by Tirzah Tyler
Gregory was trying to read his new detective novel in his room when he heard a rustling in the bushes outside. He thought maybe it was the neighbor's dog chasing a stray cat again. He dropped his book when he looked out the closed window and saw a bearded man outside whom he didn't recognize.
"Who is that?" whispered Gregory's younger sister Laura from the entrance to Gregory's room. "I saw him from the living room window."
The man walked across the lawn, and the bushes continued rustling. Gregory slowly stepped down from his bed and tiptoed on the carpet toward the window.
"I'm scared," Laura whispered. "Is he a burglar? Call the police."
Gregory heard the outdoor water faucet squeak on. This is a bigger mystery than I was reading about earlier, he thought, suddenly feeling like a detective. Stretching his neck to get a good look outside but hoping he could not be seen through the blinds, he whispered, "Is he watering our lawn?"
Laura threw her skinny arms around Gregory's waist and hugged him in fright.
With a shaking hand, Gregory pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. Before he could dial 911, the phone rang. He answered the call on speakerphone so that Laura could hear and so that the man outside would know that somebody was home. "Hi, Mom," Gregory said.
"Hey!" Gregory and Laura's mother exclaimed in a voice that sounded tinny over the phone. "After I got to work this morning, the landlady called and said that she just hired a gardener. He should come by sometime today. I can't remember his name, but she said that he has a beard."
Gregory erupted in laughter, and Laura released her frightened hug and groaned.
From across the lawn, the bearded man—who was now pushing a wheelbarrow—smiled and waved at Gregory and Laura.
"Mystery solved," Gregory said, waving back and no longer feeling like a detective.
5
Which of the following is the best summary of the passage?
A.
Gregory is reading a book, and he begins to feel like a detective. He and his sister Laura are trying to solve a mystery at their home. Their mother calls and helps them solve the mystery, and Gregory stops feeling like a detective.
B.
Gregory sees a strange man outside his window while he is reading a detective novel. He and his sister Laura are scared. Before he calls 911, their mother calls, and they learn that the man is the gardener.
C.
A strange man appears outside Gregory and Laura's house. Laura hugs Gregory's waist because she is frightened. At first, Gregory thinks the neighbor's dog is chasing a cat, but he learns who the man is when he answers the phone.
D.
A strange man appears outside a house and begins to water the lawn. The man has a beard, and the people who live in the house learn that he is the gardener. He pushes a wheelbarrow and waves at the people who are in the house.
1 answer
The best summary of the passage is B.
This option captures the key elements of the story: Gregory and Laura's initial fear of the strange man outside, the moment of tension before they find out who he is, and the resolution provided by their mother's phone call revealing the man is the gardener. It succinctly conveys the sequence of events and the emotional shift in the characters.
