Write a story with dialogue and pacing

Grade 6 Reading Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   The Hill Race (story draft)

   [1] Bo and Ari spent two Saturdays in the garage building a wooden cart for the hill race, sanding the wheels, tightening the bolts and painting a bright blue number on each side of the frame. [2] On race day, the long hill beside the park was crowded with families, neighbors and younger children holding stopwatches and folding chairs. [3] The starter lifted a green flag, and Bo pushed off from the top while Ari ran alongside for the first few steps to give the cart a strong start. [4] The cart rattled down the slope, and a wheel came off. [5] The cart tipped and stopped by the curb. [6] Ari found a bent pin in the axle and straightened it carefully with a pair of pliers from the toolbox. [7] Bo said that next time they would check every pin and bolt on the cart before the start of the race. [8] The next weekend, the two friends rolled the cart to the top of the hill again, and a small crowd gathered to watch.

2. 1.

   Bo wants to slow down [4], the turning point. Which revision lets the reader feel the moment and keeps the same events?

   • Suddenly something went terribly wrong with the cart, and Bo and Ari knew at once that the race was now in serious trouble.
   • A sharp crack came from the front axle, and the right wheel spun off across the grass while the cart swerved toward the curb.
   • The cart rattled down a long slope that was covered in short green grass and bordered by tall oaks, a gravel path and a row of trash cans.
   • A dog ran onto the track, and Bo swerved so hard that the right wheel flew off the cart and the whole frame tipped toward the curb.
3. 2.

   Ari wants an opening for [6] that moves the story from the crash to the repair. Which opening fits?

   • That evening, back in the garage,
   • A moment later, at the top of the hill,
   • A week later, at the next race,
   • Because the race went smoothly,
4. 3.

   Esme wants to replace [8] with an ending that follows from how Bo and Ari respond to the crash. Which ending fits?

   • This time, Ari tightened every pin twice, and Bo gave each wheel a firm tug before the starter lifted the flag.
   • This time, the sun was bright and the hill was crowded with families holding stopwatches and folding chairs again.
   • The friends learned that checking things carefully before a race is a very important lesson to remember.
   • This time, a local reporter arrived early and asked the two friends to ride in a special parade on the evening news.

5. The Recital (story draft)

   [1] For many months, Luz practiced a short piano piece every evening, tapping the rhythm on the kitchen table when no keyboard was nearby. [2] On the night of the recital, the auditorium filled with parents and teachers, and the folding chairs creaked as everyone settled. [3] Luz walked to the piano, sat down on the polished bench and placed both hands on the keys. [4] The music stopped in the middle of the second line. [5] Luz's mind went blank. [6] The music teacher, Mr. Reyes, handed Luz a small paper cup of juice in the hallway and explained that every performer forgets a note someday. [7] Luz nodded slowly, finished the juice and thought about the notes that came after the second line. [8] The next week, Luz played the piece again at the front of the classroom.

6. 4.

   Jun wants to replace [8] with an ending that follows from how Luz responds to the stall. Which ending fits?

   • A talent scout sitting in the back row of the classroom offered Luz a spot on a radio show for young players.
   • Luz sat at the front of the classroom, breathed slowly and began again, this time playing the second line from memory.
   • Luz understood that mistakes are a normal part of performing and that nervous players should not fear them even a little.
   • The classroom had blue walls, a long whiteboard, a tall window and rows of small wooden desks pushed against the wall.

7. The Cafeteria Sky (story draft)

   [1] The sixth grade planned a colorful mural for the long cafeteria wall, and Pia and Jun were chosen to paint the sky above the other scenes. [2] On Tuesday, they covered the top of the wall with pale blue paint, using wide rollers and long, smooth strokes that overlapped like waves. [3] The paint dried unevenly, and dark streaks ran across the upper corner. [4] Jun stared at the streaks. [5] The art teacher, Ms. Fisher, suggested that they turn the streaks into clouds instead of painting over the whole corner again. [6] Over the next three afternoons, Pia and Jun layered white and gray paint over the dark marks, shaping soft, rolling clouds. [7] Ms. Fisher said it looked better than the original plan, and several teachers stopped to admire the painted sky. [8] On Friday, the whole school filed past the finished mural.

8. 5.

   Pia wants to slow down [3] and [4], the turning point. Which revision lets the reader feel the discovery and keeps the same events?

   • Something looked wrong with the sky, and the two friends were upset and worried about what to do next.
   • The cafeteria wall was covered in colorful posters, and long tables were stacked against the opposite side of the room.
   • As the paint dried, long dark streaks crept across the corner, and Jun's roller stopped halfway up the wall.
   • A janitor accidentally splashed gray water across the upper corner of the wall, and the paint was ruined.
9. 6.

   Jun wants an opening for [6] that moves the story from the teacher's idea to the repair. Which opening fits?

   • Before the paint had even dried,
   • At the other end of the cafeteria,
   • Because the streaks had disappeared on their own,
   • Over the next three afternoons, after school,
10. 7.

    Esme wants to replace [8] with an ending that follows from how Pia and Jun solved the problem. Which ending fits?

    • On Friday, the two painters understood that problems can turn into new ideas if people keep thinking.
    • On Friday, the cafeteria smelled like pizza and the lunch tables were folded up against the far wall.
    • On Friday, a newspaper reporter visited the cafeteria and asked the whole class to repaint the school gym next.
    • On Friday, Pia and Jun stood beside the clouds and pointed out which streaks had become the biggest ones.

11. Across the Lake (story draft)

    [1] On the second morning of the canoe trip, Milo and Ren paddled steadily across a wide, gray lake toward the small island where they planned to camp that night. [2] A cool wind pushed from the north, and short, choppy waves slapped the side of the canoe as the two campers kept their eyes on the far shore. [3] Halfway across, Ren's paddle slipped from the wet handle and drifted away. [4] Milo reached for it. [5] The canoe tilted. [6] Back on the island, the two campers hung their wet jackets beside the crackling fire and ate hot soup from tin cups. [7] The guide, Ms. Okoye, said that the lake could be tricky in the afternoons, when the wind usually grows stronger across the open water. [8] The next morning, after a breakfast of oatmeal and berries, Milo and Ren tied a bright cord to each paddle before they set out.

12. 8.

    Ren wants to slow down [3] to [5], the turning point. Which revision lets the reader feel the slip and keeps the same events?

    • A large fish bumped the side of the canoe, and the paddle floated away in the confusion that followed.
    • Suddenly the paddle was gone, and the canoe was in real danger on the open lake, far from the island.
    • The paddle slid from Ren's wet fingers and spun away across the gray water, and the canoe lurched as Milo leaned out to catch it.
    • The canoe was a long green aluminum canoe with two wooden seats, a rope tied to the front and a dented bottom.
13. 9.

    Kira wants an opening for [6] that moves the story from the lake to the camp. Which opening fits?

    • Because the canoe stayed steady,
    • Halfway across the lake,
    • Before the trip had started,
    • That evening, safe on the island,
14. 10.

    Milo wants to replace [8] with an ending that follows from how Milo and Ren respond to the lost paddle. Which ending fits?

    • The next morning, a rescue boat arrived at the island to carry both paddlers back to the dock.
    • The next morning, they knew that preparing for problems before they happen is the smartest way to travel.
    • The next morning, Milo and Ren tied a bright cord to each paddle, and Ren double-checked the knots before they pushed off.
    • The next morning, the sun rose over a calm lake and a heron stood still in the reeds near the shore.