The passage describes Melody Brooks, an 11-year-old girl with disabilities, and Marco Polo, a new student. Melody struggles at school due to her condition but enjoys inclusion classes where she meets normal kids. She tries out for the school's Wiz Kids quiz team and makes the cut. Marco, who is curious and asks many questions, also tries out. The two have an interaction after tryouts where Marco shows interest in Melody.

1. The Travels of Marco Polo
and Melody Brooks
By: Arial Pinion and Sydney Underwood

2. Marco Polo was born in 1254 and, after 70 years of
Their Life Stories traveling, died in 1324. He was an anthropologist, which
Melody Brooks was born a little differently means he studied people and their cultures. He was also
than most eleven-year-olds. She can’t talk one of the most famous travelers of the Silk Road, which
and she can’t walk. She is very smart, but is why we remember him today. As a boy, he lived with
she can’t tell anyone. Her aid has to help his father and uncle, who were jewel merchants, after
her do things that are unavailable in her his mother died. Although he was born in Italy, he spent
condition. School is usually rather, difficult most of his childhood in Asia traveling the silk road and
for Melody. But this year she gets to go to stopping at many villages to sell their wares. Then he
inclusion classes and hang out with normal and his extended family went to China and visited many
kids. But not everyone in inclusion class is cities. Here, Marco saw many things quite different from
nice. For example, Claire and Molly are the his own, like paper money and fireworks. He worked for
bullies and are rude to everyone, including Kublai Khan for a long time. He did many missions for
her. On the other hand, Melody and Rose Kublai. He was even a governor in China for 3 years.
are visiting the Aquarium together like When Marco was the captain of a Venetian gallery
normal friends. When Melody finds out during a war, he was captured and taken prisoner and
about the Wiz Kids team she tries her then released. When he finally returned to Venice, he
hardest to study for tryouts, and makes the wrote a book about his travels called “The Travels of
team! Then the Wiz Kids go to their first Marco Polo”. It gave Europe good information on China
competition. After answering many hard and started the first European maps of Asia.
questions, Melody’s team wins, and gets to
go support the state in the finals in
Washington. Sadly, Melody misses her flight
and doesn’t get to go to Washington.
Everything seems to fall apart after that day.
On her way to school her sister was injured
by a car. Now she has to use a fake leg to
walk. Yet Melody moved on with her life
even if every thing seems impossible.

3. Comparisons
Melody Brooks Marco Polo
1. She has a
disabilities that
makes her life
very hard. Both have
discovered
2. She spends things that
most of her life make life 1. He spent most of
up to this point
much
easier.
his life on the
trapped and Both have to rely road.
on other
unable to people to 2. He never knew
communicate
get what
they need.
his mother.
with the Both have 3. He has seen and
traveled
outside world. very far, heard many
3. She is very
over land things while
and through
young, very friendship. traveling.
intelligent, and
very smart.

4. Personalities
Melody Brooks Marco Polo
She is very smart and He is very adventurous and
intelligent because she has curios because he has
learned lots of things traveled through many
through watching the dangerous parts of Asia
educational channels on TV and he likes to find out
and she knows a lot about people’s cultures.
because she studies with
Mrs.V.
Mrs.V

5. New Student, New Friend?
It was a toasty winter morning in Mr. Dimming’s class. I couldn’t wait until the Wiz Kid tryouts
that evening! I was practically falling out of my seat with anticipation. Then, Mr. Dimming
announced, “Class, today we have a new student. May I introduce you to Marco Polo. I’d also like
to remind you about tryouts this evening for the Wiz Kids team. You must be on time or I’ll start
without you. Good luck!” A short dark-haired boy walked into the classroom. He wore a strange,
fancy suit and carried a weird knapsack.
“Hi! Ciao!” he said jazzed before walking to an empty desk. He studied me curiously, like I
was a rare treasure. Finally, he asked, “What type of person are you?”
Cautiously, I typed, “I’m an abnormal person.” Satisfied, he returned his attention on Mr.
Dimming. Later in the hall, Marco walked over to me and actually started a conversation.
He inquired, “What’s your name?”
“My name is Melody.”
“What is that thing you ride?”
“It’s called a wheelchair. Why do you ask so many questions?’
“I’m curious about you.”
“Okay, bye!”
“Bye!’
The rest of the day was pretty boring and went by in a flurry, although I was pretty interested in
Marco, where he came from and what his family did. Now it was time for tryouts! Kathren pushed
me into Mr. Dimming’s Room and left so people wouldn’t think I was cheating. Strangely enough,
Marco was there. I wondered if he’s really smart? I put my attention back to the test and began.
Capital of Florida? Easy. C-Tallahassee. 285-157? Not so easy. I guessed A-128. It went on like
that for the rest of the tryouts. At the end, Mr. Demming explained, “You will all get your scores
tomorrow and see if there is a spot for you on the team or not.” The other kids ambled out of the
room, but Marco stayed behind. He mumbled something in Italian, then calmly asked me, “Are you

6. New Student, New Friend?
It was a toasty winter morning in Mr. Dimming’s class. I couldn’t wait until the Wiz Kid tryouts
that evening! I was practically falling out of my seat with anticipation. Then, Mr. Dimming
announced, “Class, today we have a new student. May I introduce you to Marco Polo. I’d also like
to remind you about tryouts this evening for the Wiz Kids team. You must be on time or I’ll start
without you. Good luck!” A short dark-haired boy walked into the classroom. He wore a strange,
fancy suit and carried a weird knapsack.
“Hi! Ciao!” he said jazzed before walking to an empty desk. He studied me curiously, like I
was a rare treasure. Finally, he asked, “What type of person are you?”
Cautiously, I typed, “I’m an abnormal person.” Satisfied, he returned his attention on Mr.
Dimming. Later in the hall, Marco walked over to me and actually started a conversation.
He inquired, “What’s your name?”
“My name is Melody.”
“What is that thing you ride?”
“It’s called a wheelchair. Why do you ask so many questions?’
“I’m curious about you.”
“Okay, bye!”
“Bye!’
The rest of the day was pretty boring and went by in a flurry, although I was pretty interested in
Marco, where he came from and what his family did. Now it was time for tryouts! Kathren pushed
me into Mr. Dimming’s Room and left so people wouldn’t think I was cheating. Strangely enough,
Marco was there. I wondered if he’s really smart? I put my attention back to the test and began.
Capital of Florida? Easy. C-Tallahassee. 285-157? Not so easy. I guessed A-128. It went on like
that for the rest of the tryouts. At the end, Mr. Demming explained, “You will all get your scores
tomorrow and see if there is a spot for you on the team or not.” The other kids ambled out of the
room, but Marco stayed behind. He mumbled something in Italian, then calmly asked me, “Are you