READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P4-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. What is a toboggan?
3. What season do you think it is?
4. How did the children get to the top of the slide?
5.
Why do you think the children selected cardboard to use as a sled?
6. What does contraption refer to in this sentence: “He used his feet
against the side rails to stop the contraption…..,”?
7. How was Samantha feeling when she flew off the slide?
8. What is a synonym for lurking?
9. Why did Robert end up carrying Samantha?
10.
Why do you think Samantha had a change of heart when she told the
story to her parents?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P5-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. How was alliteration used in this passage? Give an example.
3. Where is Mount Everest?
4. What does the word sentiments mean in this passage:
“Thank you for your kind sentiments.”
5. Why do you think Albert was honored with a stamp?
6. Where was Albert’s territory to deliver mail?
7. What character traits would you attribute to Albert?
8. How did Albert feel about his fellow mail carriers?
9. What do you think Albert’s landing gear might consist of?
10. What other kind of animal could the author have used in this story?
Why?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P6-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. What city do you think Alice lives in?
3. What was the view from Alice’s living room window?
4. What does intrigued mean?
5. Why do you think Alice felt sorry for the statue in the winter?
6. What woke Alice up?
7. What did Alice see when she looked out her window?
8. Why did the statue return to its original pose?
9. What kinds of words are retrieved and discarded?
10. Do you think Alice was dreaming? Why/why not?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P7-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. What was Jack Creek’s occupation?
3. What is an inoculation?
4. Why do you think Angela researched her trip so thoroughly?
5. What is the official language of Ghana?
6. What does indigenous mean?
7. What is a literacy rate?
8. Why did Angela speak to the tour guide in his native language?
9. About how far is two hundred meters? (circle your answer)
a. a mile
b. the length of two football fields
c. the length of 4 cars end to end
10. Do you think Jack would take his grandmother on another trip with him?
Why/why not?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P8-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. What does the word herbal refer to?
3. What symptoms did the person exhibit?
4. Why did the person get a headache?
5. What is a vial?
6. Why do you think no came out to assist the person?
7. How was the person feeling as they explored the shop?
8. How many baskets did the customer fill?
9. What were the three words the small man spoke?
10. Do you think the herbal remedies helped the person? How do you know?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P9-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. What does the author recommend doing before collecting the shells?
3. What is a mollusk?
4. What are some examples of mollusks?
5. What does secrete mean?
6. Why don’t people see many sea snails?
7. Besides Florida, where else might you be able to find conch shells?
8. How large can a queen conch shell grow?
9. What qualities make the conch a highly valued shell?
10. Would you enjoy collecting shells? Why/why not?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P10-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. What is the weather usually like at the end of May?
3. What is an archrival?
4. Which position did Miriam play?
5. How was Miriam feeling throughout most of the game?
6. Why were the Panther fans panicking as the Braves came up to bat?
7. How long had it taken for the Panthers to develop a winning team?
8. How many runners were on base?
9. Why do you think Miriam felt as if everything was in slow motion when she
hit the ball?
10. How do you think Miriam felt at the end of the story?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P11-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. How old was Evening in canine years?
3. What is an antonym for devastated?
4. Why do you think, to the children, the talent show was more exciting than
the end of school?
5. Why did Mark sit in the back row?
6. What image came to Mark’s mind when the daycare skit began?
7. Why did Mark smile when he thought about Evening?
8. What was the reason Mrs. Olson thought Mark was crying?
9. What does blurt out mean?
10. Do you think making a dog feel special is more important than a
talent shown on stage? Why/why not?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P12-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. During what time period could this story have been set?
3. What is a voyageur?
4. How would an Indian camp in close proximity be a good source for trade?
5. What kinds of trees grew in the area?
6. What is a stockade?
7. How long did it take to build the post?
8. What kinds of goods might the Indians trade for their furs and food?
9. Why do you think Joseph Anthony felt proud?
10. How would you describe Anthony’s character?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P13-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. What does eluded mean?
3. What particular talent did the mice have that perplexed Mary the most?
4. How did the mice really get into and out of the containers?
5. Why do you think seeing the mouse on the chandelier was a turning point
for Sandy?
6. Why would the mice converse about the neighbor’s cat?
7. Who had completed the crossword, balanced the checkbook, etc. for
Sandy?
8. Why did the mice do those things?
9. Why do you think the mice still ate the cookies and the bread?
10. Do you think Sandy will continue to tolerate the mice? Why/why not?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P14-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. Why did Jamie hate having his picture taken?
3. What colors make bad backdrops for Jamie?
4. How does Jamie feel about having his picture taken this year?
5. What happens when the photographer presses the button to take Jamie’s
picture?
