Summarize a story without opinions
Grade 9 Reading Worksheet
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
The Starter (story)
[1] Noah had kept a sourdough starter alive for four months, feeding it every morning with flour and warm water and writing its height on a chart beside the kitchen window. [2] The jar bubbled steadily, and Noah privately believed that a starter belonged to the person who fed it and could not be replaced if it were lost. [3] When the family went away for a long weekend, a neighbor named Mr. Okafor was asked to feed it, but he forgot, and on Monday the jar held a gray, flat paste with a sour smell. [4] Noah stared at it for a long time, and decided that the four months of effort were gone for good.
[5] That evening, Noah went next door to tell Mr. Okafor that the starter had failed, and found that the neighbor already looked miserable. [6] Mr. Okafor said he was sorry, and then added that his own starter, which his mother had begun years ago, was thriving, and that he would be glad to share a spoonful. [7] Noah hesitated, because a starter from someone else felt like a replacement rather than the real thing. [8] Then Mr. Okafor mentioned that a starter was not one thing but a living culture passed from jar to jar, and that his mother's had been shared with half the street.
[9] Noah accepted the spoonful, fed it that night, and by Friday the new jar was bubbling on the windowsill beside the old chart. [10] The chart now began with a new date, but at the bottom Noah wrote the name Okafor and the year the culture began. [11] A month later, Noah gave a spoonful to a classmate whose family had never baked bread. [12] The chart in the kitchen window now had two jars on it, and Noah had stopped thinking of either one as the only real starter.
Ari needs a two-sentence summary that shows how the character's thinking changed, using events only. Which one works?
- Noah believed a starter could not be replaced, until Mr. Okafor's gift showed otherwise. The story teaches that sharing is what keeps good things alive, and that no one should give up too soon.
- Noah fed a sourdough starter for four months, and it failed while the family was away. Noah then accepted a spoonful from Mr. Okafor, began a new jar, and had it bubbling on the windowsill by Friday.
- Noah foolishly believed that a starter could not be replaced and stubbornly mourned the jar. Kind Mr. Okafor finally set Noah straight with a generous gift that anyone would have been glad to get.
- Noah believed a starter could not be replaced, so Noah gave up when the jar failed. After Mr. Okafor shared a spoonful and explained that starters are passed from jar to jar, Noah began again and later shared a spoonful too.
Esme wants one summary sentence that joins Noah's change of thinking to its true cause. Which sentence does that?
- Mr. Okafor explained that starters are shared from jar to jar because Noah had come to see a starter as something that is passed along.
- Noah came to see a starter as something passed from jar to jar because Mr. Okafor apologized many times and baked a loaf for the family.
- Noah's starter failed while the family was away, Mr. Okafor already had a starter, and Noah began a new jar that was bubbling by Friday, with the jar on the windowsill.
- Noah came to see a starter as something passed from jar to jar after Mr. Okafor explained that his mother's starter had been shared with half the street.
The Blue Square (story)
[1] Each year, the town quilting circle stitched a large quilt from squares made by its members, and this year Tala was invited to make one square for the first time. [2] The other squares followed the circle's old style, with small triangles in red and cream, and the circle's leader, Mrs. Hartwell, handed Tala a pattern to copy. [3] Tala studied the pattern, but kept thinking about the blue paper boats that Tala folded at the lake each summer. [4] After two nights of hesitation, Tala stitched a square of blue boats on a white field, and then worried that it would spoil the quilt.
[5] At the meeting, the circle laid out all the squares on a long table, and the blue square sat in the middle like a dropped coin. [6] Mrs. Hartwell studied it for a long time and said that it did not match the others, and that the circle had never allowed a square in a different style. [7] A quiet member named Mr. Esposito, who had been sewing with the circle for thirty years, asked why the style had ever been fixed, and no one could remember. [8] The circle voted, narrowly, to include the square at the center of the quilt, with the red triangles around it.
