How a new story reuses an old pattern

Grade 8 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   The Tortoise and the Hare, and The Clue Walk (pair: an old tale and a new story)

   The old tale: The Tortoise and the Hare
   [1] A hare once teased a tortoise for crawling across the meadow so slowly. [2] “I could finish this whole field before you reach that stump,” the hare said. [3] The tortoise answered quietly that they should race to the creek and see. [4] A crow dropped a feather to start the race, and the hare shot ahead in a cloud of dust.

   [5] Halfway there, the hare looked back, saw no sign of the tortoise, and settled under a shady tree. [6] “I have time to spare,” the hare yawned, and soon it was asleep. [7] The tortoise never stopped but crept along, one slow step after another, past the sleeping hare. [8] When the hare woke, the tortoise was almost at the creek, and the hare ran with all its strength. [9] It was too late, because the tortoise had already crossed the finish, and the meadow animals cheered. [10] Steady work, the animals agreed, beats speed that gets wasted.

   The new story: The Clue Walk
   [11] Each spring, Maple Street School held a clue walk, and the first to find all ten clue cards won a golden paper compass. [12] At the starting line, Ari boasted that Bo's careful searching would last until supper. [13] Bo said nothing and tucked a pencil behind an ear. [14] When Mr. Alvarez blew the whistle, Ari sprinted off and had six cards in a pocket before the first bench.

   [15] At the pond bridge, Ari looked back, saw no one, and sat down to skip stones. [16] “Plenty of cards are left,” Ari said, “and plenty of time.” [17] Meanwhile Bo checked every bush and tree stump, one patient step after another, and filed each card in a folder. [18] Bo found the tenth card at the old oak and walked past the bridge, where Ari was still skipping stones. [19] Ari glanced up, gasped, and raced to the finish line, but Bo was already handing the folder to Mr. Alvarez. [20] Afterward the two laughed about the stones, and Ari asked Bo for a lesson in careful searching.

2. 1.

   Esme compares the old tale and the new story. Which story sentence matches the tale's event in [5], when the fast one stops to rest?

   • [15]: At the pond bridge, Ari looks back, sees no one, and sits down to skip stones.
   • [14]: Ari sprints off with six cards in a pocket before the first bench.
   • [16]: Ari says plenty of cards and plenty of time are left.
   • [18]: Bo finds the tenth card and walks past the bridge where Ari is skipping stones.
3. 2.

   Jun compares the old tale and the new story. Which story sentence matches the tale's event in [8], when the sleeper wakes too late?

   • [19]: Ari glances up, gasps, and races to the finish line, but Bo is already handing in the folder.
   • [20]: Ari and Bo laugh about the stones, and Ari asks for a lesson in careful searching.
   • [17]: Bo checks each bush and tree stump, one patient step at a time, and files each card.
   • [16]: Ari says plenty of cards and plenty of time are left.

4. The Tortoise and the Hare, and The Clue Walk (pair: an old tale and a new story)

   The old tale: The Tortoise and the Hare
   [1] A hare once teased a tortoise for crawling across the meadow so slowly. [2] “I could finish this whole field before you reach that stump,” the hare said. [3] The tortoise answered quietly that they should race to the creek and see. [4] A crow dropped a feather to start the race, and the hare shot ahead in a cloud of dust.

   [5] Halfway there, the hare looked back, saw no sign of the tortoise, and settled under a shady tree. [6] “I have time to spare,” the hare yawned, and soon it was asleep. [7] The tortoise never stopped but crept along, one slow step after another, past the sleeping hare. [8] When the hare woke, the tortoise was almost at the creek, and the hare ran with all its strength. [9] It was too late, because the tortoise had already crossed the finish, and the meadow animals cheered. [10] Steady work, the animals agreed, beats speed that gets wasted.

   The new story: The Clue Walk
   [11] Each spring, Maple Street School held a clue walk, and the first to find all ten clue cards won a golden paper compass. [12] At the starting line, Ari boasted that Bo's careful searching would last until supper. [13] Bo said nothing and tucked a pencil behind an ear. [14] When Mr. Alvarez blew the whistle, Ari sprinted off and had six cards in a pocket before the first bench.

   [15] At the pond bridge, Ari looked back, saw no one, and sat down to skip stones. [16] “Plenty of cards are left,” Ari said, “and plenty of time.” [17] Meanwhile Bo checked every bush and tree stump, one patient step after another, and filed each card in a folder. [18] Bo found the tenth card at the old oak and walked past the bridge, where Ari was still skipping stones. [19] Ari glanced up, gasped, and raced to the finish line, but Bo was already handing the folder to Mr. Alvarez. [20] Afterward the two laughed about the stones, and Ari asked Bo for a lesson in careful searching.
   Verdict: same means the story does the same thing as the tale; changed means the story does something different.

5. 3.

   Luz reads one chart row: a tale detail, the story detail that does the same job, and a verdict. Which row is filled in correctly?

