Summarize a story without opinions
Grade 9 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
The Jam Contest (story)
[1] Every August, the county fair held a jam contest, and Bo spent three weeks picking strawberries from the family garden so that the entry would be ready in time. [2] The jar looked perfect, with a gold lid and a handwritten label, and Bo was certain that the blue ribbon was already as good as won. [3] On the morning of the judging, the ribbon went instead to Mrs. Abbott, a neighbor, whose jar sat beside Bo's with a plain paper label and slightly cloudy jam. [4] Bo walked home with a red face and a heavy jar, telling anyone who would listen that the judges must have tasted the wrong spoon.
[5] A week later, Mrs. Abbott knocked at the door with a small jar tied with string and explained that the judges had found Bo's jam sweet but flat, and that a spoonful of lemon juice at the end of cooking would brighten it. [6] Bo had been planning to skip the contest the following year, but the advice was specific enough to try, and the first trial batch tasted livelier than anything Bo had made before. [7] Throughout July, Bo cooked a trial batch every weekend, adding the lemon juice a drop at a time and writing the results in a notebook.
[8] At the next fair, the blue ribbon went to Bo's jar, and Mrs. Abbott took second place with a smile that looked pleased rather than polite. [9] Bo read the judges' card, which praised the balance between sweetness and tang, and felt a pride that had no trace of the old red face. [10] That afternoon, Bo carried a jar next door, tied with string, and left it on Mrs. Abbott's porch with a note listing the weekends of trial batches. [11] The note ended by saying that the first loss had turned out to be the most useful thing the contest ever gave. [12] Mrs. Abbott pinned the note inside her kitchen cupboard, beside the recipe card.
Ari is writing a three-sentence summary. Which sentence is the turning point, the moment the problem begins to be understood or solved?
- [2] The jar looked perfect, with a gold lid and a handwritten label, and Bo was certain that the blue ribbon was already as good as won.
- [7] Throughout July, Bo cooked a trial batch every weekend, adding the lemon juice a drop at a time and writing the results in a notebook.
- [1] Every August, the county fair held a jam contest, and Bo spent three weeks picking strawberries from the family garden so that the entry would be ready in time.
- [5] A week later, Mrs. Abbott knocked at the door with a small jar tied with string and explained that the judges had found Bo's jam sweet but flat, and that a spoonful of lemon juice at the end of cooking would brighten it.
Bo is writing one summary sentence about what Bo did after losing the ribbon. Which version reports it without judging anyone?
- After losing the ribbon, Bo secretly knew the judges were right but blamed the spoon anyway.
- After losing the ribbon, Bo made a childish excuse about the judges and their spoon.
- After losing the ribbon, Bo foolishly told people that the judges must have tasted the wrong spoon.
- After losing the ribbon, Bo told people that the judges must have tasted the wrong spoon.
The Jam Contest (story)
[1] Every August, the county fair held a jam contest, and Bo spent three weeks picking strawberries from the family garden so that the entry would be ready in time. [2] The jar looked perfect, with a gold lid and a handwritten label, and Bo was certain that the blue ribbon was already as good as won. [3] On the morning of the judging, the ribbon went instead to Mrs. Abbott, a neighbor, whose jar sat beside Bo's with a plain paper label and slightly cloudy jam. [4] Bo walked home with a red face and a heavy jar, telling anyone who would listen that the judges must have tasted the wrong spoon.
[5] A week later, Mrs. Abbott knocked at the door with a small jar tied with string and explained that the judges had found Bo's jam sweet but flat, and that a spoonful of lemon juice at the end of cooking would brighten it. [6] Bo had been planning to skip the contest the following year, but the advice was specific enough to try, and the first trial batch tasted livelier than anything Bo had made before. [7] Throughout July, Bo cooked a trial batch every weekend, adding the lemon juice a drop at a time and writing the results in a notebook.
