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?

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

   Pia reads the story. In [7]–[8], Zee decides whether to turn back. What makes this choice an inside conflict?

   • Luz is pressuring Zee to decide, so the struggle comes from another person.
   • Zee's fear pulls one way while the weeks of practice pull the other.
   • Zee shakes out both arms, takes a slow breath and dips the paddle again.
   • The wind keeps pushing the canoe toward the reeds, so the struggle comes from the weather.
4. 3.

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

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

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

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

6. 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.

7. 5.

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

   • Outside: the poster about the water cycle is due on Friday.
   • Inside: Pia cannot decide whether the missing page was important enough to mention to Ren.
   • Outside: Pia opens the green folder on Thursday and flips through the pages.
   • Outside: Pia and Ren disagree about what happened to the missing page.
8. 6.

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

   • Inside: Pia crawls under the table and finds the page behind a chair leg.
   • 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.
9. 7.

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

   • [3] On Thursday, Pia opened the folder and found that the page about evaporation was gone.
   • [2] Pia had written the notes in a green folder and carried it everywhere.
   • [4] "Did you take it?" Pia asked, staring at Ren.
   • [8] Pia remembered the lunch line, when the folder had slipped out of the backpack and a few pages had fluttered under a table.
10. 8.

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

    • Pia remembers the folder slipping out of the backpack at lunch.
    • Pia searches under the table for the page and then apologizes to Ren.
    • Pia gives up on the poster and lets Ren finish the poster alone.
    • Pia rewrites the page quickly and says nothing to Ren about the blame from earlier.
11. 9.

    Kira reads the story. Which pair of events shows an outside conflict followed by an inside conflict?

    • [9], where Pia weighs a shortcut, then [4]–[5], where the partners disagree
    • [7], where they work in silence, then [12], where they finish the labels
    • [3], where the page is missing, then [8], where Pia remembers the lunch line
    • [4]–[5], where the partners disagree, then [9], where Pia weighs a shortcut
12. 10.

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

    • Pia finds the page, apologizes, and the partners finish the poster.
    • 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.
    • Ren hands over the glue stick and shrugs about the argument.