UNIT 3 WEEK 2
Read the passage “Pecos Bill and the Easy Job” before answering Numbers 1
through 5.
Pecos Bill and the Easy Job
Pecos Bill was the biggest, toughest, rowdiest cowboy in all the vast territories of
the West. Once he rode a wild, twisting tornado, clinging on despite the twister’s
wrath. In its fury, the tornado rained itself out. That rain formed the Grand
Canyon, by the way, so it is no surprise Bill reckoned himself equal to any
challenge the wide world could throw his way.
The only person who ever told Pecos Bill what to do was his girlfriend, Slue-Foot
Sue. Nearly as tall as Bill and just as tough, Sue once rode a giant catfish down the
Rio Grande River. She had a joyous laugh that echoed from the hills
and a heart full of kindness for every creature. She had won Bill’s love the first
time he met her.
Now, Sue had one thing that she loved almost as much as she loved Bill. It was a
sparkling diamond ring that had belonged to her mother. It was too small
to fit around even her pinky finger. So, she wore it on a delicate gold chain
around her neck.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
The day Sue lost her ring, her cry of anguish could be heard across state lines,
clear to the Illinois territory. Hearing the sound, Bill spurred his horse Lightning
to leap over the Grand Canyon. He hurried to Sue’s house at a full gallop to find
out what all the fuss was about.
“Don’t worry, Sue,” Bill consoled her when she showed him the broken chain.
“You know no problem is too big for Pecos Bill to solve.”
Full of confidence in his own strength, Bill crouched down and began to search
the floor for the ring. Scratching his head, he mumbled to himself, “I can’t see it
laying there. The thing must have hit the ground and rolled away…”
Just then, a ray of light picked out a crack at the base of the living room wall,
causing a bright spark that caught Bill’s eye. “Why, there you are, you sneaky
thing!” he cried in triumph. “Now I just have to work you out of that little space
you’ve gotten yourself into.”
Bill tried to reach into the crack, but his strong fingers were too thick to fit
through the tiny opening. Once again the ring caught the light, the diamond
seeming to wink as it sparkled. “Oh, now you’re just mocking me,” Bill grumbled.
GO ON
Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2
Grade 6
133
UNIT 3 WEEK 2
Bill shifted around and tried to force his fingers into the crack again, but still the
ring remained just out of reach. Now it seemed to him that the wall was refusing
its cooperation in his project of rescuing the ring. “If you won’t help me,” Bill told
the wall as he made a huge fist, “I’m prepared to smash you to pieces!”
“I don’t think Sue will thank you for breaking her house.”
Startled, Bill froze before his fist hit that stubborn old wall. A tiny gray mouse was
regarding him from a spot on the floor near the obstinate crack.
“I think I’m better suited to solve this problem than you are,” the mouse went on.
“A tiny mouse solving a problem that Pecos Bill can’t?” Bill’s scornful laugh
rattled the windows of the house and echoed in the nearby canyons. “Dream on,
little mouse.”
With the mouse watching patiently, Bill tried to coax the ring from the crack. He
proceeded to spend the rest of the day at it, but the ring remained indifferent to
his efforts. At last, as the sun went down in the darkening sky, Bill heaved a
mighty sigh. “Mouse,” he admitted in a low voice, “I’ve got to entrust you with my
Sue’s ring. Would you please slip into that crack and get it for me?”
And so the mouse retrieved the ring. “You don’t have to tell anyone I helped you,”
the mouse said kindly. “I won’t reveal that you couldn’t solve this problem on
your own.”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
But Pecos Bill’s honor was as big and wide as his
shoulders. “Mouse,” he replied, “you can tell the
world that you taught Pecos Bill a lesson in humility.
I reckon it’s something I needed to learn. As long as
you helped bring a smile back to my beloved Sue’s
face, I won’t be ashamed to admit that a little mouse
succeeded where I failed.”
GO ON
134
Grade 6
Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2
Name:
Date:
Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Pecos Bill and the
Easy Job.”
1
Read the excerpt from the text.
Once he rode a wild, twisting tornado, clinging on despite the twister’s
wrath. In its fury, the tornado rained itself out.
Which word in the excerpt indicates what the word wrath means?
A wild
B
clinging
C fury
D rained
2
This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part A: Which sentence summarizes the theme of the text?
A A strong person can always get the job done.
B
We all need help sometimes, even to do an easy job.
C A strong person always offers to help with a difficult job.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
D You need to find the right person to help with a difficult job.
Part B: Which event from the text best supports your answer in Part A?
A Bill asks the mouse to retrieve Sue’s ring.
B
The mouse promises to keep Bill’s secret.
