Tutor Check: Sample Comprehension Answers
Story
Number Title Question Sample Answer
4 Show and Tell Who are Matt’s visitors for Show and Tell at school?
Dad and Sad Sam are Matt’s visitors for Show and Tell.
4 Show and Tell What happens when the children get scared?
Dad tells Sad Sam to be quiet.
5 A Card For Dad How does the teacher help Matt at school?
The teacher helped Matt make a card.
5 A Card For Dad What happens when Matt takes the birthday card home?
Sad Sam grabbed the card.
6 Miss Sid Meets Sad Sam Why does Miss Sid leave her cage? The door of the cage opens.
6 Miss Sid Meets Sad Sam
How does Miss Sid get found? Sad Sam sees Miss Sid in a tree.
OR
Dad gets her down from the tree.
7 The Ice Cream Man What happens to Tim’s ice cream? Miss Sid lands on Tim’s ice cream and it falls on the sidewalk.
7 The Ice Cream Man
Why is everyone happy at the end of the story?
Tim gets another ice cream cone and Sad Sam cleans up the ice cream from the sidewalk.
8 Pit-Pat
How are Pam’s birthday presents used?
Pam puts milk in the pan and Pit-Pat naps on the pad.
OR
They are used for Pam’s new cat.
8 Pit-Pat What happens to Pam’s birthday
cake?
Pit-Pat tips the cake but Pam catches it.
9 A Game of Tag at the Farm What do Matt and Tim see at the farm?
Matt and Tim see pigs at the farm.
9 A Game of Tag at the Farm
Why do the children play tag with the baby pigs?
The children play tag with the baby pigs because the pigs start to run when they fall into the pig pen.
10 The Painters How does Sad Sam get covered with paint?
Pit-Pat hops on the ladder and makes the paint tip over onto Sad Sam.
10 The Painters
How do the boys try to help Sad Sam?
Tim tries to clean Sad Sam with a rag and Don uses a mop to clean the paint off the dog.
11 The Costume Party Why is Nick having trouble picking a costume for the party?
Nick’s costume ideas are being used by his friends and sister.
11 The Costume Party Why is Nick sad about the pirate idea?
His sister Ann is dressed as a pirate.
12 Kim’s Visit What does Kim pack in her suitcase?
Kim packs socks, toys, and a toothbrush.
12 Kim’s Visit How does Kim’s sock get lost? Kim’s suitcase pops open, her socks fall out and Pit-Pat takes one of the socks.
13 The Field Trip How do Matt’s pants get wet? The frog hops out of the net and back into the pond and it splashes Matt.
13 The Field Trip How does the frog save the picnic? The frog hops on the mat and eats the ants.
14 The Rainy Day What does Sad Sam do on the rainy day?
Sad Sam digs in the mud and gets mud all over the floor.
14 The Rainy Day Why is it hard for Tim and Matt to clean the mud off of Sad Sam?
Sad Sam does not like to be cleaned and tugs at the rag.
15 The Mysterious Song How does Tim solve the mystery about the song?
Tim is looking for Miss Sid and hears her song.
15 The Mysterious Song How does the mop help Miss Sid? Miss Sid hops out of the tree onto the mop.
16 The Class Trip How do Scott and the ball get muddy?
Tanya kicks the ball, it lands in the mud and Scott picks it up and gets mud on his hands.
16 The Class Trip
What happens when Tanya and Scott try to get the ball out of the water?
Scott slips in the mud and Tanya helps Scott get up and they get mud on them.
OR
Tanya and Scott get mud on them.
17 Bug Alert! Why does Tanya sob? The bug falls out of her book bag and she can’t find it.
17 Bug Alert! When does Tanya stop crying? Derrick finds the bug and gives it back to Tanya.
18 Fang Why do the children get on the
jungle gym?
The children are scared of the dog’s fangs.
18 Fang How does Fang help the children? Fang got the ball back.
19 The Pest in the Tent How did Fang bother Lana and Megan?
Fang went into the tent and sat on their beds and messed them up.
