Teacher Guide for FAST-R Passage: The Skirt
FAST-R: Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading
At a Glance
Approximate
Grade Range:
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Topic: Miata’s Friday afternoon is ruined when she forgets her
special folklórico skirt on the bus; this scene expands on
and her feelings with vivid description.
Author: Gary Soto
Source: The Skirt (1992)
Special Note: Used on G4 MCAS 2001
Read this selection about a girl who forgot something important on
the school bus and faces a big problem. Answer the questions that
follow.
The Skirt
By Gary Soto
1 After stepping off the bus, Miata Ramirez turned around
and gasped, “Ay!” The school bus lurched, coughed a puff of
stinky exhaust, and made a wide turn at the corner. The driver
strained as he worked the steering wheel like the horns of a bull.
Miata yelled for the driver to stop. She started running after the
bus. Her hair whipped against her shoulders. A large book bag
tugged at her arm with each running step, and bead earrings
jingled as they banged against her neck.
2
“My skirt!” she cried loudly. “Stop!”
3
She had forgotten her folklórico skirt. It was still on the bus.
Realistic Fiction
Difficulty Index: Considerate . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
Structure:
Purpose:
Richness:
Relationships:
Vocabulary:
Style:
Lexile Measure: 690L
Richness: This exerpt from Gary Soto’s The Skirt is rich
in details and descriptive language that help characterize
Miata and her mother.
Taken together, details throughout the text build the
reader’s understanding of [Miata’s forgetfulness] how
important the folklórico skirt is to Miata & her family.
See especially: Questions 3, 6, 7, 8, 9
Style: This is the only simile in this excerpt, but
Soto’s vivid descriptions call on the reader to visualize
throughout the text.
See especially: Questions 1, 2, 6, 7, 8
…
4 “Please stop!” Miata yelled as she ran after the bus. Her legs
kicked high and her lungs burned from exhaustion.
5 She needed that skirt. On Sunday after church she was
going to dance folklórico. Her troupe had practiced for three
months. If she was the only girl without a costume, her parents
would wear sunglasses out of embarrassment. Miata didn’t want
that.
6 The skirt had belonged to her mother when she was a child
in Hermosillo, Mexico. What is Mom going to think? Miata
asked herself. Her mother was always scolding Miata for losing things. She lost combs, sweaters, books, lunch money, and
homework. One time she even lost her shoes at school. She had
left them on the baseball field where she had raced against two
boys. When she returned to get them, the shoes were gone.
7 Worse, she had taken her skirt to school to show off. She
wanted her friends to see it. The skirt was old, but a rainbow of
shiny ribbons still made it pretty. She put it on during lunchtime
and danced for some of her friends. Even a teacher stopped to
watch.
Vocabulary: Though the text contains several potentially
unfamiliar words (lurched, folklórico, exhaustion,
troupe), a close read provides adequate clues to infer
the meaning in most cases.
See especially: Q5
Relationships: The relationship between Miata and her
mother is characterized through the many instances
when Miata thinks about her mother’s perception of
her (marked in text). These references are increasingly
subtle in the later paragraphs of the excerpt.
The relationship between Miata and the skirt is colored
by Miata’s relationship with her mother.
See especially: Questions 6, 7, 8, 9
Continued on next page
The passage text by Gary Soto is from The Skirt. Copyright © 1992 by Gary Soto. Illustration by Eric Velasquez. Copyright © 1992 by Eric Velasquez. Some questions were drawn or adapted from the G4
MCAS Spring 2001 test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.
8 What am I going to do now? Miata asked herself. She
slowed to a walk. Her hair had come undone. She felt hot and
sticky.
9 She could hear the bus stopping around the corner. Miata
thought of running through a neighbor’s yard. But that would
only get her in trouble.
10 “Oh, man,” Miata said under her breath. She felt like
throwing herself on the ground and crying. But she knew that
would only make things worse. Her mother would ask, “Why
do you get so dirty all the time?”
…
11 What am I going to do now? she asked herself. She prayed
that Ana [her friend] would find the skirt on the bus. She’s got
to see it, Miata thought. It’s right there. Just look, Ana.
12 As Miata rounded the corner onto her block she saw her
brother, Little Joe, and his friend Alex. They were walking with
cans smashed onto the heels of their shoes, laughing and pushing each other. Their mouths were fat with gum.
13 Little Joe waved a dirty hand at Miata. Miata waved back
and tried to smile.
…
14 If Ana doesn’t pick up the skirt, she thought, I’ll have to
dance in a regular skirt. It was Friday, late afternoon. It looked
like a long weekend of worry.
