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 1 . What kind of creature is Shaggy?
a. an owl
b. a young boy
c. a dog
d. a duck
 2 . Why did the owl appreciate the conversation?
a. He was able to talk Shaggy into agreeing with his point of view.
b. He felt that people didn’t have much time for conversation.
c. He wanted to tell Shaggy what to write.
d. He thought Shaggy could use the company.
 3 . What does the word dissipated mean as it is used in the text?
a. disappeared
b. scattered
c. wasted
d. indulged
 4 . Who tells the story?
a. the owl
b. Shaggy
c. a narrator
d. the Muse
 5 . What treasure do you think the young boy had?
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©Teacher Created Resources 
161 
#3658 Daily Warm-Ups: Reading

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Daily 
Warm-Up
12
Fiction: Fantasy
The Time Machine
The year was 2170. The pre-dawn darkness was 
illuminated by a small workshop adjacent to a mansion.
Inside the workshop, it was as bright as day. Lights 
hung at intervals across the ceiling, creating a network 
of cables and wires.
“Nearly finished.” The old man almost cackled with 
glee, then rubbed his eyes as if to sweep away the dark 
circles. Walter recalled in detail the initial conversation 
in which they had set the terms for this endeavor. “I 
promise you all the equipment you require to finish 
your design,” Dr. Mangier, who owned the property 
and had hired him, had said. Walter’s patched and 
frayed clothing bore testimony to the fact his employer 
conveniently forgot to provide proper wages. However, 
the equipment was well beyond the scope of what the 
old man could ever afford. He wiped the soot from his 
spectacles and bent over his project, which vaguely 
resembled a metal cell with a platform in the center.
There were wires and circuits intertwined throughout 
the structure and a small control panel at chest height at 
its core. The old man mumbled to himself as he worked 
to fasten his watch to the control panel, reasoning that 
it was worthless to construct a time machine without 
the ability to regulate the year of destination. Breathing 
a sigh of relief, he prepared to embark on a maiden 
voyage in the contraption. Whistling contentedly, he 
focused on a final review of his plans: he knew exactly 
where he intended to land. The machine lit up, nearly 
outshining the stars, and vanished . . .
The year was 2170. The pre-dawn darkness was 
illuminated only by a small lantern outside a mansion.
Dr. Mangier, the gardener, labored in the shadows 
planting petunias for his master while in the interior of 
the house, a solitary light burned in the sitting room.
An old man with dark circles under his eyes observed, 
whistling contentedly.
Text Questions
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 1 . Which evidence supports the old man’s financial position?
a. “I promise you all the equipment you require to finish your design.”
b. Walter’s patched and frayed clothes bore testimony.
c. Wires and circuits intertwined throughout the structure.
d. He worked to fasten his watch to the control panel.
 2 . What did the old man receive from his employer?
a. valuable equipment
b. a garden
c. a watch for the control panel
d. new clothing
 3 . What does the word testimony mean as it is used in the text?
a. a statement made under oath
b. a public declaration
c. evidence of a fact
d. a person who tells what happened
 4 . What do you notice about the old man’s character during the story?
a. He becomes angry and bitter over time.
b. He feels defeated and gives up on the project.
c. He plans a way to change his circumstances.
d. He asks his employer for assistance in meeting his goals.
 5 . How would you describe the twist in the story?
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#3658 Daily Warm-Ups: Reading 
162 
©Teacher Created Resources

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