Holes · Garden Heights Academy
Part 5
for Holes · Part 5 · Chapters 29–35 · Book Part Two: “The Last Hole”
a novel by Louis Sachar
This workbook is built on a solid pedagogical foundation, effectively integrating content and language learning based on the CLIL framework (Content and Language Integrated Learning), elevated by our unique 5th C — Connection — and an integrated Standardized Test section that weaves every SAT & TOEFL question type right into the novel, so learners build real test skills easily, naturally, and with fun.
💭 Before You Read · Just for Fun
No right or wrong answers — just think or chat about it: Would you risk your own safety to help a friend in danger? What makes someone worth that risk? And have you ever kept pushing toward a goal even when you were exhausted, thirsty, and afraid?
What Happens in Part 5
Part Two begins as Stanley makes a reckless choice: he cannot leave Zero to die in the desert, so he goes after him. After crashing the camp’s water truck, he searches the blazing wasteland on foot and finds Zero hiding under an overturned boat named Mary Lou. Zero has stayed alive on jars of century-old ‘sploosh’ (preserved peaches). Spotting a far-off rock shaped like a giant thumb — the very place Stanley’s great-grandfather once survived — the two weak, thirsty boys set off toward it together.
What We Will Learn
| Literary Element | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Rising Action | The build-up of events that leads toward the story’s climax |
| Symbolism | Objects that stand for bigger ideas — the boat ‘Mary Lou’ and the sploosh |
| Suspense | The tense feeling that makes us want to read on |
Chapter Summary
| Chapter | Key Events |
|---|---|
| Ch.29 | A Reckless Choice — Stanley cannot bear to leave Zero to die, so he sets out across the dry lake to find him |
| Ch.30 | The Runaway Truck — Stanley tries to drive the camp’s water truck after Zero but crashes it into a hole |
| Ch.31 | Into the Wasteland — on foot, Stanley searches the empty, blazing desert with almost no water |
| Ch.32 | ‘Mary Lou’ — Stanley finds Zero hiding under an overturned old boat named Mary Lou |
| Ch.33 | Sploosh — Zero has stayed alive on jars of 100-year-old ‘sploosh’ (preserved peaches) buried long ago |
| Ch.34 | The Big Thumb — the boys spot a far-off rock shaped like a thumb, the place Stanley’s great-grandfather once found refuge |
| Ch.35 | The Long Walk — weak and thirsty, the two boys set off together toward the distant mountain |
Copyright Notice
Independent study guide by Garden Heights Academy. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Louis Sachar or the publisher. No text from the novel is reproduced. Students should read the original book.
Part 1
Vocabulary
Study 10 key words from Chapters 29–35, then answer each question.
Knowledge Bank · Environmental Science in Labor Camps
Environmental Science · Labor CampsBackground · Science When Stanley and Zero cross the desert, the real dangers are heat , dehydration , and no water. In a true desert, a person can survive only a few days without drinking, and the safest places are shade and high ground where rain collects. The mountain shaped like a thumb that the boys climb toward is their version of that life-saving high ground. Background · The Desert & Its Science Out on the open lakebed, dehydration is the real killer. In desert heat a person can lose water faster than they can drink it, and with none at all the body overheats and fails within a day or two — which is why every canteen at the camp is guarded like treasure. Researchers connect labor camps to discipline by naming measurable changes. Comparing authority across labor camps sites makes the explanation testable. The key principle is rehabilitation.
ⓘ Vocabulary words are selected to help you understand and complete this workbook. Some may not appear verbatim in the novel.
recklessadj.Ch.29
Acting without thinking of the danger
“It was a reckless plan, but Stanley could not just sit still.”
loyaladj.Ch.29
Faithful and supportive to a friend
“A loyal friend, Stanley would not abandon Zero.”
abandonv.Ch.29
To leave someone or something behind
“He refused to abandon Zero in the desert.”
miragen.Ch.31
Something you think you see in the desert that is not really there
“The shimmering water ahead was only a mirage.”
staggerv.Ch.31
To walk unsteadily, as if about to fall
“Stanley began to stagger under the burning sun.”
dehydratedadj.Ch.31
Dangerously dried out from lack of water
“Without water he grew dehydrated and dizzy.”
vastadj.Ch.31
Extremely large in area
“The vast, empty lakebed stretched in every direction.”
refugen.Ch.34
A safe place that gives shelter
“The thumb-shaped rock had once been a refuge.”
preservev.Ch.33
To keep food from going bad for a long time
“The peaches had been preserved in jars for a century.”
trekn.Ch.35
A long, hard journey on foot
“The trek to the mountain would take all their strength.”
1Stanley chases after Zero without thinking of the danger. His choice is —Ch.29
2To “abandon” someone means to stay loyally by their side.Ch.29
3In the heat, Stanley sees shimmering water that is not really there. This trick of the desert is a —Ch.31
4Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.31
Word choices:dehydratedstaggervastmirage- some words will not be used
Without water Stanley becomes .
