Notice how a character responds and changes

Grade 6 Reading Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   The Windfall Jam (story)

   [1] Each August, Noah picked plums from Mr. Adler's tree and carried them home in a wooden crate that had belonged to Noah's family for years. [2] This year the county fair had a jam contest, and Noah studied the rules the way other kids study for tests. [3] Only plums without a single blemish went into the crate, and Noah dropped the rest in the weeds under the tree. [4] "Those are perfectly fine for eating," Mr. Adler called from the porch, where he was shelling peas. [5] "They're not fine for a ribbon," Noah answered, and kept sorting without looking up from the crate. [6] Ren, who had come along to help, ate two of the dropped plums and wiped the juice on a sleeve. [7] At the fair, Noah's jam took third place, and the judge wrote that it tasted "careful, but flat." [8] Noah read the card twice on the long walk home and then folded it into a pocket. [9] The next afternoon, Noah went back to the tree and filled a bucket from the weeds, bruises and all. [10] The jam that simmered on the stove that night smelled sharper and darker than the contest batch. [11] Noah spooned some onto a slice of bread for Ren, who closed both eyes before nodding slowly. [12] When the first jar was sealed, Noah labeled it and, after a pause, carried it across the street to Mr. Adler's porch. [13] Mr. Adler held the jar up to the afternoon light and said nothing for a long while. [14] On the label, in careful capital letters, Noah had written two words: Windfall Plums.

2. 1.

   Ari reads the story. Which statement best describes how Noah's view of the bruised plums changes?

   • Noah first picks plums for the family, then enters a jam contest at the fair.
   • Noah first sorts plums carefully, then decides jam contests are a waste of time and effort.
   • Noah first treats bruised plums as waste for the contest, then as worth using.
   • Noah first values each plum equally, then decides that just perfect plums count.
3. 2.

   Bo reads the story. Which moment sends Noah back to the tree to gather the bruised plums in [9]?

   • Ren eats two of the dropped plums under the tree and wipes juice on a sleeve [6].
   • The county fair announces a jam contest, and Noah studies the rules closely [2].
   • The judge calls the jam "careful, but flat," and Noah reads the card twice [7]–[8].
   • Mr. Adler calls from the porch that the dropped plums are still fine for eating [4].
4. 3.

   Kira looks for evidence. Which two sentences together best show that Noah now cares more about flavor than winning?

   • [6] Ren eats two dropped plums; [11] Ren closes both eyes before nodding.
   • [9] Noah fills a bucket from the weeds; [11] Noah spoons jam onto bread for Ren to taste.
   • [2] Noah studies the contest rules; [7] the jam takes third place at the fair.
   • [3] Noah drops the blemished plums in the weeds; [5] Noah says they are not fine for a ribbon.
5. 4.

   Luz reads the story. In [14], Noah writes Windfall Plums on the label. What does the label suggest about how Noah now sees the dropped plums?

   • Noah is hiding that the jam was made from plums that were not good enough.
   • Noah wants Mr. Adler to stop picking plums from the tree for good.
   • Noah wants the label to explain how the jam was cooked on the stove.
   • Noah is proud to name the fallen plums as the heart of the jam.

6. The Silver Pawn (story)

   [1] Bo had not lost a match all fall, and the school trophy case held a small silver pawn that proved it. [2] When Jun, a new player, asked to practice together, Bo agreed but kept glancing at the clock. [3] Jun lost the first game in eleven moves and asked how Bo had known to move the bishop. [4] "You just have to see it," Bo said, already resetting the pieces. [5] On Saturday, a player from another school beat Bo at a tournament, and Bo left the room before the handshake line formed. [6] On Monday, Bo told the team that the other player had gotten lucky when Bo's rook was trapped. [7] Jun, who had watched the game from the doorway, said nothing and set up a board anyway. [8] That afternoon Bo replayed the match alone, moving the pieces back one at a time. [9] After a long while, Bo stopped on a single move and turned the board around to see it from the other side. [10] On Tuesday, Bo set up a board for Jun and said, "Show me where you would have moved the rook." [11] Jun pointed to a square that Bo had not considered at any point in the game. [12] Bo wrote the move on a card and propped it against the glass of the trophy case, next to the silver pawn. [13] The next time Jun lost, Bo walked through the game aloud, slowly, naming each choice Jun had faced.

7. 5.

   Milo reads the story. Which statement best describes how Bo's way of answering Jun's questions changes?

   • At first and at the end Bo answers Jun in one short sentence and moves on to the next game.
   • At first Bo explains each move slowly; later Bo says Jun must simply see it.
   • At first Bo refuses to play Jun; later Bo teaches Jun the moves one by one.
   • At first Bo gives a quick answer with no explanation; later Bo names each choice in turn.
8. 6.

   Noah reads the story. Which moment first shows Bo moving away from blaming luck?

   • Jun points to a square Bo had not considered on the board [11].
   • Jun sets up a board and says nothing after watching from the doorway [7].
   • Bo stops on one move and turns the board around to see it from the other side [9].
   • Bo tells the team the other player got lucky when Bo's rook was trapped on the board [6].
9. 7.

   Pia looks for evidence. Which two sentences together best show the change in how Bo responds to losing?

   • [3] Jun asks how Bo knew to move the bishop; [11] Jun points to a square Bo had missed.
   • [5] Bo leaves before the handshake line; [10] Bo asks Jun where the rook should have moved.
   • [4] Bo says Jun just has to see it; [13] Bo walks through a game aloud with Jun.
   • [1] Bo has not lost a match this fall; [13] Bo walks through a game with Jun.
10. 8.

    Ren compares two characters. How do Bo and Jun each respond right after Bo's tournament loss, in [6] and [7]?

    • Bo and Jun both blame the other player's luck and decline to practice.
    • Bo studies the game right away, while Jun leaves the room before the match even ends.
    • Jun explains Bo's mistake to the team, while Bo thanks the other player.
    • Bo blames luck for the loss, while Jun quietly sets up a board to keep playing.
11. 9.

    Tala looks for evidence. Which two sentences together best show that Bo uses what the lost match taught?

    • [3] Jun loses in eleven moves; [11] Jun points to a square Bo had missed.
    • [12] Bo props a card by the trophy case; [5] Bo leaves before the handshake line.
    • [9] Bo sees one move from the other side; [13] Bo names each choice Jun faced.
    • [2] Bo glances at the clock; [4] Bo resets the pieces while answering Jun.
12. 10.

    Zee reads the story. In [12], Bo props a card next to the silver pawn. What does that suggest about how Bo now sees winning?

    • Bo now thinks trophies do not matter and plans to quit the chess team before next fall.
    • Bo now treats a move learned from someone else as worth keeping beside a trophy.
    • Bo wants to remember the date of the tournament loss in [5] for next year.
    • Bo wants Jun to see that Bo still wins whenever a new player sits down to play.