Escape Artist Clyde

Escape Artist Clyde

Auto-markingPencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about adding words to a text so that it makes sense.
 
The following piece of writing has some spaces where words are missing.
 
First, read the whole piece of writing through to get an idea of what it is about. Then fill each space with ONE word so that the whole piece of writing makes sense. You are able to change answers as you go.

When you have filled in all the spaces, re-read the text to check that the whole piece of writing makes sense.

Question 1Change answer

Escape Artist Clyde
 
Clyde the otter spent the first year of his life with his family at Auckland Zoo. Then he was moved to join Wellington Zoo otter, Bonnie. The zookeepers hoped that 1 two otters might start a family. But only two days after he 2 Clyde went missing. He had dug 3 way under one of the walls 4 the otter enclosure, and he was 5 to be seen. The zoo staff 6 up cages inside the zoo with plates 7 Clyde's favourite fish in them 8, they leaned a ramp up against 9 outside of the otter enclosure so 10 he could get back in if 11 wanted to. Two days went by 12 still there was no sign 13 Clyde. Where could he be? 14 last, someone saw Clyde - nowhere inside 15 zoo, but a whole kilometre away at 16 house in Adelaide Road, Newtown. No 17 knew how Clyde had found 18 way there, without being spotted, but 19 he was. The people who lived 20 the house, Blake and Mike, had read 21 Clyde in the newspapers, and they 22 the zoo straight away. By now, 23 was hiding in an out-of-reach hole 24 the outside laundry. The zookeepers arrived 25 set up some more traps to 26 to catch him. Five 27 after he'd escaped, Clyde was finally 28 in one of the traps.
Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper or online (without auto-marking).
Copyright: 

Escape Artist Clyde - Text was first published by Learning Media Limited on behalf of the Ministry of Education. © Philippa Werry 2000. Used with permission.

Source: Pages 12 - 17, School Journal, Pt 2, No. 2, Learning Media, 2000.
 

Level:
3
Curriculum info: 
English, Making meaning, Reading
Key Competencies: 
Using language, symbols, and texts
Keywords: 
cloze, comprehension, School Journal, vocabulary, text features, SJ-2-2-2000
Description of task: 
Students complete a cloze passage on the antics of an escaped otter. Students use their vocabulary and knowledge of grammar to create well-formed sentences. SJ-2-2-2000. Text provided.
Curriculum Links: 
Links to the Literacy Learning Progressions for Reading:
This resource helps to identify students’ ability to:

  • use comprehension strategies
  • monitor their reading for accuracy and sense

as described in the Literacy Learning Progressions for Reading at: http://www.literacyprogressions.tki.org.nz/The-Structure-of-the-Progressions.

Learning Progression Frameworks
This resource can provide evidence of learning associated with
Making sense of text: processing system, set 4
Making sense of text: vocabulary knowledge, sets 4-5
within the Reading Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Read more about the Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Answers/responses: 
    Y7 (03/2003)
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28.		 the
arrived
his
around/of
nowhere
set/put
of
and
the
that
he
and/but
of
At
the
a
one
his
there
in/at
about
called/rang/phoned/contacted/told
Clyde/he
in/by/near
and/to
try/attempt
days
caught/captured		 easy
very difficult
moderate
difficult
difficult
easy
difficult
easy
easy
easy
very easy
very easy
very easy
very easy
very easy
moderate
easy
easy
moderate
very easy
easy
very easy
moderate
easy
very easy
moderate
easy
moderate

Click here for more information on Interpreting Cloze Results