Generation Date: 12/08/2014
Generated By: Cheryl Shelton
Title: 4th grade Blizzard Bag ELA 3
adapted from Molly Moon Stops the World
by Georgia Byng
Davina Nuttel sat in the back of her limousine. She was reading about herself in a
magazine. Her chubby face smiled out from the page.
“Child superstar Davina Nuttel,” she read, “is back on Broadway in the hit show Stars
on Mars. Surprise newcomer Molly Moon quit the part and left New York. Miss Nuttel
was the next choice for the lead.” Davina was sick of Molly Moon’s name being said in
the same sentence as hers. She didn't like that bug-eyed, skinny Molly Moon.
“Stop at the ice cream parlor on Madison,” she snapped at her driver.
He nodded and moved his way across four lanes of noisy New York traffic.
Davina was rattled. She needed some sweet ice cream. It had been a bad day at the
Broadway Theater where she was practicing a new Stars on Mars song. To start, she’d
had a sore throat and couldn’t hit the high notes. Then there was the terrible event that
had upset her. Davina scraped her nail down the leather seat. She didn’t often need her
parents, but tonight she was glad they would be home for once.
How dare that weird businessman barge in, uninvited, to her dressing room? And
what nerve to suppose that she would want to advertise his ugly line of Fashion House
clothes. Didn’t he know he should talk to her agent?
...
Happiness House was the orphanage where Molly lived. Molly Moon had been left
on its doorstep in a Moon’s Marshmallows box when she was a baby. That’s how she
got her name. The children’s home had been called Hardwick House until recently. Just
before Christmas, Molly had been dealt a life-changing card. In the Briersville town
library, she’d found an old leather-bound book. It was called The Book of Hypnotism by
Dr. Logan. It had changed Molly’s life. She learned the book’s secrets. She’d discovered
she had powerful hypnotic skills. Soon after, Molly left the orphanage for New York. She
brought the orphanage pug, Petula, with her. She’d used hypnotism to get the starring
role in a Broadway musical called Stars on Mars. Molly had fooled hundreds of people.
She’d made lots of money. A crook called Professor Nockman had discovered her
secret. Molly then returned to the orphanage. She used her money to make it a happier
place for children.
If she’d stayed with her career in New York, she might have been on the cover of
“Welcome to My World.” Her hypnotic talent could have taken her to the very top.
Instead, she’d given up her life of fame and wealth. She had come home to be with her
friends and family. Now, she was only special in an ordinary way.
1. How are Davina Nuttel and Molly Moon different?
A. Molly is chubby and loud; Davina is skinny and quiet.
B. Molly loves making ice cream; Davina does not.
C. Molly has special hypnotic talent; Davina does not.
D. Molly rides in a limousine; Davina lives in an orphanage.
2. How do Davina Nuttel and Molly Moon act differently?
A. Davina acts kind; Molly acts angry.
B. Davina acts happy; Molly acts snobbish.
C. Davina acts sad; Molly acts happy.
D. Davina acts spoiled; Molly acts giving.
3. How are Davina Nuttel and Molly Moon the same?
A. They both have drivers and nannies.
B. They both have a dog named Petula.
C. They both live in an orphanage.
D. They both starred in Stars on Mars.
Passage 1
Golf is a game that is played on 18 holes. A hole is made up of a tee, fairway, and
green. The object of the game is to hit a golf ball from the tee to the hole on the green in
the least amount of strokes possible.
Passage 2
The golf equipment consists of woods (some are made of metal), irons, and a putter.
Golfers have different combinations of these clubs according to their own needs. The
woods are used off the tee and for long fairway shots. As golfers get closer to the green,
they use irons. On the green, golfers use their putter.
4. How are these two passages different (contrast)?
A. Passage 1 is about the object of golf; passage 2 is about golf equipment.
B. Passage 1 is about sporting goods; passage 2 is about golf equipment.
C. Passage 1 is about the object of golf; passage 2 is about all sporting goods.
D. Passage 1 is about sports in general; passage 2 is about a specific sport.
Passage 1
Rain fell that night, a fine, whispering rain. Many years later, Meggie had only to
close her eyes, and she could still hear it, like tiny fingers tapping on the windowpane. A
dog barked somewhere in the darkness, and however often she tossed and turned,
Meggie couldn't get to sleep.
The book she had been reading was under her pillow, pressing its cover against her
ear as if to lure her back into its printed pages. "I'm sure it must be very comfortable
sleeping with a hard, rectangular thing like that under your head," her father had teased
the first time he found a book under her pillow. "Go on, admit it, the book whispers its
story to you at night."
