The Art Show
1 “Are you entering the school art show this year?” asked Jordan as he flipped through his sketchbook.
2 “I think so,” replied Maya. “I love painting, but I also kind of want to try photography. I saw the sign-up sheet in the hallway.”
3 Jordan’s eyes lit up. “Photography? That sounds cool! But I’ve always pictured us both painting. We’ve entered the art show together every year.”
4 “I know,” Maya said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “But maybe this year I should try something different.”
5 “Different?” Jordan frowned. “But what about our tradition?”
6 Maya bit her lip. “I don’t want to disappoint you. Painting is fun, but photography makes me excited. I want to capture moments in real life.”
7 “Still,” Jordan said quietly, “we’ve always done this as a team.”
8 Later that evening, Maya sat at her desk scrolling through the photos on her camera. She loved the way a single picture could tell a whole story. Yet she dreaded the idea of telling Jordan she wouldn’t be painting this year.
9 Finally, she picked up the phone. “Jordan, I need to tell you something,” she said.
10 “What’s up?” Jordan asked.
11 “I’ve decided to enter my photos instead of paintings. I know it’s not what we’ve always done, but it feels right for me.”
12 For a moment, Jordan was silent. Maya’s stomach twisted.
13 Then Jordan said, “I’ll miss painting beside you, but I understand. I’ll still enter my painting, and I’ll cheer for your photos, too.”
14 Relief washed over Maya. “Thanks, Jordan. Maybe I’ll even take a picture of your painting and call it ‘My Best Friend the Artist.’”
15 Jordan laughed. “And I’ll paint a picture of you with your camera. We’ll still be a team, just in a different way.”
Questions
1. The word dreaded in paragraph 8 shows that Maya felt —
A. angry
B. worried
C. excited
D. confused
2. The details in paragraphs 13–15 support the idea that Jordan and Maya —
A. no longer want to be friends
B. both enjoy photography more than painting
C. respect each other’s choices
D. want to compete against each other
3. What is the most likely reason the author includes paragraph 6 in the story?
A. To explain why Maya feels excited about photography
B. To show how Jordan first became interested in painting
C. To describe the rules of the art show
D. To explain why Jordan dislikes photography
4. Read this sentence from paragraph 13.
“I’ll miss painting beside you, but I understand.”
This supports the theme of the story by showing that —
A. friends sometimes argue about what to do
B. true friends support each other’s choices
C. traditions are more important than change
D. people must always do the same activities as their friends
5. Why does the author use the phrase “Maya’s stomach twisted” in paragraph 12?
A. To show she was feeling very hungry
B. To suggest she was feeling nervous
C. To show she was angry at Jordan
D. To suggest she was distracted by her photos
6. The use of third-person point of view helps the reader understand —
A. how Jordan feels about painting in the art show
B. how Maya struggles to make her decision
C. what the judges will think of Maya’s photos
D. what happens at the art show after it ends
7. Why did Maya and Jordan always enter paintings in the art show together in the past?
(Short Answer)
8. How does Maya and Jordan’s friendship change by the end of the story?
A. They realize it’s better to do everything together.
B. They decide to stop entering the art show.
C. They discover that friendship can remain strong even with different interests.
D. They agree that painting is more important than photography.
Answer Key
- B (worried)
- C (respect each other’s choices)
- A (to explain why Maya feels excited about photography)
- B (true friends support each other’s choices)
- B (to suggest she was feeling nervous)
- B (how Maya struggles to make her decision)
- They always entered paintings together in the past because it was their tradition and they enjoyed being a team.
- C (They discover that friendship can remain strong even with different interests)
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