Read "The Mysterious Box" ("The Mysterious Box”, from Illuminate) and then answer the question that follows.
The Mysterious Box
"This is the last box," Samuel called as he entered the foyer of his new home. He carried the heavy box down the hallway to the kitchen where he found his mother, father, and sister unpacking various gadgets. Samuel's family had sold their previous home and moved into this old Victorian-style house so his father could work at the local hospital. Samuel didn't relish the idea of moving at first, but now he thought this might not be such a bad place to call home. Additionally, school didn't start for another month, so Samuel and his sister, Catherine, would have time to explore their new neighborhood and meet other kids.
After Samuel placed the cardboard box on the kitchen counter, his mother rushed over and started inspecting it.
"This box contains your great-grandmother's wedding china," Mom explained as she opened it. "These dishes are very old and fragile, so I hope they survived the move."
While his mother carefully examined each piece of china, Samuel asked his father what needed to be accomplished next.
"Well, you and Catherine can take the boxes of winter clothes up to the attic after lunch," Dad said as he put spices and canned goods away in the pantry. "We'll also need to see if the previous owners left anything behind and clear it out."
Catherine let out a groan at the thought of spending the afternoon cleaning the attic.
"Come on, Catherine," Samuel said with a smile. "Clearing out the attic might be fun! You never know what treasures might be hidden in this old house.
Catherine replied, "You've got your head in the clouds if you think we'll discover hidden treasures in this place. I think we're more likely to find a bunch of clutter."
After lunch, Samuel and Catherine hauled several boxes to one of the guest rooms, where they could access the stairs to the attic. The attic was hot, and Catherine immediately felt like leaving the cramped space. They deposited the boxes in one corner of the large attic and then looked around to see what had been left behind.
Catherine let out a dramatic sigh when she reached the opposite end of the attic where several cardboard boxes were piled against the wall. Unfortunately, they would need to go through them all to see what was inside.
Samuel found a box of old books that were in good condition and could be taken to the local library. Catherine's mood improved immensely after finding a trunk filled with outdated clothes. Samuel could not keep a straight face when he saw her donning a hideous floral scarf and an enormous feathered hat. The clothes were spotless, so Catherine decided to donate them to the high school's drama department.
After spending most of the afternoon sorting through boxes, Samuel had just about run out of steam when he heard Catherine let out a gasp of excitement.
"Samuel, take a look at this!"
His sister was pointing at something, and Samuel peered over her shoulder to see a wooden box sitting on one of the rafters near the ceiling.
He carefully dislodged the box from its resting place and set it on the attic floor. Samuel noticed that the locked box had the name "Reynolds" painted on one side and assumed this was the name of a family that once lived in the house.
"Let's try to open it and see if there really is treasure inside!" Samuel exclaimed as he searched the rafter for the key that would unlock the mysteries inside the box.
"No, Samuel," Catherine said quickly. "Imagine that this box contained Great–grandmother's wedding china or Dad's baseball card collection. You wouldn't want someone to look through it, would you?"
After listening to Catherine, Samuel had a change of heart and abandoned his search for the missing key. When they finished their task, the siblings brought the wooden box downstairs to show their parents.
Samuel's mother immediately recognized the name on the box. "This is the name of the woman who sold us this house," she explained. "She inherited the home from her grandfather, but she didn't think that she could handle all the maintenance. Ms. Reynolds only lives a few blocks away, so we could return the box to her this evening."
About half an hour later, Samuel, Catherine, and their mother stood on the steps of a small brick house. A woman with bright red hair answered the door and smiled after recognizing the children's mother. Their mother introduced Samuel and Catherine, and Ms. Reynolds ushered them all inside. Samuel held onto the box as everyone took seats around a small kitchen table. He carefully placed the box on the table and told Ms. Reynolds about their discovery. After listening, Ms. Reynolds abruptly left the kitchen. She returned a few moments later with an antique key in her hand. Samuel felt his heart begin to race as he waited for Ms. Reynolds to open the box and reveal what was inside.
Ms. Reynolds's face filled with emotion when she finally opened the lid.
"It's filled with old photographs and letters from my grandparents," Ms. Reynolds said in a quiet voice. "I thought these were lost forever. I can't tell you what it means to me to have them back."
Realizing that they had uncovered a hidden treasure after all, Samuel smiled widely at his sister.
Question: Read this part of "The Mysterious Box" and answer the question that follows.
Catherine let out a groan at the thought of spending the afternoon cleaning the attic. "Come on, Catherine," Samuel said with a smile. "Clearing out the attic might be fun! You never know what treasures might be hidden in this old house." Catherine replied, "You've got your head in the clouds if you think we'll discover hidden treasures in this place. I think we're more likely to find a bunch of clutter."
This part of the text shows that Catherine has a negative attitude about cleaning the attic out. What happens later in the story that changes her attitude, and how does her attitude change?
(1 point)
Responses
Catherine finds the box of clothes and has a good time trying them on. From this point on, she starts to have fun cleaning the attic.
Catherine finds the box of clothes and has a good time trying them on. From this point on, she starts to have fun cleaning the attic.
Samuel starts to get tired and wants to stop cleaning the attic. Catherine is angry at Samuel because she has to clean the attic by herself.
Samuel starts to get tired and wants to stop cleaning the attic. Catherine is angry at Samuel because she has to clean the attic by herself.
Catherine spends a lot of time finishing the cleaning of the attic, and her attitude changes because she is proud to finish.
Catherine spends a lot of time finishing the cleaning of the attic, and her attitude changes because she is proud to finish.
Samuel finds a mysterious box. Catherine's attitude changes to jealousy, as she wanted to find something mysterious first.
Samuel finds a mysterious box. Catherine's attitude changes to jealousy, as she wanted to find something mysterious first.
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