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Same Theme, Different Handling is a free printable Grade 5 English worksheet on comparing what two short texts each do with a shared theme, aligned to Common Core standard RL.5.9. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 3 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Same Theme, Different Handling

RL.5.9

NameDate

Circle the right answer.

1.Both stories are about honesty. In Story A an honest girl wins a prize. In Story B an honest boy loses a game but keeps a friend. How do they differ?
  • A.Story B says honesty is foolish
  • B.Story B shows a quieter reward for honesty
  • C.Story A punishes honesty
2.Story A: a girl saves coins for a year to buy a bike. Story B: a squirrel buries nuts before winter. What do both stories show?
  • A.Planning ahead pays off later
  • B.Winter is the coldest season
  • C.Bikes are better than nuts
3.Both stories are about friendship. Story A is told by a girl whose friend moves away. Story B is told by the friend who moved. What does Story B add?
  • A.How it feels to be the one who leaves
  • B.What the first girl ate for tea
  • C.Why friendships never last
4.Story A: a hare loses a race because he naps. Story B: a boy who practices daily beats a more gifted rival. What theme do both share?
  • A.Animals are faster than people
  • B.Steady effort beats wasted talent
  • C.Winning is all that matters
5.Both stories are about courage. In Story A a knight fights a dragon. In Story B a shy boy reads his poem aloud. How does Story B handle the theme differently?
  • A.It says courage is not needed
  • B.It shows courage in a battle
  • C.It finds courage in an everyday moment
6.Story A: a lion spares a mouse, and later the mouse frees him from a net. Story B: a girl helps a new student, who later helps her. What theme do both share?
  • A.New students are always clever
  • B.Lions are stronger than mice
  • C.Kindness can be repaid in unexpected ways
7.Story A: a climber turns back before the summit to help a friend. Story B: a runner stops to help a fallen rival. What do both choices show?
  • A.Some things matter more than winning
  • B.Running is faster than climbing
  • C.Mountains are dangerous
8.Both stories are about moving house. Story A is funny and ends happily. Story B is quiet and ends sadly. What differs most between them?
  • A.Their topic
  • B.Their genre
  • C.Their tone

LessonPrint · RL.5.9 · Set 3 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Same Theme, Different Handling

Set 3. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Story B shows a quieter reward for honesty
  2. 2.Planning ahead pays off later
  3. 3.How it feels to be the one who leaves
  4. 4.Steady effort beats wasted talent
  5. 5.It finds courage in an everyday moment
  6. 6.Kindness can be repaid in unexpected ways
  7. 7.Some things matter more than winning
  8. 8.Their tone

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to RL.5.9 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.