6th Grade Reading

Name
Date
Adult or Puppy?
Many people who would like to have a dog as a pet get a puppy.
There are many reasons why people get puppies. After all,
puppies are cute, friendly, and playful. But even though puppies
make good pets, there are good reasons why you should consider
getting an adult dog instead.
When you get a puppy, you have to teach it how to behave. You
have to make sure that the puppy is housebroken so that it does
not go to the bathroom inside the house. You have to teach the
puppy not to jump up on your guests or chew on your shoes. You
have to train the puppy to walk on a leash. This is a lot of work.
On the other hand, when you get an adult dog, there is a

good chance that it will already know how to do all of the previously mentioned things. Many
adult dogs have already been housebroken. Many adult dogs will not jump on or chew things
that you do not want them to jump on or chew. Many adult dogs will be able to walk on a leash
without pulling you to the other side of the street.
Puppies also have a lot of energy and want to play all of the time. This can be fun, but you might
not want to play as much as your puppy does. Puppies will not always sleep through the night or
let you relax as you watch television.
On the other hand, most adult dogs will wait on you to play. What is more, they will sleep when
you are sleeping and are happy to watch television on the couch right beside you.
There is one last reason why you should get an adult dog instead of a puppy. When most people
go to the pound to get a dog, they get a puppy. This means that many adult dogs spend a lot of
time in the pound, and some never find good homes. So if you are looking to have a dog as a pet,
you should think about getting an adult dog. They are good pets who need good homes.
1) Which of the following statements best describes the author's opinion of puppies?
A. They are undesirable pets because they take too much work to own.
B. They are cute and friendly but take a lot of work to own.
C. They are not as cute as adult dogs but are still nice to own.
D. They are not as playful as adult dogs but are still nice to own.
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2) In paragraph 2, which of the following is NOT mentioned as something you have to
teach a puppy?
A. how to act around guests
B. where to go to the bathroom
C. how to walk on a leash
D. how to perform tricks
3) Based on information in the passage, which of the following statements is FALSE?
A. Puppies have a lot of energy.

B. Puppies need a lot of attention.
C. Adult dogs do not like to play.
D. Adult dogs do not eat very much.
4) The author begins paragraphs 3 and 5 with the phrase, "On the other hand." This phrase is
used to
A. highlight an example
B. contrast previous information
C. contradict a later statement
D. support the upcoming paragraph
5) In the final paragraph, the author says, "...many adult dogs spend a lot of time in the pound,
and some never find good homes." Based on what you have read in the passage, why is this
most
likely the case?
A. People see adult dogs as unhappy and dangerous, while they see puppies as cute
and friendly.
B. People understand that most adult dogs still need to a lot of training before they
understand how to behave properly.
C. People think that puppies are cute and playful and do not always think about how much
work it will take to train them.
D. People do not want to get a dog that does not have much time left to live.
6) Based on information in the passage, it can be understood that someone who owns a puppy
must be
A. strict
B. serious
C. careful
D. responsible
7) The author of this passage describes many reasons why adult dogs make better pets
than puppies. In your own words, summarize the author’s main arguments below.
Name
Date
Diligence and Perseverance

Elizabeth was brooding in her room. She had sought
asylum there since spurious gossip about her began
circulating at Seagrove Academy last week.
Not that Elizabeth had ever been considered a social

