turning, she saw her

grandfather. He brushed her long dark hair away from her

face. “I’ve been a foolish man,” he said softly. “Because of my

pride, I have refused to speak to your father when I should

be thankful.”

17 Thi Liên could not think of any reason that they should

be thankful. Their home was probably full of water by now.

They were living in cramped conditions with many other

families. And the rain was still falling!


18 “I don’t understand,” she said slowly.

19 “Here we have shelter from the rain and more than

enough food,” Grandfather explained. “Others are living in

rescue camps or sleeping in makeshift shelters quickly built

from whatever they can find to protect them from the

weather. Some people’s homes have been completely washed

away. We don’t know whether our home is still standing, but

it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we are safe and


together.”

20 Thi Liên studied her grandfather’s expression. In his

eyes she could see his profound sense of gratitude.

21 “Will you ever speak to Father again?” she asked.

22 “Of course I will,” he assured her. “In fact, I think I’ll go

over right now and tell him how foolish I’ve been.”


23 Thi Liên watched as Grandfather walked to the table

where Father was seated. After exchanging a few words,

Grandfather sat down across from his son.

24 Off in the distance, a ray of sunlight broke through the

clouds.

In paragraph 19, which phrase helps the reader know what the word makeshift means?

Read this selection. Then answer the questions that follow it.

The End of the Storm



1 Thi Liên watched from the window as the rain poured

down. In the distance beyond the dark clouds, she could see

Sam Mountain at the edge of her village. Thi Liên had

always thought Sam was a silly name. The shape of the

mountain resembled a gigantic king crab, so people called it

Sam, which means “king crab” in Vietnamese.


2 “The floodwaters have risen so high that I might as well

be living by the sea with the king crabs,” Thi Liên mumbled.


3 Heavy rains were a part of life in Vietnam. Each year

seasonal winds brought seemingly endless downpours. The

rainy season, called the monsoon, usually lasted from May

through September. Though the rains were torrential, they

weren’t always destructive. The rain washing down from the

hillsides carried silt that was rich in nutrients. The

floodwaters made the land along the Mekong River fertile

for growing rice.


4 Suddenly a gust of wind and rain swept through the

doorway as Thi Liên’s father returned from their neighbor’s

home. He was drenched and shivering. “News from upriver

is not encouraging,” he said, trying not to upset them. “This

season’s rains have overflowed the river’s banks. Surging

floodwaters are claiming almost everything in their path.

Families have had to move to safer locations, and there are

reports that some houses have been swept away.”


5 Thi Liên stared out the window. She tried to focus on
the bountiful rice harvest that the floodwaters would bring,

but fear rose within her like the rising river.



6 Grandfather came over and put his hand on her

shoulder. “The floodwaters have visited our village before,

but they have never knocked on our door,” he said softly.


7 Thi Liên thought about what her grandfather said. Yet

he could not deny that this year’s rains were unusually

heavy. Days had gone by without even a ray of sunlight.


8 Father paced back and forth, shooting nervous glances

in Grandfather’s direction. Grandfather remained standing

near the window, watching the rain as it continued to fall.


9 Later, while several neighbors waded through the

flooded streets, her parents made a decision. “It’s time to

evacuate,” Father announced. “We can go to the community

center. It’s on higher ground, so we should be safe there.”


10 “No!” Grandfather said firmly. “It’s wrong to drag your

family out of their home in fear.”


11 “We’re leaving with thoughts of safety, not fear,” Father

replied forcefully.


12 Thi Liên shuddered. She had never heard her father

raise his voice to his own father. Though Father was an

adult, arguing with Grandfather was considered

disrespectful.

13 Father and Grandfather faced each other, neither

speaking another word. Their long, uneasy silence seemed

as if it would last forever. Suddenly a loud clap of thunder

sounded, breaking the silence. Father walked boldly to the

door and opened it. Thi Liên, her mother, and her

grandfather followed obediently.

14 They waded knee-deep through the drowning streets.

Holding on to one another, they struggled against the

currents. Thi Liên kicked off her sandals, hoping she would

have better footing in her bare feet. She had no choice but to

watch as her sandals were quickly swept away.




15 Finally they reached the crowded community center. It

was filled with other families looking for refuge from the

rising water. Exhausted from the struggle, Thi Liên lay

down on a mat and tried to sleep, but all she could think

about was Grandfather’s expression as Father opened the

door. Thi Liên turned to face the wall. The rain pounding on

the metal roof muffled her sobs.

16 Early the next morning Thi Liên was awakened by a

gentle touch on her shoulder. Turning, she saw her

grandfather. He brushed her long dark hair away from her

face. “I’ve been a foolish man,” he said softly. “Because of my

pride, I have refused to speak to your father when I should

be thankful.”

17 Thi Liên could not think of any reason that they should

be thankful. Their home was probably full of water by now.

They were living in cramped conditions with many other

families. And the rain was still falling!


18 “I don’t understand,” she said slowly.

19 “Here we have shelter from the rain and more than

enough food,” Grandfather explained. “Others are living in

rescue camps or sleeping in makeshift shelters quickly built

from whatever they can find to protect them from the

weather. Some people’s homes have been completely washed

away. We don’t know whether our home is still standing, but

it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we are safe and


together.”

20 Thi Liên studied her grandfather’s expression. In his

eyes she could see his profound sense of gratitude.

21 “Will you ever speak to Father again?” she asked.

22 “Of course I will,” he assured her. “In fact, I think I’ll go

over right now and tell him how foolish I’ve been.”


23 Thi Liên watched as Grandfather walked to the table

where Father was seated. After exchanging a few words,

Grandfather sat down across from his son.

24 Off in the distance, a ray of sunlight broke through the

clouds.

In paragraph 8, why does Father pace and look at Grandfather nervously?

Read this selection. Then answer the questions that follow it.

The End of the Storm



1 Thi Liên watched from the window as the rain poured

down. In the distance beyond the dark clouds, she could see

Sam Mountain at the edge of her village. Thi Liên had

always thought Sam was a silly name. The shape of the

mountain resembled a gigantic king crab, so people called it

Sam, which means “king crab” in Vietnamese.


2 “The floodwaters have risen so high that I might as well

be living by the sea with the king crabs,” Thi Liên mumbled.


3 Heavy rains were a part of life in Vietnam. Each year

seasonal winds brought seemingly endless downpours. The

rainy season, called the monsoon, usually lasted from May

through September. Though the rains were torrential, they

weren’t always destructive. The rain washing down from the

hillsides carried silt that was rich in nutrients. The

floodwaters made the land along the Mekong River fertile

for growing rice.


4 Suddenly a gust of wind and rain swept through the

doorway as Thi Liên’s father returned from their neighbor’s

home. He was drenched and shivering. “News from upriver

is not encouraging,” he said, trying not to upset them. “This

season’s rains have overflowed the river’s banks. Surging

floodwaters are claiming almost everything in their path.

Families have had to move to safer locations, and there are

reports that some houses have been swept away.”


5 Thi Liên stared out the window. She tried to focus on
the bountiful rice harvest that the floodwaters would bring,

but fear rose within her like the rising river.



6 Grandfather came over and put his hand on her

shoulder. “The floodwaters have visited our village before,

but they have never knocked on our door,” he said softly.


7 Thi Liên thought about what her grandfather said. Yet

he could not deny that this year’s rains were unusually

heavy. Days had gone by without even a ray of sunlight.


8 Father paced back and forth, shooting nervous glances

in Grandfather’s direction. Grandfather remained standing

near the window, watching the rain as it continued to fall.


9 Later, while several neighbors waded through the

flooded streets, her parents made a decision. “It’s time to

evacuate,” Father announced. “We can go to the community

center. It’s on higher ground, so we should be safe there.”


10 “No!” Grandfather said firmly. “It’s wrong to drag your

family out of their home in fear.”


11 “We’re leaving with thoughts of safety, not fear,” Father

replied forcefully.


12 Thi Liên shuddered. She had never heard her father

raise his voice to his own father. Though Father was an

adult, arguing with Grandfather was considered

disrespectful.

13 Father and Grandfather faced each other, neither

speaking another word. Their long, uneasy silence seemed

as if it would last forever. Suddenly a loud clap of thunder

sounded, breaking the silence. Father walked boldly to the

door and opened it. Thi Liên, her mother, and her

grandfather followed obediently.

14 They waded knee-deep through the drowning streets.

Holding on to one another, they struggled against the

currents. Thi Liên kicked off her sandals, hoping she would

have better footing in her bare feet. She had no choice but to

watch as her sandals were quickly swept away.




15 Finally they reached the crowded community center. It

was filled with other families looking for refuge from the

rising water. Exhausted from the struggle, Thi Liên lay

down on a mat and tried to sleep, but all she could think

about was Grandfather’s expression as Father opened the

door. Thi Liên turned to face the wall. The rain pounding on

the metal roof muffled her sobs.

16 Early the next morning Thi Liên was awakened by a

gentle touch on her shoulder. Turning, she saw her

grandfather. He brushed her long dark hair away from her

face. “I’ve been a foolish man,” he said softly. “Because of my

pride, I have refused to speak to your father when I should

be thankful.”

17 Thi Liên could not think of any reason that they should

be thankful. Their home was probably full of water by now.

They were living in cramped conditions with many other

families. And the rain was still falling!


18 “I don’t understand,” she said slowly.

19 “Here we have shelter from the rain and more than

enough food,” Grandfather explained. “Others are living in

rescue camps or sleeping in makeshift shelters quickly built

from whatever they can find to protect them from the

weather. Some people’s homes have been completely washed

away. We don’t know whether our home is still standing, but

it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we are safe and


together.”

20 Thi Liên studied her grandfather’s expression. In his

eyes she could see his profound sense of gratitude.

21 “Will you ever speak to Father again?” she asked.

22 “Of course I will,” he assured her. “In fact, I think I’ll go

over right now and tell him how foolish I’ve been.”


23 Thi Liên watched as Grandfather walked to the table

where Father was seated. After exchanging a few words,

Grandfather sat down across from his son.

24 Off in the distance, a ray of sunlight broke through the

clouds.

Which sentence in the story shows that Grandfather remains calm while floodwaters are rising?

