Mumbo Jumbo
Fictional News Articles + Assessments
ROBOT BAND TOPS CHARTS
ASSESSMENT QUESTION ANSWERS
1
2
3
4
5
Robot Band Tops Charts
C
D
D
B
C
ROBOT BAND TOPS CHARTS
ROBOT BAND TOPS CHARTS
Topping the popular music charts, these
days, is a new band—with musicians who are
not even human. In fact, the members of the
sensational rock group, Nuts and Bolts, aren’t
even alive! Nevertheless, these four robots
are making some of the trendiest tunes on
the market. To date, they've sold more than
six million downloads of their debut album,
Rusty Gears, in the United States alone. They
have also sold out months of concert dates,
in advance, and are in talks to star in their
very own television show.
You may remember Nuts and Bolts from
their breakout performance during last year’s
Superbowl Halftime Show. Ever since playing
their monster hit, “My CPU Broke My Heart,”
in front of such a large, live audience, Leroy,
Thomas, Albert, and Herbert haven’t had a
moment to rest. They have been in demand
everywhere their creator, Lee Yamazaki, has
taken them.
“Dude, these four robots have made me so
much freaking money, it’s unreal, dude,” said
Mr. Yamazaki. “I made Albert first. He was
put together out of spare parts, because I
wanted someone to teach me to play a guitar.
I was thinking at the time that a robot would
be the perfect teacher. Little did I know that
I’d be making a whole robot band, and that
they would, in turn, make me a millionaire.
Right now, I’m thinking about hiring someone
else to take this pile of scrap metal around to
their concert dates, so that I can just sit back
and cash the checks.”
An anonymous source at Mischief Music
Makers, the company that signed Nuts and
Bolts to an exclusive, multi-year deal, reports
that they are putting the finishing touches on
the band’s newest album. “It’s true. A new
set of songs will be released next month. I’ve
got to give all the credit to Herbert, the robot.
Without his talented song-writing ability, this
album wouldn’t be anywhere near complete.”
Topping the popular music charts, these
days, is a new band—with musicians who are
not even human. In fact, the members of the
sensational rock group, Nuts and Bolts, aren’t
even alive! Nevertheless, these four robots
are making some of the trendiest tunes on
the market. To date, they've sold more than
six million downloads of their debut album,
Rusty Gears, in the United States alone. They
have also sold out months of concert dates,
in advance, and are in talks to star in their
very own television show.
You may remember Nuts and Bolts from
their breakout performance during last year’s
Superbowl Halftime Show. Ever since playing
their monster hit, “My CPU Broke My Heart,”
in front of such a large, live audience, Leroy,
Thomas, Albert, and Herbert haven’t had a
moment to rest. They have been in demand
everywhere their creator, Lee Yamazaki, has
taken them.
“Dude, these four robots have made me so
much freaking money, it’s unreal, dude,” said
Mr. Yamazaki. “I made Albert first. He was
put together out of spare parts, because I
wanted someone to teach me to play a guitar.
I was thinking at the time that a robot would
be the perfect teacher. Little did I know that
I’d be making a whole robot band, and that
they would, in turn, make me a millionaire.
Right now, I’m thinking about hiring someone
else to take this pile of scrap metal around to
their concert dates, so that I can just sit back
and cash the checks.”
An anonymous source at Mischief Music
Makers, the company that signed Nuts and
Bolts to an exclusive, multi-year deal, reports
that they are putting the finishing touches on
the band’s newest album. “It’s true. A new
set of songs will be released next month. I’ve
got to give all the credit to Herbert, the robot.
Without his talented song-writing ability, this
album wouldn’t be anywhere near complete.”
REVIEW QUESTIONS
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What is an antonym for trendiest, a word
as used in the first paragraph?
1. What is an antonym for trendiest, a word
used in the first paragraph?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Most popular.
Hippest.
Most unfashionable.
Coolest.
A
B
C
D
2. What literary device is used in the name
of the company that signed the band to a
multi-year deal?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A
B
A
C
B
C
D
2. What literary device is used in the name
of the company that signed the band to a
multi-year deal?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Personification.