butterfly; she had always had a rather reserved
personality. Elizabeth preferred to live vicariously through
the stories of her more brazen friends: late night partying,
fraternizing with boys, childish pranks. Still, she had taken
to being more by herself than usual since the allegations
surfaced. You see, a student had given headmaster
Billings an anonymous "tip" that Elizabeth had cheated on
several tests this year. What made this allegation
especially damaging was that Elizabeth had recently been
nominated to receive the highly coveted Blauvelt Award, a
scholarship recognizing "academic integrity and promise."
The accusations were laughable. Elizabeth had long been a stellar student at Seagrove. She
lacked a natural intelligence—this was true. However, she compensated for this deficit through
diligence and perseverance; she was very thorough in her studies and exhibited an almost
relentless determination.
Still, the accusations had given the recommendation committee pause. On Friday Elizabeth had
been called to Mr. Billings’s office, where she was questioned about her performance on recent
exams. The experience was quite traumatic.
Seagrove was an elite school; most of its students came from privileged backgrounds. But this was
not the case for Elizabeth. Her family had little money. She attended Seagrove on a full
scholarship. The Blauvelt Award would help Elizabeth's family pay for her college.
So it was with the same diligence that she applied to her studies that Elizabeth planned to expose
her accuser. She opened the school directory on her bed and began combing through the names.
Seagrove was such a small and insular community. A mere 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.
1) As used in paragraph 1, which is the best synonym for spurious?
A. hurtful
B. terrible
C. serious
D. untrue
2) It can be inferred that Elizabeth would have likely been disqualified from receiving the Blauvelt
Award if caught cheating because
A. Mr. Billings said this was the case

B. awards are never given to cheaters
C. the Blauvelt Award is based on academic integrity
D. cheating would have made the award ineligible for college use
3) According to the passage, how is Elizabeth different than many of her classmates?
A. She is diligent.
B. She is dishonest.
C. She is not wealthy.
D. She is anti-social.
4) As used in the final paragraph, which is the best antonym for inevitable?
A. unlikely
B. unmistakable
C. possibly
D. unclear
5) Which of the following words best describes how Elizabeth feels after being accused of
cheating?
A. frustrated
B. removed
C. discouraged
D. enraged
6) A character in a story who is opposed to, struggles against, or competes with another is called
the antagonist. Using this information, it can be understood that the antagonist in this passage
is
A. Elizabeth
B. Mr. Billings
C. Elizabeth's accuser
D. the recommendation committee
7) According to the passage, the Blauvelt Award is important to Elizabeth because it will
A. demonstrate her natural intelligence

B. help her pay for college
C. make her parents proud
D. prove her innocence
8) What would you do if you were in Elizabeth’s position? Would you react in the same way
she does? Why or why not?
Name
Date
Prayer Flags
In Tibet, Nepal, and India, it is common to see strings of
brightly colored flags tied outside buildings. These yellow,
green, red, white, and blue flags flap in the wind outside
homes, restaurants, and temples. But why are they there?
These flags are more than just decoration. They are known
as Buddhist prayer flags. If you look closely, you will see
writing and symbols printed on each flag. The flags are
covered with prayers and wishes for good health,
compassion, and peace. Each of the five colors represents
the five basic elements: yellow for earth, green for water, red
for fire, white for air, and blue for space.
People believe that as these flags blow in the wind, their prayers and good energy are carried
across the countryside. People also believe that happiness, long life, and good fortune will come to
those who fly these flags and to anyone nearby. This is the reason they are flown in so many
places.
Prayer flags developed from an ancient tradition in India that dates back thousands of years. In the
beginning they were just solid pieces of cloth. Only later did people begin to add the symbols and
writing. The writing is most commonly printed using a wood block print.
Over time, the wind, rain, and sun may cause prayer flags to fade and become tattered. However,
many people think that even these faded rags are a beautiful sight as they fly in the wind, spreading
good wishes.
1) Buddhist prayer flags are mostly a way to
A. record symbols and writing

B. have good health
C. decorate buildings
D. spread good wishes
2) According to the passage, a blue prayer flag represents
A. water
B. space
C. air
D. earth
3) Based on its use in paragraph 4, it can be understood that ancient belongs to which word
group?
A. foreign, strange, unfamiliar
B. important, meaningful, serious
C. aged, long-standing, old
D. accepted, popular, widespread
4) Which word best describes Buddhist prayer flags?
A. colorful
B. peaceful
C. special
D. faded
5) In the final paragraph, the author writes, "Over time, the wind, rain, and sun may cause
prayer flags to fade and become tattered." As used in the final paragraph, which choice
describes
something that is also tattered?
A. A tennis shoe left out in the rain becomes soaking wet.

