The Locker Slip-Up
Lexile: 780 | Grade: 6
Passage
Jasmine stared at her locker, heart pounding. She had been at her new middle school for two weeks, but the locker still refused to open. Her hands shook as she tried the code again—17, 3, 24. Nothing. The hallway buzzed with students, and she felt their eyes on her, though no one was actually looking.
Just then, Mr. Lopez, the math teacher, walked by. 'Need help?' he asked kindly. Jasmine nodded, embarrassed. He showed her how to pull the handle up *after* turning the last number. With a click, the locker opened. Jasmine smiled, relieved but also frustrated she hadn’t figured it out before.
'Don't worry,' Mr. Lopez said. 'Almost everyone messes up at first.'
The next day, Jasmine tried again—this time alone. Her fingers hesitated, but she remembered Mr. Lopez’s tip. 17, 3, 24—click! It opened. She felt a small spark of pride. No one cheered. No one noticed. But inside, Jasmine felt different.
Later that week, a classmate named Zoe stood frowning at her own locker. 'These things are impossible!' she muttered. Jasmine smiled and walked over. 'Want help?' she offered. Zoe looked surprised, then nodded. Jasmine guided her through it, step by step. When Zoe's locker opened, she gave Jasmine a high five.
That moment was small, but it mattered. Jasmine had gone from feeling lost to helping someone else. Maybe middle school wouldn’t be so bad after all.
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Questions
Q1: What problem did Jasmine face at the beginning of the story?
- A. She forgot her schedule.
- B. She lost her locker key.
- C. She couldn't open her locker.
- D. She missed the school bus.
Q2: What did Mr. Lopez teach Jasmine about the locker?
- A. To ask someone for the code.
- B. To turn the dial faster.
- C. To pull the handle up after turning the last number.
- D. To avoid using the locker at all.
Q3: What happened after Jasmine helped Zoe?
- A. Zoe reported Jasmine to the teacher.
- B. Jasmine gave up on lockers.
- C. Zoe gave Jasmine a high five.
- D. Zoe walked away silently.
Q4: How did Jasmine probably feel when she helped Zoe?
- A. Proud and confident
- B. Angry and annoyed
- C. Nervous and shy
- D. Tired and bored
Q5: What does the word 'embarrassed' most likely mean in the sentence: 'Jasmine nodded, embarrassed.'?
- A. Tired
- B. Nervous and ashamed
- C. Excited
- D. Confused
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Answers & Reasoning
Q1: What problem did Jasmine face at the beginning of the story?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: The story starts with Jasmine struggling to open her locker, which is the main conflict.
Q2: What did Mr. Lopez teach Jasmine about the locker?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: Mr. Lopez showed her how to pull the handle up after turning the last number, which helped her unlock it.
Q3: What happened after Jasmine helped Zoe?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: Zoe successfully opened her locker and gave Jasmine a high five, showing appreciation.
Q4: How did Jasmine probably feel when she helped Zoe?
✅ Correct Answer: A
💡 Reasoning: Jasmine had once needed help, and now she was helping someone else. This likely made her feel proud.
Q5: What does the word 'embarrassed' most likely mean in the sentence: 'Jasmine nodded, embarrassed.'?
✅ Correct Answer: B
💡 Reasoning: In context, Jasmine feels 'embarrassed' when she needs help in front of others, which shows she feels nervous and a bit ashamed.
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