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Reading 3
Reading 3
COMPREHENSION
Change of Heart
Kevin scooped up his backpack and shouted out to Jillian, “See you tomorrow! Have a good
time at the museum!” Jillian looked up and smiled at Kevin, “Hey, Kevin, why don’t you come
with us? We’ve got extra room in the car and the new Gravity exhibit is supposed to be out of
this world!” Jillian was always inviting Kevin to hang out with her. She had tons of friends and
was always out doing something interesting, but Kevin was a loner, he didn’t have many friends
and rarely did he do anything one would consider interesting. “Thanks, Jillian, but I have to go
somewhere with my mom. Later!”
Kevin’s mom chauffeured him to the retirement home just down the street from the school.
When he walked through the door, the bright lights and the smell of antiseptic cleanser shocked
him, it was so different from his home that was dimly lit and always smelled of freshly baked
cookies. He wondered how his papa could stand to live here.
“Good to see you, Kevin! Here are the supplies for bingo,” said Kathleen as she handed him
the plastic container. “Thanks!” Kevin replied in a jovial voice as he skipped down the hall to his
papa’s room. The room was dark. He must already be in the recreation hall, thought Kevin.
Kevin maneuvered into the hall and quickly scanned the room for his papa. “I’m over here,
Kev! All ready to beat the pants off of my buddy Gilbert!” Kevin chuckled. He was glad to see
his papa. This was his favorite day of the week. Kevin loved spending time with his papa and the
other residents of the retirement center. They all loved him, and they were so grateful for his
visits. After one too many rounds of bingo, they all shuffled into the dining room and dug into
some chicken pot-pie, mashed potatoes, and homemade apple pie. Kevin had homework to do so
he had to be going—but not before hugging everyone in the room.
The next morning Kevin quietly took his seat and waited to hear the daily announcements.
“Today we’ll be creating Valentines for the residents of the retirement center just down the
street. Then tomorrow we’ll hand deliver them.” A smile crept across Kevin’s face, but all
around him he heard little comments like “Disgusting! Are you kidding, old people? They
smell.” “Oh man, I can’t stand that place. It gives me the creeps.” Kevin was disappointed that
his classmates were so negative about the idea of visiting the retirement center—it was one of his
favorite places to spend time.
The next day as they walked towards the retirement center Kevin listened to Jillian chatter on
about who knows what. He was anxious for the visit, so he wasn’t paying much attention. When
they arrived, they found all the residents in the front room. They immediately recognized Kevin
and rushed over to give him a hug and thank him for bringing his classmates to visit. Everyone
watched in awe! Kevin, the boy who rarely said a word, came alive, animated, and was the
center of attention. Kevin’s classmates suddenly realized that their ideas about the retirement
center were not all accurate. They followed Kevin’s lead, and the afternoon turned out better
than anyone expected!
Directions
Choose the item that best answers each question about the selection you just read. Circle
the letter next to the answer.
1 ANS: A PTS: 1
NAT: G6_CCSS_Literature 1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. | G6_CCSS_Literature 7. Compare and
contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio,
video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they “see” and “hear” when reading
the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch. | G6_CCSS_Literature 9. Compare and
contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy
stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics. | G6_CCSS_Informational
Text 9. Compare and contrast one author’s presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a
memoir written by and a biography on the same person).
2 ANS: H PTS: 1
NAT: G6_CCSS_Literature 1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. | G6_CCSS_Literature 7. Compare and
contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio,
video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they “see” and “hear” when reading
the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch. | G6_CCSS_Literature 9. Compare and
contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy
stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics. | G6_CCSS_Informational
Text 9. Compare and contrast one author’s presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a
memoir written by and a biography on the same person).
3 ANS: B PTS: 1
NAT: G6_CCSS_Literature 2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is
conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal
opinions or judgments. | G6_CCSS_Literature 3. Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s
plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot
moves toward a resolution.
4 ANS: H PTS: 1
NAT: G6_CCSS_Literature 1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. | G6_CCSS_Informational Text 1. Cite
textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
5 ANS: D PTS: 1
NAT: G6_CCSS_Literature 1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. | G6_CCSS_Literature 7. Compare and
contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio,
video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they “see” and “hear” when reading
the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch. | G6_CCSS_Literature 9. Compare and
contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy
stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics. | G6_CCSS_Informational
Text 9. Compare and contrast one author’s presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a
memoir written by and a biography on the same person).
6 ANS: H PTS: 1
NAT: G6_CCSS_Literature 1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. | G6_CCSS_Literature 7. Compare and
contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio,
video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they “see” and “hear” when reading
the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch. | G6_CCSS_Literature 9. Compare and
contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy
stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics. | G6_CCSS_Informational
Text 9. Compare and contrast one author’s presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a
memoir written by and a biography on the same person).
7 ANS: B PTS: 1
NAT: G6_CCSS_Literature 1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. | G6_CCSS_Informational Text 1. Cite
textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
8 ANS: F PTS: 1
NAT: G6_CCSS_Literature 1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. | G6_CCSS_Literature 7. Compare and
contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio,
video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they “see” and “hear” when reading
the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch. | G6_CCSS_Literature 9. Compare and
contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy
stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics. | G6_CCSS_Informational
Text 9. Compare and contrast one author’s presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a
memoir written by and a biography on the same person).