A-Z Mysteries
The X’ed-Out X-Ray
Chapter 1
1. Why did the children have to dress like penguins? (p1)
a. Because they wanted to be penguins.
b. Because it was Halloween.
c. Because everyone at Penelope Gwinn’s concerts did.
2. What did Ruth Rose win? (p2)
a. a day at the zoo
b. four free tickets to Penelope Gwinn’s concert
c. an MP3 player
3. What was the woman in front of Dink reading? (p8)
a. an autograph book
b. a newspaper
c. a comic book
4. When would Ruth Rose buy Josh a hotdog? (p10)
a. before the show
b. at the intermission
c. at the end of the show
5. What was around Penelope Gwinn’s neck? (p10)
a. a shiny coin
b. a necktie
c. a diamond penguin
Chapter 2
1. Why was Frank closing his hotdog cart? (p14)
a. Because he had to get an autograph.
b. Because he had no more hotdogs.
c. Because the intermission was finished.
2. What did the children take a ride on? (p16)
a. a ghost train
b. a roller coaster
c. a carousel
3. Why did Dink kneel on the dragon’s back? (p18)
a. Because he wanted to be taller.
b. Because he heard a yell.
c. Because he wanted to go faster.
4. Where did Dink have to go? (p21)
a. home
b. onto the stage
c. to the first aid tent
5. What happened to Penelope Gwinn? (p21-22)
a. She disappeared.
b. She fell off the stage.
c. Her diamond penguin was stolen.
Chapter 3
1. Who was the doctor in the tent? (p23)
a. Dr. Jones
b. Dr. Barnes
c. Dr. Fleming
2. Why would Dink have to go to Dr. Fleming’s office? (p26)
a. Because he wanted to listen to music.
b. Because Dr. Fleming had to x-ray his arm.
c. Because they didn’t eat lunch.
3. Why did Dr. Fleming want Dink to read the sign? (p27)
a. Because he didn’t go to school.
b. Because it was an eye test.
c. Because Dink could have a concussion.
4. What did Dr. Fleming put on Dink’s arm? (p27)
a. a bandage
b. a Band-Aid
c. sun cream
5. Why was the woman with yellow hair angry? (p29)
a. Because the concert stopped.
b. Because she wanted to get out of the park.
c. Because someone stole her money.
Chapter 4
1. Why did Dink lie on the table? (p32)
a. Because he needed to sleep.
b. Because he felt dizzy.
c. Because he had to have an x-ray.
2. Why did Dr. Fleming draw an ‘X’ on the x-ray? (p34)
a. Because it was the wrong arm.
b. Because it was the wrong color.
c. Because it was too blurred.
3. When Dr. Fleming was removing the bandage, what did Dink do? (p34)
a. He cried.
b. He read a sign.
c. He counted to one hundred.
4. According to Dr. Fleming, who should look at Dink’s x-ray? (p35)
a. Dink’s teacher
b. Dink’s doctor
c. Dink’s grandmother
5. What did Dink ask Dr. Fleming for? (p36)
a. the other x-ray
b. a lollipop
c. his white jacket
Chapter 5
1. Who did Dink’s family see on TV? (p37)
a. Penelope Gwinn
b. Frank from the hotdog cart
c. Dr. Fleming
2. Why wouldn’t Penelope Gwinn give another concert? (p38)
a. Because she was too busy.
b. Because she had a cold.
c. Because she was too upset.
3. Who was the thief? (p40)
a. one of her fans
b. an attendant
c. a police officer
4. Where did Dink and his mother go the next morning? (p41)
a. to the department store
b. to Dr. Bryte’s office
c. to the park
5. What did Dr. Bryte tell Dink not to do for a few days? (p43)
a. talk to his friends
b. eat cookies
c. play sports
Chapter 6
1. What does ‘purloin’ mean? (p45)
a. to eat
b. to steal
c. to dance
2. What did Penelope Gwinn always do during the intermission? (p45)
a. take a shower
b. sign autographs
c. eat hotdogs
3. Where were the children when the necklace was stolen? (p45)
a. at home
b. on the carousel
c. in the first aid tent
4. Why would the children go to see Penelope? (p48)
a. Because she could have remembered something.
b. Because they wanted another concert.
c. Because they wanted a refund.
