A long time ago, several ferocious dragons plagued the peaceful village called Harmony. After many years of dragon attacks, the village warriors finally destroyed the dragons. However, Yagar, a young man in the village, discovered a dragon egg in the nearby underground caverns. Many of the villagers wanted to destroy the egg. The village elders decided that the dragon should be tamed and used to defend the village. According to legend, the first person to touch a newly hatched dragon would become its master. If no one touched the dragon within an hour after it hatched, it would become wild and harm any human it met.

Question

The village elders chose Yagar to be the dragon master. He would spend the rest of his life training and caring for the dragon. This important duty would bring great honor to Yagar’s family. No one knew when the dragon would hatch. Only Yagar was allowed to be near the egg because the elders wanted to make sure that no one else became the dragon master. Yagar lived in the underground cave for months. He only went above ground for a few minutes a day. Yagar was lonely and bored.
One day, while Yagar was outside gathering some roots and berries to eat, the dragon egg cracked open. Yagar was enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. He took his time gathering the food. Meanwhile, the baby dragon emerged, stretched its legs and wings, and wobbled to the cavern’s opening. It looked around, flapped its wings, and flew away. Yagar returned to the cave and found the broken pieces of eggshell. He searched for the dragon in all of the underground tunnels. Then Yagar looked for the dragon outside. He couldn’t find a trace of it anywhere. Yagar ran to his village and reported that the dragon had hatched and disappeared. Everyone searched for the dragon.
A young girl named Bazille spotted the dragon in a tree. The dragon was covered in brilliant red scales with rows of blue spikes on its back and tail. Bazille quickly climbed the tree and petted the beautiful dragon. The baby dragon immediately bonded with the girl. Bazille became the dragon master. The village threw a grand celebration to honor Bazille. The elders gave Bazille and her family a large house and an endless supply of food.
Yagar was greatly ashamed that he had failed to become the dragon master. He left the village and lived by himself in the underground caverns. Many years passed. Yagar became an old, hunchbacked man filled with regret.
One day as Yagar sat and stared at the old broken pieces of eggshell, he heard a strange noise. He followed the sound to a room at the end of a tunnel. To Yagar’s amazement, he saw a bright red dragon with blue spikes lying next to an egg. The dragon was tame. Yagar realized it was the same dragon that had hatched in the underground caverns so many years ago. After all this time, Yagar had another chance to become a dragon master. He was filled with new hope.

10
Select all of the correct answers.
Which of the following themes are found in this passage?
If someone truly loves someone, he or she will let that person go.
A person will only have friends if he or she is a friend to others.
People all have the same needs whether they are rich or poor.
No matter where a person is in life, he or she can make a new start.
Holding onto past mistakes prevents one from moving forward in life.
Reset Submit

Answer 1

The themes found in the passage include:

1. If someone truly loves someone, he or she will let that person go. - This theme can be inferred from Yagar's initial decision to care for the dragon but ultimately losing it, which reflects a sense of letting go.

2. No matter where a person is in life, he or she can make a new start. - Yagar's experience of finding the dragon again after many years demonstrates that it is possible to find new opportunities even later in life.

3. Holding onto past mistakes prevents one from moving forward in life. - Yagar's regret and shame about not becoming the dragon master shows how clinging to past failures can hinder personal growth.

The other themes do not directly resonate with the story's events or messages.