19 The Pest in the Tent Why did Fang leave the tent? Fang left the tent to eat the hard-boiled egg that Lana had for him.
20 May I Borrow Your Ice Cream?
What happened to Paco’s ice cream? Paco lent his ice cream cone to Bob and grabbed it back. The ice cream cone fell on Paco’s lap and leg.
20 May I Borrow Your Ice Cream?
How did Bob help Paco feel better? Bob took Paco to his house to get more ice cream.
21 The Noisy Morning
What noises were used to make Bob stop sleeping in the morning?
The tick-tick of the clock, Mom clapping, his friend tapping, and the birds singing were used to make Bob stop sleeping.
21 The Noisy Morning How did Fang stop the noises and wake Bob up?
Fang ran in to the room, slipped on the floor and bumped into Bob’s bed.
22 Hiccups Why couldn’t Scott run? Scott had the hiccups.
22 Hiccups How did the hiccups help Scott? The hiccups helped Scott hop fast.
23 Fish In Class Which fish did Dad give to Derrick and Paco?
Dad gave Derrick black fish and gave Paco pink fish.
23 Fish In Class What did Derrick and Paco get for the class fish tank?
Derrick and Paco got fish, a ship, a shell, and plants for the fish tank.
24 Late! What happened when Bob was late
and rushed to class?
Bob forgot his lunch at home.
24 Late! What did Bob and Derrick eat for
lunch?
They shared a sandwich and cookies.
25 And Then What Happened? Who was running in Bob’s story? Bob, Fang, the sheep, the farmer, and the fisherman all ran in Bob’s story.
25 And Then What Happened? What made everyone stop running? A giant screamed and everyone stopped running.
26 Let’s Go Fishing
How did Deena and Fran get wet? The fish pulled on the line while they tried to hang onto the fishing pole and they fell into the creek.
26 Let’s Go Fishing Why did Fran run away? They caught a crab in the net and it got out.
She was afraid it would nip her feet.
27 The Camping Trip
Why did the children get scared when they were walking in the woods?
They heard something moving in the bushes.
27 The Camping Trip Why did Mom let Fran and Steve keep the cat?
The cat got rid of the mouse.
28 Is There an Alligator in the Pond?
Why was Deena the last one to get to the raft?
Deena was the last one to jump in the pond, Jack and Jim jumped in first and swam to the raft.
28 Is There an Alligator in the Pond?
When did Jim, Jack, and Deena leave the raft?
They left the raft when Dad called them to eat.
29 Leaves Fall
Why doesn’t Vick like the way Eva helps with the leaves?
Eva was picking up one leaf at a time and putting it in the bag. Vick wanted her to scoop up armfuls of leaves to put them into the bags.
29 Leaves Fall Why did Vick decide to dive into the leaves too?
It was fun to dive into leaves.
30 Cupcakes How does Jack help make the
cupcake batter?
Jack adds the milk to the cupcake batter.
30 Cupcakes
What are the final steps for baking cupcakes?
The last steps are rubbing butter in the cupcake tin, putting the batter in the tin and putting them in the oven.
31 Ride a Bike What happens when Dad lets go of the bike?
Vick fell off of the bike.
31 Ride a Bike What happens when they take the bike to school?
Vick rode the bike and Dad let go.
32 Home With a Cold What did Vick and Eva see outside the window in Vick’s room?
Vick and Eva saw deer outside of Vick’s window.
32 Home With a Cold What happens when Vick and Eva tell Dad about the deer?
Dad and Eva went to the shed and put feed by the stones for the deer.
33 Slippery Steps What happens when Jim and Jack try to stand up?
The boys kept slipping and falling on the ice when they tried to stand up.
33 Slippery Steps What happens when Mom and Dad come to help?
Mom slips down the steps and tells Dad to put sand on the steps so they won’t slip.
