About
Morgan sends Jack and Annie to ancient China. They need to retrieve a lost writing during the rule of the Dragon King.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
Where is Morgan sending Jack and Annie?
Page 1 — Ancient China
1
Why do they need to bring their secret library cards?
Page 1 — They can show them to people who help them find the special writings they need
1
What was the title of the story written on?
Page 4 — A bamboo strip
4
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
What type of clothes did Jack and Annie have on when they got to China?
Page 8 — Baggy pants, loose shirts, straw hats, shoes, round hats
8
What did everyone call the first emperor in China?
Page 10 — The Dragon King
10
What did the young man say when Jack and Annie asked him about the Imperial Library?
Page 14 — Beware of the Dragon King
14
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
How did the silk weaver feel when Annie gave her the young man’s message?
Page 17 — Happy, she rewarded Annie
17
What is silk made from?
Page 18 — Cocoons of silk worms
18
What will happen if anyone steals China’s secret about silk?
Page 19 — They’ll be arrested and put to death
19
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
Where did Jack and Annie hide when the guards were chasing them?
Page 21 — In an oxcart
21
Men past by Jack and Annie carrying axes, shovels and hoes, where were they going?
Page 25 — To build the Great Wall of China
25
Who saw Jack and Annie’s book?
Page 25 — The driver of the oxcart
25
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
What is a scholar?
Page 28 — Someone who’s great at learning, reading and writing
28
Why are the scholars in danger?
Page 28 — The Dragon King is afraid of the power of their books and learning
28
What did the Dragon King want to do with books?
Page 28 — Burn them
28
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
Why are the roofs in the city curved?
Page 33 — To keep away bad spirits
33
Tell me some things people were selling at the market Jack and Annie walked through.
Page 35 — Chickens, fish, firewood, furs, wagon wheels, jewelry, silk cloth
35
What are ancestors?
Page 37 — People in your family who’ve lived before you
37
Jack and Annie saw smoke. What had the Dragon King begun to do?
Page 38 — Burn books
38
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
What did the soldiers do when Annie grabbed the scroll and ran away?
Page 41 — Chased them
41
Where did Jack and Annie run to get away from the soldiers?
Page 41 — Burial grounds
41
What did Jack and Annie see in the burial tomb?
Page 45 — Thousands of soldiers
45
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
Were the soldiers real?
Page 46 — No
46
Why did the Dragon King put clay soldiers in his burial tomb?
Page 48 — To protect him when he’s dead
48
Why did Jack and Annie ask the writing for help?
Page 52 — They were lost, it was getting harder to breathe
52
What came to help them?
Page 54 — The ball of yellow thread in Jack’s bag
54
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
Where did the yellow string lead Jack and Annie?
Page 56 — Out of the burial tomb, to some stairs
56
They heard a gong. What did it mean?
Page 59 — The gates to the city were closing
59
Did Jack and Annie make it out of the city in time?
Page 59 — Yes
59
When Jack and Annie were about to go home, who waved at them?
Page 61 — The silk weaver and the young man
61
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
Who was the story about that Jack and Annie rescued?
Page 64 — The silk weather and cow herder
64
Where are the children going on their next adventure?
Page 65 — Ireland
65
What did Jack and Annie hear as they walked home from the tree house?
Page 67 — Crickets
67
Downloads
All the book’s resources, or just the ones you need, ready to read or print.
Worksheets
Practice sheets with space to write your answers.
Download one reading section
A small printout with all the resources for the selected section.
