Once upon a time, a humble woodcutter lived with his wife and clever daughter in a gingerbread house deep in the forest. Times were tough for the woodcutter. Pressure from save-our-trees groups threatened his livelihood, and the demand for wood had dried up like an old bone in the sun. "I just sold our cow for a handful of beans," complained the woodcutter's wife. "If we don't come up with a plan, we'll starve." "Starve?" said the daughter. "Hello-we live in an edible house!" To illustrate her point, she snapped off part of a windowsill and nibbled a bite of it but then realized her error. "I suppose you can't have your house and eat it, too." "There may be a way out of this," said the woodcutter. "The king is offering a bag of gold to anyone who can answer three riddles." This caught the daughter's attention, and she persuaded her parents to take her to the king's castle. When the family arrived at the castle, the woodcutter's daughter was at first distracted by the king's handsome young son. The teenagers smiled shyly at each other. The king cleared his throat and began. "What's as light as a feather, yet the strongest person can hold it for only a minute or two?" "One's breath!" replied the girl. The woodcutter and his wife beamed with pride. "Excellent," said the king. "What gets wetter the more it dries?" he asked. "A towel!" responded the girl. The king continued. "What occurs once in every minute, twice in every moment, yet never in a thousand years? "There was a pause, during which the woodcutter's wife wrung her hands. Finally, the girl answered, "The letter m!" Everyone, including the girl, burst into applause. The king handed over the gold. At that moment, the prince stepped forward and kissed the girl on the cheek, which turned him instantly into a frog. "Ribbitt," he said, rather pitifully, at the girl's feet. "Oh, well. Off we go!" chirped the woodcutter's daughter, shrugging her shoulder. And the little family returned to their home in the forest, where they lived happily ever after.
1. What is the main idea of the story?
A. A woodcutter and his family grow tired of pressure from "save-our-trees" groups.
B. A woodcutter's daughter keeps her family from starving by winning the king's challenge.
C. A woodcutter's daughter persuades her parents to take her to the king's castle. — my answer
D. A woodcutter's daughter keeps her family from starving by marrying a handsome prince.
2. What is causing a slowdown in business for the woodcutter?
A. the drying-up of the forest — my answer
B. the family's loss of their cow
C. pressure from the king
D. pressure from tree-lovers
3. What is the most likely reason the woodcutter's daughter shrugs when the prince becomes a frog?
A. The daughter has lost interest because the prince is no longer handsome.
B. The daughter is tired of solving riddles and wants to go home.
C. The daughter would rather count her gold than play with a frog.
D. The daughter believes the frog will soon turn back into a handsome prince. — my answer
4. What can the reader conclude about the woodcutter's daughter?
A. She will grow up to marry the prince.
B. She will someday become a woodcutter.
C. She is quick-thinking and enjoys a challenge. — my answer
D. She is shy, but mischievous.
To answer these questions, we need to carefully read the passage and gather information from the story. Let's analyze each question in order:
1. What is the main idea of the story?
To find the main idea, we should look for the central message or theme of the story. In this case, the main idea is about the woodcutter's daughter saving her family from starvation by winning the king's challenge. Therefore, option B, "A woodcutter's daughter keeps her family from starving by winning the king's challenge," is the correct answer.
2. What is causing a slowdown in business for the woodcutter?
To determine the cause of the slowdown in the woodcutter's business, we need to identify the event or condition that is negatively affecting his work. According to the passage, the demand for wood has dried up like an old bone in the sun. This indicates that the drying-up of the forest is causing the slowdown in business for the woodcutter. Therefore, option A, "the drying-up of the forest," is the correct answer.
3. What is the most likely reason the woodcutter's daughter shrugs when the prince becomes a frog?
To understand the woodcutter's daughter's reaction, we need to consider the information given in the story. After the prince kisses the girl and turns into a frog, the passage states that she shrugs her shoulder and says, "Oh, well. Off we go!" This suggests that she believes the frog will eventually turn back into a handsome prince. Therefore, option D, "The daughter believes the frog will soon turn back into a handsome prince," is the correct answer.
4. What can the reader conclude about the woodcutter's daughter?
To draw a conclusion about the woodcutter's daughter, we must analyze the information provided in the passage. It mentions that she cleverly solves the king's riddles and, despite the prince turning into a frog, she remains unaffected and ready to continue their journey. This demonstrates that she is quick-thinking and enjoys a challenge. Therefore, option C, "She is quick-thinking and enjoys a challenge," is the correct answer.
By carefully reading and analyzing the passage, we can find the answers to the questions and understand the reasoning behind them.