6. What is a savannah?
7. What happens when Jamie yells, “Get me out of here!”?
8. How does he get back to school?
9. Where does he end up?
10. Why do you think Jamie wants to become a photographer?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P15-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. What news station did Lewis Holton report for?
3. What would be the opposite of a “beautiful, mild weekend”?
4. How did the weather department’s secretary handle the complaints?
5. What is an antonym for the word bogus?
6. What factors help determine the weather?
7. What does irate mean?
8. How did Lewis feel about the phone call?
9. What do cirrus clouds indicate?
10. Why did Lewis make the weather prediction not very specific?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P16-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. What state did the narrator move to?
3. What was Dr. Sheldon Gomez’s nickname?
4. Who did the narrator initially think Sigmund was?
5. How did the narrator first encounter Sigmund?
6. Why do you think the narrator got to know Sigmund better?
7. What adjectives would you use to describe a Tudor style home/mansion?
8. What did Sigmund have in his laboratory?
9. What is the narrator’s opinion of mad scientists?
10. Would you want to befriend a mad scientist? Why or why not?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P17-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. In what city is Madam Zelda’s located?
3. What is said in this passage that lets you know that the shop is busy?
4. Where does Madam Zelda get her base chocolate from?
5. To what profession does the author compare Zelda’s skills?
6. What else does Zelda make besides candy?
7. What motivates Zelda to take such care in preparing her goods?
8. On what day of the week does Zelda prepare her peanut brittle?
9. Give an example of one of Zelda’s customers and the special product(s)
she prepares for them.
10. What are some words you would use to describe Madam Zelda? Support
two of your choices with examples from the passage.
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P18-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. Where does Martha live?
3. What type of extraterrestrial ‘life’ had been found previously?
4. Why do you think Martha laughed at the thought of aliens who could
communicate with humans?
5. How long had Martha been a scientist and an astronaut?
6. How did Martha find out she was going to be on the mission to the new
planet?
7. What does NASA stand for?
8. What does cavorting mean in this sentence:
“…her dogs…were cavorting around on the lawn.”?
9. How long will her mission be?
10. Would you like to go on this kind of a mission? Why/why not?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P19-8
1. What is the main idea of this passage?
2. How did Miguel learn how to cook?
3. Explain how good cooking can “soothe the soul”. Give an example from the
story.
4. Describe a mesa.
5. What important ingredients for cooking did Miguel’s grandmother teach him
about ?
6. How did Miguel and his grandmother care for the herbs they used in their
cooking?
7. What is Miguel’s current job?
8. When have you been flabbergasted?
9. Where did Miguel find his most rare spices?
10. What did Miguel believe was the real reason his meals were fantastic?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P20-8
1. What would be a good title for this passage?
2. What color characterizes the Monarch?
3. Why do the Monarchs migrate?
4. Where do they migrate?
5. Why does the author compare the butterflies to a bunch of orange fruit?
6. How long does the migration usually take?
7. What does strenuous mean?
8. What is the purpose of tracking the monarchs?
9. Why are the Monarchs described as “little miracles with wings”?
10. What other animal/insect do you find amazing? Why?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P21-8
1. What is the main idea of this passage?
2. What does Mr. Mooney boast about?
3. What animals did Mr. Mooney shampoo at the local zoo?
4. How did the walruses change their nature after they have been cleaned?
5. Why do the walruses get excited when they see a scrub brush?
6. What was Mr. Mooney’s most memorable job?
7. How did the tar get all over the peacocks?
8. What did the peacocks’ eyes reveal about them?
9. Why was it so difficult for Mr. Mooney to clean up the peacocks?
10. “Their beautiful plumage was black… “
What does the word plumage mean?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P22-8
1. What was this passage about?
2.
Where does the Dead Writer’s Society meet?
3. What was the weather like on this particular night?
4. Why did Sam slam a gavel onto the old, dead tree stump?
5. What kinds of things did the Dead Writer’s Society discuss at their
meetings?
6.
Why did Judd choose to sit with the moon behind him?
7.
How did the members of the society feel about Shakespeare?
8.
After several hours of talking, what caused the meeting to come to an
end?
9.
How old to you think the members of the Dead Writer’s Society might be?
How do you know?
10. “…members may speak about anything relevant that comes to mind.”
What does relevant mean?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P23-8
1. What was this passage about?
2. What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
3. Why is the outside of the building deceiving?
4. What appears to guard the building and all who enter?
5. What other works of art greet visitor as they arrive?
6. What types of art will visitors find in the Impressionist gallery?
7. What image does the author create with the phrase “…the Museum of
Modern Art continues to reel its guests in.”
8. What interesting artifacts from the Far East would you most enjoy seeing?
Why?
