Humble ISD
2012 Summer School
Final Assessment
Grade Four
4th Grade – Reading Summer School
Final Assessment – 2012
The Life and Fables of Aesop
by Geraldine Haggard
Long ago a man left many stories that are still told. Who was this man? What are his stories?
1 / Everyone knows the story of the cricket that learned the importance of work. A fable is a short story that has a moral or teaches a lesson. The characters are animals that speak and act like people. /2 / Many fables were left by a man named Aesop. Little is known about him. He lived from 620-560 BC. His stories are enjoyed all over the world.
3 / Aesop’s parents were slaves in Greece. So he was born into slavery. Aesop was given his freedom from slaverybecause of his wit and wisdom. It is said that he saved a king’s
life with a story about frogs. Aesop visited kings in other countries. He liked to learn and teach.
4 / One king sent Aesop to give money to his subjects. The greedy people fought to get their share. Aesop sent the money back to the king. He told him that the selfish people did not deserve it. The angry people caught and killed Aesop. They threw him down the side of a cliff.
5 / Most of the characters in Aesop’s fables are animals. They teach about the failures and goodness of people. Aesop’s animals speak words of wisdom.
6 / Many of his fables have been published. A Greek teacher turned some of them into poems. Two hundred years after Aesop’s death, many of his fables were printed. Today these stories can also be found on the web.
7 / Videos and TV shows have told Aesop’s fables. Children’s authors include many of them in their books. Some of them can be found in classrooms, libraries, and book stores.
8 / An ancient French author wrote a book, “Life of Aesop”. Others have tried to learn more about him. They have had little success. When Aesop lived, few records were kept. Some feel that he never lived at all.
9 / The truth may never be known about Aesop or his fables. They are still enjoyed today. Some important lessons can be learned from them.
Aesop’s Frog Fables
Retold by Geraldine Haggard
1 / Aesop was a slave who told stories and wrote fables. Aesop’s characters were animals whose actions taught lessons. Legend tells us that Aesop received his freedom after pleasing a king with a frog fable. Read the following two fables and decide which one might have saved Aesop’s life.2 / TWO FROGS
Two frogs were neighbors. One lived in a beautiful pond. His home was quiet, and he was content. The second frog lived in a ditch with little water and food. The ditch was near a busy, dry road with lots of traffic. The days were hot, and the water was disappearing fast. He heard heavy wagons, carts, and people traveling beside his home. What a noisy place! The first frog invited his friend to live with him. Then his friend would be comfortable and safe. He would have plenty of food. The second frog quickly rejected his invitation. Clearly, he did not want changes in his life! A few days later an enormous wagon /
camedown the road. The frog lingered in the wagon’s path. He was crushed beneath its wheel. What a tragedy!
3 / THE FROGS WHO WANTED A KING
Several frogs lived happily in a swamp where they splashed, ate insects, and had no worries. What an easy life! One day the frogs decided that they needed a king. The frogs petitioned their god, Jove. When Jove received their request, he laughed. They did not need a king! Jove threw a huge log into the swamp. Frightened, the frogs just stared at it. Why did the king not move? One frog dared to touch it, but the log, of course, did not react. What kind of king had Jove sent? The bravest frog jumped and danced on the log. The rest followed. Soon they realized it was just a log and not a king. Once again, they asked Jove for a king. Jove became furious! He sent a large stork. It gobbled up all the frogs. There were no more frogs to croak upon the swamp.
4 / CONCLUSION
What lessons can be learned from the two fables? Which one might have saved Aesop?
1.In paragraph 1, which words help the reader know what fable means?
Acharacters are animals
Bimportance of work
Cshort story that has a moral
Dstory of the cricket
2.In paragraph 7, what does the word shows mean?
Fperformances
Gcompetitions
Hexhibitions
Jevents
3.In paragraph 1, the word importance means –
Awell known.
Bnot of value.
Cvalue of.
Dnot desired.
4.Which word from paragraph 3 means the opposite of slavery?
Fparents
Gfreedom
Hwit
Jwisdom
5.In paragraph 5, the words ‘speak words of wisdom’ mean –
Ahave a conference.
Bcomplain about things.
Cgive a speech.
Dteach a lesson.
6.This article is mainly about –
Fstories told by Aesop.
GAesop’s life and work.
Hhow Aesop earned his freedom.
Jwhat a fable is.
7.What is paragraph 6 mainly about?
AAesop’s poems.
BAesop’s death.
CAesop's fables.
DFables on the web.
8.Why did Aesop send money back to theking?
FThe people who wanted the moneywere greedy.
GThe king asked for the money.
HThe money had been stolen.
JThe people did not want the money.
9.Which of these shows that Aesop was aslave at birth?
