Reading Comprehension-3a

The Most Powerful Thing in the World    Week 10 Day 3

            Long ago, there lived a man who worked as a humble stonecutter. He was not happy with his jobs or his position in life. As he struggled at his work, chipping away at stone, he saw wealthy merchant pass by and thought, “How I wish I were as powerful and influential as that merchant!” Suddenly, the stonecutter was transformed into a wealthy and powerful merchant. Others now envied him.

            One hot day, as the wealthy man walked around town observing all that he owned, he became annoyed by the strength of the sun’s rays. “How I wish I were as powerful as the sun!” he thought, and suddenly he became the sun, scorching others with his heat and brilliance.

            Then one day a dark cloud crossed beneath him. Rain poured down and the wind blew, limiting the sun’s power over others. “How I wish I were as powerful as the storm!” he thought, and he became a storm with rain and wind. People feared his great force, but when he blew against a huge rock, the rock did not move. “How I wish I were as powerful as that rock!” he thought, and in a moment he became the rock.

            Not long afterward, he heard a hammering sound and felt a part of himself change. “What could be a more powerful than me, the rock?” he wondered. He looked down and saw, much to his surprise and disappointment, that humble stone-cutter was chipping away at him.

Strategy Practice: Think about it: If the stone-cutter had stopped making wishes after he became a merchant, how would it have affected the passage’s theme?

Skill Practice: Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.