Open Response Prompt: The selection ends with the
statement, “It looked like a long weekend of worry.”
Explain this statement, using specific information from
the selection in your answer.
Spotlight On: Gary Soto
Gary Soto (1952-) grew up in a Chicano district of Fresno,
CA. His father died in a factory accident when he was five, so he
spent most of his childhood working to support his family.
Despite his limited education, Soto went on to attend
California State University at Fresno, and it was there that he fell
in love with writing. His work, which now includes over 30 books,
draws heavily on his experiences as a Mexican American growing
up amidst poverty.
The passage text by Gary Soto is from The Skirt. Copyright © 1992 by Gary Soto. Illustration by Eric Velasquez. Copyright © 1992 by Eric Velasquez. Some questions were drawn or adapted from the G4
MCAS Spring 2001 test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.
Teacher Guide for FAST-R Passage: The Skirt
FAST-R: Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading
Realistic Fiction
The annotated answer key below highlights common reasons why students might choose each answer, and the sidebar gives
more insight into the question types, to help you understand patterns of student responses. Always make time to follow up with
students in conferences or small groups to probe their thinking, teach in response to patterns, and help them apply effective reading
and thinking strategies to their everyday reading.
Note: You may find it helpful to refer to the “Types and Levels of Thinking Assessed on FAST-R” sheet from your teacher
resource folder as you examine your students’ responses. The icon in the right-hand column, below, corresponds to that sheet’s
more detailed explanations of the kinds of thinking each type of question asks of readers.
1. In the first paragraph, when the author states that the bus driver “. . . worked
the steering wheel like the horns of a bull,” he means that
A. like a bull’s horns, the steering wheel was sharp. (OOP2)
B. like being a cowboy, being a school bus driver is a hard job. (OOP2)
 C. like a bull, the bus is hard to control.
D. like a bull’s horns, the bus makes loud noises. (OOP2)
MI1: Determine implicit
meaning from words in
context
2. The comparison in paragraph one “. . . worked the steering wheel like the
horns of a bull,” is an example of
A. a synonym. (OOB)
 B. a simile.
C. dialect. (OOB)
D. homophone. (OOB)
MI5: Determine meaning
by using an understanding
of literary concepts
3. Why did Miata gasp, “Ay!” after she stepped off the bus?
A.The bus exhaust made it hard to breathe. (OOP1, ¶1)
B. She was breathless from running. (OOP1, ¶4)
 C. She realized she had left her skirt on the bus.
D. She had to hurry to dancing practice. (OOP2, ¶5)
MI1: Determine implicit
meaning from words in
context
4. How does the author show that the word folklórico is from a language other
than English?
 A. by putting it in italics
B. by including it in a paragraph about dancing (OOP1, ¶5)
C. by giving context clues to what it means (OOP1, ¶5)
D. by repeating it several times throughout the story (OOP1, ¶5)
MI5: Determine meaning
by using an understanding
of literary concepts
5. Based on the clues in paragraph 5, what is the best definition of the word
“troupe”?
A. a type of dance (OOP1, ¶5)
 B. a group of dancers
C. a fancy skirt to wear to church (OOP2, ¶5)
D. an embarassing mistake (OOB)
MI1: Determine implicit
meaning from words in
context
The passage text by Gary Soto is from The Skirt. Copyright © 1992 by Gary Soto. Illustration by Eric Velasquez. Copyright © 1992 by Eric Velasquez. Some questions were drawn or adapted from the G4
MCAS Spring 2001 test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.
Grades 4-5 • Fiction • “ The Skirt”
6. Paragraph 5 begins, “She needed that skirt.” Why couldn’t Miata wear a regular
skirt for her folklórico dance?
