Grade 4 English Language Arts — Reading and putting events in order

1.Read this passage. "A tailorbird builds a nest most people walk straight past. It chooses one large green leaf and pierces small holes along its edges with its beak. Then it draws the edges together, stitching them with plant fiber. Inside the pocket it has made, it lays a soft lining of grass. From the path, the nest looks like nothing but a folded leaf." Put the steps in the order the passage gives them.

• The bird chooses one large green leaf.
• It lays a soft lining of grass inside.
• It stitches the edges together with plant fiber.
• It pierces small holes along the edges.

2.Which sentence best gives the main idea of the kite passage?

• a) Kites are made of paper and string.
• b) Nila found a damaged kite and got it flying again.
• c) Bamboo poles are useful in a garden.
• d) Nila lives next to a neem tree.

3.In the tailorbird passage, what does the bird use as its thread?

• a) plant fiber
• b) dry grass
• c) thin twigs
• d) its own feathers

4.In the tailorbird passage, which word means the same as "pierces"?

• a) paints
• b) carries away
• c) makes holes in
• d) folds over

5.Read this passage. "A tailorbird builds a nest most people walk straight past. It chooses one large green leaf and pierces small holes along its edges with its beak. Then it draws the edges together, stitching them with plant fiber. Inside the pocket it has made, it lays a soft lining of grass. From the path, the nest looks like nothing but a folded leaf." Why do people walk past the nest without noticing it?

• a) It is only built at night.
• b) It is smaller than a coin.
• c) It looks like a folded leaf.
• d) It is built very high up.

6.Which of these does the tailorbird do last?

• a) pierces the edges
• b) lays a lining of grass
• c) stitches the edges together
• d) chooses a leaf

7.In the kite passage, what did Nila fetch from the shed? Answer in one or two words.

8.Read this passage. "On Sunday Nila found a kite tangled in the neem tree outside her house. She fetched a long bamboo pole from the shed and lifted the kite free. The paper was torn, so she carried it inside and mended it with glue and a strip of newspaper. By evening the kite was flying again, higher than the rooftops." Put the events in the order they happened.

• The kite flew higher than the rooftops.
• She mended the torn paper with glue.
• She fetched a bamboo pole from the shed.
• Nila found a kite tangled in the neem tree.