Reading Standards for Literature > Reading and Comprehending Literature Independently at Grade Level (CCSS.RL.5.10) Practice Test

Maya and Leo had a plan for the summer: build a treehouse in the maple behind Maya's apartment. They measured the fork of the trunk twice and sketched a careful diagram. But on the first workday, dark clouds gathered, and a sudden storm chased them inside. When the rain finally stopped, some boards had warped into crooked smiles. Maya felt exasperated, the kind of frustrated that makes your shoulders droop. Maybe this was a terrible idea, she muttered. Leo wiped rain from his glasses. We can try again. We will just be more careful. He sounded calm, but Maya could see the worry twitching in his jaw. That night, Maya remembered her dad's story about tenacious seedlings that push through sidewalk cracks. Tenacious meant stubborn in a good way, he had said. The next day, the friends recalculated their angles, salvaged the straight boards, and asked their neighbor, Mr. Kim, for advice. He showed them how to clamp a board and wait, patient as a sunrise. The progress was slow, but it was progress. When they finally climbed onto the small platform, the floor gave a brave little creak and held. They painted a tiny sign that read Still Standing. Maya grinned at Leo. Not perfect, she said, but ours.

On Monday the rumor mill spun fast: someone said the missing soccer trophies had been found in the band room, and someone else whispered that the goalie had taken them as a prank. By lunch, voices were sharp and fingers were pointing. The student council agreed to help, but Ms. Ortiz, the advisor, stopped them at the door to the gym. If we are going to look into this, we must be impartial, she said. That means we cannot take sides just because someone is our friend, or because a story sounds dramatic. We will listen carefully, check facts, and treat everyone the same. The council members nodded, some a little begrudgingly. It was easier to believe the loudest story than to slow down and ask calm questions. They started by listing what they actually knew: the trophies were missing on Friday, the band room had been locked, and the janitor had seen a cart near the display case. As they gathered real information, the wild stories lost their shine, like glitter swept into a dustpan.