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📖 The Science Fair Surprise

4th Grade reading comprehension · Story · Read the passage, then circle the best answer.

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Leo had spent three weeks building a volcano for the science fair. He had measured the baking soda, tested the vinegar and painted the mountain a fiery orange.

On the morning of the fair, his little sister Ana bumped the table. The volcano tipped over, and the top cracked into two pieces. Leo felt his face grow hot.

Instead of giving up, Leo looked at the broken volcano and had an idea. He made a new poster titled “What Happens When a Volcano Collapses?” and explained how real volcanoes can lose their peaks in huge eruptions.

The judges were impressed. Leo did not win first place, but he won the “Creative Thinker” award, and Ana cheered the loudest of all.

Words to know: collapse: to fall down or cave in suddenly · impressed: feeling admiration for someone’s work

  1. How long did Leo work on his volcano?
    1. Three months
    2. Three days
    3. Three weeks
  2. What does “felt his face grow hot” suggest?
    1. The room was warm.
    2. He was upset or embarrassed.
    3. He had a fever.
  3. How did Leo solve his problem?
    1. He went home.
    2. He built a new volcano.
    3. He changed his project to fit the broken volcano.
  4. Which word best describes Leo?
    1. Creative
    2. Lazy
    3. Careless
✂ Answer key: fold or cut along the line

1. C (detail)   2. B (inference)   3. C (main idea)   4. A (inference)

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