A. She had lost all her other skirts. (OOP2, ¶6)
B. Her other skirts were with her mother in Hermosillo, Mexico. (OOP2, ¶6)
C. Her mother would punish her by not letting her dance. (OOB)
 D. It would be too embarassing to be the only dancer not wearing a costume.
FE2: Recognize the
explicit meaning from
varied wording in the text
7. Why did Miata take the skirt to school?
 A. She wanted to show it off to her friends.
B. She was in a class play. (OOB)
C. It was her day for “show and tell.” (OOB)
D. Ana had asked to borrow it. (OOP2, ¶11)
FE1: Identify evidence
explicitly stated in the text
8. Which detail is evidence that Miata has been forgetful in the past?
A. She yelled for the bus driver to stop. (OOP1, ¶4)
B. Her troupe had practiced for three months. (OOP1, ¶5)
 C. She had lost combs, sweaters, books, lunch money, and homework.
D. She felt like throwing herself on the ground and crying. (OOP1, ¶10)
MI1: Determine implicit
meaning by understanding
the organization of
information in the text
9. Why did Miata decide not to throw herself on the ground and cry?
 A. Her mother would be even more upset if she came home dirty.
B. She wanted to catch the bus. (OOP1, ¶1-4)
C. She didn’t want to get her special skirt dirty. (OOP2)
D. She knew it would embarass her parents. (OOP1, ¶5, ¶10)
FE2: Recognize the
explicit meaning from
varied wording in the text
10. Based on the clues in the story, what is Miata most likely to do next?
A. keep running after the bus (OOP1, ¶1-4)
B. wear sunglasses out of embarassment (OOP2, ¶5)
 C. ask Ana if she picked up the skirt from the bus
D. go home and make a new skirt (OOB)
MI4: Determine new
meaning and apply it
beyond the passage
The passage text by Gary Soto is from The Skirt. Copyright © 1992 by Gary Soto. Illustration by Eric Velasquez. Copyright © 1992 by Eric Velasquez. Some questions were drawn or adapted from the G4
MCAS Spring 2001 test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.
FAST-R
+
Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading
Name
“The Skirt” • Realistic fiction
Date
Teacher/Class
Read this selection about a girl who forgot something important on the school bus and faces a big problem. Answer the questions that follow.
The Skirt
By Gary Soto
1 After stepping off the bus, Miata Ramirez turned
around and gasped, “Ay!” The school bus lurched,
coughed a puff of stinky exhaust, and made a wide
turn at the corner. The driver strained as he worked the
steering wheel like the horns of a bull. Miata yelled for
the driver to stop. She started running after the bus. Her
hair whipped against her shoulders. A large book bag
tugged at her arm with each running step, and bead earrings jingled as they banged against her neck.
2 “My skirt!” she cried loudly. “Stop!”
3 She had forgotten her folklórico skirt. It was still on
the bus.
…
4 “Please stop!” Miata yelled as she ran after the bus.
Her legs kicked high and her lungs burned from exhaustion.
5 She needed that skirt. On Sunday after church she was
going to dance folklórico. Her troupe had practiced for
three months. If she was the only girl without a costume, her parents would wear sunglasses out of embarrassment. Miata didn’t want that.
6 The skirt had belonged to her mother when she was a
child in Hermosillo, Mexico. What is Mom going to think?
Miata asked herself. Her mother was always scolding
Miata for losing things. She lost combs, sweaters, books,
lunch money, and homework. One time she even lost her
shoes at school. She had left them on the baseball field
where she had raced against two boys. When she returned
to get them, the shoes were gone.
7 Worse, she had taken her skirt to school to show off.
She wanted her friends to see it. The skirt was old, but a
rainbow of shiny ribbons still made it pretty. She put it on
during lunchtime and danced for some of her friends. Even
a teacher stopped to watch.
Spotlight On: Gary Soto
Gary Soto (1952-) grew up in a Chicano
district of Fresno, CA. His father died in a
factory accident when he was five, so he spent
most of his childhood working to support his
family.
Despite his limited education, Soto went on
to attend California State University at Fresno,
and it was there that he fell in love with
writing. His work, which now includes over 30
books, draws heavily on his experiences as a
Mexican American growing up amidst poverty.
The passage text by Gary Soto is from The Skirt. Copyright © 1992 by Gary Soto. Illustration by Eric Velasquez. Copyright © 1992 by Eric Velasquez. Some questions were drawn or
adapted from the G4 MCAS Spring 2001 test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.
8 What am I going to do now? Miata asked herself. She slowed to a walk. Her
hair had come undone. She felt hot and sticky.
9 She could hear the bus stopping around the corner. Miata thought of running
through a neighbor’s yard. But that would only get her in trouble.
10 “Oh, man,” Miata said under her breath. She felt like throwing herself on
the ground and crying. But she knew that would only make things worse.
Her mother would ask, “Why do you get so dirty all the time?”
…
11 What am I going to do now? she asked herself. She prayed that Ana [her
friend] would find the skirt on the bus. She’s got to see it, Miata thought. It’s
right there. Just look, Ana.
12 As Miata rounded the corner onto her block she saw her brother, Little Joe,
and his friend Alex. They were walking with cans smashed onto the heels
of their shoes, laughing and pushing each other. Their mouths were fat with
gum.
