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Answer Key
This is fun reading for your fourth grader. The book is the same as the television show by the same name.
- On page 1, the writer writes, “The four players of the game we had interrupted stood eyeing us.” Why do you think this primitive game of basketball was played with four players on each side? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- On page 2, the author writes, “I am the High Priest of Chichen Itza.” Do you think this is a fictional person? Yes No
- Do you think Chichen Itza is a real place? Yes No If yes, what country is it located? _______________________________________
- On page 3, Sam says that they’re in a Maya ring ball court around the year (circa) 1010 A.D. Look at the picture on page 2. Do you think this is the New World, Europe, or Asia? ____________________________________________________
- On page 4, they mention two players in red-feathers and two in blue-feathers. Do you think these players were in two separate teams? _______________________
- On page 4, Joe asks the High Priest if he has seen a blue book. Do you think books were invented around 1010 A.D.? _________________________________
Chapter 2
- Sam mentioned that the Mayan people had a “number system every bit as good as ours, and a calendar that was even better.” What was the name of their number system? _________________________________________
- What is the name of their calendar? _____________________
- Sam says the Mayan people also invented the zero. What does their zero look like? _____________________________________________________________
Chapter 3
- How was the High Priest dressed? _________________________________________________________________
Chapter 4
- Joe compared the Mayan players to current _____________ pros.
- Joe said they didn’t _____________ the ball for the first _________ minutes.
- They ____________ the ______________ from ____________ to __________ to _________________.
Chapter 11
- How did Sam give his own blood to the stone serpent? ________________________________________________________________
- Did Sam spare the losing team? Yes No
- What did Sam ask for in return after freeing the city from the High Priest? ________________________________________________________________
Chapter 12
- What do you think Sam meant on page 61 when he said, “But you really might want to look into this thing called ‘the wheel.’ Very handy invention.” ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- Why do you think the planet Venus swirled around them when they warped back to the present day? __________________________________________________
Chapter 13
- Do you think Sam made the shot at the end of the book? _________________________________________________________________
- Who do you think Thomas Crapper is? _________________________________________________________________
- What did Leonardo da Vinci invent? _________________________________________________________________
Chapter 2
- Who have the trio sailed with? _______________________________________
- Who have they fought? _____________________________________________
- Who invented the first flushing toilet? _________________________________
- Who do people associate as the inventor of the toilet? _____________________
- Who painted the Mona Lisa? _________________________________________
New Reading Comprehension Questions
Chapter 1
1. Why do you think the High Priest of Chichen Itza is so concerned about the boys finding the blue book? How might the book affect the events or beliefs of that time period?
Chapter 2
2. How did the Mayan calendar compare to the calendar we use today in terms of accuracy and purpose? What might this suggest about the Mayan understanding of time and astronomy?
Chapter 3
3. Explain why the High Priest’s clothing is significant. What do his garments and accessories tell us about his role in the Mayan society?
Chapter 4
4. If Fred had missed the shot, what do you think the impact would have been on the story’s progression? Consider how this event is pivotal to the storyline.
Chapter 5
5. What do the carvings of various animals and colorful figures on the buildings suggest about Mayan beliefs and culture? How might these carvings reflect their views on nature and the divine?
6. Why is the number of steps on the Mayan Pyramid significant, and how does it relate to the Mayan calendar? Discuss how this reflects the Mayans’ advanced understanding of mathematics and astronomy.
Chapter 7
7. Analyze the character of the boy who rescued the trio. What qualities or traits make him a key figure in this part of the story?
Chapter 8
8. What ethical dilemmas does Jun’s mother’s legend present? Discuss how different characters in the story might view the legend differently based on their beliefs and values.
Chapter 10
9. Compare the Mayan ballgame players to modern-day sports professionals. How does this comparison help the reader understand the skill and athleticism of the Mayan players?
Chapter 12
10. What might the swirling of the planet Venus around the boys symbolize as they warp back to the present day? Consider how this element of the story connects to themes of time travel and discovery.
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