Reading Standards for Literature > Reading and Comprehending Literature Proficiently with Support (CCSS.RL.4.10) Practice Test

During the river clean-up race, our team's canoe scraped a hidden branch and spun sideways. Water sloshed in, cold and fast. Tori didn't panic; she took a quick breath and said, 'We need to improvise—make a quick plan with what we have.' She handed Eli the plastic bucket to bail while I steadied the canoe with the paddle like a lever. The current tugged us toward a snag, a tangled trap of roots. 'Angle left,' Tori called, reading the ripples like a map. Working together, we scooped, pushed, and slid free. By the time we reached the checkpoint, our canoe was lighter and our team was laughing. The other crews cheered, because finishing safely mattered more than being first.

At the community center, we had one hour to hang a banner before the play. The ladder looked taller up close. Jamal hovered at the bottom rung, his knuckles white. He was reluctant to climb—he wanted to help, but his feet seemed glued to the floor. 'I can spot you,' I said, standing behind the ladder like a guard. Dana tested each rung, tapping it to show it was sturdy, or strong. Jamal took a breath, then another. The orchestra warmed up below, a busy buzz of sound. Finally, he put one foot, then the other, and we rose the banner smooth and straight. The applause that followed wasn't for the banner; it was for Jamal's brave choice.