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Accused
Reading Comprehension Short Stories

Directions: Read the story. Then answer the questions below.

Elizabeth was brooding in her room. She had sought asylum there since spurious gossip began circulating about her at Seagrove Academy last week. Not that Elizabeth had ever been considered a social butterfly. She preferred to live vicariously through the brazen stories of her friends: late night partying, fraternizing with boys, childish pranks. Still, she has taken to being more by herself than usual since the allegations surfaced. Up for consideration for the highly coveted Blauvelt Award, a scholarship recognizing academic integrity and promise, an anonymous student had given headmaster Billings the tip that Elizabeth had cheated on several tests thi s year. The accusations were laughable. Elizabeth had long been a stellar student at Seagrove. She lacked a natural intelligence - this was true. However, she more than made up for this deficit through diligence and perseverance. Still, the accusations had given the recommendation committee pause. Elizabeth had been called to Mr. Billings grand office on Friday and asked copious questions about her recent exams. The experience was quite traumatic. Seagrove is an elite school. Most of its students come from privileged backgrounds. This was not the case for Elizabeth. Her family had little money. She attended Seagrove on a full scholarship. The Blauvelt Award would help her family pay for college. So, it was with the same diligence with which she applied herself to her studies that Elizabeth planned to unmask her accuser. She opened the school directory on her bed and began combing through the names. Seagrove was such a small and insular community. Twenty-one kids would be in her graduating class. Elizabeth knew it was inevitable that the person spreading rumors about her would come to light. It was just a matter of time.

Questions:
1) What is another word for spurious? A. B. C. D. shameful ghastly hurtful untrue 2) However, she more than made up for this deficit through diligence and perseverance."
Choose the best way to paraphrase the above sentence.

A. Elizabeth knew she needed to work hard to get the Blauvelt Award. B. Any cheating Elizabeth did was only because she lacked natural intelligence. C. Hard work and dedication helped make up for Elizabeth's lack of natural intelligence. D. Mediocre studying and work habits did not keep Elizabeth from doing well in school.

3) Which of the following could best be described as brazen? A. A dog chases a cat up into a tree. B. A man walks his dog during the rain. C. A woman steps in front of a bus to get it to stop. D. A little girl wins the National Spelling Bee with hard work.

4) Why would cheating have likely knocked Elizabeth out of the running for the Blauvelt Award? A. Mr. Billings said this was the case. B. Awards cannot be given to cheaters. C. The award is based on academic integrity. D. Cheating would have meant the award could not be used for college.

5) How is Elizabeth different than many of her peers? A. B. C. D. She is diligent. She is honest. She is not wealthy. She likes to be alone.

6) What does the reader learn about the kind of school Seagrove Academy is? A. a school for gifted students B. a school with many wealthy students C. a school where many kids lie and cheat D. a large school where it is hard to get to know people

Questions (continued):
7) What does the reader learn about the student who accused Elizabeth of cheating?
Check all that are correct.

8) What is the best antonym for inevitable ? A. B. C. D. impossible unmistakable probable certain

A.

That student does not want

anyone to know who he or she is. B. That student is also a contender for the Blauvelt Award. C. That student is either lying or mistaken. D. That the student is a former friend of Elizabeth's. 9) Why is Elizabeth so sure that she will learn who has accused her of cheating? A. Her friends will help her. B. The community is so small. C. She thinks the person will come forward. D. She thinks it will be the recipient of the Blauvelt Award. 11) Who is the antagonist in this passage? A. B. C. D. Elizabeth Mr. Billings the anonymous student the recommendation committee

10) What was Elizabeth's first response to being accused? A. B. C. D. She became rabid. She became reclusive. She became vindicated. She became venerable.

12) Why is this award most likely so important to Elizabeth? A. B. C. D. It will prove she is smart. It will help her pay for college. It will make her parents proud. It will prove she did not cheat.