The Idea That Grew (Fiction)

Lexile: 710 | Grade: 4

Passage

Lena sat in her garage, staring at her little brother’s muddy soccer shoes. Every day, he left footprints on the clean kitchen floor. Mom wasn’t happy about it.

“There has to be a better way,” Lena muttered.

She grabbed a shoebox, some felt, and an old doormat. Then she started cutting, gluing, and sketching in her notebook.

After two days and three failed attempts, Lena created a “shoe scrubber” that wiped off mud as someone stepped into it.

Her brother tested it after soccer practice. The mud stayed in the box—and Mom smiled.

“You might have invented something really useful,” Mom said.

Lena beamed. “Maybe it’ll be the first of many!”

Questions

Q1: How are the two passages connected?

  • A. They both explain how airplanes are made.
  • B. They both describe why kitchens should stay clean.
  • C. They both show that inventions solve problems in everyday life.
  • D. They both describe the history of sticky notes.

Q2: What is the theme of the story about Lena?

  • A. It's hard to keep your shoes clean.
  • B. Solving problems takes creativity and effort.
  • C. Sports are more fun than inventing.
  • D. Parents always want the house to be perfect.

Q3: What does the word 'curiosity' mean in the nonfiction passage?

  • A. Wanting to know or learn something
  • B. Telling jokes to others
  • C. Doing the same thing every day
  • D. Keeping secrets from friends

Q4: What caused Lena to build the shoe scrubber?

  • A. She had extra felt and glue.
  • B. She wanted to win a school contest.
  • C. Her mom asked her to do a science project.
  • D. Her brother kept tracking mud into the house.

Q5: What can you infer about inventors from both passages?

  • A. They never fail.
  • B. They are usually adults with labs.
  • C. They keep trying even when things don’t work at first.
  • D. They only work on technology.

Printable Comprehension Practice

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Answers & Reasoning

Q1: How are the two passages connected?

✅ Correct Answer: C

💡 Reasoning: Both the fiction and nonfiction texts highlight how inventions, big or small, help solve problems around us.

Q2: What is the theme of the story about Lena?

✅ Correct Answer: B

💡 Reasoning: Lena’s creative effort to fix a household problem shows determination and invention.

Q3: What does the word 'curiosity' mean in the nonfiction passage?

✅ Correct Answer: A

💡 Reasoning: The word is used to show that inventors begin with a desire to understand and solve problems.

Q4: What caused Lena to build the shoe scrubber?

✅ Correct Answer: D

💡 Reasoning: The muddy shoe problem inspired Lena to create a solution.

Q5: What can you infer about inventors from both passages?

✅ Correct Answer: C

💡 Reasoning: Both passages show that inventors—like Lena or real ones—try many times and learn from mistakes.