U2W1 Literature Anthology

The Secret Message

pages 90-103
page 91:
1. What
a.
b.
c.

word means ALMOST the same as bazaar?

shop
school
house

2. Read the following sentence

Colorful tiles covered the shops domed ceiling and walls,
but the parrot preferred the beauty of the forest.
Which word has the same root word as preferred?
a. performance
b. preference
c. parrot
3. Read the following sentence
All day the bird sang of longing. But the merchant would
not let him go, because the parrot could sing and talk,
and his bright feathers attracted customers to the shop.
If long means, to yearn what does longing mean?
a. Something that wishes
b. Something that is big
c. Something that could leave
Pages 92-93
4. How does the merchant try to make life better for the parrot?
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(write clue on Graphic Organizer)
5. What
a.
b.
c.

word means ALMOST the same as wealthy?

poor
money
rich

6. Read the following sentence

That night at home, the merchant announced, Im going
to India to buy more goods for my shop.
Which word has the same root word as announced?
a. announcement
b. noun
c. announ

7. Why does the merchant keep the parrot in a cage? Use key
details to support your answer
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Page 94-95
8. Read the following sentence
On the silk Road, the caravan truged over dry sand
dunes, passed through steep green valleys, and braved
dangerously narrow mountain paths.
What is the root word in dangerously?
a. danger
b. dangerous
c. ly
9. How do you know this story is a folktale? Write some examples
that are on page 94.
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10.
What t three examples of alliteration are on page 95?
1.________________________________________________________________
______________________2.__________________________________________
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[Alliteration (not skill; but still good to know)]
Page 96-97
11.
Read the following sentence
On the sway back to Persia, the merchants caravan
passed through a thick tropical forest.
What is the root word in tropical?
a. trop
b. cal

c. tropic
12.
What is significant about the way the parrots are
described?
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13.

Which key detail supports the theme of the passage?

a. He lives in a beautiful cage that I bought for him. It has
three golden swings inside.
b. Suddenly, one by one, they fell off the branches with their
backs on the ground and their feet in the air.
c. After a while, the merchant ordered his caravan to move
on.
(chart on GO: The merchant thinks his cage is a beautiful
gift of wealth and comfort)

Page 98-99
14.
Read the following sentence
At his shop, the merchant busied himself with storing the
new goods.
What word has the same root word as busied?
a. busiest
b. buses
c. bummer
15.

What word means ALMOST the same as merchant?

a. buyer
b. seller
c. parrot

16.
Why did the merchant leave out the part about what
happened in the forest when he was telling about his trip?
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17.
Read the following sentence
They listened, and then, suddenly, they all fell of the
tree branches, not one breathing a single breath.

If the suffix ly means in a _____ way what does suddenly

mean?
a. done in a sudden way
b. done in a slow way
c. done in a long way
Page 100-103
18.
How does the merchant react when the parrot falls from
the swing?
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19.
What does this tell you about the merchant?
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20.

What text evidence BEST supports the theme?

a. Youre alive! the merchant said
b. More alive than ever, Merchant, thanks to the message
from my friends in India.
c. Then the parrot flew away through the hole in the domed
ceiling, and all the way to India, to fly free among his
friends.
(Chart your GO- The parrot frees himself and feels more alive
than ever)

21.

What is the THEME of the passage?

a. Freedom is more important than wealth or comfort
b. Always trust a parrot
c. Never let your prize possession get out of your reach.