Manny got off the school bus and crossed the street. He was starving! He opened his backpack, took out the key, and looked forward to a snack. Then he noticed something on the porch that had not been there this morning. Sitting on top of the container of old newspapers was a tiny camera.
Manny knew the camera was not his mother’s. She was a photojournalist. Her camera was a professional model, and she always kept it in a big canvas bag with her extra lenses. His mother would laugh at a dinky little thing like this. Wondering, Manny picked up the camera and went inside.
On the rug in the corner of the kitchen sat the kitten and the dog. The kitten, which was a fraction of the dog’s size, was licking the dog’s ears. So cute, thought Manny. He raised the mysterious camera, turned it on, and clicked a picture. Then he looked at the screen to check the image.
Something was wrong. The picture was crisp and clear, but Sylvie was the wrong size. In the picture, she was no longer a tiny kitten but a full-grown cat. Impossible!
Manny went outside and pointed the camera at the forsythia bush. It was a cold spring, and the bush had not bloomed. Click! Manny checked the photo. In it, the forsythia was a fountain of bright yellow blossoms. Manny shivered.
Some kids would not have believed their eyes, but Manny realized that this camera showed the future. He thought of all the movies and comic books where the main character had the gift of seeing the future. He always got mad because those characters never used the gift in any good way!
Then Manny got an idea. His mother’s morning paper lay folded on the kitchen table with the front-page headline facing up. CITY HALL BURNS DOWN! Manny thought for a minute. If he had found the camera yesterday, maybe he could somehow have prevented the fire! It was too late to prevent that disaster, but—Manny pointed the mysterious camera at the front page and took a picture.
He checked the result. The print was hard to read on the small screen, but the headline stood out. WATER STREET
Name
The bridge was going to collapse at 4:38 p.m. today. The cause would be a ship running into one of the giant columns that supported the bridge. The ship was named The Dupree, and it would be carrying iron ore. Something would go wrong with the steering.
With his heart pounding a hundred miles an hour, Manny picked up the phone and dialed information. He asked for the mayor’s office.
When the mayor’s assistant picked up, Manny said, “I would like to give an anonymous tip. I work on board a ship called The Dupree. We’re scheduled to go through your town in about an hour, but conditions on board aren’t safe. I can’t say anything more, but you need to stop the boat immediately and have it inspected!”
The assistant said she would inform the mayor right away. Manny stared at the camera in his shaking hand. He was too young for this responsibility! Suddenly, a message appeared on the screen.
“You did it!” it said, and then the screen went dead. Manny tried to turn the camera back on, but it was broken. He put it down and waited for the five o’clock news.
Questions 25–32: Choose the best answer to each question.
25. Manny tells the mayor’s assistant that the boat needs to
be inspected. The word inspected most likely means—
“looked at closely.”
“stopped immediately.”
“turned aside.”
“cleaned thoroughly.”26. Manny’s reaction when he sees the image of the forsythia
covered with flowers shows that he is—
dreamy.
angry.
cold.
smart. NameTest
3
27. Manny first realizes that the camera can do something strange when he—
sees the camera on the porch.
sees the picture of the cat.
photographs the forsythia bush.
reads the headline about the bridge.28. What is the most likely reason Manny gives the mayor’s
assistant a false explanation of how he knows the boat is in trouble?
He wants the assistant to believe him.
He does not want to get into trouble.
He thinks someone is watching him.
He enjoys making up stories.29. The fact that Manny’s heart was “pounding a hundred miles an
hour” means that he was—
running to the phone.
hitting something.
beginning to get sick.
feeling very frightened.30. The author describes the forsythia as “a fountain of bright
yellow blossoms.” This means that—
it is covered with many flowers.
its flowers are soaked by a spring rain.
its blossoms have fallen into a fountain.
it is just about to start blooming.Name
31. The author most likely wrote this passage to—
explain how accidents happen.
give information about cameras.
persuade readers to be careful.
tell an entertaining story.32. Which sentence is the best summary of what happens in
this story?
A boy dreams of being like the hero in a comic book.
A boy learns that a bridge is going to collapse.
A boy prevents a disaster by using a magic camera.
A boy finds a mysterious camera on his front porch.Name
Directions: Read these two passages about China.
Then answer questions 33–40.