34 The Ice Storm How did Granddad fix the problem with dinner?
Granddad said they can put hotdogs on a stick and heat them in the fireplace.
34 The Ice Storm Why did the kids think that staying They had a picnic near the fireplace, sang
35 Did That Tree Eat My Kite? What happened when Steve flew the kite by himself?
Steve ran near the tree, and the kite smashed into the tree.
35 Did That Tree Eat My Kite? What happened after the kite got stuck in the tree?
Fran tugged at the string until the kite was free.
36 Who is Wilfred?
What stories do the children plan to write for their class newspaper?
Fran’s team wants to write about the storm.
Deena’s team plans to write about making cupcakes and Vick wants to write about the deer that visited him.
36 Who is Wilfred? What facts do the children need for a newspaper story?
The children need to add all the facts – who, what, where, when and why.
37 Planting Seeds in May Who was mad? The children were mad at Trail Cat.
37 Planting Seeds in May Why is it hard for Vick to plant his seeds?
The jay ate the seeds, the cat spilled the pail and then it started to rain.
38 The Land of the Midnight Sun
What did Erik learn from his grandma about the baby reindeer?
Erik learned that the baby reindeer is called a fawn.
38 The Land of the Midnight Sun
What did Erik do with Granddad? Erik went fishing with his granddad.
39 The Three Wishes
Why are the woodcutter and his wife mad about their first two wishes?
The woodcutter and his wife are mad because they wasted their first two wishes on things they didn’t really want.
39 The Three Wishes Why didn’t they use the third wish to get rich?
They had to use the third wish to remove the sausage from the wife’s nose.
40 The Artists of Benin City What are the artists doing? The artists are making bronze statues.
40 The Artists of Benin City
What does Quinto have to do before he can make a bronze metal hippo?
He has to take and pass a second test when he is fifteen and then he can go to the palace art school.
41 Anansi, the Spider
How do Anansi’s children tell him when the feasts begin?
The children yanked on the vine that was tied to Anansi’s middle when the feasts began.
41 Anansi, the Spider What did the vines do to Anansi’s body?
The vines pulled until Anansi’s waist was thin.
42 A Farm in China Describe the meal at May Woo’s home.
The meal at May Woo’s home is made with small bits of meat and vegetables.
42 A Farm in China Why is more than one person needed to fly a Chinese kite?
Some of the Chinese kites are 16 feet high, so they are very big.
43 Woo Zen, a Cinderella Story
How did Zig-Zag help Woo Zen get ready for the king’s ball?
Zig-Zag became Woo Zen’s robe, slippers, and fan when it was time to get dressed for the ball.
43 Woo Zen, a Cinderella Story
What happened when Woo Zen got home from the ball?
Woo Zen dropped the robe, fan, and one of the slippers back into the pond. Zig-Zag appeared with only one fin.
44 A Trip to the Inca Kingdom
What did Mrs. Alarco write about the Inca Kingdom?
The Incas made strong, stone homes and roads. They could not make wheels so they did not have carts to carry big loads.
44 A Trip to the Inca Kingdom How did the Incas use the steep steps and roads in the mountains?
The Incas used llamas to carry loads on the steep steps and roads.
45 The Magic Lake What did Sumax do with the birds’
feathers?
Sumax made a magic fan with the feathers.
45 The Magic Lake
How did the king thank Sumax? The king freed her father and gave Sumax an ax made of gold, six bags of gold, and the gold box to thank her.
46 Pen Pals in the U.S.A. What is Tony planning to do in the summer?
In the summer, Tony is going to visit Assateague Island and swim in the sea.
46 Pen Pals in the U.S.A.
What is Shala planning to do? Shala is planning to take a trip to see the sequoia trees that are the biggest trees in the world.
47 How Turtle Flew South for the Winter
How did the birds help Turtle to fly? The Chief Bird told Turtle to bite on a stick and two large birds grasped the stick with their beaks and flew beside Turtle.
