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?

   • 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.
   • 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.
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, a local reporter arrived early and asked the two friends to ride in a special parade on the evening news.
   • 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.

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.

   Luz wants to slow down [4] and [5], the turning point. Which revision lets the reader feel the blank moment and keeps the same events?

   • Luz suddenly felt very nervous in front of the whole audience and could not remember the next part of the music.
   • The notes faded, and the silence stretched until Luz could hear a chair creak and feel both hands trembling above the keys.
   • A string snapped inside the piano with a loud twang, so the music stopped in the middle of the second line.
   • The piano was a shiny black grand with brass pedals, a polished lid that reflected the stage lights and a tall wooden bench.
7. 5.

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

   • Luz sat at the front of the classroom, breathed slowly and began again, this time playing the second line from memory.
   • A talent scout sitting in the back row of the classroom offered Luz a spot on a radio show for young players.
   • 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.

8. 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.

9. 6.

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

   • A janitor accidentally splashed gray water across the upper corner of the wall, and the paint was ruined.
   • 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.
   • Something looked wrong with the sky, and the two friends were upset and worried about what to do next.
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.
    • The canoe was a long green aluminum canoe with two wooden seats, a rope tied to the front and a dented bottom.
    • 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.
    • Suddenly the paddle was gone, and the canoe was in real danger on the open lake, far from the island.
13. 9.

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

    • Halfway across the lake,
    • Because the canoe stayed steady,
    • That evening, safe on the island,
    • Before the trip had started,
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, 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, a rescue boat arrived at the island to carry both paddlers back to the dock.
    • The next morning, the sun rose over a calm lake and a heron stood still in the reeds near the shore.