MCA Reading Grade 4 Practice Questions - Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA-IV) Reading, Grade 4 Exam

Read the passage from 'The Whispering Pines of Boundary Waters': Liam held his breath as the wooden canoe glided across the smooth surface of Seagull Lake. Tall white pines stood along the rocky shore, their green branches rustling gently in the cool breeze. Grandpa dipped his wooden paddle into the water without making a sound. 'Listen closely, Liam,' Grandpa whispered, nodding toward the distant pines. 'The old trees are speaking to us today.' Liam closed his eyes and listened to the gentle sighing of the wind through the needles. Suddenly, Grandpa pointed toward a rocky island up ahead. Resting on a flat stone was an ancient brass compass, green with age, left behind near an abandoned campfire ring. Liam's heart beat fast. 'Do you think an old wilderness voyager dropped this long ago?' Liam asked in awe. Which sentence best states a main theme of the passage?