The case of the missing mooncake: warm-up · Grade 3

The passage and its 4 questions

Directions: Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions in full sentences.

• On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Mei's grandmother set a plate of four golden mooncakes on the windowsill to cool. The full moon glowed above the rooftops, and paper lanterns swayed in the courtyard.
• But when Mei came back from hanging up her rabbit lantern, only three mooncakes were left. "Someone has taken one!" she gasped.
• Mei decided to be a detective, just like the heroes in her favorite books. She examined the windowsill carefully. Tiny crumbs led down toward the floor, and next to them was a small, muddy paw print. It was far too small to belong to a person.
• Mei's little brother, Jun, was fast asleep on the sofa. Grandma was busy in the kitchen, humming as she poured tea. Then Mei heard a soft crunching sound from under the table.
• She lifted the tablecloth. There sat Biscuit, the family's puppy, with crumbs on his whiskers and a guilty look on his face. "Biscuit!" Mei cried. She laughed so hard that her lantern wobbled.
• "Mystery solved," said Grandma, smiling. "Next year, we will cool the mooncakes on a higher shelf."
• 1. What is the setting of the story?
• 2. What is the problem in the story?
• 3. Why could Mei tell that Jun did not take the mooncake?
• 4. What is the author's purpose: to inform, to entertain or to persuade? Explain.