The High School Step Team

Karla’s cousin Jade urged her to join the step team. “This afternoon you should definitely try out!” Jade suggested after the final bell rang.
“I know she wants the best for me,” Karla thought to herself, “but I’m not sure I’d be any good, and I’d feel embarrassed if I messed up in front of others.” Karla had seen step teams in action: they stomped, they clapped, and they performed all kinds of skillful, synchronized moves.
“Our team is not as amazing as professional steppers, but we have a lot of fun!” Jade said. “Also, if you join the team, you will instantly have forty new friends!”
“I like the idea of forty new friends,” Karla thought to herself. “Still, I’m worried about bringing up my math grade. I’d better play it safe for now," she decided.
“I really appreciate your concern, but I’ve got to say no thanks for now,” Karla told Jade. “I’m going for after­school help in math.”
As Karla turned away from Jade and walked down the hall towards the math class, she pictured her cousin shrugging her shoulders. “Okay, do whatever you think is best,” Jade said. “I’ll see you at home.”
Karla went to the after­school math session. The work was challenging, and she had to concentrate. The teacher said nice things to Karla about her efforts to grasp the ideas they were studying. “And yet,” Karla thought, “I still have a lot of work and study ahead of me.” When the after­school math session ended, Karla peeked into the gym.
"Hey, that’s my cousin!” Jade cried out. “Come on over here, Karla.”
Forty male and female students stopped in mid­routine to look at Karla. Too embarrassed to refuse, she joined one of the lines.
Karla soon learned that stepping requires a lot of mental energy. “It’s something like math,” she thought silently, “but not exactly the same. I have to connect my brain to my body, and make it move or stop at exactly the right moment. The key here is to execute every movement skillfully.” Very soon, Karla had mastered the team’s trademark “slap–finger–snap–slap–slap–stomp.”
That night, Karla got back to work on math. At first, she felt guilty about the time spent in the gym.
Then she reminded herself of the old saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” An English teacher once told her the origins of this cliché go all the way back to ancient Egypt.
As Karla worked, she was surprised to find that she suddenly understood her algebra problems better than she had before. “There must be some carry­over effect from step practice,” she concluded. The concentration and focus that she exercised in step team practice seemed to help her focus more clearly on her math. Karla smiled as she thought, “Who would have guessed that spending time with a step team might be more helpful to my math grade than spending time on math work?”
Later, Karla was as much a member of the step team as anybody. “I don’t feel the least bit embarrassed anymore,” she told Jade. “When I am stepping, I feel completely focused on the rhythm of the team and working together with my ‘forty new friends.’ As an added bonus, my math work now seems much easier.”

1. After reading "The High School Step Team," the reader can conclude all of the following except.

A. Karla's grades in math will improve.
B. Karla will decide to join the step teamteam.
C.  Karla will be too embarrassed to perform.*****
D. Karla teachers will support her participation in the step team.

2. "The High School Step Team" addresses all of the following things EXCEPT.
A. Practise makes perfect.
B. Friends are always there to support one another.****
C. Peer pressure can sometimes be a good thing.
D. It is important to try something new before deciding against it.

3. Which is the main way the author reveals Jade's character to readers?
A. By describing Jade's appearance
B. By describing Jade's thoughts
C. By what Jade says and what Karla thinks about Jade****
D. By what other characters say to Jade and how they act around Karla

4.The author reveals Karla's character to readers by describing.
A. What Karla says, does, and thinks.****
B. How jade and other students react to Karla.
C. What Karla's teachers tell her.
D. Why Karla is embarrassed in the gym.

My answers:
1. C
2. B
3. C
4. A

It sounds like Karla found a great way to step up her math skills! Who knew that joining a step team could help her focus and understand algebra better? Maybe next time someone asks her to try something new, she won't be so quick to say "no thanks"!

1. Karla's cousin Jade suggests that she join the step team.

2. Karla is hesitant and worries about not being good enough and embarrassing herself.
3. Jade reassures Karla that their team may not be as amazing as professional steppers, but they have a lot of fun and Karla would gain forty new friends.
4. Karla considers the idea but decides to focus on bringing up her math grade instead.
5. Karla attends an after-school math session where she finds the work challenging but receives positive feedback from the teacher.
6. Karla looks into the gym and spots Jade and the step team.
7. Reluctantly, Karla joins the team.
8. Karla discovers that stepping requires mental energy and compares it to math, realizing that she has to connect her brain to her body and execute every movement skillfully.
9. Karla masters the team's trademark step routine.
10. Karla continues to work on math after step team practice and finds that her understanding of algebra improves.
11. Karla realizes that the concentration and focus she exercises in step team practice helps her focus more clearly on her math work.
12. Karla becomes a member of the step team and is no longer embarrassed.
13. Karla shares with Jade that she feels completely focused on the rhythm of the team and working together with her new friends while stepping, and as a bonus, her math work has become easier.

The passage tells the story of Karla, who is hesitant to join the step team because she is worried about embarrassing herself and also needs to focus on improving her math grade. However, she decides to give it a try after attending an after-school math session. Karla finds that stepping requires mental energy and concentration, similar to math. She realizes that her focus and concentration during step practice are helping her to better understand her algebra problems. Eventually, Karla becomes a member of the step team and finds that her math work becomes much easier.

To fully understand this passage, there are a few comprehension questions we can ask:

1. Why was Karla hesitant to join the step team?
In the passage, it is mentioned that Karla is worried about embarrassing herself if she messes up in front of others.

2. What did Jade say would be a benefit of joining the team?
Jade tells Karla that joining the step team would instantly give her forty new friends.

3. Why did Karla initially refuse Jade's offer and go for after-school math help?
Karla wants to play it safe and focus on bringing up her math grade. She decides to prioritize her academics for the time being.

4. How does Karla feel after joining the step team?
After joining the step team, Karla no longer feels embarrassed. She feels focused and connected with her teammates.

5. How does Karla's involvement in the step team affect her math work?
Karla finds that her involvement in the step team has a positive impact on her math work. She feels that her concentration and focus during step practice are helping her understand her algebra problems better.

By answering these questions, we have gained a better understanding of the passage and Karla's experiences with the step team and its impact on her math performance.

1 - yes

2 - no
3 - no
4 - yes