   • Tale: the tortoise keeps a slow, steady pace and finishes first. Story: Bo keeps a patient, steady pace and finishes first. Verdict: changed.
   • Tale: the hare shoots ahead in a cloud of dust. Story: Bo files each card in a folder. Verdict: changed.
   • Tale: the contest is a race to a creek. Story: the contest is a walk to find ten clue cards. Verdict: same.
   • Tale: a crow drops a feather to start the race. Story: a teacher blows a whistle to start the walk. Verdict: changed.

6. The Tortoise and the Hare, and The Clue Walk (pair: an old tale and a new story)

   The old tale: The Tortoise and the Hare
   [1] A hare once teased a tortoise for crawling across the meadow so slowly. [2] “I could finish this whole field before you reach that stump,” the hare said. [3] The tortoise answered quietly that they should race to the creek and see. [4] A crow dropped a feather to start the race, and the hare shot ahead in a cloud of dust.

   [5] Halfway there, the hare looked back, saw no sign of the tortoise, and settled under a shady tree. [6] “I have time to spare,” the hare yawned, and soon it was asleep. [7] The tortoise never stopped but crept along, one slow step after another, past the sleeping hare. [8] When the hare woke, the tortoise was almost at the creek, and the hare ran with all its strength. [9] It was too late, because the tortoise had already crossed the finish, and the meadow animals cheered. [10] Steady work, the animals agreed, beats speed that gets wasted.

   The new story: The Clue Walk
   [11] Each spring, Maple Street School held a clue walk, and the first to find all ten clue cards won a golden paper compass. [12] At the starting line, Ari boasted that Bo's careful searching would last until supper. [13] Bo said nothing and tucked a pencil behind an ear. [14] When Mr. Alvarez blew the whistle, Ari sprinted off and had six cards in a pocket before the first bench.

   [15] At the pond bridge, Ari looked back, saw no one, and sat down to skip stones. [16] “Plenty of cards are left,” Ari said, “and plenty of time.” [17] Meanwhile Bo checked every bush and tree stump, one patient step after another, and filed each card in a folder. [18] Bo found the tenth card at the old oak and walked past the bridge, where Ari was still skipping stones. [19] Ari glanced up, gasped, and raced to the finish line, but Bo was already handing the folder to Mr. Alvarez. [20] Afterward the two laughed about the stones, and Ari asked Bo for a lesson in careful searching.

7. 4.

   Milo compares the old tale and the new story. Which detail in the story plays the same part as the shady tree in the tale?

   • The finish line, where Bo hands in the folder.
   • The old oak, where Bo finds the tenth card.
   • The golden paper compass for the winner.
   • The pond bridge, where Ari sits down.
8. 5.

   Noah compares the old tale and the new story. Which detail in the story plays the same part as the hare's nap?

   • The pencil Bo tucks behind an ear.
   • The six cards in Ari's pocket.
   • The pond beside the bridge.
   • Ari's skipping stones at the pond bridge.

9. The Crow and the Pitcher, and A Ball in a Vase (pair: an old tale and a new story)

   The old tale: The Crow and the Pitcher
   [1] On a hot, dry day, a thirsty crow searched the fields for water. [2] At last it found a tall pitcher, but only a little water lay at the very bottom. [3] The crow stretched its neck as far as it possibly could, yet its beak fell short of the water. [4] Next it tried to tip the pitcher over, but the pitcher was far too heavy to move.

   [5] The crow sat still and thought carefully, for stretching and pushing had both failed. [6] Then it spotted a pile of small pebbles lying near the fence. [7] One at a time, the crow dropped the pebbles into the pitcher, and the water crept higher. [8] After many pebbles, the water finally reached the top, and the crow drank at last. [9] A clever plan, the other birds agreed, can accomplish what strength cannot.

   The new story: A Ball in a Vase
   [10] Luz was setting up the science fair table when a ping-pong ball rolled off a tray and into a tall, narrow vase. [11] The vase was too skinny for a hand, and Luz's fingers stopped an inch above the ball. [12] Next Luz tried a wooden spoon, but the ball only rolled away from the spoon each time. [13] Tipping the vase was out of the question, because it stood on a shelf crowded with fragile models.

   [14] Luz stopped and stared at the vase for a long minute, because nothing so far had worked. [15] Then Luz noticed a bowl of marbles beside the poster board. [16] Luz poured in the last half cup from a water bottle, and the ball began to float, but the water still stopped far below the rim. [17] One at a time, Luz dropped marbles into the vase, and the water climbed higher. [18] When the water finally reached the rim, the ball bobbed up into reach, and Luz carefully lifted it out. [19] Kira, who had been watching quietly from the doorway, said the marbles were the best idea of the whole fair.

10. 6.

    Ari compares the old tale and the new story. Which story sentence matches the tale's event in [3], when the helper's first try falls short?

    • [12]: Luz tries a wooden spoon, but the ball rolls away each time.
    • [13]: Tipping the vase is out, because it stands on a shelf of fragile models.
    • [11]: The vase is too skinny for a hand, and Luz's fingers stop an inch above the ball.
    • [10]: A ping-pong ball rolls off a tray into a tall, narrow vase at the science fair.
11. 7.