C The mouse warns Bill not to smash the wall.
D Bill assures Sue that he can solve any problem.
GO ON
Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2
Grade 6
135
Name:
3
Date:
Read the excerpt from the text.
That rain formed the Grand Canyon, by the way, so it is no surprise Bill
reckoned himself equal to any challenge the wide world could throw
his way.
How does the excerpt support the theme of the text? Select two options.
A It describes why Bill’s horse is named Lightning.
B
It helps to show why Bill is eager to help Slue-Foot Sue.
C It explains why Bill is willing to accept help from a mouse.
D It explains why Bill believes he can solve any problem without help.
4
E
It describes why Bill’s fingers are too big to fit into the crack in the wall.
F
It helps to show why Bill is able to jump his horse over the Grand
Canyon.
This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part A: Read the paragraph from the text.
Startled, Bill froze before his fist hit that stubborn old wall. A tiny gray
mouse was regarding him from a spot on the floor near the obstinate crack.
Why is the crack described as obstinate in the text?
B
The crack is too angry to listen.
C The crack is watching Bill closely.
D The crack refuses to give up the ring.
Part B: Which word from the paragraph explains the meaning of obstinate?
A froze
B
stubborn
C regarding
D floor
GO ON
136
Grade 6
Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
A The crack is too small to see.
Name:
5
Date:
Pecos Bill and the mouse are similar in some ways and different in other ways .
Sort the descriptions in the box into the different categories in the chart. Write
all descriptions in the box for full credit.
Pecos Bill
Both
The Mouse
Descriptions:
Asks for help
Solves the problem
Tries to break the wall
Wants to solve the problem
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
Thinks he knows what to do
Gets into the crack in the wall
GO ON
Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2
Grade 6
137
UNIT 3 WEEK 2
Read the passage “From City Mouse to Country Mouse” before answering
Numbers 6 through 10.
From City Mouse to Country Mouse
Earl was a city mouse. Nestled in the warmth of his cozy mouse hole in a big
townhouse, he often reflected on his good fortune. When Earl was hungry, he
could scurry into the kitchen to find tasty morsels of gourmet cheese, bread, and
peanut butter. When he needed entertainment, he could explore the city, where
something interesting was always going on.
Earl would often brag to his cousin Louise, who lived out in the country. “You
really should live here and enjoy the comforts and excitement of the city,” he
would write in emails to her. But Louise was content with her life in the country
and declined the proposition.
Then one awful day, Earl’s comfortable lifestyle dramatically ended. Making his
way to the kitchen for a late night nibble, Earl found himself staring into the
hostile eyes of a large tabby cat. With a terrified squeak, Earl raced back to his
hole, barely escaping the cat’s hateful claws.
When Earl informed Louise of his situation, she immediately offered assistance.
“Come stay with me, at least for a while,” Louise emailed. “I know you consider
yourself a city mouse, but sometimes we have to change. If country life does not
suit you, at least you can be safe here for a while.”
He was an exhausted, rumpled mouse when he hopped down from the bus into
the countryside the next morning. The rural scene seemed hopelessly alien
to his urban eyes. Golden fields of wheat and corn stretched out in all directions,
and the sunlight was a harsh glare.
“Oh, poor Earl, you look so famished,” exclaimed Louise, who was waiting
for him. “I can’t imagine when the last time you ate was!”
They hurried to Louise’s mouse hole, where Earl rested and satisfied his hunger.
The next morning, he awoke feeling ready to confront his temporary new life
in the country. “I can face this,” he told himself, “for after all, I’m a city mouse!”
GO ON
138
Grade 6
Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
Earl resisted the idea for another week, but continuing his existence in the
townhouse was impossible, so he packed his bags and looked sadly around his
home. “I’ll always be a city mouse,” he vowed to himself, “and I’ll figure out a way
to come back.”
UNIT 3 WEEK 2
“Life in the country might not be as exciting as life in the city, but it’s really not
that bad,” Louise assured him. “In fact, you might love it here as much as I do.”
By lunchtime, Earl was convinced that life in the country was, in fact, that bad.
He had spent the morning in the hot sun helping Louise tend her tiny garden. He
was tired and sweaty and had blisters on his tender feet. When he finally took a
break, Earl nibbled on a corn kernel and took in his surroundings. Instead of the
bustle of the city, he heard nothing but the sound of the wind softly blowing
through the wheat stalks.
The afternoon was devoted to gathering seeds in the farm fields. It was hard
work, but Earl noticed something remarkable happening. As he worked his way
through the dappled shade of the wheat stalks, his mind began to quiet. He
noticed the musical chirping of the crickets and the way the sunlight danced on
the surface of a puddle in the field.
