The ice sculptor’s hands fluttered like hummingbird wings.

Each blade of grass was a tiny bayonet pointed firmly at our bare feet

My dad knows everything about cars.

Most monsters don’t mind making messes.

Conversation between two characters is called...

Person telling the story.

Ben ate three pieces of cake and two scoops for ice cream. An hour later, his stomach felt queasy and he decided to lie down for awhile.

In the first paragraph, what does the word queasy mean?

Jane passed a house everyday on the way home from school. The paint was pealing and the yard was overgrown. It had been vacant for awhile.

In the paragraph above, the word vacant means-

Darla preferred her black boots because they matched more of her outfits.

In the paragraph above, the word preferred means-

Mr. Tuttle was teaching his students the importance of eating healthy. He lectured to them about the importance of eating fruits and vegetables and staying away from junk food. However, one day his students spotted him at the mall's food court eating a corndog. After seeing this, his students wondered why he would teach them things he didn't believe. One of them said, "I was going to order a salad, but after seeing that- I'm ordering pizza and a soda."

What is the main message of the story?

Mara's family lived next to a grumpy old lady who was always yelling at them for something. However, one day she saw Mrs. Olsen drop a bag of groceries. Mara helped her pick them up. After that day, Mrs. Olsen started inviting her over more often to help out. Sometimes Mrs. Olsen would invite her to stay for tea. As the years passed, Mara eventually moved away to college, but she still managed to stop by and visit her not so grumpy neighbor.

What lesson is the author most likely trying to prove?

Kara chose a difficult piece to play for the piano recital.

She practiced everyday after school even when her friends called to see if she could hang out. Despite all that practice, she was still having trouble playing the piece. Kara thought about switching to an easier piece, but instead she decided to double her practice time.

The night of her recital she was the last one to play. When Kara began playing , her fingers danced across the keyboard.

What is the most likely theme of the story?