ACTIVITY
Read the texts and answer the questions.
A. “ANA FINDS AN APARTMENT”
Ana, her husband Mario, and their four-year-old son, Antonio, just moved to North Carolina. They need a temporary place to call home until they get settled into their new surroundings. Right now, they are staying in a hotel not far from Mario’s job.
Ana begins a search for an apartment for the family to live in. First, Ana picks up an Apartment Book at the local newspaper stand. The Apartment Book contains listings of all the major apartment complexes in her area.
Ana starts by looking at the prices for apartments in the Apartment Book. Then, she reads about the amenities that each apartment complex offers. For example, some apartments have a clubhouse. Some have a gym, which is also called a fitness center. Some have a pool. Some have all of these!
Ana notices that the more amenities an apartment complex has, the more it costs each month. She wants the family’s new apartment to be nice, but she does not want to spend too much money on it. Ana and Mario are trying to save money to buy a house.
After considering prices, amenities, and locations, Ana finds several apartment complexes that she thinks the family will like. Ana calls the apartment complexes. She sets up appointments with the apartment managers to see the apartments she thinks are interesting. Ana makes five phone calls in total.
When Mario gets back to the hotel from work, Ana shows him the list of apartments. “These look good,” he says.
The next day, while Mario is at work and Antonio is at daycare, Ana visits the apartment complexes. She likes the fifth one the best. It is in a good school district. It has a pool, but no fitness center or clubhouse. It is near Mario’s job. Ana hopes to find a job nearby as well.
When Ana gets back to the hotel, she discusses all that she has seen with Mario. They decide to rent the last apartment Ana saw. The next day, Ana calls the manager of the apartment complex with the news.
The manager asks Ana and Mario to sign a lease and pay a security deposit. If the family damages the apartment in any way while they are living there, the security deposit will help to pay for the cost of repairs.
Ana and Mario sign a lease and pay the money. The manager asks them when they plan to move in and Ana looks up at Mario. He looks back at her for a moment and then tells the manager, “In a few days.” Finally, they have a place to stay.
QUESTIONS
1) What kind of book does Ana get?
A. a City Guide Book
B. a Map Book
C. a House Book
D. an Apartment Book
2) What did Ana consider while looking through the Apartment Book?
I. school districts
II. amenities
III. locations
A. I only
B. I and II
C. II and III
D. I, II, and III
3) Where is Ana's family staying while they look for a place to call home?
A. in an apartment close to Mario’s work
B. at an apartment next to Antonio’s school
C. in Ana’s mother’s house
D. in a hotel near Mario’s work
4) What does Ana realize as she looks through the Apartment Book?
A. that the nicest apartments are far away
B. that all the apartments are small and cramped
C. that it is easy to find a nice apartment in a good school district
D. that the number of amenities is related to cost
5) Why doesn't Ana want to spend too much money on an apartment?
A. Her husband will get upset.
B. She does not have the money.
C. She cannot find one she likes.
D. She wants to save money for a house.
6) As described in the beginning of the story, which of the following is not mentioned as an amenity?
A. carpet
B. clubhouse
C. fitness center
D. pool
7) What makes Ana like the fifth apartment best?
I. It has many amenities.
II. It is near Mario’s job.
III. It is in a good school district.
A. I only
B. I and II
C. II and III
D. I, II, and III
8) Where is Antonio while Ana looks at apartments?
A. at daycare
B. at the hotel
C. at school
D. at work
9) As described in the middle of the story, what does it mean to consider something?
A. to rent it
B. to think about it
C. to make it happen
D. to read a book about it
10) "When Ana gets back to the hotel, she discusses all that she has seen with Mario."
Which of the following is the best way to rewrite the above sentence while keeping its meaning the same?
A. When Ana gets back to the hotel, she reads about all she has seen with Mario.
B. When Ana returns to the hotel, she writes about all she has seen with Mario.
C. When Ana returns to the hotel, she talks about all she has seen with Mario.
D. When Ana leaves the hotel, she talks about all she has seen with Mario.
11) When will the family move into their new apartment?
