Use the passage below to answer the question.

Fox knew as soon as he woke up. He felt sure that today was going to be an awful day. He spilled his tea all over the floor. He tripped on a chair and stubbed his paw. He even ripped a hole in his favorite shirt. “Why should I even bother going outside?” He asked himself grumpily.

Fox did have to go outside, though. He had plans with Groundhog to have lunch in his den. Fox made himself get ready and set off for Groundhog’s home at a slow pace.

Fox sighed when he realized he’d forgotten the cake he made for Groundhog at home. I bet he won’t even like it, Fox thought to himself. Still, he turned around and returned home for it.

When he got into his kitchen, he picked up the small lemon and blackberry cake and frowned. The frosting was starting to look crooked and the whole cake was leaning. He sighed and took the cake to Groundhog’s anyway.

He stood at the entrance and waited for Groundhog to come and let him in. Groundhog opened the door with a wide smile on his face. He pulled Fox in for a gentle hug and exclaimed about how beautiful the cake was. Immediately, Fox started to feel better. He found himself laughing and joking with Groundhog all through lunch. What was I so angry about to begin with? He wondered. Groundhog cut both of them a slice and the two enjoyed the rest of their meal. Fox said goodbye to Groundhog and thanked him for his kindness.

“I was having a terrible day before I came here. I must have just needed a friend. Thank you for having me!” Fox smiled widely at the groundhog and trotted happily home.



In 2-3 sentences, explain your answer to question 4 about theme. Please include at least ONE piece of evidence from the story that helps support your answer.

The theme of the passage is the power of friendship to turn a bad day into a good one. The evidence from the story that supports this is when Fox says, "I was having a terrible day before I came here. I must have just needed a friend. Thank you for having me!" This shows that Fox's mood changed because of the companionship and kindness of Groundhog.