At the end of the day, Louise led Earl to the top of a low hill. A sort of expectant
quiet spread over the surrounding fields. What were he and Louise waiting for?
Silently, she pointed west at the lowering sun. As Earl watched, the sky gradually
painted itself in glorious pinks, reds, and oranges. The two mice watched the
colors change until the sun set below the horizon, and with a start, Earl realized
he had not thought of his home in the city for hours.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
Several weeks later, as Louise and Earl sat down to dinner at her tiny kitchen
table, Earl explained to his cousin that he was going to move out. She inquired
whether he was planning to move back to the city and seek a new home there.
“And give up the country? Never!” replied Earl. “I may have been a city mouse
back then, but I’m a country mouse now!”
GO ON
Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2
Grade 6
139
Name:
Date:
Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “From City Mouse to
Country Mouse.”
6
This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part A: Read the paragraph from the text.
Then one awful day, Earl’s comfortable lifestyle dramatically ended. Making
his way to the kitchen for a late night nibble, Earl found himself staring into
the hostile eyes of a large tabby cat. With a terrified squeak, Earl raced back
to his hole, barely escaping the cat’s hateful claws.
What does the word hostile mean in the paragraph?
A very unfriendly
B
welcoming
C frightened
D
very big
Part B: Which word from the text best shows the meaning of hostile?
A comfortable
B
large
C tabby
7
hateful
Which events best develop the theme of the text? Select two events.
A Earl meets a cat in the townhouse.
B
Louise invites Earl to stay in the country.
C Earl begins to notice the crickets chirping.
D
Louise tends to her tiny garden in the country.
E
Earl works all day in the garden and the fields.
F
Louise and Earl watch the sun set from the hilltop.
GO ON
140
Grade 6
Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
D
Name:
8
Date:
This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part A: Which sentence best summarizes the theme of the passage?
A Once you leave home, you can never go back.
B
People can learn to appreciate simple pleasures.
C People can change in ways that may surprise them.
D From time to time, we all need help solving problems.
Part B: Which sentence from the passage best develops the theme?
A “‘You really should live here and enjoy the comforts and excitement
of the city,’ he would write in emails to her.”
B
“‘I know you consider yourself a city mouse, but sometimes we have
to change.’”
C “‘I’ll always be a city mouse,’ he vowed to himself, ‘and I’ll figure out
a way to come back.’”
D “‘Life in the country might not be as exciting as life in the city, but it’s
really not that bad,’ Louise assured him.”
9
Read the excerpt from the text.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
A sort of expectant quiet spread over the surrounding fields. What were he
and Louise waiting for?
Which word in the excerpt helps the reader understand what expectant
means?
A quiet
B
surrounding
C fields
D waiting
GO ON
Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2
Grade 6
141
Name:
10
Date:
Read the paragraphs from the text. Circle the paragraph that best supports
the theme.
He was an exhausted, rumpled mouse when he hopped down from the bus
into the countryside the next morning. The rural scene seemed hopelessly
alien to his urban eyes. Golden fields of wheat and corn stretched out in all
directions, and the sunlight was a harsh glare.
“Oh, poor Earl, you look so famished,” exclaimed Louise, who was waiting
for him. “I can’t imagine when the last time you ate was!”
They hurried to Louise’s mouse hole, where Earl rested and satisfied his
hunger. The next morning, he awoke feeling ready to confront his
temporary new life in the country. “I can face this,” he told himself, “for
after all, I’m a city mouse!”
...
By lunchtime, Earl was convinced that life in the country was, in fact, that
bad. He had spent the morning in the hot sun helping Louise tend her tiny
garden. He was tired and sweaty and had blisters on his tender feet. When
he finally took a break, Earl nibbled on a corn kernel and took in his
surroundings. Instead of the bustle of the city, he heard nothing but the
sound of the wind softly blowing through the wheat stalks.
STOP
142
Grade 6
Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
The afternoon was devoted to gathering seeds in the farm fields. It was hard
work, but Earl noticed something remarkable happening. As he worked his
way through the dappled shade of the wheat stalks, his mind began to
quiet. He noticed the musical chirping of the crickets and the way the
sunlight danced on the surface of a puddle in the field.
Name:
Date:
Now answer Number 11. Base your answer on “Pecos Bill and the Easy Job” and
“From City Mouse to Country Mouse.”
What key events happen in “Pecos Bill and the Easy Job” and “From City Mouse
to Country Mouse”? How do the characters solve the problems they face?
Support your answer with evidence from both texts.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
11
Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2
Grade 6
143