AWhen Aesop lived, few recordswere kept.
BSo he was born into slavery.
CAesop was given his freedom from slavery because ofhis wit andwisdom.
DAesop sent money back to the king.
10.Read the first part of a summary of “The Life and Fables of Aesop” to answer the next question.
Summary of “The Life and Fables of Aesop”Little is known about Aesop. He was born a slave but was freed. He left many fables which have been published.
Which of the following best completes the summary above?
FA fable is a short story. The animals in them speak and act like people.
GThe people were greedy, and Aesop sent the money back to the king. Most of thecharacters in his fables are animals.
HMany of his fables are found on the web. Some have also been made into TV shows.
JThe truth about Aesop may never be known. His fables still teach lessons today.
11.Why is it important that “The Life and Fables of Aesop” is located in Greece?
APeople in Greece could own slaves.
BGreece was an ancient country.
CGreece was the home of animals.
DPeople in Greece were free.
12.What happened just after Aesop sent money back to the king?
FHe won his freedom after telling a story.
GHe was thrown down the side of a cliff.
HHe visited kings in other countries.
JHe was born to parents who were slaves.
13.From paragraph 3 the reader can tell that Aesop was–
Aselfish and greedy.
Bloving and kind.
Ccared only for himself.
Dsmart and clever.
14.Paragraph 4 is important because it helps the reader understand –
FAesop was born a slave.
Gfables contain lessons.
Hhow Aesop won his freedom.
Jwhy Aesop was killed.
15.The frog could not leave his home by the road because –
AHe liked the traffic.
BHe liked the noise.
CHe was scared of change.
DHe did not want to leave his family.
16.Why did the noises signal danger?
FPeople are afraid of frogs.
GPeople were talking to each other.
HPeople and carts can kill frogs.
JThe road was very narrow.
17.The author most likely wrote this article to –
Atell the life of Aesop.
Bgive readers facts about Greece.
Cexplain about slavery in Greece.
Dtell two of Aesop’s fables.
18.What is the author’s point of view about Aesop’s fables?
FAesop’s fables cannot be used today.
GAesop’s fables are true stories.
HFables are hard to read.
JFables can teach life lessons.
19.The reader can tell that the fables “Aesop’s Frog’s Fables” are found in a –
Apet care book.
Bnewspaper.
Cstory book.
Dscience book.
20.Look at the chart below. Use it to answer the question.
Which idea belongs in the empty box?
FPeople traveled the road
GFriend lived near a pond
HFriend lived near a swamp
JFriend was afraid of the noise
21.The author used the organizational pattern cause and effect in paragraph 2 to help the reader understand –
Ahow the second frog died and why he was killed.
Bthe steps for picking a king.
Chow the busy, dry road is different from the pond.
Dhow the two frogs became friends.
22.Which of the following statements is an opinion from the second fable “The Frogs Who Wanted a King”?
FJove threw a huge log into the swamp.
GOnce again, they asked Jove for a king.
HIt gobbled up all the frogs.
JWhat an easy life!
23.Which sentence from the fable “The Frog Who Wanted a King” best supports the idea that the frogs were foolish to want a king?
ASeveral frogs lived happily in a swamp.
BJove threw a huge log into the swamp.
COne frog dared to touch it, but the log, of course, did not react.
DOnce again, they asked Jove for a king.
24.From what the reader learns about Jove, which statement would make sense?
FJove had trouble making decisions.
GJove was caring.
HJove made decisions quickly.
JJove was polite.
25.Read the diagram below and answer the question that follows.
Which information belongs in the blank?
ATells of Jove
BTells of two frogs
CTells of a stork
DTells of the frogs’ deaths
26.The two selections are different because “Aesop’s Frog Fables” –
Fincludes facts about Aesop.
Gincludes two fables.
Htells why Aesop was freed.
Jtells why Aesop wrote his fables.
27.The story and the fables both tell about –
Awhy the frogs wanted a king.
Bhow Aesop’s fables were collected.
Clearning lessons from fables.
Dhow Aesop died.
Pentathlon News
Monthly PublicationMarch 2004
The Story Behind the Olympic Games
By Geraldine Haggard
TV makes it possible for people all over the
world to watch modern athletes. They
compete in what is called the Olympic Games.
HOW THE GAMES BEGAN /
1 / The Olympic Games were first held in Greece over 2,700 years ago. The contests between men were held in honor of Zeus, the chief god of Greece
2 / There was only one event in the first Games. It was a sprint run called the “stake”. A wreath of olive leaves, the sacred tree of Greece, was placed on the head of the winner.