B. Towels hung to dry on a clothesline lose their color after time.
C. A pair of jeans that has been worn too many times gets holes in both knees.
D. A favorite hat can last ten years or more if taken care of properly.
6) Prayer flags are traditional objects of some forms of Buddhism. Think of a traditional object
in another religion. How is that traditional object similar? How is it different?
Name
Date
The Truth About Coupons

Lots of people use coupons when they shop. Coupons are tickets
that give people discounts on different items. For example, if a
carton of eggs costs $3, it might cost $2 with a coupon. You can
get coupons in the mail, from the newspaper, or even from a
website. Many people use coupons because they think they will
save a lot of money.
The truth is that coupons do not always save you money. People
often buy something just because they have a coupon for it. They
might not need it or even want it. Also, it takes time to find the
coupons you want, cut them out, and organize them. Then you
have to make sure you have the correct ones when you go to
different stores. Spending hours cutting out coupons may not be
the best use of your time.
Stores take the time and money to print coupons because they know a coupon can make a person
come into a store. And once people are inside a store, they usually buy something. This means that
coupons may help a store earn money without helping you save any.
1) The author of this passage argues that coupons
A. are an unfair trick stores use

B. never save people money
C. may not be worth using
D. take too much time to organize
2) Based on its use in paragraph 1, it can be understood that discounts belongs to which of the
following word groups?
A. payments, money, cash

B. chances, breaks, opportunities
C. sales, transactions, purchases
D. decreases, reductions, subtractions
3) In paragraph 2, the author writes, “The truth is that coupons do not always save you money.” The
purpose of this sentence is to
A. provide an example
B. introduce an idea
C. answer a question
D. solve a problem
4) In paragraph 2, the author writes, “People often buy something just because they have a coupon
for it. They might not need it or even want it.” An example of this is if a person
A. has a coupon for strawberry yogurt but really wants blueberry yogurt
B. gets a coupon for a box of crackers that is buy one, get one free
C. buys bread with a coupon even though he or she did not plan to buy bread
D. plans to buy apples but once at the store decides to buy bananas and grapes, too
5) Based on information in the passage, it can be understood that the disadvantages of using
coupons include
I. buying things that you do not need because you have a coupon
II. having to spend a lot of time to find and organize your coupons
III. not getting coupons for the things you really want
A. I only
B. I and II only
C. II and III only
D. I, II, III
6) According to the author, stores take the time and money to print coupons in order to
A. help people save money

B. force people to buy things they do not want
C. advertise the stores and the things they sell
D. make people come into a store
7) The passage suggests that coupons may not be as beneficial as they seem. However, there are
ways that coupons can save you money. When do you think coupons actually are beneficial?
Explain your ideas.
Name
Date
Wild
I was 16 when my father unequivocally decided that he would
send me to wilderness camp for several months. He had
threatened to do it many times before, but my mother had
always managed to prevent him from actually packing me up
and shipping me off. This time he was dead set on it.
My latest transgression was viewed as the last straw. In a fit of

unbridled rage, I had shoved my math teacher down a flight of
steps at school. He broke his arm in two places and dislocated
his shoulder.
Anyway, Mr. Ford, my math teacher, had agreed not to press
charges as a favor to my dad. They were friends from way
back. Mr. Ford knew what was at stake. We all did.
Dad was in the middle of a tight race for sheriff in our town. This latest "Danny Thing," as
my reckless behavior was now called, had all my dad’s closest advisors talking.
"John, he’s your son and he’s a kid, but he is dragging you down," I heard Jake Hutch tell my
dad through his closed office door the night after I pushed Mr. Ford. "If it appears you can’t set
the course for enforcement in your own home, how can you set the course for this town?"
So, off to Pisgah National Forest I went. I knew in my heart that "Wilderness Camp" was surely
just a euphemism for "Torture Center." I imagined hours of untold abuse at the hands of some
lumberjack-sized drill sergeant. I resolved not to be broken and to emerge from the
program unchanged. I was who I was.
Nearly every day for six months, a small group of other troubled teens and I lugged our 30-pound
backpacks on a trek that covered about 10 miles. We hiked in a rugged wilderness that seemed
untouched by civilization. The grandeur of the sky, rock, and wilderness instilled me with a sense
of deep reverence.
Our counselors were firm but kind, not the ogres I had imagined. We learned how to make a fire
without matches and create a shelter with twigs, branches, and grass. We learned which plants
were safe to eat out in the wild. Late into the night, we talked about our fears and hopes.
We were devoid of radios, televisions, and cell phones. I felt myself change. I was calm and
often reflective, and my old, impulsive self was gone.
One morning, six months later, my dad came to pick me up. I ran to hug him and saw relief and
love in his eyes.
"So what’s it like being sheriff?" I asked on the ride home.
"I lost the race, Danny," he said.
I immediately knew my behavior had a lot to do with his defeat.
Dad squeezed my shoulder and brought me close. "But it doesn't matter. As long as I don’t ever
lose you, I'll be okay."
1) Which of the following statements best explains the double meaning of the title "Wild"?
A. Danny goes to wilderness camp; it is in a national forest.