[9] When the quilt was finished, visitors to the town hall stopped first at the blue boats and asked what story the boats were telling. [10] Tala, who had expected to be embarrassed, found it easy to explain the lake and the summers, and the circle added a small label beneath the square with the date. [11] The following year, three other members brought squares in styles of their own. [12] Mrs. Hartwell kept the red triangle pattern in a drawer, and handed it out only when someone asked for it.
Jun needs a two-sentence summary that shows how the character's thinking changed, using events only. Which one works?
- Tala stitched a square of blue boats instead of the circle's red-and-cream pattern, and worried it would spoil the quilt. After a member asked why the style had ever been fixed, the circle voted to put the square at the center, and the next year others made squares in their own styles.
- Tala bravely stitched a lovely square of blue boats when the pattern called for red triangles, and worried it would spoil the quilt. The stubborn circle finally gave in after a close vote and put the square in the middle.
- The circle laid its squares out on a long table in the town hall, and the blue square sat in the middle while Mrs. Hartwell studied it for a long time. Later, visitors stopped first at the blue boats and asked about them.
- Tala stitched a square of blue boats that did not match the circle's red-and-cream pattern, and the circle voted narrowly to accept it. The story teaches that new ideas make traditions stronger, and that a circle should welcome them.
The Blue Square (story)
[1] Each year, the town quilting circle stitched a large quilt from squares made by its members, and this year Tala was invited to make one square for the first time. [2] The other squares followed the circle's old style, with small triangles in red and cream, and the circle's leader, Mrs. Hartwell, handed Tala a pattern to copy. [3] Tala studied the pattern, but kept thinking about the blue paper boats that Tala folded at the lake each summer. [4] After two nights of hesitation, Tala stitched a square of blue boats on a white field, and then worried that it would spoil the quilt.
[5] At the meeting, the circle laid out all the squares on a long table, and the blue square sat in the middle like a dropped coin. [6] Mrs. Hartwell studied it for a long time and said that it did not match the others, and that the circle had never allowed a square in a different style. [7] A quiet member named Mr. Esposito, who had been sewing with the circle for thirty years, asked why the style had ever been fixed, and no one could remember. [8] The circle voted, narrowly, to include the square at the center of the quilt, with the red triangles around it.
[9] When the quilt was finished, visitors to the town hall stopped first at the blue boats and asked what story the boats were telling. [10] Tala, who had expected to be embarrassed, found it easy to explain the lake and the summers, and the circle added a small label beneath the square with the date. [11] The following year, three other members brought squares in styles of their own. [12] Mrs. Hartwell kept the red triangle pattern in a drawer, and handed it out only when someone asked for it. Draft summary: (1) Tala was asked to copy the quilting circle's old red-and-cream pattern but stitched a square of blue boats instead. (2) The circle's leader said the square did not match, and the circle voted narrowly to put it at the quilt's center. (3) The squares were laid out on a long table in the town hall. (4) The next year, three other members brought squares in styles of their own.
Kira must cut this draft summary to three sentences. Which draft sentence can be cut with the least loss to the story?
- (3) The squares were laid out on a long table in the town hall.
- (4) The next year, three other members brought squares in styles of their own.
- (2) The circle's leader said the square did not match, and the circle voted narrowly to put it at the quilt's center.
- (1) Tala was asked to copy the quilting circle's old red-and-cream pattern but stitched a square of blue boats instead.
The Blue Square (story)
[1] Each year, the town quilting circle stitched a large quilt from squares made by its members, and this year Tala was invited to make one square for the first time. [2] The other squares followed the circle's old style, with small triangles in red and cream, and the circle's leader, Mrs. Hartwell, handed Tala a pattern to copy. [3] Tala studied the pattern, but kept thinking about the blue paper boats that Tala folded at the lake each summer. [4] After two nights of hesitation, Tala stitched a square of blue boats on a white field, and then worried that it would spoil the quilt.
