Matt was always mean to the other younger kids on the school bus. He would make fun of them and put sticky stuff in their seat. He was the oldest and “coolest” kid on the bus. After this year, Matt would be going to high school. He would not have to ride with these little “rug rats” anymore. The summer had passed and Matt was headed to high school. He was a little nervous getting on the bus. When he walked on, he could feel the older kids laughing at him. When he got into his seat there was chocolate sauce smeared all over his seat. What is the theme?

Math Drama

In math class, Mr. Carico handed the students their graded tests. Nicole showed her friend Maura the score she had gotten. It was bad. Maura, on the other hand, had gotten an A.

On the bus ride home, Nicole and Maura were talking about the math homework for that night. "I just don't get this stuff," Nicole said. "I guess I'll bomb the next test, too."

"Look, let's do the math homework together. I can help you," said Maura.

Nicole shook her head. "No, I'll figure it out."

Maura shrugged. "Okay," she said.

That evening, Maura called Nicole. "I'm bored. What are you up to?" Maura asked.

Nicole had been struggling with the math homework but didn't want to say so. Clearly, Maura had already finished. "Just getting ready for bed. I'm beat," Nicole lied.

"It's not even nine!"

Nicole bristled. "Well I'm tired, okay? It's not my fault you're bored."

Maura was silent for a moment. Then she quietly said she had to go. Nicole hung up, too, and grabbed her pencil again. But the longer she stared at her worksheet, the more the problems looked like a jumble of meaningless symbols. She took a deep breath and reached for her phone.

"Yeah?" Maura answered.

Nicole told her the truth. "I'm sorry I was a jerk earlier. I was in a bad mood because I was stuck on the homework. I guess I was feeling resentful that you finished already."

Maura said she understood.

"Do you think . . . would you still be willing to help me?" Nicole asked meekly.

"Of course," Maura said. "Like I said, I'm bored. I need something to do."

On the next math test, Nicole got an A.

The theme of this passage is- Don't let pride keep you from asking for help.

What line best supports this theme?

One summer's day, a merry Grasshopper was dancing, singing and playing his violin with all his heart. He saw an Ant passing by working hard to store food for the winter. “Come and sing with me instead of working so hard,” said the Grasshopper “Let’s have fun together.” “I must store food for the winter,” said the Ant,“ and I advise you to do the same.” “Don’t worry about winter, it’s still very far away,” said the Grasshopper, laughing at him. But the Ant wouldn’t listen and continued to work. When winter came, the starving Grasshopper went to the Ant’s house and humbly begged for something to eat. “If you had listened to my advice in the summer you would not now be in need,” said the Ant. “I’m afraid you will have to go without supper,” and he closed the door.

Which text best supports the theme?

In a spell of dry weather, when the Birds could find very little to drink, a thirsty Crow found a pitcher with a little water in it. But the pitcher was high and had a narrow neck, and no matter how he tried, the Crow could not reach the water. The poor thing felt as if he would die of thirst. Then an idea came to him. Picking up some small pebbles, he dropped them into the pitcher one by one.

Which text best supports the theme?

Carrie loved her phone and her tablet. She was always looking at one or the other. Her parents would try to talk to her about her life, but she would just ignore them or give them brief answers until they left her alone. When she was at school, she'd sneak peeks at her phone under her desk whenever she could get away with it. When she was at parties, she spent more time interacting with the devices in front of her than with the people around her. Even at concerts and sporting events, Carrie seldom removed her eyes from these tiny screens. One day Carrie was walking home from a friend's house and watching a funny video of people slipping on ice. She began crossing the street just after the light changed. She was so into the video that she did not notice the oncoming traffic. She walked directly into the traffic while laughing at the falling people on her tiny screen and was hit by a bus. Carrie sustained mild injuries, but both of her devices were destroyed. As far as she was concerned, her life was over.

Which text best supports the theme?

A number of flies were attracted to a jar of honey which had been overturned in a housekeeper's room, and placing their feet in it, ate greedily. Their feet, however, became so smeared with the honey that they could not use their wings, nor release themselves, and were suffocated.

Which text best supports the theme?