Read this selection. Then answer the questions that follow it.

The End of the Storm



1 Thi Liên watched from the window as the rain poured

down. In the distance beyond the dark clouds, she could see

Sam Mountain at the edge of her village. Thi Liên had

always thought Sam was a silly name. The shape of the

mountain resembled a gigantic king crab, so people called it

Sam, which means “king crab” in Vietnamese.


2 “The floodwaters have risen so high that I might as well

be living by the sea with the king crabs,” Thi Liên mumbled.


3 Heavy rains were a part of life in Vietnam. Each year

seasonal winds brought seemingly endless downpours. The

rainy season, called the monsoon, usually lasted from May

through September. Though the rains were torrential, they

weren’t always destructive. The rain washing down from the

hillsides carried silt that was rich in nutrients. The

floodwaters made the land along the Mekong River fertile

for growing rice.


4 Suddenly a gust of wind and rain swept through the

doorway as Thi Liên’s father returned from their neighbor’s

home. He was drenched and shivering. “News from upriver

is not encouraging,” he said, trying not to upset them. “This

season’s rains have overflowed the river’s banks. Surging

floodwaters are claiming almost everything in their path.

Families have had to move to safer locations, and there are

reports that some houses have been swept away.”


5 Thi Liên stared out the window. She tried to focus on
the bountiful rice harvest that the floodwaters would bring,

but fear rose within her like the rising river.



6 Grandfather came over and put his hand on her

shoulder. “The floodwaters have visited our village before,

but they have never knocked on our door,” he said softly.


7 Thi Liên thought about what her grandfather said. Yet

he could not deny that this year’s rains were unusually

heavy. Days had gone by without even a ray of sunlight.


8 Father paced back and forth, shooting nervous glances

in Grandfather’s direction. Grandfather remained standing

near the window, watching the rain as it continued to fall.


9 Later, while several neighbors waded through the

flooded streets, her parents made a decision. “It’s time to

evacuate,” Father announced. “We can go to the community

center. It’s on higher ground, so we should be safe there.”


10 “No!” Grandfather said firmly. “It’s wrong to drag your

family out of their home in fear.”


11 “We’re leaving with thoughts of safety, not fear,” Father

replied forcefully.


12 Thi Liên shuddered. She had never heard her father

raise his voice to his own father. Though Father was an

adult, arguing with Grandfather was considered

disrespectful.

13 Father and Grandfather faced each other, neither

speaking another word. Their long, uneasy silence seemed

as if it would last forever. Suddenly a loud clap of thunder

sounded, breaking the silence. Father walked boldly to the

door and opened it. Thi Liên, her mother, and her

grandfather followed obediently.

14 They waded knee-deep through the drowning streets.

Holding on to one another, they struggled against the

currents. Thi Liên kicked off her sandals, hoping she would

have better footing in her bare feet. She had no choice but to

watch as her sandals were quickly swept away.




15 Finally they reached the crowded community center. It

was filled with other families looking for refuge from the

rising water. Exhausted from the struggle, Thi Liên lay

down on a mat and tried to sleep, but all she could think

about was Grandfather’s expression as Father opened the

door. Thi Liên turned to face the wall. The rain pounding on

the metal roof muffled her sobs.

16 Early the next morning Thi Liên was awakened by a

gentle touch on her shoulder. Turning, she saw her

grandfather. He brushed her long dark hair away from her

face. “I’ve been a foolish man,” he said softly. “Because of my

pride, I have refused to speak to your father when I should

be thankful.”

17 Thi Liên could not think of any reason that they should

be thankful. Their home was probably full of water by now.

They were living in cramped conditions with many other

families. And the rain was still falling!


18 “I don’t understand,” she said slowly.

19 “Here we have shelter from the rain and more than

enough food,” Grandfather explained. “Others are living in

rescue camps or sleeping in makeshift shelters quickly built

from whatever they can find to protect them from the

weather. Some people’s homes have been completely washed

away. We don’t know whether our home is still standing, but

it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we are safe and


together.”

20 Thi Liên studied her grandfather’s expression. In his

eyes she could see his profound sense of gratitude.

21 “Will you ever speak to Father again?” she asked.

22 “Of course I will,” he assured her. “In fact, I think I’ll go

over right now and tell him how foolish I’ve been.”


23 Thi Liên watched as Grandfather walked to the table

where Father was seated. After exchanging a few words,

Grandfather sat down across from his son.

24 Off in the distance, a ray of sunlight broke through the

clouds.

Why does Thi Liên take off her sandals as she walks through the water?

Read this selection. Then answer the questions that follow it.

The End of the Storm



1 Thi Liên watched from the window as the rain poured

down. In the distance beyond the dark clouds, she could see

Sam Mountain at the edge of her village. Thi Liên had

always thought Sam was a silly name. The shape of the

mountain resembled a gigantic king crab, so people called it

Sam, which means “king crab” in Vietnamese.


2 “The floodwaters have risen so high that I might as well

be living by the sea with the king crabs,” Thi Liên mumbled.


3 Heavy rains were a part of life in Vietnam. Each year

seasonal winds brought seemingly endless downpours. The

rainy season, called the monsoon, usually lasted from May

through September. Though the rains were torrential, they

weren’t always destructive. The rain washing down from the

hillsides carried silt that was rich in nutrients. The

floodwaters made the land along the Mekong River fertile

for growing rice.


4 Suddenly a gust of wind and rain swept through the

doorway as Thi Liên’s father returned from their neighbor’s

home. He was drenched and shivering. “News from upriver

is not encouraging,” he said, trying not to upset them. “This

season’s rains have overflowed the river’s banks. Surging

floodwaters are claiming almost everything in their path.

Families have had to move to safer locations, and there are

reports that some houses have been swept away.”


5 Thi Liên stared out the window. She tried to focus on
the bountiful rice harvest that the floodwaters would bring,

but fear rose within her like the rising river.



6 Grandfather came over and put his hand on her

shoulder. “The floodwaters have visited our village before,

but they have never knocked on our door,” he said softly.


7 Thi Liên thought about what her grandfather said. Yet

he could not deny that this year’s rains were unusually

heavy. Days had gone by without even a ray of sunlight.


8 Father paced back and forth, shooting nervous glances

in Grandfather’s direction. Grandfather remained standing

near the window, watching the rain as it continued to fall.


9 Later, while several neighbors waded through the

flooded streets, her parents made a decision. “It’s time to

evacuate,” Father announced. “We can go to the community

center. It’s on higher ground, so we should be safe there.”


10 “No!” Grandfather said firmly. “It’s wrong to drag your

family out of their home in fear.”


11 “We’re leaving with thoughts of safety, not fear,” Father

replied forcefully.


12 Thi Liên shuddered. She had never heard her father

raise his voice to his own father. Though Father was an

adult, arguing with Grandfather was considered

disrespectful.

13 Father and Grandfather faced each other, neither

speaking another word. Their long, uneasy silence seemed

as if it would last forever. Suddenly a loud clap of thunder

sounded, breaking the silence. Father walked boldly to the

door and opened it. Thi Liên, her mother, and her

grandfather followed obediently.

14 They waded knee-deep through the drowning streets.

Holding on to one another, they struggled against the

currents. Thi Liên kicked off her sandals, hoping she would

have better footing in her bare feet. She had no choice but to

watch as her sandals were quickly swept away.




15 Finally they reached the crowded community center. It

was filled with other families looking for refuge from the

rising water. Exhausted from the struggle, Thi Liên lay

down on a mat and tried to sleep, but all she could think

about was Grandfather’s expression as Father opened the

door. Thi Liên turned to face the wall. The rain pounding on

the metal roof muffled her sobs.

16 Early the next morning Thi Liên was awakened by a

gentle touch on her shoulder. Turning, she saw her

grandfather. He brushed her long dark hair away from her

face. “I’ve been a foolish man,” he said softly. “Because of my

pride, I have refused to speak to your father when I should

be thankful.”

17 Thi Liên could not think of any reason that they should

be thankful. Their home was probably full of water by now.

They were living in cramped conditions with many other

families. And the rain was still falling!


18 “I don’t understand,” she said slowly.

19 “Here we have shelter from the rain and more than

enough food,” Grandfather explained. “Others are living in

rescue camps or sleeping in makeshift shelters quickly built

from whatever they can find to protect them from the

weather. Some people’s homes have been completely washed

away. We don’t know whether our home is still standing, but

it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we are safe and


together.”

20 Thi Liên studied her grandfather’s expression. In his

eyes she could see his profound sense of gratitude.

21 “Will you ever speak to Father again?” she asked.

22 “Of course I will,” he assured her. “In fact, I think I’ll go

over right now and tell him how foolish I’ve been.”


23 Thi Liên watched as Grandfather walked to the table

where Father was seated. After exchanging a few words,

Grandfather sat down across from his son.

24 Off in the distance, a ray of sunlight broke through the

clouds.

In paragraph 13, why is the clap of thunder important?

Read this selection. Then answer the questions that follow it.

The End of the Storm



1 Thi Liên watched from the window as the rain poured

down. In the distance beyond the dark clouds, she could see

Sam Mountain at the edge of her village. Thi Liên had

always thought Sam was a silly name. The shape of the

mountain resembled a gigantic king crab, so people called it

Sam, which means “king crab” in Vietnamese.


2 “The floodwaters have risen so high that I might as well

be living by the sea with the king crabs,” Thi Liên mumbled.


3 Heavy rains were a part of life in Vietnam. Each year

seasonal winds brought seemingly endless downpours. The

rainy season, called the monsoon, usually lasted from May

through September. Though the rains were torrential, they

weren’t always destructive. The rain washing down from the

hillsides carried silt that was rich in nutrients. The

floodwaters made the land along the Mekong River fertile

for growing rice.


4 Suddenly a gust of wind and rain swept through the

doorway as Thi Liên’s father returned from their neighbor’s

home. He was drenched and shivering. “News from upriver

is not encouraging,” he said, trying not to upset them. “This

season’s rains have overflowed the river’s banks. Surging

floodwaters are claiming almost everything in their path.

Families have had to move to safer locations, and there are

reports that some houses have been swept away.”