47 How Turtle Flew South for the Winter
What did Red Fox learn from the story about Turtle?
Red Fox learned that there is a time to talk and a time to stop talking.
48 Paul Bunyan’s Pancakes
How did the pancake batter get made?
Paul put the flour and eggs into a lake, then a big steamboat mixed the batter all night long.
48 Paul Bunyan’s Pancakes
How did the pancakes get made? The men stuck bacon fat to their shoes to grease the pan, and they squirted the batter from a fire house onto the pan. The men used their shovel to flip the pancakes.
49 Molly and the Parrot
What does the parrot do when he doesn’t get to go to school with Molly?
The parrot cleaned the house.
OR
The parrot washed the dishes and swept the floor.
49 Molly and the Parrot
How does Molly respond when she sees the results of the parrot’s housecleaning?
Molly cooked the parrot’s favorite meal to thank the parrot for cleaning the house.
50 Maggie and Millie
Why did Millie and Maggie respond differently to the pancakes on the table?
Maggie is a little girl and Millie is a tiger.
Maggie had to teach Millie that tigers don’t belong on the table.
50 Maggie and Millie
How do Maggie and Millie adjust to living together?
Maggie learned when to scold Millie, when to praise her and how to control her when they went walking. Millie learned the rules.
51 Grandpa John’s Canes What does Tommie really like about his grandpa?
Tommie’s favorite thing about Grandpa John is his canes.
51 Grandpa John’s Canes
Now that Tommie has a special cane, how can he continue his family’s tradition about canes?
Tommie can tell the story about he got the cane and what happened to it.
52 Tanya’s Recipes What does Tanya find in the recipe book?
Tanya found recipes for fried chicken and gumbo in the recipe book.
52 Tanya’s Recipes What did Tanya do to help prepare the dinner with her mother?
Tanya read the directions, sifted the flour, measured the rice and helped boil the water.
53 Apes are Great! How are apes like us? Apes are mammals and have five fingers like humans.
53 Apes are Great!
How are apes harmed by humans? Humans hunt apes and kill them. They also cut down jungles where apes lives which makes it hard for apes to find places to live and food to eat.
54 All About Reptiles How are snakes different from other reptiles?
Snakes do not have legs like other reptiles.
54 All About Reptiles What does cold-blooded mean? Cold-blooded means they can’t warm themselves.
55 From the Telegraph to the Internet
How did inventors improve the machines that help us to communicate?
Inventors improved telegraphs and telephones by inventing the radio and cellular phones that do not have wires. They also invented e-mail so that letters could be sent faster than mailing a letter.
55 From the Telegraph to the Internet
Why do telephones seem old-fashioned?
Telephones seem old-fashioned because they have wires and cannot be taken from place to place like cell phones.
56 Serena’s Simple Shoes
How did Serena’s singing rhymes tell the reader more about what was happening in the story?
Serena sings about the sound her shoes make, what she sees on the bus and going to buy shoes.
56 Serena’s Simple Shoes How does the reader know that the new shoes will need to be cleaned?
Serena says that her new shoes are covered in mud and muck.
57 Sea Animals What does a blue marlin look like? A blue marlin is blue and white and has long pointed jaws that look like spears.
57 Sea Animals How are sharks different from other fish?
Sharks have cartilage but fish have bones.
58 Run! Jump! Throw! The World of Track and Field
What does the author want us to know about javelin athletes?
The author wants us to know that javelin athletes throw a spear that is lightweight as far as they can. When the javelin lands in the ground, the officials measure how far it was thrown.
58 Run! Jump! Throw! The World of Track and Field
What does the author want us to know about long jump athletes?
The author wants us to know that long jump athletes sprint down the track and then jump as far as they can into a sandbox.
59 Mole’s Big Dig
Why did Mole have to dig the well by himself even though Ant and Hippo wanted water too?
Mole had to dig by himself because Ant was too small and Hippo was too clumsy.
59 Mole’s Big Dig
What lesson did Ant and Hippo learn when Mole shared his water with them?
