Reading short original stories and articles, then finding the main idea and key details, making inferences from clues, working out word meanings and choosing the best summary.
Washington State Learning Standards learning standard: ELA.4.R.4 · main idea, details and summaries
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
What was most likely the special occasion?
Kenji's Early Morning
Kenji tiptoed into the kitchen before anyone else was awake. He took a bowl from the cupboard as quietly as he could, then held his breath when the door squeaked.
He washed a handful of strawberries, sliced a banana with a butter knife and arranged the fruit in the shape of a smiling face. Then he folded a sheet of paper in half and drew a cake with candles on the front.
When his grandmother came downstairs, the bowl and the card were waiting at her place at the table. She read the card, laughed, and gave Kenji a long hug.
a class picnic
the first day of school
his grandmother's birthday
Kenji's birthday
his grandmother's birthday
Hint: Kenji drew a cake with candles and left the card at his grandmother's place. Put those clues together.
Question 2
What did Kenji draw on the card?
Kenji's Early Morning
Kenji tiptoed into the kitchen before anyone else was awake. He took a bowl from the cupboard as quietly as he could, then held his breath when the door squeaked.
He washed a handful of strawberries, sliced a banana with a butter knife and arranged the fruit in the shape of a smiling face. Then he folded a sheet of paper in half and drew a cake with candles on the front.
When his grandmother came downstairs, the bowl and the card were waiting at her place at the table. She read the card, laughed, and gave Kenji a long hug.
a sleeping cat
a smiling face
a bowl of fruit
a cake with candles
a cake with candles
Hint: Careful! The smiling face was made of fruit. Look for what he drew on the paper.
Question 3
“Kenji tiptoed into the kitchen.” What does “tiptoed” mean?
Kenji's Early Morning
Kenji tiptoed into the kitchen before anyone else was awake. He took a bowl from the cupboard as quietly as he could, then held his breath when the door squeaked.
He washed a handful of strawberries, sliced a banana with a butter knife and arranged the fruit in the shape of a smiling face. Then he folded a sheet of paper in half and drew a cake with candles on the front.
When his grandmother came downstairs, the bowl and the card were waiting at her place at the table. She read the card, laughed, and gave Kenji a long hug.
walked quietly on his toes
ran very fast
crawled on his knees
jumped up and down
walked quietly on his toes
Hint: Break it apart: tip + toe. Walking on the tips of your toes is a quiet way to move.
Question 4
How did Kenji's grandmother feel at the end?
Kenji's Early Morning
Kenji tiptoed into the kitchen before anyone else was awake. He took a bowl from the cupboard as quietly as he could, then held his breath when the door squeaked.
He washed a handful of strawberries, sliced a banana with a butter knife and arranged the fruit in the shape of a smiling face. Then he folded a sheet of paper in half and drew a cake with candles on the front.
When his grandmother came downstairs, the bowl and the card were waiting at her place at the table. She read the card, laughed, and gave Kenji a long hug.
confused and upset
worried and nervous
happy and loved
tired and grumpy
happy and loved
Hint: She laughed and gave Kenji a long hug. What feelings do those actions show?
Question 5
What is the main idea of this passage?
Nature's Engineers
Beavers are sometimes called nature's engineers. An engineer is someone who designs and builds things, and beavers are amazing builders.
Using their strong front teeth, beavers cut down small trees and branches. They pile the wood across a stream and pack the gaps with mud and stones. This dam slows the water and makes a deep pond.
In the pond, beavers build a home called a lodge. Its entrance is underwater, which helps keep the family safe from predators such as wolves.
Beaver ponds help other living things, too. Ducks, frogs, fish and moose often visit or live in the wetlands that beavers create.
Beavers are skilled builders whose work changes the land around them
Ducks and frogs live in ponds
Wolves are predators
Beavers have strong front teeth
Beavers are skilled builders whose work changes the land around them
Hint: The other choices are details. The main idea is the big idea that all the paragraphs support.
Question 6
Why does the author call beavers “engineers”?
Nature's Engineers
Beavers are sometimes called nature's engineers. An engineer is someone who designs and builds things, and beavers are amazing builders.
Using their strong front teeth, beavers cut down small trees and branches. They pile the wood across a stream and pack the gaps with mud and stones. This dam slows the water and makes a deep pond.
In the pond, beavers build a home called a lodge. Its entrance is underwater, which helps keep the family safe from predators such as wolves.
Beaver ponds help other living things, too. Ducks, frogs, fish and moose often visit or live in the wetlands that beavers create.
Because they eat wood
Because they design and build things
Because they drive trains
Because they live underwater
Because they design and build things
Hint: The first paragraph tells you what an engineer is.