5 Thi Liên stared out the window. She tried to focus on
the bountiful rice harvest that the floodwaters would bring,

but fear rose within her like the rising river.



6 Grandfather came over and put his hand on her

shoulder. “The floodwaters have visited our village before,

but they have never knocked on our door,” he said softly.


7 Thi Liên thought about what her grandfather said. Yet

he could not deny that this year’s rains were unusually

heavy. Days had gone by without even a ray of sunlight.


8 Father paced back and forth, shooting nervous glances

in Grandfather’s direction. Grandfather remained standing

near the window, watching the rain as it continued to fall.


9 Later, while several neighbors waded through the

flooded streets, her parents made a decision. “It’s time to

evacuate,” Father announced. “We can go to the community

center. It’s on higher ground, so we should be safe there.”


10 “No!” Grandfather said firmly. “It’s wrong to drag your

family out of their home in fear.”


11 “We’re leaving with thoughts of safety, not fear,” Father

replied forcefully.


12 Thi Liên shuddered. She had never heard her father

raise his voice to his own father. Though Father was an

adult, arguing with Grandfather was considered

disrespectful.

13 Father and Grandfather faced each other, neither

speaking another word. Their long, uneasy silence seemed

as if it would last forever. Suddenly a loud clap of thunder

sounded, breaking the silence. Father walked boldly to the

door and opened it. Thi Liên, her mother, and her

grandfather followed obediently.

14 They waded knee-deep through the drowning streets.

Holding on to one another, they struggled against the

currents. Thi Liên kicked off her sandals, hoping she would

have better footing in her bare feet. She had no choice but to

watch as her sandals were quickly swept away.




15 Finally they reached the crowded community center. It

was filled with other families looking for refuge from the

rising water. Exhausted from the struggle, Thi Liên lay

down on a mat and tried to sleep, but all she could think

about was Grandfather’s expression as Father opened the

door. Thi Liên turned to face the wall. The rain pounding on

the metal roof muffled her sobs.

16 Early the next morning Thi Liên was awakened by a

gentle touch on her shoulder. Turning, she saw her

grandfather. He brushed her long dark hair away from her

face. “I’ve been a foolish man,” he said softly. “Because of my

pride, I have refused to speak to your father when I should

be thankful.”

17 Thi Liên could not think of any reason that they should

be thankful. Their home was probably full of water by now.

They were living in cramped conditions with many other

families. And the rain was still falling!


18 “I don’t understand,” she said slowly.

19 “Here we have shelter from the rain and more than

enough food,” Grandfather explained. “Others are living in

rescue camps or sleeping in makeshift shelters quickly built

from whatever they can find to protect them from the

weather. Some people’s homes have been completely washed

away. We don’t know whether our home is still standing, but

it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we are safe and


together.”

20 Thi Liên studied her grandfather’s expression. In his

eyes she could see his profound sense of gratitude.

21 “Will you ever speak to Father again?” she asked.

22 “Of course I will,” he assured her. “In fact, I think I’ll go

over right now and tell him how foolish I’ve been.”


23 Thi Liên watched as Grandfather walked to the table

where Father was seated. After exchanging a few words,

Grandfather sat down across from his son.

24 Off in the distance, a ray of sunlight broke through the

clouds.

In paragraph 3 what does the word torrential mean?

Read this selection. Then answer the questions that follow it.

The End of the Storm



1 Thi Liên watched from the window as the rain poured

down. In the distance beyond the dark clouds, she could see

Sam Mountain at the edge of her village. Thi Liên had

always thought Sam was a silly name. The shape of the

mountain resembled a gigantic king crab, so people called it

Sam, which means “king crab” in Vietnamese.


2 “The floodwaters have risen so high that I might as well

be living by the sea with the king crabs,” Thi Liên mumbled.


3 Heavy rains were a part of life in Vietnam. Each year

seasonal winds brought seemingly endless downpours. The

rainy season, called the monsoon, usually lasted from May

through September. Though the rains were torrential, they

weren’t always destructive. The rain washing down from the

hillsides carried silt that was rich in nutrients. The

floodwaters made the land along the Mekong River fertile

for growing rice.


4 Suddenly a gust of wind and rain swept through the

doorway as Thi Liên’s father returned from their neighbor’s

home. He was drenched and shivering. “News from upriver

is not encouraging,” he said, trying not to upset them. “This

season’s rains have overflowed the river’s banks. Surging

floodwaters are claiming almost everything in their path.

Families have had to move to safer locations, and there are

reports that some houses have been swept away.”


5 Thi Liên stared out the window. She tried to focus on
the bountiful rice harvest that the floodwaters would bring,

but fear rose within her like the rising river.



6 Grandfather came over and put his hand on her

shoulder. “The floodwaters have visited our village before,

but they have never knocked on our door,” he said softly.


7 Thi Liên thought about what her grandfather said. Yet

he could not deny that this year’s rains were unusually

heavy. Days had gone by without even a ray of sunlight.


8 Father paced back and forth, shooting nervous glances

in Grandfather’s direction. Grandfather remained standing

near the window, watching the rain as it continued to fall.


9 Later, while several neighbors waded through the

flooded streets, her parents made a decision. “It’s time to

evacuate,” Father announced. “We can go to the community

center. It’s on higher ground, so we should be safe there.”


10 “No!” Grandfather said firmly. “It’s wrong to drag your

family out of their home in fear.”


11 “We’re leaving with thoughts of safety, not fear,” Father

replied forcefully.


12 Thi Liên shuddered. She had never heard her father

raise his voice to his own father. Though Father was an

adult, arguing with Grandfather was considered

disrespectful.

13 Father and Grandfather faced each other, neither

speaking another word. Their long, uneasy silence seemed

as if it would last forever. Suddenly a loud clap of thunder

sounded, breaking the silence. Father walked boldly to the

door and opened it. Thi Liên, her mother, and her

grandfather followed obediently.

14 They waded knee-deep through the drowning streets.

Holding on to one another, they struggled against the

currents. Thi Liên kicked off her sandals, hoping she would

have better footing in her bare feet. She had no choice but to

watch as her sandals were quickly swept away.




15 Finally they reached the crowded community center. It

was filled with other families looking for refuge from the

rising water. Exhausted from the struggle, Thi Liên lay

down on a mat and tried to sleep, but all she could think

about was Grandfather’s expression as Father opened the

door. Thi Liên turned to face the wall. The rain pounding on

the metal roof muffled her sobs.

16 Early the next morning Thi Liên was awakened by a

gentle touch on her shoulder. Turning, she saw her

grandfather. He brushed her long dark hair away from her

face. “I’ve been a foolish man,” he said softly. “Because of my

pride, I have refused to speak to your father when I should

be thankful.”

17 Thi Liên could not think of any reason that they should

be thankful. Their home was probably full of water by now.

They were living in cramped conditions with many other

families. And the rain was still falling!


18 “I don’t understand,” she said slowly.

19 “Here we have shelter from the rain and more than

enough food,” Grandfather explained. “Others are living in

rescue camps or sleeping in makeshift shelters quickly built

from whatever they can find to protect them from the

weather. Some people’s homes have been completely washed

away. We don’t know whether our home is still standing, but

it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we are safe and


together.”

20 Thi Liên studied her grandfather’s expression. In his

eyes she could see his profound sense of gratitude.

21 “Will you ever speak to Father again?” she asked.

22 “Of course I will,” he assured her. “In fact, I think I’ll go

over right now and tell him how foolish I’ve been.”


23 Thi Liên watched as Grandfather walked to the table

where Father was seated. After exchanging a few words,

Grandfather sat down across from his son.

24 Off in the distance, a ray of sunlight broke through the

clouds.

In paragraph 6, Grandfather walks over to Thi Liên at the window in order to —

Read this selection. Then answer the questions that follow it.

The End of the Storm



1 Thi Liên watched from the window as the rain poured

down. In the distance beyond the dark clouds, she could see

Sam Mountain at the edge of her village. Thi Liên had

always thought Sam was a silly name. The shape of the

mountain resembled a gigantic king crab, so people called it

Sam, which means “king crab” in Vietnamese.


2 “The floodwaters have risen so high that I might as well

be living by the sea with the king crabs,” Thi Liên mumbled.


3 Heavy rains were a part of life in Vietnam. Each year

seasonal winds brought seemingly endless downpours. The

rainy season, called the monsoon, usually lasted from May

through September. Though the rains were torrential, they

weren’t always destructive. The rain washing down from the

hillsides carried silt that was rich in nutrients. The

floodwaters made the land along the Mekong River fertile

for growing rice.


4 Suddenly a gust of wind and rain swept through the

doorway as Thi Liên’s father returned from their neighbor’s

home. He was drenched and shivering. “News from upriver

is not encouraging,” he said, trying not to upset them. “This

season’s rains have overflowed the river’s banks. Surging

floodwaters are claiming almost everything in their path.

Families have had to move to safer locations, and there are

reports that some houses have been swept away.”


5 Thi Liên stared out the window. She tried to focus on
the bountiful rice harvest that the floodwaters would bring,

but fear rose within her like the rising river.



6 Grandfather came over and put his hand on her

shoulder. “The floodwaters have visited our village before,

but they have never knocked on our door,” he said softly.


7 Thi Liên thought about what her grandfather said. Yet

he could not deny that this year’s rains were unusually

heavy. Days had gone by without even a ray of sunlight.


8 Father paced back and forth, shooting nervous glances

in Grandfather’s direction. Grandfather remained standing

near the window, watching the rain as it continued to fall.


9 Later, while several neighbors waded through the

flooded streets, her parents made a decision. “It’s time to

evacuate,” Father announced. “We can go to the community

center. It’s on higher ground, so we should be safe there.”


10 “No!” Grandfather said firmly. “It’s wrong to drag your

family out of their home in fear.”


11 “We’re leaving with thoughts of safety, not fear,” Father

replied forcefully.


12 Thi Liên shuddered. She had never heard her father

raise his voice to his own father. Though Father was an

adult, arguing with Grandfather was considered

disrespectful.