    Bo compares the old tale and the new story. Which story sentence matches the tale's event in [7], when the helper drops small things in one at a time?

    • [16]: Luz pours in the last half cup, and the ball floats, but the water stays low.
    • [18]: The water reaches the rim, the ball bobs up, and Luz lifts it out.
    • [12]: Luz tries a wooden spoon, but the ball rolls away each time.
    • [17]: One at a time, Luz drops marbles into the vase, and the water climbs higher.

12. The Crow and the Pitcher, and A Ball in a Vase (pair: an old tale and a new story)

    The old tale: The Crow and the Pitcher
    [1] On a hot, dry day, a thirsty crow searched the fields for water. [2] At last it found a tall pitcher, but only a little water lay at the very bottom. [3] The crow stretched its neck as far as it possibly could, yet its beak fell short of the water. [4] Next it tried to tip the pitcher over, but the pitcher was far too heavy to move.

    [5] The crow sat still and thought carefully, for stretching and pushing had both failed. [6] Then it spotted a pile of small pebbles lying near the fence. [7] One at a time, the crow dropped the pebbles into the pitcher, and the water crept higher. [8] After many pebbles, the water finally reached the top, and the crow drank at last. [9] A clever plan, the other birds agreed, can accomplish what strength cannot.

    The new story: A Ball in a Vase
    [10] Luz was setting up the science fair table when a ping-pong ball rolled off a tray and into a tall, narrow vase. [11] The vase was too skinny for a hand, and Luz's fingers stopped an inch above the ball. [12] Next Luz tried a wooden spoon, but the ball only rolled away from the spoon each time. [13] Tipping the vase was out of the question, because it stood on a shelf crowded with fragile models.

    [14] Luz stopped and stared at the vase for a long minute, because nothing so far had worked. [15] Then Luz noticed a bowl of marbles beside the poster board. [16] Luz poured in the last half cup from a water bottle, and the ball began to float, but the water still stopped far below the rim. [17] One at a time, Luz dropped marbles into the vase, and the water climbed higher. [18] When the water finally reached the rim, the ball bobbed up into reach, and Luz carefully lifted it out. [19] Kira, who had been watching quietly from the doorway, said the marbles were the best idea of the whole fair.
    Verdict: same means the story does the same thing as the tale; changed means the story does something different.

13. 8.

    Pia reads one chart row: a tale detail, the story detail that does the same job, and a verdict. Which row is filled in correctly?

    • Tale: the water rises so the crow can drink. Story: the water rises so a ball floats within reach. Verdict: changed.
    • Tale: after its first tries fail, the crow sits still and thinks. Story: after its first tries fail, Luz stops and stares at the vase. Verdict: changed.
    • Tale: the pitcher already holds a little water. Story: Luz pours water into the vase. Verdict: same.
    • Tale: the crow spots pebbles near the fence. Story: Luz stops and stares at the vase. Verdict: changed.

14. The Crow and the Pitcher, and A Ball in a Vase (pair: an old tale and a new story)

    The old tale: The Crow and the Pitcher
    [1] On a hot, dry day, a thirsty crow searched the fields for water. [2] At last it found a tall pitcher, but only a little water lay at the very bottom. [3] The crow stretched its neck as far as it possibly could, yet its beak fell short of the water. [4] Next it tried to tip the pitcher over, but the pitcher was far too heavy to move.

    [5] The crow sat still and thought carefully, for stretching and pushing had both failed. [6] Then it spotted a pile of small pebbles lying near the fence. [7] One at a time, the crow dropped the pebbles into the pitcher, and the water crept higher. [8] After many pebbles, the water finally reached the top, and the crow drank at last. [9] A clever plan, the other birds agreed, can accomplish what strength cannot.

    The new story: A Ball in a Vase
    [10] Luz was setting up the science fair table when a ping-pong ball rolled off a tray and into a tall, narrow vase. [11] The vase was too skinny for a hand, and Luz's fingers stopped an inch above the ball. [12] Next Luz tried a wooden spoon, but the ball only rolled away from the spoon each time. [13] Tipping the vase was out of the question, because it stood on a shelf crowded with fragile models.

    [14] Luz stopped and stared at the vase for a long minute, because nothing so far had worked. [15] Then Luz noticed a bowl of marbles beside the poster board. [16] Luz poured in the last half cup from a water bottle, and the ball began to float, but the water still stopped far below the rim. [17] One at a time, Luz dropped marbles into the vase, and the water climbed higher. [18] When the water finally reached the rim, the ball bobbed up into reach, and Luz carefully lifted it out. [19] Kira, who had been watching quietly from the doorway, said the marbles were the best idea of the whole fair.

15. 9.

    Tala compares the old tale and the new story. Which detail in the story plays the same part as the tall pitcher in the tale?

    • The shelf of fragile models.
    • The tall, narrow vase.
    • The bowl of marbles.
    • The ping-pong ball.
16. 10.

    Zee compares the old tale and the new story. Which detail in the story plays the same part as the pebbles in the tale?

    • The wooden spoon.
    • The water Luz pours into the vase.
    • The ping-pong ball.
    • The marbles in the bowl.