Lion #5

3rd Grade STAR Testing Practice

 

Monkey Looks for Trouble

One fine day in Trinidad, an island in the West Indies, a woman walked along the road. From high in his treetop, Monkey watched her. He saw the large clay pot she was carrying. How alarmed he was when she tripped over a stone and dropped the pot! It broke into many pieces. It had been full of fluffy white cakes that scattered on the road.

 

"Oh, boy, have I ever got trouble now! I have so much trouble!" exclaimed the lady. She tried to gather the cakes in her colorful skirts, but they kept spilling out. Soon she gave up and left.

 

Monkey scurried down the tree trunk to the ground. "These are trouble?" he muttered to himself. "I will taste this trouble, for it looks quite delicious." The cakes were coconut cakes, and they were indeed delicious. Monkey ate every one of them. 

 

"I must find more trouble! I must find more trouble!" said Monkey. Off to the market he went, skittering down the road on his quick little feet.

 

Monkey went to a man standing at a market stall and asked, "Please, kind sir, may I have some trouble?"

 

"You’re looking for trouble?" said the man. Monkey nodded his head in an excited way. The man chuckled and went into a building. He came out with a bag and handed it to Monkey. "Here you go," he said.

 

Monkey had trouble carrying the bag of trouble. It was so large and lumpy, and it was moving! He was so happy to have more trouble, though, that he didn’t worry. He went down the road to a quiet spot and opened the bag, ready for a feast of trouble.

 

Out of the bag came three fierce little dogs! They barked and snapped and snarled at Monkey. Shaking with fear, Monkey climbed the nearest tree. How hungry he was! He took a fruit and plopped it into his mouth. Little did he know that the tree was a chili pepper tree. Suddenly his mouth felt full of fiery flames! Monkey needed water! Below, though, those three fierce beasts were snapping and yapping at him. He had to wait until they grew bored and went away. Then Monkey quickly returned to the ground and ran, lickety-split, to a stream. He drank lots of cool water. After a while his burnt mouth felt better.

 

Monkey returned to his own quiet treetop and never looked for trouble again.

1 Read this sentence from the story.

Off to the market he went, skittering down the road on his quick little feet.

What does the word skittering mean in this sentence?

A running

B dragging

C driving

D crawling


2 What did Monkey do as soon as the dogs became bored and went away?

A He looked for something delicious to eat.

B He stayed in the chili pepper tree to sleep.

C He climbed down the tree and ran to a stream.

D He opened the bag to see what was inside.


3 At the END of this story, how did Monkey solve his problem?

A He put the three dogs back into the bag.

B He asked a man to help him.

C He returned to the market.

D He went back to his safe, quiet treetop.


4 Which saying BEST tells what Monkey learned in this story?

A You cannot please everyone.

B Be careful what you ask for.

C Slow and steady wins the race.

D Do not judge a book by its cover.


5 This story is BEST described as a

A biography.

B folktale.

C poem.

D riddle.

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