13 Father and Grandfather faced each other, neither

speaking another word. Their long, uneasy silence seemed

as if it would last forever. Suddenly a loud clap of thunder

sounded, breaking the silence. Father walked boldly to the

door and opened it. Thi Liên, her mother, and her

grandfather followed obediently.

14 They waded knee-deep through the drowning streets.

Holding on to one another, they struggled against the

currents. Thi Liên kicked off her sandals, hoping she would

have better footing in her bare feet. She had no choice but to

watch as her sandals were quickly swept away.




15 Finally they reached the crowded community center. It

was filled with other families looking for refuge from the

rising water. Exhausted from the struggle, Thi Liên lay

down on a mat and tried to sleep, but all she could think

about was Grandfather’s expression as Father opened the

door. Thi Liên turned to face the wall. The rain pounding on

the metal roof muffled her sobs.

16 Early the next morning Thi Liên was awakened by a

gentle touch on her shoulder. Turning, she saw her

grandfather. He brushed her long dark hair away from her

face. “I’ve been a foolish man,” he said softly. “Because of my

pride, I have refused to speak to your father when I should

be thankful.”

17 Thi Liên could not think of any reason that they should

be thankful. Their home was probably full of water by now.

They were living in cramped conditions with many other

families. And the rain was still falling!


18 “I don’t understand,” she said slowly.

19 “Here we have shelter from the rain and more than

enough food,” Grandfather explained. “Others are living in

rescue camps or sleeping in makeshift shelters quickly built

from whatever they can find to protect them from the

weather. Some people’s homes have been completely washed

away. We don’t know whether our home is still standing, but

it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we are safe and


together.”

20 Thi Liên studied her grandfather’s expression. In his

eyes she could see his profound sense of gratitude.

21 “Will you ever speak to Father again?” she asked.

22 “Of course I will,” he assured her. “In fact, I think I’ll go

over right now and tell him how foolish I’ve been.”


23 Thi Liên watched as Grandfather walked to the table

where Father was seated. After exchanging a few words,

Grandfather sat down across from his son.

24 Off in the distance, a ray of sunlight broke through the

clouds.

In paragraph 24, the ray of sunlight symbolizes —

Read this selection. Then answer the questions that follow it.

The End of the Storm



1 Thi Liên watched from the window as the rain poured

down. In the distance beyond the dark clouds, she could see

Sam Mountain at the edge of her village. Thi Liên had

always thought Sam was a silly name. The shape of the

mountain resembled a gigantic king crab, so people called it

Sam, which means “king crab” in Vietnamese.


2 “The floodwaters have risen so high that I might as well

be living by the sea with the king crabs,” Thi Liên mumbled.


3 Heavy rains were a part of life in Vietnam. Each year

seasonal winds brought seemingly endless downpours. The

rainy season, called the monsoon, usually lasted from May

through September. Though the rains were torrential, they

weren’t always destructive. The rain washing down from the

hillsides carried silt that was rich in nutrients. The

floodwaters made the land along the Mekong River fertile

for growing rice.


4 Suddenly a gust of wind and rain swept through the

doorway as Thi Liên’s father returned from their neighbor’s

home. He was drenched and shivering. “News from upriver

is not encouraging,” he said, trying not to upset them. “This

season’s rains have overflowed the river’s banks. Surging

floodwaters are claiming almost everything in their path.

Families have had to move to safer locations, and there are

reports that some houses have been swept away.”


5 Thi Liên stared out the window. She tried to focus on
the bountiful rice harvest that the floodwaters would bring,

but fear rose within her like the rising river.



6 Grandfather came over and put his hand on her

shoulder. “The floodwaters have visited our village before,

but they have never knocked on our door,” he said softly.


7 Thi Liên thought about what her grandfather said. Yet

he could not deny that this year’s rains were unusually

heavy. Days had gone by without even a ray of sunlight.


8 Father paced back and forth, shooting nervous glances

in Grandfather’s direction. Grandfather remained standing

near the window, watching the rain as it continued to fall.


9 Later, while several neighbors waded through the

flooded streets, her parents made a decision. “It’s time to

evacuate,” Father announced. “We can go to the community

center. It’s on higher ground, so we should be safe there.”


10 “No!” Grandfather said firmly. “It’s wrong to drag your

family out of their home in fear.”


11 “We’re leaving with thoughts of safety, not fear,” Father

replied forcefully.


12 Thi Liên shuddered. She had never heard her father

raise his voice to his own father. Though Father was an

adult, arguing with Grandfather was considered

disrespectful.

13 Father and Grandfather faced each other, neither

speaking another word. Their long, uneasy silence seemed

as if it would last forever. Suddenly a loud clap of thunder

sounded, breaking the silence. Father walked boldly to the

door and opened it. Thi Liên, her mother, and her

grandfather followed obediently.

14 They waded knee-deep through the drowning streets.

Holding on to one another, they struggled against the

currents. Thi Liên kicked off her sandals, hoping she would

have better footing in her bare feet. She had no choice but to

watch as her sandals were quickly swept away.




15 Finally they reached the crowded community center. It

was filled with other families looking for refuge from the

rising water. Exhausted from the struggle, Thi Liên lay

down on a mat and tried to sleep, but all she could think

about was Grandfather’s expression as Father opened the

door. Thi Liên turned to face the wall. The rain pounding on

the metal roof muffled her sobs.

16 Early the next morning Thi Liên was awakened by a

gentle touch on her shoulder. Turning, she saw her

grandfather. He brushed her long dark hair away from her

face. “I’ve been a foolish man,” he said softly. “Because of my

pride, I have refused to speak to your father when I should

be thankful.”

17 Thi Liên could not think of any reason that they should

be thankful. Their home was probably full of water by now.

They were living in cramped conditions with many other

families. And the rain was still falling!


18 “I don’t understand,” she said slowly.

19 “Here we have shelter from the rain and more than

enough food,” Grandfather explained. “Others are living in

rescue camps or sleeping in makeshift shelters quickly built

from whatever they can find to protect them from the

weather. Some people’s homes have been completely washed

away. We don’t know whether our home is still standing, but

it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we are safe and


together.”

20 Thi Liên studied her grandfather’s expression. In his

eyes she could see his profound sense of gratitude.

21 “Will you ever speak to Father again?” she asked.

22 “Of course I will,” he assured her. “In fact, I think I’ll go

over right now and tell him how foolish I’ve been.”


23 Thi Liên watched as Grandfather walked to the table

where Father was seated. After exchanging a few words,

Grandfather sat down across from his son.

24 Off in the distance, a ray of sunlight broke through the

clouds.

What can readers conclude about flooding along the Mekong River?

Which of these conclusions about Douglas's book can the reader draw from this article?

What is this article mainly about?

According to the article, how was Douglas's career as a journalist similar to her attending college?

In paragraph 12, the word attributed means —

Read the four protest signs below.



Which of these signs would most likely have been carried by a member of the Friends of the Everglades?

According to the map, the area shown with diagonal lines represents —

Which sentence in the article implies that interfering with the Everglades can be harmful to people as well as plants and animals?

The following diagram shows ideas in the article.



Which of these main ideas belongs in the empty box?

In paragraph 11, what is meant by the author's statement "The victory, however, was only partial"?

Why did Douglas visit Miami after graduating from college?

One Giant Leap


1 Neil Armstrong studied the Eagle’s gauges. The

spacecraft was working perfectly. If things continued to go

well, he and Buzz Aldrin would soon become the first men to

land on the moon. From 60 miles away the moon didn’t look

much like the small, flat white circle he had seen all his life.

Mountains and craters dotted its dusty gray surface. As he

waited to begin the final descent, Armstrong marveled at

what he was about to do. For centuries people had dreamed

of this moment, and now he and Aldrin were on the brink of

making history.


2 As the Eagle slowly circled the moon, Armstrong

thought back to the mission’s beginning. Just four days

earlier the astronauts had been on Earth, anxiously waiting

for a rocket to propel them into orbit. Thousands of people

had gathered to witness the launch, and millions more

around the world had watched on television. As the powerful

rocket lifted off, Armstrong had wondered what the next

eight days would bring. Much about the moon remained a

mystery. Armstrong couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious. He

understood why people around the world were focused on

this flight. Landing on the moon wasn’t just his dream; it

was everyone’s. This journey was for people everywhere.



3 Now, as he prepared to land, Armstrong shook his head

in amazement. When Apollo 11 had been launched, the moon

had been thousands of miles from where it was now. Yet

scientists had been able to chart a course to this precise

location, knowing the moon would be there to meet

Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins. Armstrong thought of the

thousands of people who had made his mission possible.

Without them he wouldn’t be minutes away from doing what

had never been done before.

4 Finally the command came to begin landing. As

Armstrong ignited a small rocket engine to slow the

spacecraft, he remembered his training. Safety came first. If

anything went wrong, he was supposed to cancel the

landing. Suddenly, just 5,000 feet from the surface, a caution

light blinked on—a computer alarm! Armstrong’s heart

sank. Would they have to turn back when they were so

close? After a few tense seconds, mission control said to

continue. The computer had just needed more time to

complete its operations.

5 Then Armstrong saw another problem. There was a
large crater in the landing area. Could he land there safely?

The surface was only 500 feet below, but he decided to fly

past the crater. Landing was one of the most dangerous

parts of the mission, but Armstrong calmly worked the

controls. He was only 40 feet away now. Exhaust from the

engines created a cloud of dust. Armstrong strained to see.

Then mission control informed him that only 30 seconds of

fuel remained in the landing engine. Finally the craft shook

slightly; the Eagle had landed!



6 Standing on the ladder outside the Eagle later,

Armstrong remembered that everyone was watching and

listening back home. In a few seconds he would become the

first person to set foot on any place other than Earth. His

heart raced as he stepped down onto the moon’s surface and

said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for

mankind.”

Read this chart of details from the story.



Which main idea belongs in the empty box?

One Giant Leap


1 Neil Armstrong studied the Eagle’s gauges. The

spacecraft was working perfectly. If things continued to go

well, he and Buzz Aldrin would soon become the first men to

land on the moon. From 60 miles away the moon didn’t look

much like the small, flat white circle he had seen all his life.

