Reading Standards for Literature > Comparing Themes and Events Across Cultures and Traditions (CCSS.RL.4.9) Practice Test

Story 1: In a steamy forest, Anansi the spider smelled sweet honey inside a tall tree. The bees warned him, "Do not take what is not yours." Anansi tied a vine to the trunk and pretended the tree was a drum. While humming loudly, he slipped his foot into the hollow and scooped out honey. The bees swarmed, and Anansi got stuck in the sticky sap. Embarrassed, he apologized and asked how to make it right. He washed the bark clean and shared the honey with the bees and nearby animals.

Story 2: On a hot desert plain, Coyote spotted a flock of ravens guarding a cornfield. He was hungry, but the farmer's scarecrow kept watch. Coyote lay on his back and tossed pebbles into the air, pretending to be harmless. Curious, the ravens swooped closer. Coyote yelped, startling them so they dropped kernels. He grabbed the corn and ran, knocking over the scarecrow. The ravens chased him to a dry wash. Out of breath, Coyote stopped and planted the kernels there. When rain came, the wash turned green, and Coyote promised to grow corn instead of stealing.

Story 1: Long ago, a small village faced a terrible drought. The wells were dust, and even the reeds bent like old bows. The people climbed the hill to ask the Sky for help. A kind girl stepped forward and sang a song of all the thirsty animals. As she sang, tears rolled down her cheeks. Her tears gathered into a silver stream that slid down the hill, across the fields, and into the empty riverbed. The water returned, fish leaped again, and the villagers promised to keep the river clean in honor of the singer's brave heart.

Story 2: In another land, the river came from courage of a different kind. A stone lion guarded a narrow canyon where dust storms roared. When a storm trapped travelers, the lion leaped from his pedestal and scraped his heavy paws along the canyon floor. Sparks flew, and the ground split into a deep groove. Hidden springs burst from the crack and rushed along the path the lion had carved. The new river carried the travelers safely to the valley. The lion climbed back to his perch, and the canyon kept the shiny marks of his paws forever.