He begins to across the sand.
5Something “vast” is extremely large.Ch.31
6Jars of peaches were specially treated to last 100 years. To keep food from spoiling is to —Ch.33
7Stanley’s great-grandfather once found shelter and safety on the mountain. A safe, sheltering place is a —Ch.34
8A “loyal” friend is faithful and supportive.Ch.29
9Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.35
Word choices:trekrefugerecklessloyal- some words will not be used
The long tested the boys.
It showed how they were to each other.
10To walk unsteadily, as if about to fall, is to —Ch.31
Part 2
Comprehension
How well do you understand Chapters 29–35?
Knowledge Bank · Field Ecology in Labor Camps
Field Ecology · Labor CampsLanguage · Symbol Spotlight Dying of thirst in the wasteland, Stanley fixes on a distant rock shaped like a giant thumb pointing at the sky — the mountain his great-great-grandfather once called God’s Thumb . It becomes a symbol : a real thing that stands for something larger. On the surface it is just a landform, but for Stanley it means hope, refuge, and rescue — the one point of promise in a flat, deadly desert. It also links him to his ancestor, who found water and safety there long ago, so climbing toward it means climbing back into his own family’s story. Feel how a single shape on the horizon can hold a person’s whole will to live. Watch for the place or object a character fixes their hope on in a story’s darkest stretch — the writer has usually charged it with meaning, turning plain rock into the emblem of everything the hero is reaching for. The key principle is corroboration.
1Why does Stanley leave the camp?Ch.29
2Stanley successfully drives the water truck all the way across the desert.Ch.30
3Where does Stanley find Zero?Ch.32
4How has Zero stayed alive in the desert?Ch.33
5Put these Part 5 events in the correct order. Write 1–4 (1 = first).Ch.29–34
- Stanley finds Zero under the boat ‘Mary Lou’.
- The boys head toward the far-off Big Thumb.
- Stanley crashes the camp’s water truck.
- Stanley decides to go after Zero.
6The ‘sploosh’ Zero eats was buried at Green Lake about a hundred years ago.Ch.33
7What is the ‘Big Thumb’?Ch.34
8Stanley’s great-grandfather had once found refuge at the Big Thumb.Ch.34
9What condition are the boys in as they start toward the mountain?Ch.35
10Stanley risks his own life because he is loyal to Zero.Ch.29
Part 3
Literary Elements
Understanding HOW and WHY Sachar writes Chapters 29–35 the way he does.
Knowledge Bank · Literary Craft in Labor Camps
Literary Craft · Labor CampsOnce a timid boy, he now risks his own life for Zero . Sachar shows perseverance as loyalty in action: Stanley keeps going through heat, thirst, fear, and uncertainty because someone else’s life matters more than his own safety. Satire exposes a faulty institution by making its official claims clash with visible results. Humor can sharpen criticism because the contradiction becomes difficult to ignore. In literary study, labor camps can shape a labor camps pattern without revealing its outcome. Details about discipline and authority gain force through arrangement. In literary study, labor camps can shape a labor camps pattern without revealing its outcome. Details about discipline and authority gain force through arrangement. Author’s Craft Sachar uses rising action (the dangerous journey builds toward the climax), symbolism (Mary Lou and the sploosh link past and present), and suspense (will the boys survive the desert?). Background · Theme Stanley has changed. The key principle is satire.
📚 Literary Devices in This Part · definitions & examples
Rising action is the build-up of events that leads toward the climax. The desert chase and journey build the tension.Symbolism is when objects stand for bigger ideas. The old boat ‘Mary Lou’ and the sploosh link the present to the buried past.Suspense is the tense feeling that makes us read on. We keep reading to learn whether the boys will survive.
The questions below are mixed — not grouped by device. Decide which device each one is about.
1The desert chase and dangerous journey build tension toward the story’s biggest moment. This build-up is called the —Ch.29–35
2An object that carries a deeper meaning is a symbol.Ch.32
3Fill in the blanks with the correct words.Ch.31
Word choices:suspensesurviverhymevast- some words will not be used
The tense feeling that keeps us reading is . We wonder whether the boys will .
4The boat ‘Mary Lou’ and the 100-year-old sploosh tie the present to the old Green Lake story. Objects that stand for bigger ideas are —Ch.32–33
5Suspense is the worried, eager feeling that keeps a reader turning pages.Ch.31
6Fill in the blanks with the correct words.Ch.29–35
Word choices:risingtensionrhymeboat- some words will not be used
The build-up toward the climax is the action. It steadily builds .
7We keep reading to learn whether the boys will survive the desert. This tense feeling is called —Ch.31
8Rising action is the build-up of events leading toward the climax.Ch.29–35
9Fill in the blanks with the correct words.Ch.32
Word choices:symbolmeaningrhymesand- some words will not be used
An object with a deeper . That object is a .