A. the next day
B. at the first of the month
C. in three or four days
D. in just over a week
12) As used at the end of the story, which is the best description of a security deposit?
A. money given to landlord to pay for amenities
B. money given to landlord to pay for utilities and telephone
C. money given to landlord to prove the tenant can pay rent on time
D. money given to the landlord to pay for any damage to the apartment
13) Write the main idea about the text.
B. “ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS”
Leonard James is a homeless man. For him, life is always hard. He is always hungry. His shoes have holes in them. He needs a haircut. His clothes are old and dirty.
“What I would do with one hundred dollars!” Leonard says. This is a game he likes to play with himself to take his mind off things.
He is walking down the street on a Thursday night. The winter air is cold on his face.
“If I had one hundred dollars, I could buy new socks,” he says. He continues to walk down the street.
“If I had one hundred dollars, I could get a haircut,” he says. He continues to walk down the street.
“If I had one hundred dollars, I could buy new pants,” he says. He continues to walk down the street.
“If I had one hundred dollars, I could get a hamburger,” he says. His stomach rumbles at the thought.
“If I had….” Leonard looks down at the sidewalk. He cannot believe what he sees!
Someone has lost his wallet. Leonard picks it up. Inside are five twenty-dollar bills.
“One hundred dollars!” Leonard says. He is very excited. “Now I can buy everything I want!”
Then Leonard begins to think. “But this is not my money,” he says.
Leonard goes to the police station. He gives a police officer the wallet and money.
“Thank you,” says the police officer. “You are a very honest man.”
Leonard smiles. He turns around and begins to leave the police station.
“Hold on,” the police officer says. He reaches in his own pocket and gives Leonard ten dollars. “Get yourself something to eat.
Questions:
1) What is life like for Leonard?
A. It is hard.
B. It is easy.
C. It is warm.
D. It is full of good food.
2) How does the reader know that Leonard is poor?
I. He finds a wallet.
II. He has no home.
III. He is always hungry.
A. I only
B. I and II
C. II and III
D. I, II, and III
3) Why does Leonard think about what he would do with a hundred dollars?
A. It helps him go to sleep.
B. It takes his mind off things.
C. The police officer asks him to.
D. He knows he will find the money.
4) What time of year is it?
A. spring
B. summer
C. fall
D. winter
5) What does Leonard say he would do with a hundred dollars?
I. get a haircut
II. buy new clothes
III. get a hotel room
A. I only
B. I and II
C. II and III
D. I, II, and III
6) Why does Leonard's stomach rumble?
A. because he is hungry
B. because he is tired
C. because his clothes are dirty
D. because he is homeless
7) “He cannot believe what he sees.” What is another way to write this sentence?
A. He thinks what he sees is crazy.
B. He feels what he sees is good luck.
C. He thinks what he sees cannot be true.
D. He thinks what he sees is scary.
8) Why does Leonard go to the police station?
A. because he owes money
B. because he wants a reward
C. because the wallet is not his
D. because he has committed a crime
9) What kind of man does Leonard seem to be?
A. bad
B. dumb
C. good
D. old
10) As used at the end of the story, what does it mean to be honest?
A. to feel good
B. to want more
C. to be truthful
D. to be hopeful
11) How does Leonard seem to feel about what he has done?
A. angry
B. happy
C. sad
D. unsure
12) What does the police officer give Leonard?
A. advice
B. a handshake
C. money to eat
D. the one hundred dollars
13) What kind of man does the police officer seem to be?
A. angry
B. busy
C. kind
D. mean
14) Why does the police officer give Leonard ten dollars?
A. to surprise Leonard
B. so Leonard feels better about returning the wallet
C. because it is part of his job
D. because he wants to get Leonard off the streets
15. If you found one hundred dollars, would you keep it? Why or why not?