5. Who did the children write a note to? (p51)
a. the news reporter
b. Ruth Rose’s father
c. Penelope Gwinn
Chapter 7
1. What would persuade Penelope to see the children? (p52)
a. Ruth Rose’s note
b. Dink’s arm
c. chocolate cake
2. Why did the children search the ground near the stage? (p55)
a. Because they were looking for clues.
b. Because they wanted new masks.
c. Because they hoped to find treasure.
3. Which floor of the hotel was Penelope staying on? (p57)
a. two
b. twelve
c. twenty
4. Who was Hans? (p57-58)
a. Penelope’s manager
b. the hotel owner
c. a police officer
5. What did Penelope take out from a small table drawer? (p60)
a. a photograph
b. an autograph book
c. a comic book
Chapter 8
1. Why were there no fingerprints on the autograph book? (p62)
a. Because rain washed them away.
b. Because Penelope cleaned the book.
c. Because the thief wore gloves.
2. What did Penelope ask Ruth Rose to throw away? (p63)
a. her picture
b. her violin
c. the autograph book
3. Where did the children see Hans go? (p64)
a. into a jewelry store
b. onto a bus
c. into a bank
4. Who owned the autograph book? (p67)
a. Lucky
b. Georgie
c. Hans
5. What happened to Dink’s x-ray? (p68)
a. It caught fire.
b. Josh wiped away the ‘X’.
c. It turned yellow.
Chapter 9
1. What was the weird shape on the x-ray? (p71)
a. the diamond penguin
b. a pear
c. a light bulb
2. Why did the doctor tell Dink to read the sign? (p72)
a. Because he thought Dink couldn’t read.
b. Because he wanted to check Dink’s homework.
c. Because he didn’t want Dink to see the diamond penguin.
3. What did Georgie steal from the real Dr. Fleming? (p74)
a. a doctor’s jacket and name tag
b. a car
c. an x-ray machine
4. Why did the children call Alva Horst? (p76)
a. Because they wanted Georgie’s address.
b. Because they wanted a new autograph book.
c. Because she was Dink’s grandmother.
5. What was Georgie’s full name? (p76)
a. Peter Gwinn
b. Simon Grill
c. George Shill
Chapter 10
1. Who did Ruth Rose call? (p77)
a. her mother
b. Officer Fallon
c. Hans
2. Why did Dink recognize George Shill? (p80)
a. Because he was the man in the first aid tent.
b. Because he was his uncle.
c. Because he was his teacher.
3. Why did Officer Fallon drive the children to Parkview Hotel? (p82)
a. Because they had dinner there.
b. Because he wanted to arrest Hans.
c. Because he wanted to give Penelope her pendant.
4. How did the children find out about George Shill? (p83)
a. They saw him on TV.
b. His name was in the autograph book.
c. They met him in the supermarket.
5. Who gave Penelope the pendant? (p84)
a. Hans
b. a fan
c. her mother
Dictation
1. “Josh, everyone who goes to a Penelope Gwinn concert dresses like a penguin,” Ruth Rose said.
2. The woman in front of Dink pulled her mask down over her face.
3. “I’d like to x-ray Dink’s arm in my office,” the doctor told Mr. Hathaway.
4. They took an elevator to the third floor, then went down another hallway.
5. “Maybe,” Dink said. “Can you come over tomorrow so we can talk about it with Ruth Rose?” he asked.
6. “Penelope never said it was a man,” Ruth Rose commented. She glanced back at the newspaper.
7. The clerk picked up a telephone and dialed a number.
8. Penelope signed two more pictures and gave them to Dink and Josh.
9. “But why would he put it inside your bandage?” Josh asked.
10. Officer Fallon held out the autograph book. “Did you lose this?”