10Stanley’s choice to risk his own life to save Zero marks a —Ch.29
Part 4
Think Deeper
Four deeper challenges — no single-word recall. Read, weigh the evidence, and reason it through.
Knowledge Bank · History & Ethics in Labor Camps
History & Ethics · Labor CampsAuthor’s Craft Stanley could have stayed safer at camp. As you answer, think about what his choice to risk everything for Zero shows about growth: Sachar turns the boy once blamed for everything into someone who chooses responsibility. Justice — children who run: Kids fleeing harsh institutions is a real and recurring pattern in the history of reform schools and camps. Folklore — the journey to refuge: Stanley striking out for the thumb-shaped peak echoes the folktale quest toward a promised place of safety. Reform programs are judged by outcomes, oversight, and respect for rights. Discipline without education may create temporary obedience while denying young people tools for a safer future. This context connects discipline with authority as ethical evidence. Reform programs are judged by outcomes, oversight, and respect for rights. Discipline without education may create temporary obedience while denying young people tools for a safer future. This context connects discipline with authority as ethical evidence. The key principle is agency.
1Claim: “Stanley risks his own life because he refuses to abandon Zero.” — choose the two details that best prove it.Claim & Evidence
2Shows Stanley’s loyalty, or the dangers of the desert? Tap each item to send it left or right.Sort into two
◄ Stanley’s loyaltyDangers of the desert ►
3Match each cause to its result. For each cause, pick its result.Cause & Effect
Zero runs off into the desert→
Stanley will not abandon him→
Stanley crashes the water truck→
Stanley finds Zero at last→
4Fill both blanks to complete the reasoning.Build the Argument
Stanley goes after Zero because , which shows that .
Part 5
Standardized Test · Author’s Purpose, Structure & Vocabulary
Part 5 practices Author’s Purpose & Text Structure together with Vocabulary — asking why a passage is built the way it is, as the SAT and TOEFL do. Read the passage (the highlighted words are tested below), then choose the answer best supported by the text.
Knowledge Bank · How the SAT & TOEFL Ask
Test Skills · Part 5This section focuses on Text Structure & Purpose (how a passage is organized and why a detail is included) alongside Words in Context and Vocabulary. Notice how each part of the passage does a job: one may describe a problem, one may explain how the body responds, one may give advice. Ask what point each part helps the author make.
Water is essential to the human body — even more urgent than food. The body is roughly two-thirds water, and it needs a steady supply to cool itself, move blood, and carry away waste. A person can live for weeks without eating, but only a few days without drinking. In a desert’s immense heat, the body loses water fast through sweat, so the danger grows more quickly. When the body is deprived of water, it works hard to conserve what remains. It sweats less and makes less urine, trying to retain every drop.
But this is only a temporary defense. As dehydration grows, a person may feel dizzy and confused, and may even see a mirage — a shimmering illusion of water that is not really there. Thirst alone is a poor guide, because the body often signals it only after the shortage has already begun. Survival experts give simple advice: travel in the cool of night, rest in shade by day, and save energy. The goal is to endure until you can replenish your water. Even small amounts, sipped slowly, can be vital, keeping a stranded traveler alive long enough to reach help.
Original passage written for Garden Heights — not a quotation from the novel.
1As used in the passage, the word “essential” most nearly means —SAT · Words in Context
2According to the passage, a person can live longer without —TOEFL · Factual Information
3In the passage, the word “conserve” is closest in meaning to —TOEFL · Vocabulary
4According to the passage, what do survival experts advise a stranded traveler to do?TOEFL · Factual Information
5According to the passage, a mirage is —TOEFL · Factual Information
6As used in the passage, the word “endure” most nearly means —SAT · Words in Context
7Why does the author explain that the body sweats less when deprived of water?SAT · Text Structure & Purpose
8The passage most strongly suggests that sipping water slowly helps a stranded traveler because it —SAT · Inference
9According to the passage, survival experts advise stranded travelers to —TOEFL · Factual Information
10The end of the passage is organized mainly by —SAT · Text Structure & Purpose
Part 6 · Optional
Creative Writing
A bonus challenge to practice your English.
About This Section
This writing task is optional and not part of your auto-graded score. Feedback checks length, spelling, and grammar only.
Writing Task — Part 5 “Into the Desert”
Imagine you are Stanley, staggering across the blazing dry lake to find Zero. Use the setting to describe what you see, feel, and fear with almost no water left. Write at least 40 words.
You can start with: “My throat was on fire and my legs could barely carry me, but I kept walking because…”
0 / 40 words minimum
🗣 Teach It · Just for Fun (optional)
No right or wrong — close the screen and tell someone nearby what happened in this part. Can’t find anyone? Tell yourself out loud. The moment you teach it, you truly understand it.
🏆
Part 5 Complete!
You finished Chapters 29–35 of Holes.
Here are your auto-graded results:
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points out of 100