Work out a word from its sentence

Grade 6 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   The Night Shift (story)

   [1] While most of the town sleeps, Marguerite's bakery is already humming. [2] She unlocks the door at three in the morning, when the streets are deserted and the only sound is the key turning in the lock. [3] The dough has rested in the cooler overnight, and it must be shaped before the sun rises. [4] Marguerite works at a brisk pace, because the first customers will expect warm loaves by six.

   [5] Her apprentice, Dov, is still learning the trade, and several of his rolls come out lopsided, leaning to one side like tiny tents. [6] Marguerite never scolds him. [7] She shows him the motion again, using a light touch that barely presses the dough. [8] “Bread is patient with beginners,” she tells him, “but not with someone who hurries.”

   [9] By sunrise, the racks are crowded with golden loaves. [10] The smell drifts out the door and down the street like an invitation to anyone who passes.

2. 1.

   Esme reads sentence 7. Which meaning of light fits “a light touch”?

   • gentle, using very little pressure
   • not heavy, easy to pick up and carry
   • bright, giving off a lot of glow
   • to set fire to something, as a match does
3. 2.

   Jun reads sentence 3. Which meaning of rested fits “the dough has rested”?

   • sat untouched for a while so it could settle
   • stayed behind as the part that was left over
   • leaned against something for support
   • stopped working to get back some energy
4. 3.

   Kira wants to know what lopsided means in sentence 5. Which words give the strongest clue?

   • leaning to one side like tiny tents
   • several of his rolls come out
   • Her apprentice, Dov
   • Her apprentice, Dov, is still learning the trade

5. The Canyon Trail (story)

   [1] Tavi's group started up the canyon trail just after sunrise, hoping to reach the top before the afternoon heat. [2] The path was faint in places, so the guide, Ms. Okafor, stopped often to check the small piles of stones that marked the way. [3] Water was scarce on the route, and each hiker carried three full bottles instead of one.

   [4] “Drink slowly,” Ms. Okafor advised, “because the next place to refill is a spring near the summit.” [5] The hikers wore sturdy boots, which gripped the loose rock and did not tear on the sharp edges. [6] Near noon the trail crossed a dry creek bed where the bank was crumbling, and everyone moved single file along the edge.

   [7] Remy, Tavi's partner, slipped once but caught a root and kept moving. [8] By two o'clock, the group reached the spring, a cold stream bubbling out of the rock. [9] They rested in the shade and refilled every bottle before starting down.

6. 4.

   Milo reads sentence 3. What does scarce most likely mean in that sentence?

   • cold and fresh from the mountain
   • completely missing from the canyon
   • easy to find along the whole route
   • hard to find and in short supply
7. 5.

   Noah reads sentence 4. Which meaning of spring fits “a spring near the summit”?

   • the season that comes after the winter months
   • a place where water flows out of the ground
   • a coil of metal that bounces back into shape
   • to jump up suddenly from a standing start
8. 6.

   Pia reads sentence 6. Which meaning of bank fits “where the bank was crumbling”?

   • to tilt to one side while turning a corner
   • a business that keeps people's money safe and lends it
   • a long row of lights or switches on a panel
   • the sloping ground along the edge of a creek
9. 7.

   Ren wants to know what sturdy means in sentence 5. Which words give the strongest clue?

   • started up the canyon trail just after sunrise
   • gripped the loose rock and did not tear
   • slipped once but caught a root and kept moving
   • hoping to reach the top before the afternoon heat

10. The Fossil Room (article)

    [1] The fossil room at the city museum is quiet, and visitors are asked to speak softly. [2] One glass case holds a fragile fish fossil, so thin that a strong breeze could break it. [3] Workers move around the room in a cautious way, setting each foot down slowly and lifting every tray with both hands.

    [4] Dr. Leung explains that the staff must mount each new bone on a metal stand before visitors can see it. [5] The stand holds the bone upright without touching its delicate edges. [6] Once a bone is in place, a label gives its name and the age of the rock where it was found.

    [7] Some visitors complain that the room is too dim, but the low light protects the fossils from fading. [8] A school group arrived on Tuesday, and the guide asked each student to look closely without touching anything. [9] Before leaving, the students voted for the exhibit they liked best, and the fish fossil won easily.

11. 8.

    Tala reads sentence 2. What does fragile most likely mean in that sentence?

    • already broken into many small pieces
    • strong enough to survive rough handling
    • very old and worth a great deal of money
    • easily broken because it is so thin
12. 9.

    Ari reads sentence 4. Which meaning of mount fits “mount each new bone on a metal stand”?

    • an animal that people ride, such as a horse or camel
    • to fix something in place so it can be displayed
    • a very tall hill, as in “Mount Rainier” in the west
    • to climb up onto something high, like a ladder or horse
13. 10.

    Bo wants to know what dim means in sentence 7. Which words give the strongest clue?

    • the students voted for the exhibit they liked most
    • the low light protects the fossils from fading
    • Some visitors complain that the room is too dim
    • the guide asked each student to look closely without touching anything