The Shortcut

Lexile: 870 | Grade: 6

Passage

Jordan and his friends stood at the edge of the forest trail behind their school. A large wooden sign read: 'Trail Closed for Repairs.'

“It’s just a shortcut,” Marcus said, stepping over the sign. “If we go through, we’ll get to the skate park way faster.”

Jordan hesitated. The forest trail was muddy and overgrown, and the school had warned students to stay out for safety reasons. But Marcus and two others were already laughing and heading down the path.

“You coming?” Marcus called back.

Jordan looked down at his sneakers, already a little wet from the grass. He imagined his mom’s face if he came home with ruined shoes—or worse, an injury. He also thought about the announcement last week about a kid who had twisted his ankle on that same trail.

He sighed and shook his head. “I’ll take the long way. I promised my mom I’d stay out of trouble.”

Marcus rolled his eyes. “Suit yourself.”

As Jordan turned away and started walking along the sidewalk, he felt a little nervous—but also proud. He didn’t take the shortcut, but maybe he took the high road instead.

Questions

Q1: What is the main message of the story?

  • A. Forest trails are fun to explore after school.
  • B. Friends should always stick together no matter what.
  • C. Doing the right thing isn’t always easy, but it matters.
  • D. Skate parks are more fun than walking home.

Q2: How does Jordan feel after deciding not to take the shortcut?

  • A. Angry at his friends for leaving him
  • B. Ashamed for not breaking the rules
  • C. Nervous but proud for making the right choice
  • D. Excited to try the trail another time

Q3: What does the phrase 'take the high road' mean in this story?

  • A. Jordan took a higher sidewalk than his friends.
  • B. Jordan chose to do what was right, even if it was harder.
  • C. Jordan found a new trail no one had used before.
  • D. Jordan walked uphill to avoid getting dirty.

Q4: What does the story suggest about Marcus’s character?

  • A. He always follows the rules.
  • B. He tries to pressure others into making risky choices.
  • C. He is careful and thoughtful like Jordan.
  • D. He forgets where the trail leads.

Q5: Why did Jordan think about the announcement from last week?

  • A. To remember the time the school added a new rule
  • B. To remind himself that he liked hiking
  • C. To help him decide whether the shortcut was safe
  • D. To figure out where the trail led

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Answers & Reasoning

Q1: What is the main message of the story?

✅ Correct Answer: C

💡 Reasoning: Jordan chooses safety and responsibility over peer pressure, even though it means going alone.

Q2: How does Jordan feel after deciding not to take the shortcut?

✅ Correct Answer: C

💡 Reasoning: The last paragraph shows that Jordan felt nervous but proud of his decision.

Q3: What does the phrase 'take the high road' mean in this story?

✅ Correct Answer: B

💡 Reasoning: The phrase is used figuratively to show Jordan made a morally better decision, even though it wasn’t the easiest.

Q4: What does the story suggest about Marcus’s character?

✅ Correct Answer: B

💡 Reasoning: Marcus encourages the others to ignore the warning sign and seems unconcerned about consequences.

Q5: Why did Jordan think about the announcement from last week?

✅ Correct Answer: C

💡 Reasoning: Jordan recalled the past injury as a warning, helping him choose the safer route.