HOW THE GAMES CHANGED
3 / The Greeks held the Games every four years. All free men could enter. Men came from as far as Spain and Turkey to play. No women could compete or watch. / The Games were expanded to eight events for men and three for boys. Later five of these events became know as the pentathlon. These were the long jump, javelin throw, discus throw, footrace, and wrestling. Others were chariot and horse races. / 6
4 / Sometimes there was fighting in Greece. TheGames were so important that battles stopped when it was time for the Games to start.
In 394 A.D. the Roman emperor banned the Games. The Olympic Games stopped for 1,503 years. In 1896 thirty-four countries worked together. Then the Games started again. / 7
5 / Men who cheated during the Games were fined. This money was used to build statues of Zeus.
HOW THE GAMES CHANGED / SUMMER AND WINTER GAMES
8 / There was no torch relay in the ancient Games. That custom began in 1936. Each year of the Games a flame starts in the Olympic Stadium in Greece. The flame first tours Greece. It is then flown to the country in which the Games are to be held. From there it is passed from one person to the next. People carrying the flame walk, run, or ride animals. The last runner uses the torch to light the flame that will burn during the Games. / The Summer Games are held every four years. Hot weather games such as swimming, gymnastics, and track and field occur during this time. Winter Games are also held every four years. They are held two years after the Summer Games. Activities such as ice hockey, skiing, and ice skating occur at the Winter Games. / 11
THE OLYMPIC MEDALS
/ Winners of the Games receive medals: gold, silver, and bronze. After the winners are given their medals, the gold medal winner is honored by the playing of his national anthem. / 12
13
Olympic Games are always eagerly anticipated. Plan to watch the excitement during the next Summer or Winter Games.
THE OLYMPIC FLAG /
9 / The Olympic flag has a white background with five linking rings. The rings stand for the five parts of the world that join in the Games. These are Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia, and Europe. A city and country host the Games each time they occur.
10 / At the opening ceremony of the Games, the Olympic flag is carried. At the end of the Games, the flag is passed to the future city.
28.Which of these is the best summary of this article?
FThe early Olympics had running contests for men. A wreath of olive leaveswas placed on the heads of the winners. Women could not compete orwatch. Statues of Zeus were built.
GThe Olympic Games began in Greece over 2,700 years ago. The flame,torch, and flag have become traditions. Athletes take part in the Summerand Winter Games. All over the world people watch the Games.
HThe Summer Games are held every four years. Swimming and other eventsare included. The Winter Olympics are held two years after the SummerGames. Some events are ice hockey, skiing, and ice skating.
JAt the first Olympic Games there was one running event. Then the Gameswere expanded to eight events for men and three for boys. Winners of theevents receive gold, silver, or bronze medals.
29.What happened when the ancient Olympic Games started?
ABattles stopped when the Games began.
BWomen were allowed to watch the games.
CAn Olympic torch was carried.
DThe Garnes were held every two years.
30.Paragraph 1 is mainly about –
Fthe god Zeus.
Gthe country of Greece.
Hthe first Olympic Games.
Jthe fighting in Greece.
31.From paragraph 5, the reader can tell that Greeks –
Aloved and respected Zeus.
Bhad little money.
Cnever cheated during the Games.
Dloved to fight.
32.How do headings like “The Olympic Flag” help the reader?
FThey help define words in the article.
GThey introduce a new topic in the article.
HThey explain information that is in the pictures.
JThey show the opinions of the author.
33.The author most likely wrote this selection to —
Aentertain readers with the story about the Olympic flames.
Binform readers about the Olympic Games.
Cexplain to the readers about Zeus.
Dgive readers information about Greece.
34.What happens just after the flame is lit in Greece the year of the Olympic Games?
FThe flame tours Greece.
GThe flame is sent to the country of the coming Olympics.
HThe flame burns in the new city.
JThe flame is lit in the city of the next Olympics.
35.What is the author’sopinion about the Olympic Games?
AThe Games are exciting and eagerly anticipated.
BOnly men enjoy the Olympic Games.
CThe events at the Olympics are too difficult.
DThe Olympic Games are not interesting.
36.The reader can tell that the article “The Story Behind the Olympic Games” is found in –
Fa guide of Europe.
Ga magazine about travel.
Ha sports magazine.
Ja book about Greek rulers.
37.From what the reader learned about the Olympic Games, which statement does not make sense?
AThe people in the torch relay are excited and proud.
BMany people travel to watch the Olympics.
CCountries with athletes winning medals are pleased.
DIce skating should be a part of the Summer Olympic Games.
38.From the article, what can the reader conclude about the Greeks who started the Olympic Games?
FThe Greeks respect fire.
GThe Greeks liked to compete.
HThe Greeks did not honor winners.
JThe Greeks did not respect athletes.