13 Little Joe waved a dirty hand at Miata. Miata waved back and tried to smile.
…
14 If Ana doesn’t pick up the skirt, she thought, I’ll have to dance in a regular
skirt. It was Friday, late afternoon. It looked like a long weekend of worry.
The passage text by Gary Soto is from The Skirt. Copyright © 1992 by Gary Soto. Illustration by Eric Velasquez. Copyright © 1992 by Eric Velasquez. Some questions were drawn or
adapted from the G4 MCAS Spring 2001 test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.
FAST-R
+
Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading
Name
“The Skirt” • Fiction
Date
Teacher/Class
Directions: Answer the following multiple-choice questions by filling in the circle for the best answer
on your answer sheet.
1. In the first paragraph, when the author states that the bus driver “. . . worked the steering
wheel like the horns of a bull,” he means that
A. like a bull’s horns, the steering wheel was sharp.
B. like being a cowboy, being a school bus driver is a hard job.
C. like a bull, the bus is hard to control.
D. like a bull’s horns, the bus makes loud noises.
2. The comparison in paragraph one “. . . worked the steering wheel like the horns of a bull,” is an
example of
A. a synonym.
B. a simile.
C. dialect.
D. homophone.
3. Why did Miata gasp, “Ay!” after she stepped off the bus?
A.The bus exhaust made it hard to breathe.
B. She was breathless from running.
C. She realized she had left her skirt on the bus.
D. She had to hurry to dancing practice.
4. How does the author show that the word folklórico is from a language other than English?
A. by putting it in italics
B. by including it in a paragraph about dancing
C. by giving context clues to what it means
D. by repeating it several times throughout the story
5. Based on the clues in paragraph 5, what is the best definition of the word “troupe”?
A. a type of dance
B. a group of dancers
C. a fancy skirt to wear to church
D. an embarassing mistake
The passage text by Gary Soto is from The Skirt. Copyright © 1992 by Gary Soto. Illustration by Eric Velasquez. Copyright © 1992 by Eric Velasquez. Some questions were drawn or
adapted from the G4 MCAS Spring 2001 test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.
6. Paragraph 5 begins, “She needed that skirt.” Why couldn’t Miata wear a regular skirt for her
folklórico dance?
A. She had lost all her other skirts.
B. Her other skirts were with her mother in Hermosillo, Mexico.
C. Her mother would punish her by not letting her dance.
D. It would be too embarassing to be the only dancer not wearing a costume.
7. Why did Miata take the skirt to school?
A. She wanted to show it off to her friends.
B. She was in a class play.
C. It was her day for “show and tell.”
D. Ana had asked to borrow it.
8. Which detail is evidence that Miata has been forgetful in the past?
A. She yelled for the bus driver to stop.
B. Her troupe had practiced for three months.
C. She had lost combs, sweaters, books, lunch money, and homework.
D. She felt like throwing herself on the ground and crying.
9. Why did Miata decide not to throw herself on the ground and cry?
A. Her mother would be even more upset if she came home dirty.
B. She wanted to catch the bus.
C. She didn’t want to get her special skirt dirty.
D. She knew it would embarass her parents.
10. Based on the clues in the story, what is Miata most likely to do next?
A. keep running after the bus
B. wear sunglasses out of embarassment
C. ask Ana if she picked up the skirt from the bus
D. go home and make a new skirt
Open Response Prompt:
The selection ends with the statement, “It looked like a long weekend of worry.” Explain this
statement, using specific information from the selection in your answer.
The passage text by Gary Soto is from The Skirt. Copyright © 1992 by Gary Soto. Illustration by Eric Velasquez. Copyright © 1992 by Eric Velasquez. Some questions were drawn or
adapted from the G4 MCAS Spring 2001 test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.
Teachers: Please duplicate and use this answer sheet only for students for whom you did not receive a pre-printed answer sheet!
FAST-R Answer Sheet
Name
School Date
Grade
Class
Teacher Name
Passage Title
Completely fill the circle
for the correct answer.
1.
A
B
C
D
2.
A
B
C
D
3.
A
B
C
D
4.
A
B
C
D
5.
A
B
C
D
6. A
B
C
D
7.
A
B
C
D
8.
A
B
C
D
9.
A
B
C
D
10.
A
B
C
D
Write your answer to the open response prompt in the lined space below
if your teacher directs you to do so.
OFFICE USE ONLY
RESEARCH:
Y
N
OPEN RESPONSE: 1 2 3
4