[5] At the meeting, the circle laid out all the squares on a long table, and the blue square sat in the middle like a dropped coin. [6] Mrs. Hartwell studied it for a long time and said that it did not match the others, and that the circle had never allowed a square in a different style. [7] A quiet member named Mr. Esposito, who had been sewing with the circle for thirty years, asked why the style had ever been fixed, and no one could remember. [8] The circle voted, narrowly, to include the square at the center of the quilt, with the red triangles around it.
[9] When the quilt was finished, visitors to the town hall stopped first at the blue boats and asked what story the boats were telling. [10] Tala, who had expected to be embarrassed, found it easy to explain the lake and the summers, and the circle added a small label beneath the square with the date. [11] The following year, three other members brought squares in styles of their own. [12] Mrs. Hartwell kept the red triangle pattern in a drawer, and handed it out only when someone asked for it.
Luz wants one summary sentence that joins the circle's vote to its true cause. Which sentence does that?
- The circle voted to include the blue square after Mr. Esposito asked why the old style had ever been fixed and nobody could remember.
- Mr. Esposito asked why the old style had ever been fixed because the circle had already voted to include the blue square.
- Mrs. Hartwell said the blue square did not match the others, Mr. Esposito asked a question, and the circle voted to include the square.
- The circle voted to include the blue square in the middle of the quilt because Mrs. Hartwell was too stubborn to argue any longer.
The Lending Shelf (story)
[1] The community center kept a lending shelf of board games, and Ari borrowed a different game almost every weekend, always returning it by Monday. [2] This time, Ari borrowed a word-tile game with two hundred wooden tiles, and discovered at home that three of them had gone missing from the box. [3] The tiles were nowhere to be found, and the box lid said that the game could not be played correctly without a full set. [4] Ari considered putting the box back on the shelf with a note, but a note seemed likely to get the game thrown out, and Ari worried that everyone would hear who had been careless.
[5] On Monday, Ari came to the community center early and found Ms. Boateng, the volunteer, unlocking the shelf. [6] Ari explained what had happened and handed over the box, expecting to be told never to borrow again. [7] Ms. Boateng laughed and said that tiles disappeared from the shelf every month, and that the center kept a jar of spare tiles for exactly this reason. [8] Ms. Boateng counted out three new tiles, wrote the date inside the lid, and thanked Ari for reporting the loss before the next family opened the box.
[9] Ari had been bracing for blame, and the thanks felt strange, like being handed a coat after expecting a shove. [10] The next weekend, Ari borrowed a game again and checked the pieces against the list on the lid before leaving the center. [11] A month later, Ari volunteered to help Ms. Boateng count pieces on Saturday mornings. [12] The lending shelf kept its spare tiles in the same jar, and the jar was a little fuller each month. Draft summary: (1) Ari borrowed a word-tile game and found that three tiles were missing, and worried about being blamed. (2) The game had two hundred wooden tiles in a box with the rules printed on the lid. (3) Ari told the volunteer, Ms. Boateng, who said that spare tiles were kept for losses and thanked Ari. (4) Afterward, Ari checked the pieces before leaving the center and began helping to count them.
Noah must cut this draft summary to three sentences. Which draft sentence can be cut with the least loss to the story?
- (4) Afterward, Ari checked the pieces before leaving the center and began helping to count them.
- (3) Ari told the volunteer, Ms. Boateng, who said that spare tiles were kept for losses and thanked Ari.
- (1) Ari borrowed a word-tile game and found that three tiles were missing, and worried about being blamed.
- (2) The game had two hundred wooden tiles in a box with the rules printed on the lid.
