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.

   Bo reads sentence 4. What does brisk most likely mean in that sentence?

   • quick and full of energy
   • chilly and fresh, like morning air
   • slow and relaxed, with no worry
   • rushed and careless with the dough
3. 2.

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

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

4. 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.

5. 3.

   Luz reads sentence 2. What does faint most likely mean in that sentence?

   • wide and marked with bright paint
   • hard to see because it is not clear
   • ready to fall over, as if dizzy
   • completely gone, with no sign of it
6. 4.

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

   • a place where water flows out of the ground
   • the season that comes after the winter months
   • to jump up suddenly from a standing start
   • a coil of metal that bounces back into shape
7. 5.

   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

8. 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.

9. 6.

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

   • strong enough to survive rough handling
   • easily broken because it is so thin
   • already broken into many small pieces
   • very old and worth a great deal of money
10. 7.

    Zee reads sentence 3. What does cautious most likely mean in that sentence?

    • careful to avoid mistakes or damage
    • frightened and unable to move
    • careless and in a hurry to finish
    • quiet and silent, making no sound as they work
11. 8.

    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
12. 9.

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

    • the guide asked each student to look closely without touching anything
    • Some visitors complain that the room is too dim
    • the low light protects the fossils from fading
    • the students voted for the exhibit they liked most
13. 10.

    Esme wants to know what cautious means in sentence 3. Which words give the strongest clue?

    • the fossil room at the city museum is quiet, and visitors are asked to speak softly
    • a label gives its name and the age of the rock where it was found
    • setting each foot down slowly and lifting every tray with both hands
    • Workers move around the room in a cautious way