[8] At the next fair, the blue ribbon went to Bo's jar, and Mrs. Abbott took second place with a smile that looked pleased rather than polite. [9] Bo read the judges' card, which praised the balance between sweetness and tang, and felt a pride that had no trace of the old red face. [10] That afternoon, Bo carried a jar next door, tied with string, and left it on Mrs. Abbott's porch with a note listing the weekends of trial batches. [11] The note ended by saying that the first loss had turned out to be the most useful thing the contest ever gave. [12] Mrs. Abbott pinned the note inside her kitchen cupboard, beside the recipe card. Draft summary: (1) Bo's strawberry jam lost the county fair contest to Mrs. Abbott's, and Bo blamed the judges. (2) Mrs. Abbott brought advice to add lemon juice, and Bo practiced it every weekend in July. (3) Bo won the blue ribbon at the next fair and left Mrs. Abbott a jar with a thank-you note. (4) Bo was wise to learn that losing is the best teacher.
Esme is trimming a draft summary to events only. Which draft sentence should be cut because it gives an opinion or a lesson instead of reporting?
- (1) Bo's strawberry jam lost the county fair contest to Mrs. Abbott's, and Bo blamed the judges.
- (4) Bo was wise to learn that losing is the best teacher.
- (2) Mrs. Abbott brought advice to add lemon juice, and Bo practiced it every weekend in July.
- (3) Bo won the blue ribbon at the next fair and left Mrs. Abbott a jar with a thank-you note.
The Shortcut (story)
[1] On the school hiking trip, Ms. Varga let each student lead the group for one mile, and Ren's turn began at the stone marker where the main trail curved around a long ridge. [2] Ren had studied the map the night before and noticed a thin dotted line that cut straight across the ridge, which would save nearly a mile. [3] Ari asked whether the dotted line was an official trail, and Ren answered that a shorter route was obviously better and led the group to the left. [4] The path narrowed to a track through tall grass, and after twenty minutes it ended at a fence with a locked gate.
[5] The group stood in the sun while Ren unfolded the map again, looking for some sign that the line had been meant for hikers. [6] In the corner of the map, in small print, was a note explaining that the dotted line marked a private road and not a public trail. [7] Ren had read the map for its lines and had skipped its key. [8] Ms. Varga, who had stayed quiet at the back, waited until Ren said that the group would have to turn around.
[9] The walk back took forty minutes, and Ren apologized to the group at the stone marker, where the main trail curved around the ridge as it always had. [10] For the rest of the mile, Ren checked the key before each junction and asked Ari to read the map aloud as a second pair of eyes. [11] The group reached the lake long after noon, a half hour later than planned, and ate lunch in the shade. [12] At the end of the day, Ren wrote in the trip journal that the shortcut had cost an hour, and that reading the key was now the first thing to do with any map.
Jun is writing a three-sentence summary. Which sentence is the turning point, the moment the problem begins to be understood or solved?
- [6] In the corner of the map, in small print, was a note explaining that the dotted line marked a private road and not a public trail.
- [11] The group reached the lake long after noon, a half hour later than planned, and ate lunch in the shade.
- [12] At the end of the day, Ren wrote in the trip journal that the shortcut had cost an hour, and that reading the key was now the first thing to do with any map.
- [3] Ari asked whether the dotted line was an official trail, and Ren answered that a shorter route was obviously better and led the group to the left.
Kira is writing one summary sentence about what happened when Ari asked about the dotted line. Which version reports it without judging anyone?
- Ari asked whether the dotted line was an official trail, and Ren carelessly waved the question away and led the group left.
- Ari asked whether the dotted line was an official trail, and Ren brushed the question off with a lazy answer.
- Ari warned that the line was not an official trail, and Ren ignored the warning and led the whole group into trouble.
- Ari asked whether the dotted line was an official trail, and Ren answered that a shorter route was better and led the group left.
The Shortcut (story)
[1] On the school hiking trip, Ms. Varga let each student lead the group for one mile, and Ren's turn began at the stone marker where the main trail curved around a long ridge. [2] Ren had studied the map the night before and noticed a thin dotted line that cut straight across the ridge, which would save nearly a mile. [3] Ari asked whether the dotted line was an official trail, and Ren answered that a shorter route was obviously better and led the group to the left. [4] The path narrowed to a track through tall grass, and after twenty minutes it ended at a fence with a locked gate.