The Lending Shelf (story)
[1] The community center kept a lending shelf of board games, and Ari borrowed a different game almost every weekend, always returning it by Monday. [2] This time, Ari borrowed a word-tile game with two hundred wooden tiles, and discovered at home that three of them had gone missing from the box. [3] The tiles were nowhere to be found, and the box lid said that the game could not be played correctly without a full set. [4] Ari considered putting the box back on the shelf with a note, but a note seemed likely to get the game thrown out, and Ari worried that everyone would hear who had been careless.
[5] On Monday, Ari came to the community center early and found Ms. Boateng, the volunteer, unlocking the shelf. [6] Ari explained what had happened and handed over the box, expecting to be told never to borrow again. [7] Ms. Boateng laughed and said that tiles disappeared from the shelf every month, and that the center kept a jar of spare tiles for exactly this reason. [8] Ms. Boateng counted out three new tiles, wrote the date inside the lid, and thanked Ari for reporting the loss before the next family opened the box.
[9] Ari had been bracing for blame, and the thanks felt strange, like being handed a coat after expecting a shove. [10] The next weekend, Ari borrowed a game again and checked the pieces against the list on the lid before leaving the center. [11] A month later, Ari volunteered to help Ms. Boateng count pieces on Saturday mornings. [12] The lending shelf kept its spare tiles in the same jar, and the jar was a little fuller each month.
Pia wants one summary sentence that joins Ari's change of feeling about blame to its true cause. Which sentence does that?
- Ari stopped dreading blame because Ari was a naturally brave person who liked to own up.
- Ari lost three tiles from a borrowed game, Ms. Boateng kept a jar of spare tiles at the center, and Ari borrowed another game the next weekend.
- Ari stopped dreading blame because Ms. Boateng offered Ari a free membership at the community center.
- Ari stopped dreading blame after Ms. Boateng said that tiles went missing every month and thanked Ari for reporting the loss.
The Bus Shelter Poem (story)
[1] When the city invited residents to submit short poems for the glass panels of a new bus shelter, Jun wrote one about the early bus at dawn and signed it with a full name in careful print. [2] Jun hoped that the poem would be chosen and that everyone waiting for the number nine would know who had written it. [3] Three weeks later, a letter arrived saying that the poem had been chosen, but that all poems on the shelter would appear without names, so that no single author seemed more important than another. [4] Jun was disappointed, and for a day considered withdrawing the poem altogether.
[5] That weekend, Jun walked to the old shelter and watched the people waiting there, most of them looking at their phones or down the street. [6] A woman in a nurse's uniform read a copy of the poem that was taped to the post, smiled slightly, and said aloud to nobody in particular that it sounded like her morning. [7] Jun realized that the woman had not asked who wrote it, and that the smile had not needed a name. [8] Jun told the city that the poem could appear without a signature.
[9] When the new shelter opened, the glass held twelve poems in plain white lettering, and Jun's was fourth from the left. [10] On the first rainy morning, Jun stood in the shelter and listened to two strangers read the fourth panel aloud, one of them stumbling over the word dawn. [11] Neither stranger looked around for an author. [12] Jun took the number nine home, and wrote a second poem on the bus ride without thinking about where it would go.
Ren needs a two-sentence summary that shows how the character's thinking changed, using events only. Which one works?
- The new shelter's glass held twelve poems in plain white lettering, and Jun's was fourth from the left. On a rainy morning, two strangers read the fourth panel aloud, and one of them stumbled over a word.
- Jun wrote a poem about the early bus, and the city chose it for the glass panels of a new shelter. Jun told the city the poem could appear without a signature, and it was placed fourth from the left.
- Jun wanted the poem for the bus shelter to carry a name, and was disappointed when the city said no poem would be signed. After a woman responded to a copy of the poem without asking who wrote it, Jun agreed to an unsigned poem and later wrote a second one.
- Jun selfishly wanted fame and was crushed when the city refused to print names. A nurse's kind smile finally made Jun see sense and give in, and the poem went up without a name on the fourth panel.
