Lending a Helping Hand
Elizabeth Mohn

1Jackson sat by the window and started his reading assignment for English class. Although Jackson's synopsis of Willa Cather's O Pioneers! wasn't due for another month, he decided to start the assignment early since it was a gloomy day. As Jackson leafed through the thick volume, he heard his younger sister Trisha talking to their mother.

2"Mom, I don't know how I could've misplaced my lucky necklace—it just vanished!"

3Leaning back in his chair, Jackson sighed and rolled his eyes. Trisha—who was three years younger than Jackson—was always misplacing things. Jackson prided himself on being organized and efficient. Trisha, however, was extremely absentminded; their mother liked to call her a free spirit. So, Jackson wasn’t shocked to hear that his sister misplaced her lucky necklace. Trisha's scatterbrained ways sometimes irritated Jackson. He thought about helping search for the missing jewelry, but decided that Trisha needed to become more independent and locate it on her own.

4Jackson began reading the novel, and was immediately interested in the story. In the opening scene, a boy's kitten climbs a pole, and won’t come down. The boy weeps until he glimpses his older sister, Alexandra, walking toward him.

5[Alexandra] did not notice the little boy until he pulled her by the coat. Then she stopped short and stooped down to wipe his wet face.

6"Why, Emil! . . . What is the matter with you?"

7"My kitten, sister, my kitten! . . ."

8"Oh, Emil! Didn't I tell you she'd get us into trouble of some kind, if you brought her? . . ." She went to the foot of the pole . . . , "Kitty, kitty, kitty," but the kitten only mewed and faintly waved its tail. Alexandra turned away decidedly. "No, she won't come down. Somebody will have to go up after her. . . . . I'll go and see if I can find Carl [Linstrum]. Maybe he can do something. Only you must stop crying, or I won't go a step. Where's your comforter? Did you leave it in the store? Never mind. Hold still, till I put this on you."

9She unwound the brown veil from her head and tied it about his throat.

10Jackson paused his reading for a moment and thought about the ordeal in the story. Although Alexandra was irked by her younger brother, she consoled him and found a solution to his problem. Jackson thought about all the times other people helped him in his life and the ways he benefited from their aide. Jackson realized that Alexandra acted admirably by helping her brother—even though she didn't have to. With that, Jackson closed his book, donned his socks and shoes, and walked toward the door.

11"Trisha," Jackson yelled from his bedroom door. "Let's go search for your lucky necklace together!"

Read the passage on the left to answer the following questions:

11)
How was Jackson different from Alexandra at the beginning of the passage?
A) Jackson wasn't mature or organized.
B) Jackson thought Emil was being childish.
C) Jackson didn't want to help his sibling.
D) Jackson puts family before everything else.
12)
Which two words BEST describe both Jackson and Alexandra?
A) overbearing, rude
B) gleeful, generous
C) determined, competent
D) forgetful, distracted
13)
Which of these characters is MOST like Trisha?
A) Alexandra
B) Carl
C) Emil
D) Jackson
14)
Which of these BEST describes the theme shared by both the excerpt and the passage?
A) helping one's family
B) working toward a goal
C) following one's dreams
D) learning to ask for help