Mountains and craters dotted its dusty gray surface. As he

waited to begin the final descent, Armstrong marveled at

what he was about to do. For centuries people had dreamed

of this moment, and now he and Aldrin were on the brink of

making history.


2 As the Eagle slowly circled the moon, Armstrong

thought back to the mission’s beginning. Just four days

earlier the astronauts had been on Earth, anxiously waiting

for a rocket to propel them into orbit. Thousands of people

had gathered to witness the launch, and millions more

around the world had watched on television. As the powerful

rocket lifted off, Armstrong had wondered what the next

eight days would bring. Much about the moon remained a

mystery. Armstrong couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious. He

understood why people around the world were focused on

this flight. Landing on the moon wasn’t just his dream; it

was everyone’s. This journey was for people everywhere.



3 Now, as he prepared to land, Armstrong shook his head

in amazement. When Apollo 11 had been launched, the moon

had been thousands of miles from where it was now. Yet

scientists had been able to chart a course to this precise

location, knowing the moon would be there to meet

Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins. Armstrong thought of the

thousands of people who had made his mission possible.

Without them he wouldn’t be minutes away from doing what

had never been done before.

4 Finally the command came to begin landing. As

Armstrong ignited a small rocket engine to slow the

spacecraft, he remembered his training. Safety came first. If

anything went wrong, he was supposed to cancel the

landing. Suddenly, just 5,000 feet from the surface, a caution

light blinked on—a computer alarm! Armstrong’s heart

sank. Would they have to turn back when they were so

close? After a few tense seconds, mission control said to

continue. The computer had just needed more time to

complete its operations.

5 Then Armstrong saw another problem. There was a
large crater in the landing area. Could he land there safely?

The surface was only 500 feet below, but he decided to fly

past the crater. Landing was one of the most dangerous

parts of the mission, but Armstrong calmly worked the

controls. He was only 40 feet away now. Exhaust from the

engines created a cloud of dust. Armstrong strained to see.

Then mission control informed him that only 30 seconds of

fuel remained in the landing engine. Finally the craft shook

slightly; the Eagle had landed!



6 Standing on the ladder outside the Eagle later,

Armstrong remembered that everyone was watching and

listening back home. In a few seconds he would become the

first person to set foot on any place other than Earth. His

heart raced as he stepped down onto the moon’s surface and

said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for

mankind.”

In paragraph 1 of the story, why did Armstrong marvel at what he was about to do?

One Giant Leap


1 Neil Armstrong studied the Eagle’s gauges. The

spacecraft was working perfectly. If things continued to go

well, he and Buzz Aldrin would soon become the first men to

land on the moon. From 60 miles away the moon didn’t look

much like the small, flat white circle he had seen all his life.

Mountains and craters dotted its dusty gray surface. As he

waited to begin the final descent, Armstrong marveled at

what he was about to do. For centuries people had dreamed

of this moment, and now he and Aldrin were on the brink of

making history.


2 As the Eagle slowly circled the moon, Armstrong

thought back to the mission’s beginning. Just four days

earlier the astronauts had been on Earth, anxiously waiting

for a rocket to propel them into orbit. Thousands of people

had gathered to witness the launch, and millions more

around the world had watched on television. As the powerful

rocket lifted off, Armstrong had wondered what the next

eight days would bring. Much about the moon remained a

mystery. Armstrong couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious. He

understood why people around the world were focused on

this flight. Landing on the moon wasn’t just his dream; it

was everyone’s. This journey was for people everywhere.



3 Now, as he prepared to land, Armstrong shook his head

in amazement. When Apollo 11 had been launched, the moon

had been thousands of miles from where it was now. Yet

scientists had been able to chart a course to this precise

location, knowing the moon would be there to meet

Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins. Armstrong thought of the

thousands of people who had made his mission possible.

Without them he wouldn’t be minutes away from doing what

had never been done before.

4 Finally the command came to begin landing. As

Armstrong ignited a small rocket engine to slow the

spacecraft, he remembered his training. Safety came first. If

anything went wrong, he was supposed to cancel the

landing. Suddenly, just 5,000 feet from the surface, a caution

light blinked on—a computer alarm! Armstrong’s heart

sank. Would they have to turn back when they were so

close? After a few tense seconds, mission control said to

continue. The computer had just needed more time to

complete its operations.

5 Then Armstrong saw another problem. There was a
large crater in the landing area. Could he land there safely?

The surface was only 500 feet below, but he decided to fly

past the crater. Landing was one of the most dangerous

parts of the mission, but Armstrong calmly worked the

controls. He was only 40 feet away now. Exhaust from the

engines created a cloud of dust. Armstrong strained to see.

Then mission control informed him that only 30 seconds of

fuel remained in the landing engine. Finally the craft shook

slightly; the Eagle had landed!



6 Standing on the ladder outside the Eagle later,

Armstrong remembered that everyone was watching and

listening back home. In a few seconds he would become the

first person to set foot on any place other than Earth. His

heart raced as he stepped down onto the moon’s surface and

said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for

mankind.”

In paragraph 2, Armstrong was a little anxious because he —

One Giant Leap


1 Neil Armstrong studied the Eagle’s gauges. The

spacecraft was working perfectly. If things continued to go

well, he and Buzz Aldrin would soon become the first men to

land on the moon. From 60 miles away the moon didn’t look

much like the small, flat white circle he had seen all his life.

Mountains and craters dotted its dusty gray surface. As he

waited to begin the final descent, Armstrong marveled at

what he was about to do. For centuries people had dreamed

of this moment, and now he and Aldrin were on the brink of

making history.


2 As the Eagle slowly circled the moon, Armstrong

thought back to the mission’s beginning. Just four days

earlier the astronauts had been on Earth, anxiously waiting

for a rocket to propel them into orbit. Thousands of people

had gathered to witness the launch, and millions more

around the world had watched on television. As the powerful

rocket lifted off, Armstrong had wondered what the next

eight days would bring. Much about the moon remained a

mystery. Armstrong couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious. He

understood why people around the world were focused on

this flight. Landing on the moon wasn’t just his dream; it

was everyone’s. This journey was for people everywhere.



3 Now, as he prepared to land, Armstrong shook his head

in amazement. When Apollo 11 had been launched, the moon

had been thousands of miles from where it was now. Yet

scientists had been able to chart a course to this precise

location, knowing the moon would be there to meet

Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins. Armstrong thought of the

thousands of people who had made his mission possible.

Without them he wouldn’t be minutes away from doing what

had never been done before.

4 Finally the command came to begin landing. As

Armstrong ignited a small rocket engine to slow the

spacecraft, he remembered his training. Safety came first. If

anything went wrong, he was supposed to cancel the

landing. Suddenly, just 5,000 feet from the surface, a caution

light blinked on—a computer alarm! Armstrong’s heart

sank. Would they have to turn back when they were so

close? After a few tense seconds, mission control said to

continue. The computer had just needed more time to

complete its operations.

5 Then Armstrong saw another problem. There was a
large crater in the landing area. Could he land there safely?

The surface was only 500 feet below, but he decided to fly

past the crater. Landing was one of the most dangerous

parts of the mission, but Armstrong calmly worked the

controls. He was only 40 feet away now. Exhaust from the

engines created a cloud of dust. Armstrong strained to see.

Then mission control informed him that only 30 seconds of

fuel remained in the landing engine. Finally the craft shook

slightly; the Eagle had landed!



6 Standing on the ladder outside the Eagle later,

Armstrong remembered that everyone was watching and

listening back home. In a few seconds he would become the

first person to set foot on any place other than Earth. His

heart raced as he stepped down onto the moon’s surface and

said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for

mankind.”

From Armstrong's thoughts and actions, the reader can infer that he —

One Giant Leap


1 Neil Armstrong studied the Eagle’s gauges. The

spacecraft was working perfectly. If things continued to go

well, he and Buzz Aldrin would soon become the first men to

land on the moon. From 60 miles away the moon didn’t look

much like the small, flat white circle he had seen all his life.

Mountains and craters dotted its dusty gray surface. As he

waited to begin the final descent, Armstrong marveled at

what he was about to do. For centuries people had dreamed

of this moment, and now he and Aldrin were on the brink of

making history.


2 As the Eagle slowly circled the moon, Armstrong

thought back to the mission’s beginning. Just four days

earlier the astronauts had been on Earth, anxiously waiting

for a rocket to propel them into orbit. Thousands of people

had gathered to witness the launch, and millions more

around the world had watched on television. As the powerful

rocket lifted off, Armstrong had wondered what the next

eight days would bring. Much about the moon remained a

mystery. Armstrong couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious. He

understood why people around the world were focused on

this flight. Landing on the moon wasn’t just his dream; it

was everyone’s. This journey was for people everywhere.



3 Now, as he prepared to land, Armstrong shook his head

in amazement. When Apollo 11 had been launched, the moon

had been thousands of miles from where it was now. Yet

scientists had been able to chart a course to this precise

location, knowing the moon would be there to meet

Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins. Armstrong thought of the

thousands of people who had made his mission possible.

Without them he wouldn’t be minutes away from doing what

had never been done before.

4 Finally the command came to begin landing. As

Armstrong ignited a small rocket engine to slow the

spacecraft, he remembered his training. Safety came first. If

anything went wrong, he was supposed to cancel the

landing. Suddenly, just 5,000 feet from the surface, a caution

light blinked on—a computer alarm! Armstrong’s heart

sank. Would they have to turn back when they were so

close? After a few tense seconds, mission control said to

continue. The computer had just needed more time to

complete its operations.

5 Then Armstrong saw another problem. There was a
large crater in the landing area. Could he land there safely?

The surface was only 500 feet below, but he decided to fly

past the crater. Landing was one of the most dangerous

parts of the mission, but Armstrong calmly worked the

controls. He was only 40 feet away now. Exhaust from the

engines created a cloud of dust. Armstrong strained to see.

Then mission control informed him that only 30 seconds of

fuel remained in the landing engine. Finally the craft shook

slightly; the Eagle had landed!



6 Standing on the ladder outside the Eagle later,

Armstrong remembered that everyone was watching and

listening back home. In a few seconds he would become the

first person to set foot on any place other than Earth. His

heart raced as he stepped down onto the moon’s surface and

said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for

mankind.”

