CRCT Reading Review 4:
5th Grade
Pocahontas
from Risking it All
by Melissa Stone
Twelve-year-old Pocahontas peered through the dense forest. Ahead of her, in the
clearing, stood a small group of strangers. For many minutes Pocahontas remained perfectly
still, watching them. Their skin was so pale! And, instead of long, flowing hair, they had curls!
Pocahontas had never seen people like these. Their bodies were hidden under long clothing,
and they spoke a strange language.
"These must be the men my father warned me about," she thought to herself.
Pocahontas's father was Powhatan, the chief of Virginia's Algonquin Indians. In
May 1607, he announced that some strange men had come from the sea in a huge winged
canoe. No one could understand why they had come. No other white men lived in their land.
This was the land of the Indians. The chief had warned his people to stay away from the
newcomers.
Although Pocahontas knew of her father's warning, something about these
strangers fascinated her. She wanted to find out more about them. She wondered, "Are they
friendly or dangerous? What do these people really want?"
Pocahontas crept closer and closer to the clearing where the white men stood.
"I wish I could see their faces," she thought, filled with curiosity. "If I could look into their
eyes, I would know if they were friend or foe."
How do we know that Pocahontas was curious about the strangers?
A. She had never seen people like them before.
B. Her father had warned her to stay away from them.
C. As she watched the men, she crept closer and closer to them.
D. No one could understand why these men had come to Virginia.
Click here to reread the passage.
Pocahontas
from Risking it All
by Melissa Stone
Twelve-year-old Pocahontas peered through the dense forest. Ahead of her, in the
clearing, stood a small group of strangers. For many minutes Pocahontas remained perfectly
still, watching them. Their skin was so pale! And, instead of long, flowing hair, they had curls!
Pocahontas had never seen people like these. Their bodies were hidden under long clothing,
and they spoke a strange language.
"These must be the men my father warned me about," she thought to herself.
Pocahontas's father was Powhatan, the chief of Virginia's Algonquin Indians. In
May 1607, he announced that some strange men had come from the sea in a huge winged
canoe. No one could understand why they had come. No other white men lived in their land.
This was the land of the Indians. The chief had warned his people to stay away from the
newcomers.
Although Pocahontas knew of her father's warning, something about these
strangers fascinated her. She wanted to find out more about them. She wondered, "Are they
friendly or dangerous? What do these people really want?"
Pocahontas crept closer and closer to the clearing where the white men stood.
"I wish I could see their faces," she thought, filled with curiosity. "If I could look into their
eyes, I would know if they were friend or foe."
"If I could look into their eyes, I would know if they were friend or foe."
Use context clues to determine the meaning of the underlined word.
A. Buddy
B. Enemy
C. Soldier
D. Indian
What question can be answered from the passage?
A. Where was her father?
B. What did the men want?
C. What is the setting of this passage?
D. Did Pocahontas speak with the men?
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From what point of view is this passage written?
A. First person
B. Second person
C. Third person
D. Fourth person
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How would the passage be different if it was narrated in the first person? Be
specific with your answer.
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Bessie Nickens wrote "Walking the Log: Memories of a Southern Childhood." In this
selection, Bessie reflects on her childhood adventures in the nearby woods.
Walking the Log: Memories of a Southern Childhood
This area was nothing but trees, just hundreds and hundreds of dogwood trees
with those beautiful white blossoms. All kinds of pretty flowers would grow out where this
creek was. I think it must have been a swamp, because calla lilies would grow there, and
blackberries and muscadine. We would walk through these woods, this thick, wooded area,
we'd walk through there barefooted. I wouldn't do that now for nothing! And this log had
fallen across this creek, and we walked that log. This was fun to us. And of course our little
dog Polo would walk the log with us.
We'd roam within a mile or so of our house, just walking in the woods, having fun,
catching grasshoppers and butterflies. We just walked all around, climbed trees, picked
flowers and fruits. There was muscadine, it looks like a grapevine running up a tree, we'd
pick those grapes and eat them. There were also mahoe trees—they had little bitty things
that looked like an apple. We'd eat them right off the tree. That water in the creek was clear
and beautiful, it wasn't polluted like it is today. You could get down there and drink right out of
that creek.
Birds were out there, and squirrels and rabbits. Lots of birds. See the one over
there, on the tree? That's a woodpecker. Have you ever seen a woodpecker? Isn't it funny
how he can cut that wood with his beak?
I used to sit down in the woods sometimes by myself and just listen to the birds
sing and the sounds of the creek. I loved to sit by a creek and just meditate by myself. Have
you ever done that? I've done it all my life.
According to the passage, muscadine is a type of
A. apple.
B. flower.
C. grape.
D. tree.
Click here to reread the passage.
Bessie Nickens wrote "Walking the Log: Memories of a Southern Childhood." In this
selection, Bessie reflects on her childhood adventures in the nearby woods.
Walking the Log: Memories of a Southern Childhood
This area was nothing but trees, just hundreds and hundreds of dogwood trees
with those beautiful white blossoms. All kinds of pretty flowers would grow out where this
creek was. I think it must have been a swamp, because calla lilies would grow there, and
blackberries and muscadine. We would walk through these woods, this thick, wooded area,
we'd walk through there barefooted. I wouldn't do that now for nothing! And this log had
fallen across this creek, and we walked that log. This was fun to us. And of course our little
dog Polo would walk the log with us.
We'd roam within a mile or so of our house, just walking in the woods, having fun,
catching grasshoppers and butterflies. We just walked all around, climbed trees, picked
flowers and fruits. There was muscadine, it looks like a grapevine running up a tree, we'd
pick those grapes and eat them. There were also mahoe trees—they had little bitty things
that looked like an apple. We'd eat them right off the tree. That water in the creek was clear
and beautiful, it wasn't polluted like it is today. You could get down there and drink right out of
that creek.
Birds were out there, and squirrels and rabbits. Lots of birds. See the one over
there, on the tree? That's a woodpecker. Have you ever seen a woodpecker? Isn't it funny
how he can cut that wood with his beak?
I used to sit down in the woods sometimes by myself and just listen to the birds
sing and the sounds of the creek. I loved to sit by a creek and just meditate by myself. Have
you ever done that? I've done it all my life.
You can tell from reading this article that the author ____________ her
childhood.
A. liked
B. disliked
C. can't remember
D. wants to forget
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Which is a detail that supports the author’s point about how different the
area was back when she was young?
A. We just walked all around, climbed trees, picked flowers and fruits.
B. And of course our little dog Polo would walk the log with us.
C. That water in the creek was clear and beautiful, it wasn't polluted like it is
today.
D. We'd roam within a mile or so of our house, just walking in the woods,
having fun, catching grasshoppers and butterflies
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Which is the best summary of the passage?
A. All kinds of pretty flowers used to grow out where the creek was.
B. The author and her friends would walk over the log, along with Polo the dog.
C. The author had fun with her friends in the woods, which were much different
today than they were back then.
D. The author used to sit in the woods and meditate, and she continued to do so
her whole life.
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Based on the passage, the reader can infer that
A. the author likes to drink out of creeks.
B. the author is very knowledgeable about nature.
C. the author doesn’t like to talk about her childhood.
D. the author prefers to walk barefooted in nature.
Support your answer with specific details from the text.
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