9. “A Samurai sword once as sharp as a dragon’s fang rests against a wall
behind glass.” How does the author use imagery in this sentence?
10 “A marble fountain, embellished with nymphs, angels, and exotic flora
and fauna…” What does embellished mean?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P24-8
1.
What would be a good title for this story?
2.
When did Winifred fall through the trapdoor?
3.
Why wasn’t Winifred watching where she was going?
4.
Why did Winifred do poorly on her test?
5. What distracted Winifred just before she fell through the sidewalk?
6. What was Daydream Land like?
7. Who was speaking to Winifred in Daydream Land?
8. Why do you think Winifred deserved to be in Daydream land?
9. What does giant Miss Pinch have planned for Winifred in Daydream Land?
10. “I must be hallucinating,” I said to myself quietly. What does hallucinating
mean?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P25-8
1. What is the main idea of this passage?
2. Where does the story take place?
3. Where is Peter going to work?
4. How is Peter feeling in this story?
Why?
5. How did Peter apply for the job in Montana?
6. When did Peter find out that he had the job?
7. What would his friends think if he quit the job now?
8. What had Peter been doing to pass the time on the train?
9. What made Peter decide that his summer in Montana wouldn’t be so bad
after all?
10.
“Peter was ecstatic!” What does ecstatic mean?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P26-8
1. What was this passage about?
2. In what department did Professor Chin teach?
3. What did Professor Chin’s classroom contain?
4. How did the students feel about Professor Chin?
5. What did Professor Chin look like?
6. Why do you think Professor Chin’s English was halting?
7. What made Professor Chin’s lectures so interesting to his
students?
8. Why did the students enjoy visiting Professor Chin at all hours?
9. What qualities do you think made Professor Chin the most popular
teacher?
10. “…it intrigued all of them.” What does intrigued mean?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P27-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. What does beckoned mean?
3.
What season did this story take place?
4. Name two things the frog promised the princess if she kissed
him.
5. What did the princess ask the frog to give to her if she kissed
him?
6. Was the princess a beautiful princess?
7. Was the frog able to grant the princess her wish?
8. Do you think the frog was honest with the princess? How do you
know?
9. What does eloquently mean?
10. Do you think this princess is a good princess? Why?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P28-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. How many people went on the camping trip?
3. Describe the setting where they were camping.
4. While camping, what did the girls celebrate?
5. What chased the girls into the cabin during their celebration?
6. What did the girls do when settled into the cabin?
7. What frightened the girls?
8. What was the raccoon after?
9. What does cowered mean?
10. Why do you think the girls were so scared?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P29-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. How did the students earn a reward party?
3. Name two things the students did to help make the party happen.
4. What was the video about, that the students voted to watch?
5. What did Mrs. Larson have to do before she could let the children
view the movie?
6. During the party, what happened after Mrs. Larson started the
video?
7. What did Mrs. Larson yell when she turned on the lights?
8. Would you like to have Mrs. Larson as a teacher?
9. What did the students think happened to the movie video?
10. What does at the peak of complaints mean?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P30-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. What was causing the cold draft around Gilda ankles?
3. How did Gilda discover the long dark tunnel?
4. What happened to Gilda’s supply of soap?
5. How did Gilda end up in the tunnel?
6. Describe the cave Gilda found.
7. Gilda smelled a horrible odor, where was it coming from?
8. What does mucking out mean?
9. What did Gilda see at the end of the path?
10. What does rancid mean?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P31-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. Name two things that make the fall the buy season at the orchard.
3. What does the term year-round maintenance mean?
4. Name one thing Tyler uses to prune the trees?
5. Why must a person be very careful in pruning apple trees?
6. Why are bees important to an orchard?
7. What does adequate mean?
8. Do you think Tyler liked being an apple grower? Why?
9. What did Tyler hope to do in the future?
10. What does abundance mean?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P32-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. What does cragged mean?
3. What does crimson mean?
4. Name a type of tree the pair collect leaves from.
5. Describe where the Grandfather lives.
6. Why do the cows follow the Grandfather and grandson?
7. What do they do with the leaves they collect?
8. During what season does this story take place?
9. Why does the Grandfather put bells around the cows’ necks?
10. Where does the young boy live?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
P33-8
1. What is this passage about?
2. Why did they call the pirate, “Peg-leg” Thomas?
3. What is a skiff?
4. They called the rock “Friar Rock”, What is a friar?
5. Where did the pirates find the treasure?
6. How did the pirates open the trunks?
7. What was in the trunks?
8. What tells us that the captain was very determined to find the
treasure?
9. What was the name of the island?
10. How have you ever heard of Treasure Island?