Whispering Compass Reading Form
The Whispering Compass
Grade 4 Reading
Read the story carefully, then answer the text-dependent multiple-choice questions using evidence and details from the passage.
Section 1 of 2: Reading Passage * Indicates required question
Student Name *
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Date *
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Score
/ 10 pts
Reading Passage
Lexile Level: 710L
[1] Oliver wiped salt dust from the small brass instrument nestled in Grandfather Silas's wooden tackle box. Unlike a normal compass with a sharp magnetic needle pointing North, this one held a carved amber arrow that spun lazily until Oliver whispered, "Where is Nora's green sketchbook?"
[2] To his astonishment, the amber arrow shuddered, clicked softly, and swung directly toward the pantry door. Behind a sack of flour sat Nora's worn notebook. Grandfather Silas chuckled from his rocking chair. "That is Silas the Elder's lost-and-found dial, lad. It doesn't care about North. It listens for what is truly treasured, but it only works if you listen closely to what it whispers back."
[3] Later that afternoon, a fierce gust of ocean wind whipped across the rocky bluffs. Nora cried out as her silver acorn necklace—the last gift from their late grandmother—slipped from her collar and vanished into the maze of tide pools below the cliff. The grey evening tide was already creeping over the slippery rocks.
[4] "Stay on the high trail, Nora!" Oliver called, holding the brass dial flat in his palm. He cupped his hand around the glass and whispered into the cold sea breeze, "Find Grandma's acorn necklace." The dial spun wildly, then locked south-southeast toward Whispering Grotto, a narrow sea cave that flooded completely at high tide.
[5] Oliver felt a faint hum vibrating against his fingertips, rhythmically clicking like a pocket watch. Scrambling down the stone stairs, his boots splashed through shallow foam. Remembering Grandfather's advice, he paused and closed his eyes. Beneath the roar of the incoming surf, he caught a distinct metallic chime against wet stone. Guided by the steady amber needle and the chiming echo, Oliver reached deep between two barnacle-covered boulders just as a chilly wave washed over his boots. His fingers closed tightly around the cold silver chain.
1. According to paragraph 2, how does Grandfather Silas's compass differ from an ordinary magnetic compass? *
2 points
A) It contains a bright blue arrow that points toward the highest cliff on the coastline.
B) It has a carved amber needle that points toward things that are deeply treasured.
C) It spins only when placed directly under bright sunlight in the ocean breeze.
D) It shows a miniature glowing nautical map etched into the glass cover.
Whispering Compass Reading Form Page 1 of 2 • Continue to Section 2 on next page
Section 2: Text-Dependent Comprehension
Questions 2–5 • 8 Points Total
Select the best answer for each question using evidence and details from "The Whispering Compass."
2. Why is the setting dangerous when Nora loses her grandmother's necklace? *
2 points
A) A heavy blizzard has blanketed the coastal trail in deep, frozen snowbanks.
B) The incoming ocean tide is rising rapidly toward a sea cave that floods completely.
C) Grandfather Silas locked the cottage door and took the rescue boat out to sea.
D) The compass needle broke in half when Oliver dropped it on the slippery boulders.
3. In paragraph 5, what does the phrase "rhythmically clicking like a pocket watch" suggest about the compass? *
2 points
A) It was running out of battery power and was about to stop functioning entirely.
B) It gave off a steady, mechanical pulse that communicated it was active and guiding him.
C) It was telling Oliver the exact hour and minute the ocean tide would reach the cave.
D) It was rattling loosely because a tiny gear had fallen off its brass casing.
4. In paragraph 2, Grandfather Silas tells Oliver that the dial "only works if you listen closely to what it whispers back." How does Oliver follow this advice at the sea cave? *
2 points
A) He calls out loud to Nora to tell him where she last touched the rocks.
B) He closes his eyes and listens beneath the surf until he hears a metallic chime.
C) He taps the glass cover three times against the stones until the needle speaks.
D) He whispers the secret code words repeatedly until the tide stops rising.
5. Which detail from the story best supports the idea that Oliver was determined to find the necklace despite the danger? *
2 points
A) "Behind a sack of flour sat Nora's worn notebook."
B) "Oliver wiped salt dust from the small brass instrument nestled in Grandfather Silas's wooden tackle box."
C) "Oliver reached deep between two barnacle-covered boulders just as a chilly wave washed over his boots."
D) "Grandfather Silas chuckled from his rocking chair by the hearth."
Form Verification: Review all 5 multiple choice selections before submitting.
Total Score: ___ / 10 Points
Whispering Compass Answer Key
The Whispering Compass
Teacher Answer Key & Scoring Guide • Grade 4 Reading Comprehension
Total: 10 Pts
Quick Answer Reference 2 Points per Question
Q1 B RL.4.1
Q2 B RL.4.3
Q3 B RL.4.4
Q4 B RL.4.1
Q5 C RL.4.1
Question 1: Key Detail (Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1) Correct: B
Answer: B) It has a carved amber needle that points toward things that are deeply treasured.
Evidence & Rationale: Paragraph 2 states the dial "doesn't care about North. It listens for what is truly treasured." Distractors A, C, and D describe invented details not found in the text.
Question 2: Setting Conflict (Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3) Correct: B
Answer: B) The incoming ocean tide is rising rapidly toward a sea cave that floods completely.
Evidence & Rationale: Paragraph 3 notes "the grey evening tide was already creeping over the slippery rocks," and paragraph 4 states Whispering Grotto "flooded completely at high tide," establishing immediate danger and urgency.
Question 3: Figurative Language / Craft (Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.4) Correct: B
Answer: B) It gave off a steady, mechanical pulse that communicated it was active and guiding him.
Evidence & Rationale: The simile "clicking like a pocket watch" pairs with the "faint hum vibrating against his fingertips" to show consistent mechanical movement guiding Oliver, not a broken instrument or a clock.
Question 4: Character Action & Text Evidence (Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1) Correct: B
Answer: B) He closes his eyes and listens beneath the surf until he hears a metallic chime.
Evidence & Rationale: Paragraph 5 explicitly states: "Remembering Grandfather's advice, he paused and closed his eyes. Beneath the roar of the incoming surf, he caught a distinct metallic chime against wet stone."
Question 5: Citing Textual Evidence (Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1) Correct: C
Answer: C) "Oliver reached deep between two barnacle-covered boulders just as a chilly wave washed over his boots."
Evidence & Rationale: This sentence directly demonstrates determination and bravery as Oliver reaches into the surging water and rough rocks to save the necklace before it is lost to the ocean.
Standards Assessed: CCSS.ELA-Literacy RL.4.1 (Key Details & Evidence), RL.4.3 (Plot & Setting), RL.4.4 (Word Choice & Simile)
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