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Animal Farm STAAR Prep

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Animal Farm STAAR Prep

Read the original allegorical story below. Then answer each question using details from the passage and your own reasoning. The story is written for this worksheet; it does not quote or retell a chapter from Animal Farm.

The Lantern at Briar Farm

When the farmer left Briar Farm for good, the animals gathered beneath the barn’s broken lantern. Mara the goat had spent weeks teaching the others to read the old notices nailed to the feed room door. She proposed that every animal help write a new set of rules. “No one should make a rule alone,” she said. “We all work here, so we all deserve a voice.” The animals chose Mara and Brutus, a broad-shouldered pig, to organize the first harvest. Brutus promised that the grain would be shared fairly. Mara drew a plan for a waterwheel that could pump water to the far pasture and save hours of labor. The animals cheered. Brutus said the wheel would bring comfort to everyone. But the next week, Brutus announced that the pigs would keep the grain records because they were “best at numbers.” Soon he stopped inviting the other animals to meetings. When Mara questioned him, Brutus smiled. “You can trust me to remember what we agreed,” he said. The sheep began repeating, “Trust the plan! Trust the plan!” They had not seen the written rules, and most could not read them. The waterwheel was built, but Brutus kept the key to its storehouse. He said the pigs needed extra grain to maintain the machinery. The animals worked longer hours, yet the water reached only the near pasture. Brutus blamed a cracked pipe and promised the wheel would work perfectly by spring. Mara pointed out that the plans showed a second pipe to the far pasture. Brutus called her ungrateful and said questioning him could put the whole farm at risk. At the next meeting, Mara asked to see the grain records. Brutus presented a sheet showing that every animal had received the same amount. Then Clover the horse noticed that the figures were written in a different hand from the first harvest list. No one could prove what had happened: the original list had disappeared. The animals looked at one another, unsure whom to believe. That evening, the sheep repeated their chant. This time, Clover asked them to read the new rules aloud with her. They could not. The animals decided that no leader should keep records alone, and that every rule and supply list must be posted where everyone could inspect it. Brutus still held the storehouse key, but for the first time, the others stood together and asked him to open the door.

Read Closely

Choose the best answer unless the question asks for a written response.

1.Which statement best expresses a central idea of “The Lantern at Briar Farm”?

A. New machines always make farm work easier.
B. Leaders should be trusted because they have special skills.
C. When people cannot check decisions, leaders can misuse their authority.
D. Animals should avoid working together on difficult plans.

2.Why does Brutus first say that the pigs should keep the grain records?

A. He claims that pigs are best at numbers.
B. The other animals ask him to take charge.
C. Mara asks him to protect the original list.
D. The grain records are too heavy for the others.

3.Which detail best supports the idea that Brutus uses fear to discourage disagreement?

A. He promises that the waterwheel will bring comfort.
B. He says that questioning him could put the whole farm at risk.
C. He announces that pigs will keep the grain records.
D. He presents a sheet at the next meeting.

4.What does the repeated chant “Trust the plan!” most likely show about the sheep?

A. They have carefully checked the rules.
B. They are trying to keep others from asking questions.
C. They repeat Brutus’s message without understanding the decisions.
D. They disagree with Mara’s waterwheel plan.

5.True or false: The waterwheel sends water to the far pasture by the end of the story. Use one detail from the passage to support your choice.

TrueFalse

6.What does the missing original grain list cause the animals to feel, and why?

7.How does Clover help change what the animals do at the end of the story? Use a detail from the passage.

8.Which statement best describes how Mara and Brutus differ as leaders?

A. Mara encourages shared decisions, while Brutus concentrates decisions and information in his own hands.
B. Mara wants the animals to stop working, while Brutus wants them to work.
C. Mara hides the plans, while Brutus makes the plans public.
D. Mara cares only about the pigs, while Brutus cares equally about every animal.

9.The title refers to “the lantern” beneath which the animals first gather. What might the lantern symbolize in the story? Explain your interpretation using a detail from the passage.

10.Write a short response explaining how the animals begin to challenge Brutus’s control. State a claim, use two details from the passage, and explain how those details support your claim.