Ant and Hippo learn that they need to help dig a tunnel in order to get water.
60 Tryouts Why did Mary say Hector was a great friend?
Mary said Hector was a great friend because he cheered for her during her tryout.
60 Tryouts
How did Mary help Hector? Mary helped Hector practice throwing, catching and hitting the baseball so he could make the team.
61 Walter’s Week Why was Walter upset about his science project?
Walter was upset because he didn’t get a good grade on his science project.
61 Walter’s Week
How did Walter get help with his animal report?
The animal expert doctor from the Super Rangers came to school and brought a koala.
She talked about where koalas live and what they eat, she also invited Walter to meet her and the koala.
62 The Razorbacks
Why did Tommy and his friends climb the magnolia tree?
Tommy and his friends climbed the tree because they were afraid of the beast that was making the loud noise.
62 The Razorbacks
What did Dad tell Tommy and his friends about the beast?
Dad told them that they saw a wild razorback hog and that they are very dangerous.
63 Eyesight: You’ve Got to See This!
Why do some people need eye glasses or contact lenses?
People need eye glasses or contact lenses when parts of the eye don’t work correctly or the parts aren’t shaped correctly, and they can’t see as well as others.
63 Eyesight: You’ve Got to See This!
How can your protect your eyes? You can protect your eyes by wearing protective glasses when playing sports. You can also wear sunglasses or a hat when you are in the bright sun.
64
Animals in Trouble:
Endangered Species and How to Help Them
What is a bird of prey? A bird of prey means that it eats other animals.
64
Animals in Trouble:
Endangered Species and How to Help Them
How are pandas different from other bears?
Pandas do not hibernate like other bears.
65 Sights and Sounds of the Orchestra
What are some differences between brass and woodwind instruments?
A brass instrument is louder than a woodwind instrument. Woodwind instruments have reeds that vibrate, brass instruments do not have reeds.
65 Sights and Sounds of the Orchestra
How does the conductor help all the instruments to create music together?
The conductor uses a baton to let the musicians know when to play, when to rest and to keep the right tempo.
66 Changes
What did Maria and Duke say when Adam told them about the new baby and new house?
Maria and Duke both said that’s a lot of change all at once.
66 Changes
Why is Dad going to give Adam a surprise?
Dad is giving Adam a surprise because he has been very positive about all of the changes with the new house and new baby.
67 Cocoa
Why did hot chocolate cost a lot of money in Europe?
Hot chocolate was expensive because the cocoa beans, sugar and cinnamon used to make the hot chocolate had to be imported.
67 Cocoa
What work do machines do to make chocolate from cocoa?
Machines remove the shell from the beans and break the seeds into pieces. The pieces are crushed and melted into a paste. A press then squeezes out the cocoa butter leaving solid cocoa.
68
Peaks of Interest:
Exploring the World’s Tallest Mountains
When are climbers most successful getting to the top of Mt. Denali?
The best months to climb Mt. Denali are April, May, and June.
68
Peaks of Interest:
Exploring the World’s Tallest Mountains
Why can almost anyone climb Mount Kilimanjaro?
Mount Kilimanjaro is not very steep, you don’t need experience to climb it.
69 Sports and Games You Might Not Know
What are the different kinds of polo that people like to play?
People like to play water polo, canoe polo, and elephant polo.
69 Sports and Games You Might Not Know
In pachisi, how can seashells be used instead of dice to play the game?
In pachisi, players throw six small seashells, the player looks at how many seashells land upside down and move that number of spaces.
70 The Yo-Yo New Kid
Why did Terrell’s room look the same, yet different?
Terrell’s new room was Molly’s old room.
Molly was Nate’s friend and moved away.
Nate had visited Molly’s room many times before.
70 The Yo-Yo New Kid What did Terrell teach Nate and his friends?
Terrell taught Nate some yo-yo tricks like walk-the-dog and rock-the-cradle.
