Inside and outside story conflicts

Grade 6 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   The Canoe Crossing (story)

   [1] Zee and Luz had trained all summer to paddle the canoe across Willow Lake before camp ended. [2] On the last morning, the lake looked flat and bright, and the counselor said they could try the crossing. [3] Halfway out, a strong wind pushed the canoe sideways, and spray splashed over the front. [4] Luz leaned forward and paddled harder, but the canoe kept drifting toward the reeds along the shore. [5] Zee gripped the sides of the canoe and looked down at the dark, still water beneath the boat. [6] Zee's stomach tightened, because Zee had never swum anywhere the bottom could not be seen. [7] "We can turn back," Luz called over the wind. [8] Zee thought about the weeks of practice and the sign-up sheet that hung by the dock with both names on it. [9] Zee shook out both arms, took a slow breath, and dipped the paddle again. [10] "Switch to short strokes," Zee called, remembering the counselor's advice from the dock. [11] The canoe turned slowly into the wind, and the reeds along the shore slid away behind them. [12] When the bow bumped the far dock, Zee's hands were still shaking, but they were holding the paddle.

2. 1.

   Milo reads the story. In [3]–[4], which conflict keeps the canoe from going where Luz wants?

   • Inside: a strong wind pushes the canoe sideways toward the reeds.
   • Outside: a strong wind pushes the canoe sideways toward the reeds.
   • Outside: Luz leans forward and paddles harder to keep the canoe pointed straight ahead.
   • Outside: the pair has trained for weeks to paddle across Willow Lake.
3. 2.

   Noah reads the story. In [5]–[6], what is Zee struggling with while gripping the sides?

   • Outside: Zee is stuck in a canoe too small to be safe in deep water.
   • Outside: spray splashes over the front of the canoe as the wind blows.
   • Inside: Zee is uneasy about water too deep to see the bottom.
   • Inside: Zee grips the sides of the canoe and looks down at the water.
4. 3.

   Ren reads the story. How does Zee respond to the wind in [9]–[11]?

   • Zee asks Luz to turn the canoe back toward camp, as Luz suggested.
   • Zee takes the paddle from Luz and steers the canoe alone to the far dock.
   • Zee calms down, uses short strokes and turns the canoe into the wind.
   • Zee remembers the counselor's advice from the dock before the crossing.
5. 4.

   Tala reads the story. Which choice names both conflicts in the canoe story?

   • Outside: Luz paddles harder against the wind; inside: Zee takes a slow breath.
   • Outside: Zee is uneasy about deep water; inside: the wind pushes the canoe off course.
   • Outside: the wind pushes the canoe off course; inside: Zee is uneasy about deep water.
   • Outside: Luz refuses to keep paddling; inside: Zee is uneasy about deep water.
6. 5.

   Zee reads the story. How does the story settle the outside conflict?

   • Zee and Luz turn the canoe into the wind with short strokes and reach the far dock.
   • Zee's hands are still shaking when the bow bumps the far dock.
   • The counselor rescues the canoe from the reeds and tows it across the lake.
   • Zee's fear fades away, and the wind stops pushing the canoe once the far dock comes into view.

7. The Missing Page (story)

   [1] Pia and Ren were partners on a poster about the water cycle, and the poster was due on Friday. [2] Pia had written the notes in a green folder and carried it everywhere. [3] On Thursday, Pia opened the folder and found that the page about evaporation was gone. [4] "Did you take it?" Pia asked, staring at Ren. [5] Ren said that the page had been in the folder when Pia left it on the desk, and that Ren had not touched it. [6] Pia's face grew hot, and Pia said that someone had to have taken the page. [7] The two worked in silence for ten minutes while the clock ticked. [8] Pia remembered the lunch line, when the folder had slipped out of the backpack and a few pages had fluttered under a table. [9] Pia thought about skipping the search, rewriting the page quickly, and telling nobody about the blame. [10] Instead, Pia crawled under the table in the cafeteria after school and found the page behind a chair leg. [11] Pia walked back to Ren and said, "I'm sorry I blamed you." [12] Ren shrugged and handed over the glue stick, and they finished the last label before dark.

8. 6.

   Ari reads the story. In [3]–[5], what conflict do Pia and Ren face?

   • Inside: Pia cannot decide whether the missing page was important enough to mention to Ren.
   • Outside: Pia and Ren disagree about what happened to the missing page.
   • Outside: the poster about the water cycle is due on Friday.
   • Outside: Pia opens the green folder on Thursday and flips through the pages.
9. 7.

   Bo reads the story. In [8]–[9], Pia thinks about skipping the search. What kind of conflict is that?

   • Outside: the cafeteria table is too heavy to move, which keeps Pia from finding the page.
   • Outside: Pia and Ren disagree about who lost the page.
   • Inside: Pia is pulled between a quick shortcut and doing the harder thing.
   • Inside: Pia crawls under the table and finds the page behind a chair leg.
10. 8.

    Esme reads the story. Which sentence shows what starts the outside conflict?

    • [2] Pia had written the notes in a green folder and carried it everywhere.
    • [3] On Thursday, Pia opened the folder and found that the page about evaporation was gone.
    • [8] Pia remembered the lunch line, when the folder had slipped out of the backpack and a few pages had fluttered under a table.
    • [4] "Did you take it?" Pia asked, staring at Ren.
11. 9.

    Jun reads the story. What does Pia do about the inside conflict in [10]–[11]?

    • Pia rewrites the page quickly and says nothing to Ren about the blame from earlier.
    • Pia gives up on the poster and lets Ren finish the poster alone.
    • Pia remembers the folder slipping out of the backpack at lunch.
    • Pia searches under the table for the page and then apologizes to Ren.
12. 10.

    Luz reads the story. How are both conflicts settled in [10]–[12]?

    • Ren apologizes first, and then Pia finds the page without any help.
    • The teacher extends the due date, so the partners no longer have to hurry.
    • Pia finds the page, apologizes, and the partners finish the poster.
    • Ren hands over the glue stick and shrugs about the argument.