[5] The group stood in the sun while Ren unfolded the map again, looking for some sign that the line had been meant for hikers. [6] In the corner of the map, in small print, was a note explaining that the dotted line marked a private road and not a public trail. [7] Ren had read the map for its lines and had skipped its key. [8] Ms. Varga, who had stayed quiet at the back, waited until Ren said that the group would have to turn around.
[9] The walk back took forty minutes, and Ren apologized to the group at the stone marker, where the main trail curved around the ridge as it always had. [10] For the rest of the mile, Ren checked the key before each junction and asked Ari to read the map aloud as a second pair of eyes. [11] The group reached the lake long after noon, a half hour later than planned, and ate lunch in the shade. [12] At the end of the day, Ren wrote in the trip journal that the shortcut had cost an hour, and that reading the key was now the first thing to do with any map. Draft summary: (1) Ren led the hiking group onto a dotted line on the map that looked like a shortcut. (2) The line was a private road, and the path ended at a locked gate. (3) Ren should have read the map more carefully, since carelessness wastes everyone's time. (4) The group turned back, and afterward Ren checked the map key at every junction.
Luz is trimming a draft summary to events only. Which draft sentence should be cut because it gives an opinion or a lesson instead of reporting?
- (4) The group turned back, and afterward Ren checked the map key at every junction.
- (2) The line was a private road, and the path ended at a locked gate.
- (3) Ren should have read the map more carefully, since carelessness wastes everyone's time.
- (1) Ren led the hiking group onto a dotted line on the map that looked like a shortcut.
The Missing Page (story)
[1] Pia had practiced the same piano piece for six months, and on the night of the winter recital the sheet music stood open on the stand beside a small vase of paper flowers. [2] Pia had always played with the notes on the stand, and Mr. Dunmore, the teacher, had often suggested trying a few measures from memory, which Pia always declined. [3] Halfway through the first page, a draft from the stage door fluttered the sheets, and the second sheet slid off the stand and under the piano. [4] The audience heard the music stop for a bar, and Pia's hands hovered above the keys while the empty stand stared back.
[5] Then Pia noticed that the opening melody, which returned in the second half, was already sitting in the fingers, and began to play it without looking. [6] The melody led into the middle section, which Pia remembered more clearly than expected, and the music kept going until Mr. Dunmore slipped the missing sheet back onto the stand during a long rest. [7] Pia finished the piece with the page back on the stand, but spent the last two minutes mostly watching the keys.
[8] After the applause, a woman in the front row said that the stumble had been the most alive moment of the evening. [9] Pia thanked the woman politely, still unsure whether to feel proud or embarrassed. [10] The following week, Mr. Dunmore asked Pia to try the first page from memory, and Pia agreed without the usual hesitation. [11] By the spring recital, Pia played the whole piece without a single sheet of music on the stand, and left the paper flowers at home. [12] On the program, the title of the piece was followed by the words from memory, written in Pia's own handwriting.
Noah is writing one summary sentence about what happened when the second sheet slid off the stand. Which version reports it without judging anyone?
- When the second sheet slid off the stand, Pia began to play the opening melody without the music.
- When the second sheet slid off the stand, Pia played the entire piece flawlessly from memory.
- When the second sheet slid off the stand, Pia got through on a lucky scrap of memory.
- When the second sheet slid off the stand, Pia was very nervous but decided to play on from memory.
The Missing Page (story)
[1] Pia had practiced the same piano piece for six months, and on the night of the winter recital the sheet music stood open on the stand beside a small vase of paper flowers. [2] Pia had always played with the notes on the stand, and Mr. Dunmore, the teacher, had often suggested trying a few measures from memory, which Pia always declined. [3] Halfway through the first page, a draft from the stage door fluttered the sheets, and the second sheet slid off the stand and under the piano. [4] The audience heard the music stop for a bar, and Pia's hands hovered above the keys while the empty stand stared back.
