5th Grade ELAR Bridging Assessment, Block 1 Lesson 32 5.8A, 5.8/Fig.
19D
Some questions (c) 2014 by STAAR Test Maker.
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Friends to the Rescue
by Patricia White
Reprinted with permission from Highlights for Children, Inc.
1
Kate and Suli had been best friends for as long as they could remember. They
were both in Mr. Duffy's fifth-grade class this year, and they both took ballet lessons at
the Downtown Dance Studio. But the girls' main interest was horses.
2
Every day after school they were at Mr. Peterson's stable, where they would
watch as Mr. Peterson's niece Carolyn groomed the two horses, cleaned out their stalls,
and polished all the saddles and bridles in the tack room. Kate and Suli were never
happier than when Carolyn let them help her, pushing the wheelbarrow full of soiled
straw bedding out to the huge pile in the woods or climbing into the hayloft to throw
down the heavy, sweet-smelling bales of hay.
3
Star, the bay mare, was Suli's favorite, but Kate dreamed of riding Duke, the tall,
dapple-gray thoroughbred. On Saturdays, after Mr. Peterson had ridden Duke over
the jump course, he would let Kate unsaddle him and walk him until he was cooled
down. Kate often thought about how wonderful it would be to ride Duke herself. But
she knew she would never be brave enough to ask.
4
Late one Saturday afternoon Kate and Suli were walking home from the library,
each carrying the usual armload of horse stories. As they passed Mr. Peterson's, Kate
saw that one of the stable doors was open.
5
"Oh, Suli, look!" cried Kate. "Duke's door is open, and it doesn't look as if anyone is
home. He must have gotten loose!" The two friends raced toward the barn.
6
When they reached the stable, the girls were relieved to find Duke standing
quietly next to the tack-room door. Kate was about to go inside for a lead strap to take
him back to his stall when she realized why the gray gelding had stood so calmly when
they had run up to him. The tack-room door was open and Duke had his head inside.
He had knocked the lid off one of the grain barrels and was helping himself to the oats.
7
"Look at the mess he's made," exclaimed Suli. "Let's put him back in his stall and
clean this up." Suli snapped a lead strap onto Duke's halter and led him back to his
stall. In the meantime, Kate picked up the metal lid and was about to put it on the
grain barrel. She peered inside and noticed that the container was almost empty.
8
"What are you staring at?" asked Suli, coming back into the tack room.
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9
"This barrel is almost empty, Suli," said Kate. Her mind was racing. "Don't you
remember reading about horses getting sick when they eat too much grain? It's called
colic, and they can die from it. Suli, we have to do something!"
10 "Oh, Kate, he didn't look sick. He was just having a little snack," Suli said, trying to
persuade Kate to calm down.
11
But Kate had already run from the tack room and was opening the door to Duke's
stall. The big gray was lying on his side in the straw, making low groaning sounds.
When Kate came in, he climbed to his feet for a moment, but soon he went down again,
rolling in the straw.
12
"He sure looks as though he has a tummy ache now," Suli said as she came over to
her friend.
13
"Suli, we have to get help!"
14
Now Suli was beginning to feel frightened. "But no one is home. There's no car in
the driveway. What can we do?" Suli asked.
15
Kate tried to remember what she had read in the Horseowner's Handbook that
she had checked out of the library last week. What was the treatment for colic? Then
she remembered: "Keep the horse on its feet." If Duke were to lie down and roll, his
intestines could become twisted. That would be dangerous. Duke might even die.
16
"Run next door, Suli, and call Dr. Baker," Kate said. "We'll have to walk Duke until
he gets here."
17 Suli ran next door as fast as she could, while Kate urged Duke to get up. He just lay
there in the straw, his beautiful gray coat breaking out in sweat. She pulled on the lead
strap and called to him again.
18
"Please, Duke, you have to get up. Come on, boy!" Kate pleaded. Just then Duke
stretched out his long forelegs and struggled to his feet. Kate was able to coax him to
the door, and they began to walk slowly around the paddock.
19
Soon Suli came running up the path, trying to catch her breath. "He's coming! He's
on his way!" she shouted. "Dr. Baker says we're to keep walking Duke until he gets
here," she added.
20 On and on the girls walked the sick horse. Every once in a while he would stop and
try to lie down, but they were able to keep him moving. It was beginning to get dark
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when they saw the veterinarian's van pull into the driveway.
21
Dr. Baker hurried up the path with his large black bag. "OK, girls, bring him into
the stable, and we'll see what kind of shape he's in," he called to them.
22 Kate held Duke's lead strap, while Suli passed the doctor's medicine and
equipment to him. Soon the treatment was over and Duke was resting comfortably.
23 "You girls have done an excellent job," Dr. Baker began. Just then, Mr. Peterson's
car drove up. Seeing the stable lights on, he came quickly up the path. "Dr. Baker ...
girls ... what's wrong?" he asked, his voice full of concern.
24 "Your gray had a touch of colic, Bob. These young ladies did some quick thinking
and may have saved his life," Dr. Baker replied.
25 Without a word Mr. Peterson hurried to Duke's stall. When he saw that Duke
would be all right, he turned to Kate and Suli.
26 "I don't know how to thank you girls, except to say that I think you'll both make
fine horsewomen someday. And as soon as Duke is feeling up to it, I'll make sure you
both have a chance to ride him."
27
Suli looked at Kate and smiled. She knew her friend's dream was about to come
true.
From: Highlights, Vol. 36, Number 8, Issue No. 371 (Oct. 1981): Pgs. 4-5.
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1
Read this sentence from paragraph 27.
She knew her friend's dream was about to come true.
What mood does the author create at the end of the story by using this sentence?
A Excitement
B Anger
C
Curiosity
D Anxiety
2 Read these sentences from paragraph 2.
Kate and Suli were never happier than when Carolyn let them help her, pushing the
wheelbarrow full of soiled straw bedding out to the huge pile in the woods or climbing
into the hayloft to throw down the heavy, sweet-smelling bales of hay.
The author uses the description of the chores to show F
how much Kate and Suli dislike helping Carolyn
G
how much the girls enjoy taking care of horses
H that the smells of the hay are unpleasant
J
that the girls never get to help Carolyn
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