Mrs. No Cleans Up Readworks Answer Key
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Why do Elaine’s friends call her mom Mrs. No? | because she always says no to any plans that involve socializing with boys |
| Where does this story take place? | in a home that Elaine’s mother is cleaning |
| Read the following sentences from the text. “I knew that my mother had been a talented pianist, and I vaguely recalled dancing under the piano as a toddler when she practiced for hours every day. Now she could barely play for our church choir because her fingers were gnarled from so many days spent cleaning other people’s homes.” What can you conclude about Elaine’s mom based on this information? | Elaine’s mom changed her lifestyle and her hobbies to provide for her family. |
| Why does Elaine’s attitude change from angry to empathetic and curious as she watches her mom clean the piano? | She has a moment of realization about her mother’s connection to the piano. |
| What is one major theme of this story? | Being curious about other people’s experiences can help us connect with them and understand them better. |
| “But as I watched, my emotions began to change. I noticed how carefully, almost tenderly, she rubbed her yellow dusting cloth along a large mahogany piano in a corner of the room. As I studied her movements, my anger drained away and was replaced by an empathetic curiosity. A thought hit me: “Is this like your piano from when you were a girl in Guyana, Mom?” I asked.” What does the word empathetic most closely mean as it’s used in this sentence? | being concerned with other people’s thoughts and feelings |
| Choose the word that best completes the following sentence. Mrs. Smithers assumes Elaine’s mom doesn’t understand her relationship to her piano _ both women had beloved pianos passed down through their families. | even though |
| How does Elaine respond to the conversation between her mother and Mrs. Smithers about cleaning the piano? | She yells at Mrs. Smithers when she says that her mother wouldn’t understand her feelings towards her piano. |
| Why does Elaine respond to Mrs. Smithers the way she does? | She is upset because she feels like Mrs. Smithers is being condescending or rude to her mother. |
| How does Elaine’s attitude towards her mother change from the beginning to the end of the story? | At first, Elaine feels frustrated and resentful because her mother won’t let her do certain things with her friends, like go to the parade. At the end of the story, though, Elaine has a better understanding of how hard her mom has worked to provide for her, and she feels like she understands her mom’s life more. Students may note that she even feels defensive or protective about her mother by the end, based on the exchange with Mrs. Smithers. |
New in the Neighborhood Readworks Answer Key
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What makes Winston angry at the beginning of this story? | He gets a bad haircut. |
| What happens after Winston shows his mom his haircut? | She tries to comfort him but he gets angry at her. |
| Read the following sentences from the text. “Winston wanted to sink into the floor. Why was Gina acting a fool in front of her cute friend? He pulled the hoodie over his head and tried to look unaffected by the jibes. […] He looked up shyly and Selah met his glance. ‘Heyyy, Winston’ she said, smiling sweetly. ‘It doesn’t look that bad.’ […] Winston was flabbergasted at this unexpectedly positive turn of events. He smiled at Selah. ‘New barber,’ he said, shrugging nonchalantly. ‘I’m going to get it fixed tomorrow. No biggie.’” What can you conclude about Winston based on this evidence? | His attitude about his haircut changes because Selah is being kind. |
| How does Winston’s bad haircut relate to his feelings towards his mom? | His anger about his bad haircut makes him even more angry with his mom for moving them to a new place. |
| What is one main theme of the story? | Being kind to people when they’re going through a hard time can make a big difference to them. |
| Read the following sentences from the text. “Winston wanted to sink into the floor. Why was Gina acting a fool in front of her cute friend? He pulled the hoodie over his head and tried to look unaffected by the jibes.” What does the word unaffected mean as it’s used here? | like you don’t care about something |
| Choose the word or words that best complete the following sentence. At first, Winston is furious with the barber who cut his hair, but _, he feels calm and understanding towards the barber. | eventually |
| How does Winston respond to the barber after he apologizes for his haircut and explains he had received some bad news? | He thanks the barber and says that he’s new in the neighborhood but happy to be there. |
| How does Winston feel about being forced to move to a new place at the beginning of this story? | He feels angry at his mom for moving him somewhere where he doesn’t know anybody. |
| What causes Winston’s attitude towards being new in the neighborhood to change throughout the story? Use evidence from the text to support your answer. | Answers may vary but should be supported by the text. Students could write about Selah’s kindness and how that makes Winston feel better about his new town, or about him having fun with new friends. They could also write about his realization that people like the barber aren’t trying to make him unhappy, and that he should be more understanding of other people’s situations. |
Other Readworks Answers
- Readworks Org Answer Key Grade 3
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- Readworks Org Answer Key Grade 6
- Readworks Org Answer Key Grade 7
- Readworks Org Answer Key Grade 8
- Readworks Org Answer Key Grade 9
- Readworks Org Answer Key Grade 10
- Readworks Org Answer Key Grade 11
- Readworks Org Answer Key Grade 12
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