The Giant Carrot
Grandfather liked to work in his garden. He grew rows and rows of the vegetable he liked most—carrots.
Grandfather saw that one carrot was much bigger than the rest. The green top of the carrot was as tall as Grandfather. He grabbed it and pulled. He pulled very hard. The giant carrot would not come out.
Grandfather called Grandmother and asked her to help. Grandmother came to the garden. She pulled on Grandfather. Grandfather pulled on the carrot top. The giant carrot would not come out.
Grandmother called her pet cat and asked it to help. The pet cat came to the garden. He pulled on Grandmother. Grandmother pulled on Grandfather. Grandfather pulled on the carrot top. The giant carrot would not come out.
The pet cat called to a little gray mouse and asked it to help. The little gray mouse came to the garden. It pulled on the pet cat. The pet cat pulled on Grandmother. Grandmother pulled on Grandfather. Grandfather pulled on the carrot top. They pulled and pulled and pulled…and the carrot came out!
The Grasshopper and the Ants
One fine summer day a grasshopper met some ants who were very busy carrying food to their storerooms under the ground. “Hello,” said the grasshopper. “It’s a fine day, isn’t it?”
The ants did not answer him but went right on working.
“Why do you work on such a fine day?” the grasshopper said. “It’s a good day to sit in the sun and rest.”
“Oh, no,” answered the ants. “It is time to work now. When winter comes, we will have food.” The grasshopper just laughed and went on.
Not too long after that on a cold winter day, a thin, hungry grasshopper thought to himself, “I should not have laughed at the ants. They were right! I know now that you can’t play all of the time.”
The Lion and the Mouse
One fine day a mouse happened to run over the paw of a sleeping lion. The lion awoke and started to hit the mouse with his huge paw.
“Oh, please don’t do that, Mr. King,” said the mouse.” I am not very much to eat and you will still be hungry. Besides, if you spare my life, I may be able to help you some day.
The lion laughed and laughed at the idea that a little mouse could help a great lion, but he did not kill the mouse.
A few days later the lion was walking in the forest and became caught in a hunter’s net. He roared until everyone in the forest could hear him.
The little mouse heard him too. He ran quickly to the net and began to gnaw at the ropes that held the lion. It didn’t take him long to break the ropes and set the lion free.
Use the summary you wrote to decide which one of the following is the best summary of the passage. Circle your answer.
A. First the mouse runs over the lion. The lion lets the mouse go. The mouse gets caught in the net. The lion chews on the ropes and frees the mouse.
B. The lion laughs at the mouse. Next the lion lets the mouse go. The lion walks in the forest. The lion gets caught in a net.
C. The mouse runs over the lion’s paw. The lion catches the mouse, but lets him go. Then the lion gets caught in a net. The mouse chews the ropes and sets the lion free.
D. The mouse runs over the lion’s paw. The lion hits the mouse. Then the lion laughs at the mouse and lets him go. Finally the lion walks in the forest.