[5] Then Pia noticed that the opening melody, which returned in the second half, was already sitting in the fingers, and began to play it without looking. [6] The melody led into the middle section, which Pia remembered more clearly than expected, and the music kept going until Mr. Dunmore slipped the missing sheet back onto the stand during a long rest. [7] Pia finished the piece with the page back on the stand, but spent the last two minutes mostly watching the keys.
[8] After the applause, a woman in the front row said that the stumble had been the most alive moment of the evening. [9] Pia thanked the woman politely, still unsure whether to feel proud or embarrassed. [10] The following week, Mr. Dunmore asked Pia to try the first page from memory, and Pia agreed without the usual hesitation. [11] By the spring recital, Pia played the whole piece without a single sheet of music on the stand, and left the paper flowers at home. [12] On the program, the title of the piece was followed by the words from memory, written in Pia's own handwriting. Draft summary: (1) Pia's sheet music slid off the stand in the middle of a recital piece. (2) Pia kept playing the melody from memory until the sheet was returned. (3) The audience clearly loved the dramatic stumble most of all. (4) By the spring recital, Pia played the whole piece from memory.
Pia is trimming a draft summary to events only. Which draft sentence should be cut because it gives an opinion or a lesson instead of reporting?
- (4) By the spring recital, Pia played the whole piece from memory.
- (3) The audience clearly loved the dramatic stumble most of all.
- (1) Pia's sheet music slid off the stand in the middle of a recital piece.
- (2) Pia kept playing the melody from memory until the sheet was returned.
The Price Card (story)
[1] On Saturday mornings, Luz helped at a flower stall in the farmers' market, writing the prices on small cards and tucking them into the buckets. [2] Luz took pride in neat handwriting and had rarely been asked to repeat a price, so the cards were seldom checked by anyone. [3] One Saturday, the card for the big sunflower bunch read two dollars instead of twelve, and by nine o'clock six customers had bought bunches at the wrong price. [4] When Mr. Brandt, a regular, pointed out the mistake, Luz felt a hot flush and quietly slid the card behind the bucket. [5] For an hour, Luz sold the sunflowers by saying nothing and pointing toward other buckets, hoping that nobody else would notice.
[6] Ms. Moreau, who owned the stall, came back from the van, saw the hidden card, and asked quietly what had happened. [7] Luz explained everything, including the six sales and the hour of hiding, and expected to be sent home. [8] Ms. Moreau said that the six customers were already happy and that the stall could afford the mistake, but that the stall could not afford a helper who hid mistakes. [9] Ms. Moreau taped a clean card to the bucket and asked Luz to write each price twice, once on the card and once in a notebook.
[10] The following Saturday, Luz found another small error in the notebook before any customer saw it, and corrected it out loud. [11] Ms. Moreau nodded, and added a line to the notebook that said, in her own writing, caught early. [12] By autumn, Luz was the one who checked every card at the start of the day.
Ren is writing a three-sentence summary. Which sentence is the turning point, the moment the problem begins to be understood or solved?
- [12] By autumn, Luz was the one who checked every card at the start of the day.
- [7] Luz explained everything, including the six sales and the hour of hiding, and expected to be sent home.
- [1] On Saturday mornings, Luz helped at a flower stall in the farmers' market, writing the prices on small cards and tucking them into the buckets.
- [2] Luz took pride in neat handwriting and had rarely been asked to repeat a price, so the cards were seldom checked by anyone.
Tala is writing one summary sentence about what happened after Mr. Brandt pointed out the mistake. Which version reports it without judging anyone?
- After Mr. Brandt pointed out the mistake, Luz slid the card behind the bucket and, for an hour, said nothing about the price.
- After Mr. Brandt pointed out the mistake, Luz cheated the customers for the rest of the day.
- After Mr. Brandt pointed out the mistake, Luz hid the card because Luz was afraid of being fired.
- After Mr. Brandt pointed out the mistake, Luz shamefully hid the card and dishonestly sold sunflowers for an hour.