Read Online The Report Card by Andrew Clements - Free Book Online

“That test—the one you took yesterday with Dr. Trindler? What was that like?”
    â€œKind of fun,” I said. “It was an IQ test. First time I’ve had a test like that.”
    Mrs. Byrne kept tapping on her keyboard. “And how do you think you did?” she asked.
    I said, “Well, I tried to get about three things wrong out of every ten. It was all I could figure out to do. I was trying to get about seventy percent right. You know, about average.”
    Mrs. Byrne said, “I see.”
    She started sorting through some papers, but her hands were all jerky and nervous. Then she stopped and looked me right in the eye. “I found something out this morning. The test you took was scaled for children up to sixteen and a half years old. Your score translated to an IQ of one hundred and seventeen, and that’s above average.”
    I interrupted and said, “That’s not really a big problem, is it? I mean, tests like this aren’t always right, are they?”
    Mrs. Byrne said, “There’s more to it than that. One hundred and seventeen? That’s what your IQ would be if you were sixteen years old. But since you’re only eleven, your score translates to a higher IQ. Much higher. According to that test, you have an IQ of one hundred and eighty-eight. That’s way up near the top of the scale. And Dr. Trindler doesn’t know what to think.”
    My legs felt a little weak. I sat down. “What . . . what else did Dr. Trindler say to you?”
    Mrs. Byrne shook her head. “He didn’t tell me anything at all. He hasn’t talked about this to anyone but his assistant, Mrs. Drummond. The only reason I know is because Mrs. Drummond’s car is in the shop. We live near each other, so I drove her to school today. And she was bursting to tell someone. Dr. Trindler said your IQ contradicts your whole academic record, so he thinks the test must be wrong.”
    Mrs. Byrne stopped talking and pressed her lips together into a frown. She said, “I know I shouldn’t be telling you this, Nora. But I couldn’t help it.”
    â€œI won’t tell anyone you told me.”
    She smiled. “I know that, Nora. That’s not what I’m worried about. You’re getting yourself into a tricky situation here. I don’t want you to get . . . hurt. I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
    We were both quiet. Then Mrs. Byrne said, “So what do you think you’ll do?”
    I shrugged and tried to smile a little. “I’ll have to see what Dr. Trindler says. I have to go there again for fifth period.”
    Mrs. Byrne said, “He could be planning another test for today.”
    I stood up and said, “Well, I won’t know until I get there. And right now I guess I’d better get to art class. May I have a pass?”
    â€œOf course you may,” she said. Then she gave me a big smile, a real one, and she said, “I don’t think I would have ever been brave enough to try something like this when I was a girl, Nora. Even now, I think I’m more worried than you are!”
    I smiled back. “Don’t be worried. Tests and grades don’t matter that much—remember?”
    Mrs. Byrne laughed and said, “That’s right. I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about.”
    She handed me the pass and I said, “Thanks, Mrs. Byrne.”
    And I didn’t mean just for the pass. And she knew that.
    And she said, “You’re so welcome, Nora.”

thirteen
AN OBSERVATION
    I t was Wednesday, so the smell of almost-spaghetti filled the cafeteria. I sat with my friend Karen and five or six other girls. We ate at our regular table, right next to the one where Stephen and his friends usually sat.
    I’m not proud of this, but I’ve always been an eavesdropper. I’ve never gone out of my way to eavesdrop—except maybe once or twice. But if I happen to