Onomatopoeia
Rhyme.
Alliteration.
Most popular.
Hippest.
Most unfashionable.
Coolest.
D
Personification.
Onomatopoeia
Rhyme.
Alliteration.
A
B
C
D
3. Why did Lee Yamazaki make the first of
his robots?
3. Why did Lee Yamazaki make the first of
his robots?
A. He was trying to make robots that could
help him take over the world.
B. He was trying to make robots that could
make him breakfast.
C. He was trying to make a robot that could
be his bodyguard and protect him from
his enemies.
D. He was trying to make a robot that could
help him learn to play the guitar.
A. He was trying to make robots that could
help him take over the world.
B. He was trying to make robots that could
make him breakfast.
C. He was trying to make a robot that could
be his bodyguard and protect him from
his enemies.
D. He was trying to make a robot that could
help him learn to play the guitar.
A
B
C
D
4. Which of the below titles could logically
replace the one chosen by the author for
this article?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Robot Band Goes Crazy On Stage.
Robot Band Makes Creator Millionaire.
Robot Band Breaks Up.
Robot Band Arrested for Murder.
A
B
C
D
A
B
C
D
4. Which of the below titles could logically
replace the one chosen by the author for
this article?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Robot Band Goes Crazy On Stage.
Robot Band Makes Creator Millionaire.
Robot Band Breaks Up.
Robot Band Arrested for Murder.
A
B
C
D
5. Which of the following statements about
the article is true?
5. Which of the following statements about
the article is true?
A. According to a source at Mischief Music
Makers, Albert is a great song writer.
B. Nuts and Bolts performed the song Rusted
Gears at last year’s Superbowl halftime.
C. The band members of Nuts and Bolts
might star in their own television show.
D. There were five members of Nuts and
Bolts, until one robot exploded on stage
during a concert.
A. According to a source at Mischief Music
Makers, Albert is a great song writer.
B. Nuts and Bolts performed the song Rusted
Gears at last year’s Superbowl halftime.
C. The band members of Nuts and Bolts
might star in their own television show.
D. There were five members of Nuts and
Bolts, until one robot exploded on stage
during a concert.
A
B
C
D
A
B
C
D
Overview of MUMBO JUMBO:
Give your students a quick laugh and teach important reading comprehension skills, in unison! Mumbo Jumbo
Fictional News Articles give you the opportunity to do just that, with their humorous content, and corresponding
assessment questions. Our library of unique fictional news articles is a superb way to give your students more
practice with comprehending text in a informational text style of writing, that nonetheless is still fictional in terms
of content. Each article prints two-per-page, with multiple-choice assessment questions on the reverse side.
Readability Level:
This free sample of Mumbo Jumbo has a 660L level of readability. If you are unfamiliar with Lexile levels, here is a
readability conversion chart that shows approximately with which grade levels it is best used:
Grade Level
Lexile
Guided Reading
DRA
Reading Recovery
K
BR-100L
A-B
A, 1-3
A, B, 1-3
1
0L-300L
C-I
4-16
4-16
2
150L-450L
J-M
18-28
18-20
3
300L-650L
N-P
30-38
22-24
4
450L-800L
Q-S
40
26
5
550L-900L
T-V
40-50
28
6
650L-1000L
W-Y
N/A
30
7
700L-1050L
Z
N/A
32
8
800L-1100L
Z
N/A
34
As you can see, this free sample is best utilized with students in grades 3-6. However, depending on the ability of
your students, you can still use this text in higher/lower grades too. We always stress not putting too much weight
on readability levels. They are a great starting point for selecting text for your students. Yet, student interest level,
as well as a whole host of other factors, will determine whether or not the text is actually readable.
Common Core Alignment:
This story and assessment addresses multiple standards in the Reading Informational Text strand of the Common
Core State Standards for your grade level, including RI.1, RI.2, RI.3, RI.4, RI.5, and RI.10. Yet, these materials may
apply to more of the standards. Please reference the standards directly for additional correlation.
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