Read fantasy with illustrations
Key Notes :
A prediction is a best guess about the future. Making predictions helps you check your understanding of the story.
Learn with an example
š„Read the first part of the story.
AĀ KingdomĀ withĀ Colour
Grey sunshine shone through the palace window as Princess Violet sat down to lunch. She had only just taken her first bite of a grey apple when suddenly Clorinda, the magician, burst into the room.
‘Princess! I’ve finally found a way to undo the ogre’s spell!’ she exclaimed. ‘I need certain things from the ogre’s forest swamp. Then my spell will return colour to our land.’
Years before, an evil ogre had cast a spell to erase the kingdom’s bright colours. Ever since, the kingdom had been grey and plain.
‘But who dares sneak into the ogre’s swamp?’ asked the princess.
‘For the spell to work, it must be someone from the royal family,’ said Clorinda, looking hopefully at Princess Violet.
The princess’s eyes opened wide.
‘I’ve brought the list of items and a bag for carrying them,’ Clorinda said. ‘A horse is waiting in the stables.’
Princess Violet looked at the greyness all around her. Finally, she reached for the bag.
š„Based on the story, which is most likely to happen next?
- Princess Violet will order the magician to gather the objects.
- Princess Violet will command the ogre to come to the castle.
- Princess Violet will decide that the world is better in grey.
- Princess Violet will travel to the swamp to find the items.
In the story, the magician explains that someone who is part of the royal family must sneak into the ogre’s swamp. She has brought a bag and the list of things she needs and looks hopefully at Princess Violet. The princess says nothing but eventually takes the bag from her.
Based on these clues, it is most likely that Princess Violet will journey into the swamp to collect the items
š„Read the first part of the story.
TheĀ LeafĀ Keepers
Gazing out the window, Silvie pictured herself hopping around the treetops, the autumn breeze dancing through her hair. Everyone would watch in wonder as she changed each leaf with the tap of her branch wand. Here, a deep red! There, a fiery orange! The other Leaf Keepers clapped and cheered her name . . .
‘Silvie,’ called Ms Willow. ‘Silvie!’ The leaf-keeping teacher was clapping her hands to get Silvie’s attention.
Silvie realized she was still in class at Leaf Keeping School. The other students stared at her, and Webster, the classroom’s spider, had even stopped spinning notes on his web.
Did I drift off again? she thought, as Ms Willow continued to explain the Autumn Colour spell. Silvie could never seem to focus, even though she knew how important Leaf Keeping was! After all, Leaf Keepers were grateful to have been chosen for this duty. Spreading beautiful colours was far better than being an Earthworm Tender or a Mud Maker.
š„What does Silvie’s behaviour in class tell you about her?
- Silvie already knows how to be a Leaf Keeper.
- Silvie is not interested in becoming a Leaf Keeper.
- Silvie tends to daydream rather than pay attention.
- Silvie is one of the more serious students in the class.
In the story, Silvie drifts off during class, imagining herself changing the colours of leaves. She can never seem to focus, even though she is interested in the lessons. This shows that Silvie daydreams instead of paying attention.
š„ReadĀ the first part of theĀ story.
TheĀ BakingĀ Contest
Nissa’s wings fluttered with excitement. She was in the final round of the Fairyland Baking Contest! Whoever won would become Wizard Wendell’s baking assistant for an entire year. The thought of winning made Nissa float five centimetres off the floor. It would make her godmother, Marigold, happy, too. Godmother Marigold was the one who’d taught Nissa to bake.
As she waited to start, Nissa peeked across the kitchen at her opponent, Flynn. He looked sure of himself. He even whistled as he set out his rolling pin and baking trays. Nissa thought he would be hard to beat. It would help if she could use her wand or fairy dust, but magic was against the rules, so she’d left them at home.
Finally, Wizard Wendell clapped his hands. ‘Attention, Nissa and Flynn,’ he announced. ‘For your final test, you must bake, put together and decorate a gingerbread building. You have three hours. Ready, set, bake!’
š„Look at the word in bold. Who is Flynn? Use context clues in nearby text to help you figure out the meaning of the word opponent.
- the judge who will pick the winner in the contest
- the timekeeper for the contest
- someone going up against Nissa in the contest
- someone who is watching the contest
The following context clues help you figure out the meaning of the word opponent:
As she waited to start, Nissa peeked across the kitchen at her opponent, Flynn. He looked sure of himself. He even whistled as he set out his rolling pin and baking trays. Nissa thought he would be hard to beat.
There is someone else setting out equipment in the kitchen as the contest is about to start. Nissa thinks he looks hard to beat.
Using these clues, you can guess that opponent means ‘someone going up against you in the contest’. So, Flynn is someone who is trying to beat Nissa in the contest.
let’s practice!
Read the first part of the story.
Tapping for Theo
Theo’s tail swished as he practised blowing on his set of pipes. Theo was a centaurāa magical creature that was half man and half horse. And like many other centaurs in Centaur Hills, Theo wanted to win King Cosmos’s music contest and play at the royal birthday ball. If only he could block out the sound of his brother Arkadi! Whenever Arkadi was upset, he tapped his little hooves on their cave’s stone floor.
‘Teach me to play your panpipe,’ Arkadi demanded. His hooves tap-tap-tapped.
‘Not now. The contest is in less than a week. I need to keep practising, so stop clomping your feet.’
Arkadi looked glum. ‘Please!’
‘After the contest,’ Theo said.
‘Can I just try it once?’ Arkadi tugged on the panpipe. ‘Please?’
Arkadi tried to pull it out of Theo’s hand, but he tripped and fell. The panpipe flew into the air, and when it crashed, one of its pipes fell off.
‘No!’ Theo cried.
‘I’m sorry!’ Arkadi wailed and galloped out of sight.
Theo picked up the broken panpipe and examined it.
