English Worksheet for 13-Year-Olds: Reading Comprehension and Understanding

Instructions

Read the passage below carefully. Use the information in the text to answer the questions that follow. Think critically and write your answers in complete sentences where required.

In 1587, a group of over 100 English settlers, led by Governor John White, established a colony on Roanoke Island, off the coast of present-day North Carolina. This was one of England's first attempts to forge a permanent settlement in the New World. However, dwindling supplies soon forced John White to make the perilous journey back to England for reinforcements. He left behind his wife, daughter, and his granddaughter, Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the Americas.

The journey back was delayed for three long years due to a naval war between England and Spain. When White finally returned in 1590, he found the settlement completely deserted. There were no signs of a struggle or battle. The houses had been dismantled, not destroyed. The only clue was a single, cryptic word carved into a wooden post: "CROATOAN." Another carving, "CRO," was found on a nearby tree. White had instructed the colonists that if they had to move, they should carve their destination, and to add a Maltese cross if they were in danger. There was no cross.

The fate of the Roanoke colonists has remained one of America's oldest unsolved mysteries. Did they integrate with a local Native American tribe, perhaps the one on nearby Croatoan Island? Did they attempt to sail back to England and get lost at sea? Or did they meet a more tragic end? Despite numerous archaeological digs and historical investigations, the colonists vanished, leaving behind only questions and a single, enigmatic word.

Part A: Comprehension Check

Answer the following questions based on the text.

1. Why did Governor John White have to return to England shortly after the colony was established?


2. What two pieces of carved evidence did John White find upon his return?


3. According to the passage, what was historically significant about Virginia Dare?


4. What event in Europe caused John White's return to Roanoke to be delayed?

Part B: Vocabulary in Context

Define the following words based on how they are used in the passage.

1. Dwindling:


2. Cryptic:


3. Dismantled:

Part C: Inference and Analysis

Answer the following questions using your own thoughts and evidence from the text.

1. John White had told the colonists to carve a Maltese cross if they were in danger. What can you infer from the fact that no cross was found near the word "CROATOAN"?


2. The passage mentions a few theories about what happened to the colonists. Which theory do you think is the most likely? Explain your reasoning using at least two pieces of evidence from the text.

Part D: Creative Writing

Imagine you are an archaeologist who has just discovered a new clue at the Roanoke site—a small, buried chest. Write a short paragraph describing what you find inside the chest and how it might help solve the mystery of the Lost Colony.

Answer Key

Part A: Comprehension Check

1. He had to return to England to get more supplies and reinforcements for the colony.
2. He found the word "CROATOAN" carved into a post and "CRO" carved into a tree.
3. She was the first English child born in the Americas.
4. A naval war between England and Spain delayed his return.

Part B: Vocabulary in Context

1. Dwindling: Steadily becoming smaller or decreasing in size, amount, or strength.
2. Cryptic: Mysterious or having a meaning that is not easily understood.
3. Dismantled: Taken apart or deconstructed.

Part C: Inference and Analysis

1. One can infer that the colonists were not in immediate danger when they left the settlement. They likely left willingly and under peaceful circumstances.
2. (Answers will vary). A strong answer will choose a theory and support it with evidence. For example: "I think the most likely theory is that the colonists integrated with the local Native American tribe on Croatoan Island. The first piece of evidence is the word 'CROATOAN' itself, which was likely carved to tell John White their destination. The second piece of evidence is the lack of a Maltese cross, which suggests they did not leave because of an attack or immediate danger, making a peaceful move to join another community more plausible."

Part D: Creative Writing

(Answers will vary). A good answer will be creative and connect logically to the mystery. Example: "After carefully prying open the rusted hinges of the small chest, my breath caught in my throat. Inside, resting on decayed fabric, was not gold, but a leather-bound journal and a small, crudely made silver locket engraved with the initials 'V.D.' The journal's ink is faded, but I can make out descriptions of friendly trade with the Croatoan people and plans to join their village before the winter storms. This journal could be the proof we've needed; they didn't just vanish, they started a new life."