B. Danny is out of control; he is sent into the wilderness.
C. Danny changes at wilderness camp; his father loses a tight race for sheriff.
D. Danny hikes in the rugged wilderness; he becomes respectful of nature and others.
E. Danny is having trouble at school; he pushes his math teacher down the stairs.
2) As used in paragraph 2, which is the best antonym for unbridled?
A. amusing
B. peaceful
C. restrained
D. understandable
E. scarce
3) Mr. Ford can best be described as
A. fragile
B. reckless
C. intelligent
D. understanding
E. irritating
4) Using information in paragraph 6 as a guide, it can be inferred that which of the

following expressions contains a euphemism?
I. Due to budgetary restraints, the company was forced to downsize personnel.

II. After killing the leader of the resistance movement, the platoon commander reported that the
target had been eliminated.
III. Although Barry mentioned that the house had a cozy interior, he declared that the exterior was
absolutely hideous.
A. I only
B. II only
C. I and II only
D. II and III only
E. I, II, and III
5) What kind of character is Jake Hutch in this passage?
A. round, meaning he/she is fully developed
B. protagonist, meaning he/she is the main character
C. antihero, meaning he/she lacks heroic traits
D. flat, characterized by having only enough traits to fulfill his/her function in the passage
E. antagonist, meaning he/she is the person who is opposed to or struggles against
another character
6) Which of the following lessons does Danny learn in this passage?
A. Fight fire with fire.

B. Faith will move mountains.
C. Nature exceeds nurture.
D. A reed before the wind lives on, while mighty oaks do fall.
E. You can't teach an old dog new tricks.
7) Do you believe that wilderness camps can actually be effective in helping young people
with problem behavior? Justify your answer.

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Name

On the other hand, when you get an adult dog, there is a

3) Based on information in the passage, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A. Puppies have a lot of energy.

Diligence and Perseverance

Not that Elizabeth had ever been considered a social

1) As used in paragraph 1, which is the best synonym for spurious?

A. Mr. Billings said this was the case

A. demonstrate her natural intelligence

1) Buddhist prayer flags are mostly a way to

A. record symbols and writing

2) According to the passage, a blue prayer flag represents

4) Which word best describes Buddhist prayer flags?

A. A tennis shoe left out in the rain becomes soaking wet.

The Truth About Coupons

1) The author of this passage argues that coupons

A. are an unfair trick stores use

A. payments, money, cash

A. help people save money

My latest transgression was viewed as the last straw. In a fit of

"So what’s it like being sheriff?" I asked on the ride home.

"I lost the race, Danny," he said.

I immediately knew my behavior had a lot to do with his defeat.

A. Danny goes to wilderness camp; it is in a national forest.

2) As used in paragraph 2, which is the best antonym for unbridled?

3) Mr. Ford can best be described as

4) Using information in paragraph 6 as a guide, it can be inferred that which of the

I. Due to budgetary restraints, the company was forced to downsize personnel.

6) Which of the following lessons does Danny learn in this passage?

A. Fight fire with fire.

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