Paragraphs 4 and 5 are mainly about —

One Small Step


1 Andy tried again to force his leg to move. It only

quivered, shooting pain up his back. “I’ll never walk again,”

he said bitterly. “Who am I kidding?”


2 “Let’s try a couple of steps,” Nurse Parker suggested

cheerfully. Andy liked her, but today her good mood made

him feel worse.

3 “Leave me alone,” he said, frowning.

4 “Bad day?” she asked, pushing his wheelchair toward

the walking bars.

5 “Bad year,” he sighed, closing his eyes. It hadn’t started
that way. He remembered Coach Sanders telling him that he

had made the gymnastics team. He had been strong and

agile then, he thought, picturing the moves he had

performed on the two horizontal bars five feet off the ground.

Coach Sanders had said Andy might even compete for the

city championship. That was before the accident.


6 “Okay, on your feet,” Nurse Parker said, parking Andy’s

chair in front of the bars.

7 “I won’t do it,” he said. “I’m tired, and it’ll hurt. Besides,

what’s the use?”

8 “Andy,” Nurse Parker said, “you are making progress.

These exercises are important to your rehabilitation. We

have to teach your legs to walk again. It takes time.”


9 “Easy for you to say,” Andy said. “When’s the last time

your legs forgot how to walk?” With her help he pulled

himself upright. His legs screamed with pain. They were on

fire, and he was hardly putting any weight on them. Sweat

rolled down his cheeks as he stood there, supporting himself

with his arms. “I can’t do it,” he said, grimacing.


10 “Yes, you can. Try!” Nurse Parker said. At that moment

he hated her. Did she think it was easy? What did she know?

Couldn’t she just leave him alone?


11 Gripping the cold metal bars, Andy thought back to the

gymnastics competition. “Andrew Farnsworth on the

parallel bars,” the announcer’s voice echoed through his

memory. He had mounted the bars with grace and

confidence, pushing his body into a perfect handstand. Then

he had swung below the bars and back up as he started his

routine. Suddenly his hand had slipped, and he had crashed

to the floor. With pain exploding through his body, he had

fought back tears, unable to move.


12 He had fractured a vertebra and sustained a minor

spinal cord injury. It would take time, but he would recover.

He was lucky, the doctor had said.

13 “Yeah, lucky Andy,” he thought, wincing as he tried to

move his leg. Pain shot through him. Then, just as he was

about to give up, his foot rose ever so slightly. Andy couldn’t

believe it. Ignoring the pain, he strained to move the leg

forward. Finally it inched ahead just a little.

14 “There you go!” Nurse Parker said.

15 Andy exhaled. It was just one small step, but it felt like

a giant leap. There would be no more thoughts of quitting.

What is paragraph 11 mainly about?

One Small Step


1 Andy tried again to force his leg to move. It only

quivered, shooting pain up his back. “I’ll never walk again,”

he said bitterly. “Who am I kidding?”


2 “Let’s try a couple of steps,” Nurse Parker suggested

cheerfully. Andy liked her, but today her good mood made

him feel worse.

3 “Leave me alone,” he said, frowning.

4 “Bad day?” she asked, pushing his wheelchair toward

the walking bars.

5 “Bad year,” he sighed, closing his eyes. It hadn’t started
that way. He remembered Coach Sanders telling him that he

had made the gymnastics team. He had been strong and

agile then, he thought, picturing the moves he had

performed on the two horizontal bars five feet off the ground.

Coach Sanders had said Andy might even compete for the

city championship. That was before the accident.


6 “Okay, on your feet,” Nurse Parker said, parking Andy’s

chair in front of the bars.

7 “I won’t do it,” he said. “I’m tired, and it’ll hurt. Besides,

what’s the use?”

8 “Andy,” Nurse Parker said, “you are making progress.

These exercises are important to your rehabilitation. We

have to teach your legs to walk again. It takes time.”


9 “Easy for you to say,” Andy said. “When’s the last time

your legs forgot how to walk?” With her help he pulled

himself upright. His legs screamed with pain. They were on

fire, and he was hardly putting any weight on them. Sweat

rolled down his cheeks as he stood there, supporting himself

with his arms. “I can’t do it,” he said, grimacing.


10 “Yes, you can. Try!” Nurse Parker said. At that moment

he hated her. Did she think it was easy? What did she know?

Couldn’t she just leave him alone?


11 Gripping the cold metal bars, Andy thought back to the

gymnastics competition. “Andrew Farnsworth on the

parallel bars,” the announcer’s voice echoed through his

memory. He had mounted the bars with grace and

confidence, pushing his body into a perfect handstand. Then

he had swung below the bars and back up as he started his

routine. Suddenly his hand had slipped, and he had crashed

to the floor. With pain exploding through his body, he had

fought back tears, unable to move.


12 He had fractured a vertebra and sustained a minor

spinal cord injury. It would take time, but he would recover.

He was lucky, the doctor had said.

13 “Yeah, lucky Andy,” he thought, wincing as he tried to

move his leg. Pain shot through him. Then, just as he was

about to give up, his foot rose ever so slightly. Andy couldn’t

believe it. Ignoring the pain, he strained to move the leg

forward. Finally it inched ahead just a little.

14 “There you go!” Nurse Parker said.

15 Andy exhaled. It was just one small step, but it felt like

a giant leap. There would be no more thoughts of quitting.

Which of these statements best describes Andy's attitude at the end of the story?

One Small Step


1 Andy tried again to force his leg to move. It only

quivered, shooting pain up his back. “I’ll never walk again,”

he said bitterly. “Who am I kidding?”


2 “Let’s try a couple of steps,” Nurse Parker suggested

cheerfully. Andy liked her, but today her good mood made

him feel worse.

3 “Leave me alone,” he said, frowning.

4 “Bad day?” she asked, pushing his wheelchair toward

the walking bars.

5 “Bad year,” he sighed, closing his eyes. It hadn’t started
that way. He remembered Coach Sanders telling him that he

had made the gymnastics team. He had been strong and

agile then, he thought, picturing the moves he had

performed on the two horizontal bars five feet off the ground.

Coach Sanders had said Andy might even compete for the

city championship. That was before the accident.


6 “Okay, on your feet,” Nurse Parker said, parking Andy’s

chair in front of the bars.

7 “I won’t do it,” he said. “I’m tired, and it’ll hurt. Besides,

what’s the use?”

8 “Andy,” Nurse Parker said, “you are making progress.

These exercises are important to your rehabilitation. We

have to teach your legs to walk again. It takes time.”


9 “Easy for you to say,” Andy said. “When’s the last time

your legs forgot how to walk?” With her help he pulled

himself upright. His legs screamed with pain. They were on

fire, and he was hardly putting any weight on them. Sweat

rolled down his cheeks as he stood there, supporting himself

with his arms. “I can’t do it,” he said, grimacing.


10 “Yes, you can. Try!” Nurse Parker said. At that moment

he hated her. Did she think it was easy? What did she know?

Couldn’t she just leave him alone?


11 Gripping the cold metal bars, Andy thought back to the

gymnastics competition. “Andrew Farnsworth on the

parallel bars,” the announcer’s voice echoed through his

memory. He had mounted the bars with grace and

confidence, pushing his body into a perfect handstand. Then

he had swung below the bars and back up as he started his

routine. Suddenly his hand had slipped, and he had crashed

to the floor. With pain exploding through his body, he had

fought back tears, unable to move.


12 He had fractured a vertebra and sustained a minor

spinal cord injury. It would take time, but he would recover.

He was lucky, the doctor had said.

13 “Yeah, lucky Andy,” he thought, wincing as he tried to

move his leg. Pain shot through him. Then, just as he was

about to give up, his foot rose ever so slightly. Andy couldn’t

believe it. Ignoring the pain, he strained to move the leg

forward. Finally it inched ahead just a little.

14 “There you go!” Nurse Parker said.

15 Andy exhaled. It was just one small step, but it felt like

a giant leap. There would be no more thoughts of quitting.

What can the reader conclude from information about Andy's injury in the story?

One Small Step


1 Andy tried again to force his leg to move. It only

quivered, shooting pain up his back. “I’ll never walk again,”

he said bitterly. “Who am I kidding?”


2 “Let’s try a couple of steps,” Nurse Parker suggested

cheerfully. Andy liked her, but today her good mood made

him feel worse.

3 “Leave me alone,” he said, frowning.

4 “Bad day?” she asked, pushing his wheelchair toward

the walking bars.

5 “Bad year,” he sighed, closing his eyes. It hadn’t started
that way. He remembered Coach Sanders telling him that he

had made the gymnastics team. He had been strong and

agile then, he thought, picturing the moves he had

performed on the two horizontal bars five feet off the ground.

Coach Sanders had said Andy might even compete for the

city championship. That was before the accident.


6 “Okay, on your feet,” Nurse Parker said, parking Andy’s

chair in front of the bars.

7 “I won’t do it,” he said. “I’m tired, and it’ll hurt. Besides,

what’s the use?”

8 “Andy,” Nurse Parker said, “you are making progress.

These exercises are important to your rehabilitation. We

have to teach your legs to walk again. It takes time.”


9 “Easy for you to say,” Andy said. “When’s the last time

your legs forgot how to walk?” With her help he pulled

himself upright. His legs screamed with pain. They were on

fire, and he was hardly putting any weight on them. Sweat

rolled down his cheeks as he stood there, supporting himself

with his arms. “I can’t do it,” he said, grimacing.


10 “Yes, you can. Try!” Nurse Parker said. At that moment

he hated her. Did she think it was easy? What did she know?

Couldn’t she just leave him alone?


11 Gripping the cold metal bars, Andy thought back to the

gymnastics competition. “Andrew Farnsworth on the

parallel bars,” the announcer’s voice echoed through his

memory. He had mounted the bars with grace and

confidence, pushing his body into a perfect handstand. Then

he had swung below the bars and back up as he started his

routine. Suddenly his hand had slipped, and he had crashed

to the floor. With pain exploding through his body, he had

fought back tears, unable to move.


12 He had fractured a vertebra and sustained a minor

spinal cord injury. It would take time, but he would recover.