The Bus Shelter Poem (story)
[1] When the city invited residents to submit short poems for the glass panels of a new bus shelter, Jun wrote one about the early bus at dawn and signed it with a full name in careful print. [2] Jun hoped that the poem would be chosen and that everyone waiting for the number nine would know who had written it. [3] Three weeks later, a letter arrived saying that the poem had been chosen, but that all poems on the shelter would appear without names, so that no single author seemed more important than another. [4] Jun was disappointed, and for a day considered withdrawing the poem altogether.
[5] That weekend, Jun walked to the old shelter and watched the people waiting there, most of them looking at their phones or down the street. [6] A woman in a nurse's uniform read a copy of the poem that was taped to the post, smiled slightly, and said aloud to nobody in particular that it sounded like her morning. [7] Jun realized that the woman had not asked who wrote it, and that the smile had not needed a name. [8] Jun told the city that the poem could appear without a signature.
[9] When the new shelter opened, the glass held twelve poems in plain white lettering, and Jun's was fourth from the left. [10] On the first rainy morning, Jun stood in the shelter and listened to two strangers read the fourth panel aloud, one of them stumbling over the word dawn. [11] Neither stranger looked around for an author. [12] Jun took the number nine home, and wrote a second poem on the bus ride without thinking about where it would go. Draft summary: (1) Jun wrote a poem for a new bus shelter, hoping to be named, and was disappointed when the city said that no poem would carry a name. (2) After a woman at the old shelter smiled at a copy of the poem without asking who wrote it, Jun agreed to let it appear unsigned. (3) The glass panels at the new shelter held twelve poems in plain white lettering. (4) Jun later wrote a second poem on the bus without thinking about where it would go.
Tala must cut this draft summary to three sentences. Which draft sentence can be cut with the least loss to the story?
- (2) After a woman at the old shelter smiled at a copy of the poem without asking who wrote it, Jun agreed to let it appear unsigned.
- (1) Jun wrote a poem for a new bus shelter, hoping to be named, and was disappointed when the city said that no poem would carry a name.
- (4) Jun later wrote a second poem on the bus without thinking about where it would go.
- (3) The glass panels at the new shelter held twelve poems in plain white lettering.
The Bus Shelter Poem (story)
[1] When the city invited residents to submit short poems for the glass panels of a new bus shelter, Jun wrote one about the early bus at dawn and signed it with a full name in careful print. [2] Jun hoped that the poem would be chosen and that everyone waiting for the number nine would know who had written it. [3] Three weeks later, a letter arrived saying that the poem had been chosen, but that all poems on the shelter would appear without names, so that no single author seemed more important than another. [4] Jun was disappointed, and for a day considered withdrawing the poem altogether.
[5] That weekend, Jun walked to the old shelter and watched the people waiting there, most of them looking at their phones or down the street. [6] A woman in a nurse's uniform read a copy of the poem that was taped to the post, smiled slightly, and said aloud to nobody in particular that it sounded like her morning. [7] Jun realized that the woman had not asked who wrote it, and that the smile had not needed a name. [8] Jun told the city that the poem could appear without a signature.
[9] When the new shelter opened, the glass held twelve poems in plain white lettering, and Jun's was fourth from the left. [10] On the first rainy morning, Jun stood in the shelter and listened to two strangers read the fourth panel aloud, one of them stumbling over the word dawn. [11] Neither stranger looked around for an author. [12] Jun took the number nine home, and wrote a second poem on the bus ride without thinking about where it would go.
Zee wants one summary sentence that joins Jun's choice about the poem to its true cause. Which sentence does that?
- A woman at the old shelter smiled at a copy of the poem without asking who wrote it because Jun had already agreed to let it appear without a name.
- Jun agreed to let the poem appear without a name after seeing a woman smile at a copy of it without asking who wrote it.
- Jun agreed to let the poem appear without a name because Jun was too shy to argue with the city about it.
- Jun agreed to let the poem appear without a name because the city offered to print the author's name on the back of each glass panel.