Write a story with dialogue and pacing

Grade 6 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   The Parade Lantern (story draft)

   [1] For three weeks, Zee and Milo built a paper lantern for the neighborhood parade, gluing red tissue to a wire frame every afternoon after school. [2] On parade night, the two friends carried the lantern down Elm Street while the drummers kept a steady beat behind them. [3] Halfway down the block, a gust of wind bent the frame, and the lantern folded in on itself. [4] "I can't believe it," Zee said sadly. [5] Milo knelt on the pavement and ran both hands along the bent wire, feeling for the place where it had snapped near the handle. [6] Milo pinched the two broken ends together and held them tight while the drummers marched past. [7] Then they went to the end of the street, holding the wire pinched and the lantern steady. [8] When the lantern finally glowed under the streetlight, the crowd clapped, and Zee let out a long breath.

2. 1.

   Ari is marking the pace of the lantern story. How does sentence [1] move the story?

   • It jumps ahead, because it tells who built the lantern.
   • It jumps ahead, because three weeks pass in a single sentence.
   • It slows the story, because it is a long sentence with many parts.
   • It slows the story, because it describes the red tissue and the wire frame.
3. 2.

   Bo wants to replace Zee's line in [4] with a line that shows the feeling instead of naming it. Which line does?

   • "Nice weather for a parade tonight," Zee said with a grin, waving at the drummers.
   • "The parade is on Elm Street tonight," Zee said, looking down the long block.
   • "I am extremely sad right now about the lantern," Zee said, and Zee looked down.
   • "Three weeks of work!" Zee groaned, staring at the crushed frame.

4. The Sunflower Fence (story draft)

   [1] On the first warm Saturday, Tala and Luz planted sunflower seeds along the fence behind the library, pressing each seed into the soil with a fingertip. [2] Three weeks later, green shoots appeared. [3] Every morning before class, the two friends carried a watering can across the gravel path and soaked the dry ground around the new plants. [4] "This is so exciting," Luz said happily. [5] By July, the sunflowers stood taller than the fence, and a crowd of bees hovered over the yellow petals. [6] The library staff put a sign in front of the garden so that visitors would know who had planted it. [7] Then the flowers went toward the sun. [8] Visitors stopped to take pictures, and Tala and Luz stood back to admire their work.

5. 3.

   Jun is marking the pace of the garden story. How does sentence [2] move the story?

   • It jumps ahead, because three weeks pass in a few words.
   • It slows the story, because it names green shoots, which makes a clear picture.
   • It jumps ahead, because it tells who planted the seeds.
   • It slows the story, because it is a short sentence that stops the action.
6. 4.

   Kira wants to replace Luz's line in [4] with a line that shows the excitement instead of naming it. Which line does?

   • "I feel extremely excited about these flowers," Luz said.
   • "Flowers need water and sunlight," Luz said.
   • "Look, it grew another leaf overnight!" Luz said, crouching to touch it.
   • "I would rather be inside watching television," Luz said with a big yawn.
7. 5.

   Luz wants a stronger word than went in [7]. Which word shows how sunflowers follow the sun?

   • marched
   • rushed
   • turned
   • wandered

8. Lights Out at the Museum (story draft)

   [1] Over the summer, Noah and Kira volunteered at the harbor museum, polishing brass fixtures and sorting old maps in the cellar beneath the main hall. [2] On the last Friday, a thunderstorm rolled over the harbor just before closing time. [3] The lights flickered once. [4] Then the whole building went black. [5] Nobody moved. [6] "I'm worried," Kira whispered nervously. [7] Noah went along the wall with one hand out, searching for the switch of the emergency lamp. [8] The beam swept across the maps and the brass fixtures, and Noah and Kira both laughed with relief when the room came back into view. [9] Mr. Alder, the museum director, thanked both volunteers for staying calm and promised to put fresh batteries in every lamp before the next storm.

9. 6.

   Milo is marking the pace of the storm story. How does sentence [5] move the story?

   • It jumps ahead, because a short sentence moves quickly.
   • It slows the story, because it holds one tense moment in place.
   • It jumps ahead, because it gives no details about the dark room.
   • It slows the story, because it describes the thunder outside.
10. 7.

    Pia wants to replace Kira's line in [6] with a line that shows worry instead of naming it. Which line does?

    • "Is somebody there?" Kira whispered, gripping the edge of the table.
    • "I am very worried right now in this room," Kira whispered, and Kira shivered.
    • "What a lovely evening for a storm," Kira said with a laugh, clapping once in the dark.
    • "The museum closes at five o'clock," Kira whispered.

11. Muffins on Monday (story draft)

    [1] Esme and Jun spent the whole weekend baking forty muffins for the school bake sale, measuring the flour and checking the oven timer every few minutes. [2] On Monday morning, they set the tray on the front table near the main entrance, beside a hand-lettered sign that listed the price. [3] Crowds of students walked past without stopping. [4] "I'm so disappointed," Esme said sadly. [5] Jun lifted a muffin, tore off a piece and held it under the nose of the next student who passed. [6] The smell of warm cinnamon drifted across the hallway, and the student stopped in the middle of a step and turned around with a smile. [7] Soon the line went out the door and down the hall. [8] By lunch, every muffin was sold, and Esme counted the coins twice to make sure that the total was right.

12. 8.

    Ren is marking the pace of the bake sale story. How does sentence [6] move the story?

    • It jumps ahead, because it moves the story into the hallway and then into a new scene.
    • It slows the story, because it tells how many muffins are left on the front table.
    • It slows the story, because it fills one moment with smell and action.
    • It jumps ahead, because a long sentence covers more events and more time.
13. 9.

    Tala wants to replace Esme's line in [4] with a line that shows disappointment instead of naming it. Which line does?

    • "Muffins are made of flour, sugar and butter," Esme said, looking at the long front table.
    • "Nobody has even looked at the cinnamon ones," Esme muttered, frowning at the tray.
    • "I feel very disappointed right now about the whole sale," Esme said, and Esme sighed loudly.
    • "This is the best bake sale ever," Esme cheered, clapping both hands and bouncing on both heels.
14. 10.

    Zee wants a stronger word than went in [7]. Which word shows how the line grew?

    • stretched
    • whispered
    • hopped
    • sprinted