He was lucky, the doctor had said.

13 “Yeah, lucky Andy,” he thought, wincing as he tried to

move his leg. Pain shot through him. Then, just as he was

about to give up, his foot rose ever so slightly. Andy couldn’t

believe it. Ignoring the pain, he strained to move the leg

forward. Finally it inched ahead just a little.

14 “There you go!” Nurse Parker said.

15 Andy exhaled. It was just one small step, but it felt like

a giant leap. There would be no more thoughts of quitting.

In paragraph 13, Andy finally ignores his pain because —

One Small Step


1 Andy tried again to force his leg to move. It only

quivered, shooting pain up his back. “I’ll never walk again,”

he said bitterly. “Who am I kidding?”


2 “Let’s try a couple of steps,” Nurse Parker suggested

cheerfully. Andy liked her, but today her good mood made

him feel worse.

3 “Leave me alone,” he said, frowning.

4 “Bad day?” she asked, pushing his wheelchair toward

the walking bars.

5 “Bad year,” he sighed, closing his eyes. It hadn’t started
that way. He remembered Coach Sanders telling him that he

had made the gymnastics team. He had been strong and

agile then, he thought, picturing the moves he had

performed on the two horizontal bars five feet off the ground.

Coach Sanders had said Andy might even compete for the

city championship. That was before the accident.


6 “Okay, on your feet,” Nurse Parker said, parking Andy’s

chair in front of the bars.

7 “I won’t do it,” he said. “I’m tired, and it’ll hurt. Besides,

what’s the use?”

8 “Andy,” Nurse Parker said, “you are making progress.

These exercises are important to your rehabilitation. We

have to teach your legs to walk again. It takes time.”


9 “Easy for you to say,” Andy said. “When’s the last time

your legs forgot how to walk?” With her help he pulled

himself upright. His legs screamed with pain. They were on

fire, and he was hardly putting any weight on them. Sweat

rolled down his cheeks as he stood there, supporting himself

with his arms. “I can’t do it,” he said, grimacing.


10 “Yes, you can. Try!” Nurse Parker said. At that moment

he hated her. Did she think it was easy? What did she know?

Couldn’t she just leave him alone?


11 Gripping the cold metal bars, Andy thought back to the

gymnastics competition. “Andrew Farnsworth on the

parallel bars,” the announcer’s voice echoed through his

memory. He had mounted the bars with grace and

confidence, pushing his body into a perfect handstand. Then

he had swung below the bars and back up as he started his

routine. Suddenly his hand had slipped, and he had crashed

to the floor. With pain exploding through his body, he had

fought back tears, unable to move.


12 He had fractured a vertebra and sustained a minor

spinal cord injury. It would take time, but he would recover.

He was lucky, the doctor had said.

13 “Yeah, lucky Andy,” he thought, wincing as he tried to

move his leg. Pain shot through him. Then, just as he was

about to give up, his foot rose ever so slightly. Andy couldn’t

believe it. Ignoring the pain, he strained to move the leg

forward. Finally it inched ahead just a little.

14 “There you go!” Nurse Parker said.

15 Andy exhaled. It was just one small step, but it felt like

a giant leap. There would be no more thoughts of quitting.

In paragraph 8, the word rehabilitation means the —

Use "One Giant Leap" and "One Small Step" to answer questions 32-34.

Read the next two selections. Then answer the questions that follow them.


On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 launched toward the moon with astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins aboard. Four days later Armstrong and Aldrin reached the moon’s surface in the Eagle landing craft while Collins stayed aboard Apollo 11 in orbit around the moon.

One Giant Leap


1 Neil Armstrong studied the Eagle’s gauges. The

spacecraft was working perfectly. If things continued to go

well, he and Buzz Aldrin would soon become the first men to

land on the moon. From 60 miles away the moon didn’t look

much like the small, flat white circle he had seen all his life.

Mountains and craters dotted its dusty gray surface. As he

waited to begin the final descent, Armstrong marveled at

what he was about to do. For centuries people had dreamed

of this moment, and now he and Aldrin were on the brink of

making history.


2 As the Eagle slowly circled the moon, Armstrong

thought back to the mission’s beginning. Just four days

earlier the astronauts had been on Earth, anxiously waiting

for a rocket to propel them into orbit. Thousands of people

had gathered to witness the launch, and millions more

around the world had watched on television. As the powerful

rocket lifted off, Armstrong had wondered what the next

eight days would bring. Much about the moon remained a

mystery. Armstrong couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious. He

understood why people around the world were focused on

this flight. Landing on the moon wasn’t just his dream; it

was everyone’s. This journey was for people everywhere.



3 Now, as he prepared to land, Armstrong shook his head

in amazement. When Apollo 11 had been launched, the moon

had been thousands of miles from where it was now. Yet

scientists had been able to chart a course to this precise

location, knowing the moon would be there to meet

Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins. Armstrong thought of the

thousands of people who had made his mission possible.

Without them he wouldn’t be minutes away from doing what

had never been done before.

4 Finally the command came to begin landing. As

Armstrong ignited a small rocket engine to slow the

spacecraft, he remembered his training. Safety came first. If

anything went wrong, he was supposed to cancel the

landing. Suddenly, just 5,000 feet from the surface, a caution

light blinked on—a computer alarm! Armstrong’s heart

sank. Would they have to turn back when they were so

close? After a few tense seconds, mission control said to

continue. The computer had just needed more time to

complete its operations.

5 Then Armstrong saw another problem. There was a
large crater in the landing area. Could he land there safely?

The surface was only 500 feet below, but he decided to fly

past the crater. Landing was one of the most dangerous

parts of the mission, but Armstrong calmly worked the

controls. He was only 40 feet away now. Exhaust from the

engines created a cloud of dust. Armstrong strained to see.

Then mission control informed him that only 30 seconds of

fuel remained in the landing engine. Finally the craft shook

slightly; the Eagle had landed!



6 Standing on the ladder outside the Eagle later,

Armstrong remembered that everyone was watching and

listening back home. In a few seconds he would become the

first person to set foot on any place other than Earth. His

heart raced as he stepped down onto the moon’s surface and

said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for

mankind.”




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


One Small Step


1 Andy tried again to force his leg to move. It only

quivered, shooting pain up his back. “I’ll never walk again,”

he said bitterly. “Who am I kidding?”


2 “Let’s try a couple of steps,” Nurse Parker suggested

cheerfully. Andy liked her, but today her good mood made

him feel worse.

3 “Leave me alone,” he said, frowning.

4 “Bad day?” she asked, pushing his wheelchair toward

the walking bars.

5 “Bad year,” he sighed, closing his eyes. It hadn’t started
that way. He remembered Coach Sanders telling him that he

had made the gymnastics team. He had been strong and

agile then, he thought, picturing the moves he had

performed on the two horizontal bars five feet off the ground.

Coach Sanders had said Andy might even compete for the

city championship. That was before the accident.


6 “Okay, on your feet,” Nurse Parker said, parking Andy’s

chair in front of the bars.

7 “I won’t do it,” he said. “I’m tired, and it’ll hurt. Besides,

what’s the use?”

8 “Andy,” Nurse Parker said, “you are making progress.

These exercises are important to your rehabilitation. We

have to teach your legs to walk again. It takes time.”


9 “Easy for you to say,” Andy said. “When’s the last time

your legs forgot how to walk?” With her help he pulled

himself upright. His legs screamed with pain. They were on

fire, and he was hardly putting any weight on them. Sweat

rolled down his cheeks as he stood there, supporting himself

with his arms. “I can’t do it,” he said, grimacing.


10 “Yes, you can. Try!” Nurse Parker said. At that moment

he hated her. Did she think it was easy? What did she know?

Couldn’t she just leave him alone?


11 Gripping the cold metal bars, Andy thought back to the

gymnastics competition. “Andrew Farnsworth on the

parallel bars,” the announcer’s voice echoed through his

memory. He had mounted the bars with grace and

confidence, pushing his body into a perfect handstand. Then

he had swung below the bars and back up as he started his

routine. Suddenly his hand had slipped, and he had crashed

to the floor. With pain exploding through his body, he had

fought back tears, unable to move.


12 He had fractured a vertebra and sustained a minor

spinal cord injury. It would take time, but he would recover.

He was lucky, the doctor had said.

13 “Yeah, lucky Andy,” he thought, wincing as he tried to

move his leg. Pain shot through him. Then, just as he was

about to give up, his foot rose ever so slightly. Andy couldn’t

believe it. Ignoring the pain, he strained to move the leg

forward. Finally it inched ahead just a little.

14 “There you go!” Nurse Parker said.

15 Andy exhaled. It was just one small step, but it felt like

a giant leap. There would be no more thoughts of quitting.

In both selections, a small step represents —

Use "One Giant Leap" and "One Small Step" to answer questions 32-34.

Read the next two selections. Then answer the questions that follow them.


On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 launched toward the moon with astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins aboard. Four days later Armstrong and Aldrin reached the moon’s surface in the Eagle landing craft while Collins stayed aboard Apollo 11 in orbit around the moon.

One Giant Leap


1 Neil Armstrong studied the Eagle’s gauges. The

spacecraft was working perfectly. If things continued to go

well, he and Buzz Aldrin would soon become the first men to

land on the moon. From 60 miles away the moon didn’t look

much like the small, flat white circle he had seen all his life.

Mountains and craters dotted its dusty gray surface. As he

waited to begin the final descent, Armstrong marveled at

what he was about to do. For centuries people had dreamed

of this moment, and now he and Aldrin were on the brink of

making history.


2 As the Eagle slowly circled the moon, Armstrong

thought back to the mission’s beginning. Just four days

earlier the astronauts had been on Earth, anxiously waiting

for a rocket to propel them into orbit. Thousands of people

had gathered to witness the launch, and millions more

around the world had watched on television. As the powerful

rocket lifted off, Armstrong had wondered what the next

eight days would bring. Much about the moon remained a

mystery. Armstrong couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious. He

understood why people around the world were focused on

this flight. Landing on the moon wasn’t just his dream; it

was everyone’s. This journey was for people everywhere.