"Sometimes, yes," Meggie had said. "But it only works for children." Which made Mo
tweak her nose. Mo. Meggie had never called her father anything else.
from Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Passage 2
Outside was war. I could hear the pop-pop-pop of the cannons.
Inside was the sewing room. Gray cloth forms of Mama's clients stood along one
wall, reminding me of the soldiers we saw on the streets outside, but without their
spiked helmets, of course, or their splendid blue tunics with the gold trim.
War! How exciting it was. Our own German soldiers from the Fifth Infantry Regiment
had swarmed into our sleepy little town, determined to take on the French who lived just
on the other side of the Rhine River.
And that sparkling river flowed so close to our front door I could have tossed a stone
from my window and seen the ripples it made in the water.
I didn't care two pins about our Otto von Bismarck and his determination to unite all
of Germany in this war. What difference could it possibly make to me?
from The House of Tailors by Giff Patricia Reilly
5. How are these two passages different?
A. In passage 1, the girl is afraid of the dark; in passage 2, the girl is afraid of the war.
B. In passage 1, the girl talks to the moon; in passage 2, the girl talks to Otto von Bismarck.
C. In passage 1, the girl disobeys her father; in passage 2, the girl disobeys her mother.
D.
In passage 1, the girl hears rain against a window; in passage 2, the girl hears cannons
firing.
6. How are these two passages alike?
A. They both talk about war.
B. They both give only facts.
C. They are both stories.
D. They both involve sewing.
Passage 1
One day, the hare bragged to the tortoise. "I run faster than anything," said the hare.
"You are the slowest thing ever!"
"Oh really?" asked the tortoise. "Let's race to the other side of the meadow."
The hare laughed. "You must be joking! Let's race!"
"Okay," the tortoise said. He started walking slowly and steadily across the meadow.
The hare laughed. "That slowpoke wants to race me!" he said. "I'll take a nap while he
plods along. When I wake up, he'll only be halfway there."
Later, the hare woke up. He saw that while he was sleeping, the tortoise had won the
race.
Passage 2
One day, a rabbit met a hungry lion. The lion backed the rabbit against a rock. She
couldn't run away.
The rabbit said, "I am so thin. I have had babies. I spend all day getting food for
them."
The lion laughed and moved closer.
"Wait!" yelled the rabbit. "I can get you something better! There is a piece of cheese
at the bottom of a well. Follow me!"
The lion followed her to the well. It looked like a piece of cheese was inside it. It was
the moon's reflection. The lion didn't know this. He leaned over the well to look at the
cheese. The rabbit pushed the lion in. "I am so clever," she thought and hopped home.
7. In passage 1, how are the tortoise and the hare different (contrast)?
A. The tortoise can run short distances faster than the hare can.
B. The hare is smarter than the tortoise and is good at tricking him.
C. The tortoise is slow and steady; the hare is quick and too confident.
D. The hare did not want to win the race as much as the tortoise did.
8. In what way are the hare and the lion the same (compare)?
A. The hare and the lion both come out winners.
B. The hare and the lion use their strength to win.
C. The lion and the hare are both outsmarted.
D. The hare and the lion are both smart and fast.
Passage 1
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War was a battle between France and Prussia. Prussia had
the support of German states to defeat France. The war was started by Otto von
Bismarck, the chancellor of Prussia. Bismarck wanted to unite the German Empire.
The war went on for less than a year. After the war, Germany became a very powerful
nation. The war was also important for World War I. It changed the history of Europe.
Passage 2
Memories of War
I didn't want the war to be over yet. School was closed, and I had all the time in
the world to play. I couldn't get out of the house or run around the backyard, but I
couldn't care less.
My parents were home all the time. Mom cooked till we ran out of food. Dad nailed
the windows till we ran out of wood. He didn't want us to see the bullet holes.
Dad told us stories, and Mom sang songs. We were hungry, but together and
happy. We all watched my little brother, Babu, as he jumped around the kitchen. We
took turns stopping him from pointing his toy gun at the soldiers outside. He thought
all guns were toys. I thought all wars were games.
9. How are these two passages alike?
A. Both are told by a child.
B. Both take place in a school.
C. They both describe Europe.
D. They both describe a war.
10. How are these two passages different?
A. Passage 1 is about German culture and food; passage 2 is about a French family.
B. Passage 1 is most likely from a history book; passage 2 is most likely from a story book.
C. Passage 1 is about how war affects people; passage 2 is about the history of guns.
D. Passage 1 is most likely a piece of fiction; passage 2 is most likely from a newspaper.