3 Now, as he prepared to land, Armstrong shook his head

in amazement. When Apollo 11 had been launched, the moon

had been thousands of miles from where it was now. Yet

scientists had been able to chart a course to this precise

location, knowing the moon would be there to meet

Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins. Armstrong thought of the

thousands of people who had made his mission possible.

Without them he wouldn’t be minutes away from doing what

had never been done before.

4 Finally the command came to begin landing. As

Armstrong ignited a small rocket engine to slow the

spacecraft, he remembered his training. Safety came first. If

anything went wrong, he was supposed to cancel the

landing. Suddenly, just 5,000 feet from the surface, a caution

light blinked on—a computer alarm! Armstrong’s heart

sank. Would they have to turn back when they were so

close? After a few tense seconds, mission control said to

continue. The computer had just needed more time to

complete its operations.

5 Then Armstrong saw another problem. There was a
large crater in the landing area. Could he land there safely?

The surface was only 500 feet below, but he decided to fly

past the crater. Landing was one of the most dangerous

parts of the mission, but Armstrong calmly worked the

controls. He was only 40 feet away now. Exhaust from the

engines created a cloud of dust. Armstrong strained to see.

Then mission control informed him that only 30 seconds of

fuel remained in the landing engine. Finally the craft shook

slightly; the Eagle had landed!



6 Standing on the ladder outside the Eagle later,

Armstrong remembered that everyone was watching and

listening back home. In a few seconds he would become the

first person to set foot on any place other than Earth. His

heart raced as he stepped down onto the moon’s surface and

said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for

mankind.”




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


One Small Step


1 Andy tried again to force his leg to move. It only

quivered, shooting pain up his back. “I’ll never walk again,”

he said bitterly. “Who am I kidding?”


2 “Let’s try a couple of steps,” Nurse Parker suggested

cheerfully. Andy liked her, but today her good mood made

him feel worse.

3 “Leave me alone,” he said, frowning.

4 “Bad day?” she asked, pushing his wheelchair toward

the walking bars.

5 “Bad year,” he sighed, closing his eyes. It hadn’t started
that way. He remembered Coach Sanders telling him that he

had made the gymnastics team. He had been strong and

agile then, he thought, picturing the moves he had

performed on the two horizontal bars five feet off the ground.

Coach Sanders had said Andy might even compete for the

city championship. That was before the accident.


6 “Okay, on your feet,” Nurse Parker said, parking Andy’s

chair in front of the bars.

7 “I won’t do it,” he said. “I’m tired, and it’ll hurt. Besides,

what’s the use?”

8 “Andy,” Nurse Parker said, “you are making progress.

These exercises are important to your rehabilitation. We

have to teach your legs to walk again. It takes time.”


9 “Easy for you to say,” Andy said. “When’s the last time

your legs forgot how to walk?” With her help he pulled

himself upright. His legs screamed with pain. They were on

fire, and he was hardly putting any weight on them. Sweat

rolled down his cheeks as he stood there, supporting himself

with his arms. “I can’t do it,” he said, grimacing.


10 “Yes, you can. Try!” Nurse Parker said. At that moment

he hated her. Did she think it was easy? What did she know?

Couldn’t she just leave him alone?


11 Gripping the cold metal bars, Andy thought back to the

gymnastics competition. “Andrew Farnsworth on the

parallel bars,” the announcer’s voice echoed through his

memory. He had mounted the bars with grace and

confidence, pushing his body into a perfect handstand. Then

he had swung below the bars and back up as he started his

routine. Suddenly his hand had slipped, and he had crashed

to the floor. With pain exploding through his body, he had

fought back tears, unable to move.


12 He had fractured a vertebra and sustained a minor

spinal cord injury. It would take time, but he would recover.

He was lucky, the doctor had said.

13 “Yeah, lucky Andy,” he thought, wincing as he tried to

move his leg. Pain shot through him. Then, just as he was

about to give up, his foot rose ever so slightly. Andy couldn’t

believe it. Ignoring the pain, he strained to move the leg

forward. Finally it inched ahead just a little.

14 “There you go!” Nurse Parker said.

15 Andy exhaled. It was just one small step, but it felt like

a giant leap. There would be no more thoughts of quitting.

How do Andy's and Armstrong's attitudes differ at the beginning of each story?

Use "One Giant Leap" and "One Small Step" to answer questions 32-34.

Read the next two selections. Then answer the questions that follow them.


On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 launched toward the moon with astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins aboard. Four days later Armstrong and Aldrin reached the moon’s surface in the Eagle landing craft while Collins stayed aboard Apollo 11 in orbit around the moon.

One Giant Leap


1 Neil Armstrong studied the Eagle’s gauges. The

spacecraft was working perfectly. If things continued to go

well, he and Buzz Aldrin would soon become the first men to

land on the moon. From 60 miles away the moon didn’t look

much like the small, flat white circle he had seen all his life.

Mountains and craters dotted its dusty gray surface. As he

waited to begin the final descent, Armstrong marveled at

what he was about to do. For centuries people had dreamed

of this moment, and now he and Aldrin were on the brink of

making history.


2 As the Eagle slowly circled the moon, Armstrong

thought back to the mission’s beginning. Just four days

earlier the astronauts had been on Earth, anxiously waiting

for a rocket to propel them into orbit. Thousands of people

had gathered to witness the launch, and millions more

around the world had watched on television. As the powerful

rocket lifted off, Armstrong had wondered what the next

eight days would bring. Much about the moon remained a

mystery. Armstrong couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious. He

understood why people around the world were focused on

this flight. Landing on the moon wasn’t just his dream; it

was everyone’s. This journey was for people everywhere.



3 Now, as he prepared to land, Armstrong shook his head

in amazement. When Apollo 11 had been launched, the moon

had been thousands of miles from where it was now. Yet

scientists had been able to chart a course to this precise

location, knowing the moon would be there to meet

Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins. Armstrong thought of the

thousands of people who had made his mission possible.

Without them he wouldn’t be minutes away from doing what

had never been done before.

4 Finally the command came to begin landing. As

Armstrong ignited a small rocket engine to slow the

spacecraft, he remembered his training. Safety came first. If

anything went wrong, he was supposed to cancel the

landing. Suddenly, just 5,000 feet from the surface, a caution

light blinked on—a computer alarm! Armstrong’s heart

sank. Would they have to turn back when they were so

close? After a few tense seconds, mission control said to

continue. The computer had just needed more time to

complete its operations.

5 Then Armstrong saw another problem. There was a
large crater in the landing area. Could he land there safely?

The surface was only 500 feet below, but he decided to fly

past the crater. Landing was one of the most dangerous

parts of the mission, but Armstrong calmly worked the

controls. He was only 40 feet away now. Exhaust from the

engines created a cloud of dust. Armstrong strained to see.

Then mission control informed him that only 30 seconds of

fuel remained in the landing engine. Finally the craft shook

slightly; the Eagle had landed!



6 Standing on the ladder outside the Eagle later,

Armstrong remembered that everyone was watching and

listening back home. In a few seconds he would become the

first person to set foot on any place other than Earth. His

heart raced as he stepped down onto the moon’s surface and

said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for

mankind.”




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


One Small Step


1 Andy tried again to force his leg to move. It only

quivered, shooting pain up his back. “I’ll never walk again,”

he said bitterly. “Who am I kidding?”


2 “Let’s try a couple of steps,” Nurse Parker suggested

cheerfully. Andy liked her, but today her good mood made

him feel worse.

3 “Leave me alone,” he said, frowning.

4 “Bad day?” she asked, pushing his wheelchair toward

the walking bars.

5 “Bad year,” he sighed, closing his eyes. It hadn’t started
that way. He remembered Coach Sanders telling him that he

had made the gymnastics team. He had been strong and

agile then, he thought, picturing the moves he had

performed on the two horizontal bars five feet off the ground.

Coach Sanders had said Andy might even compete for the

city championship. That was before the accident.


6 “Okay, on your feet,” Nurse Parker said, parking Andy’s

chair in front of the bars.

7 “I won’t do it,” he said. “I’m tired, and it’ll hurt. Besides,

what’s the use?”

8 “Andy,” Nurse Parker said, “you are making progress.

These exercises are important to your rehabilitation. We

have to teach your legs to walk again. It takes time.”


9 “Easy for you to say,” Andy said. “When’s the last time

your legs forgot how to walk?” With her help he pulled

himself upright. His legs screamed with pain. They were on

fire, and he was hardly putting any weight on them. Sweat

rolled down his cheeks as he stood there, supporting himself

with his arms. “I can’t do it,” he said, grimacing.


10 “Yes, you can. Try!” Nurse Parker said. At that moment

he hated her. Did she think it was easy? What did she know?

Couldn’t she just leave him alone?


11 Gripping the cold metal bars, Andy thought back to the

gymnastics competition. “Andrew Farnsworth on the

parallel bars,” the announcer’s voice echoed through his

memory. He had mounted the bars with grace and

confidence, pushing his body into a perfect handstand. Then

he had swung below the bars and back up as he started his

routine. Suddenly his hand had slipped, and he had crashed

to the floor. With pain exploding through his body, he had

fought back tears, unable to move.


12 He had fractured a vertebra and sustained a minor

spinal cord injury. It would take time, but he would recover.

He was lucky, the doctor had said.

13 “Yeah, lucky Andy,” he thought, wincing as he tried to

move his leg. Pain shot through him. Then, just as he was

about to give up, his foot rose ever so slightly. Andy couldn’t

believe it. Ignoring the pain, he strained to move the leg

forward. Finally it inched ahead just a little.

14 “There you go!” Nurse Parker said.

15 Andy exhaled. It was just one small step, but it felt like

a giant leap. There would be no more thoughts of quitting.

Which of these is a theme in both selections?

This article is mainly about —

Scientists captured the last nine wild condors to —

Why wasn't the Condor Recovery Program started sooner?

What can the reader conclude from information about the San Diego Wild Animal Park provided in this newspaper article?

Scientists try to limit their contact with baby condors because —

Which sentence from this newspaper article supports the idea that condors are useful to humans?

The author wrote this newspaper article probably to —

What is paragraph 6 mainly about?