Nonfiction
Fiction
Vocabulary
Writing/Grammar
Grab Bag
100

How do the headings in the passage help you understand the main ideas of each section?

The headings in the passage help by giving a clear idea of what each section will be about. They act like clues that guide the reader to the main point of that part of the text, making it easier to understand and find important information.

100

Maya walked slowly into the classroom, holding a crumpled piece of paper in her hand. She kept her eyes on the floor and didn’t say anything to her friends. When the teacher asked for the homework, Maya sighed and handed over the paper without looking up.

How do you think Maya feels, and why?

Maya feels nervous. She did not do her homework.

100

Read the sentence(s) from the passage.

“They were already planning their next trip to the park.”

What does the word “trip” mean, as it is used in the sentence?

  1. to fall down

  2. to vacation

  3. to make a mistake

  4. to walk or run

2. to vacation

100

Choose the word with the spelling error. Correct it.

Last Saturday, my family and I went to the zoo. We saw so many amazing animals! The lions were sleeping under a tree, and the monkeys were swinging from branch to branch. My favorite part was watching the penguins swim. They looked so funny as they wadled around on the ice. It was a fun day, and I can’t wait to go back again!

waddled

100

If you see a picture of a tree with captions explaining its parts, what text feature is this?

diagram

200

Every year, millions of disposable plastic water bottles end up in the ocean, causing harm to marine life. The author describes how these bottles break into smaller pieces, which are often mistaken for food by sea animals. Turtles, fish, and seabirds ingest these tiny plastic pieces, leading to injuries or even death. The article also explains how the bottles can take hundreds of years to decompose, leaving a lasting impact on the environment. By highlighting these facts, the author shows how harmful disposable plastic bottles are to the ocean and its creatures.

How does the author support the idea that disposable water bottles are bad for the ocean?

Student should give fact(s) about water bottles' effect on the ocean.

200

Tommy spent all afternoon building a birdhouse in his backyard. It was a warm summer day. He carefully nailed each piece of wood together, making sure everything was straight. After finishing, he painted the birdhouse bright blue with white flowers. He hung it on a tree near the garden and waited to see if any birds would come. The next morning, he was excited to see a small bird flying around the house.

Which sentence does not need to be included in a summary?

It was a warm summer day.
200

Read the sentence and answer the question that follows.

The microphone at the concert was broken, and the song was inaudible.

The prefix in- helps the reader know that inaudible means _______.

unable to be heard

200

The book is lying on the table.

What is the prepositional phrase in the sentence?

on the table

200

First, Sarah grabbed her backpack and headed out the door for school. Then, she walked to the bus stop and waited for the bus to arrive. After getting on the bus, she found her seat and chatted with her friend. Finally, when they reached school, Sarah got off the bus and walked to her classroom.

What is the correct order of events in the story?

1. Sarah grabbed her backpack and headed out the door for school.

2. She walked to the bus stop and waited for the bus.

3. After getting on the bus, she found her seat and chatted with her friend.

4. Finally, she got off the bus and walked to her classroom.

300

Plastic pollution is one of the biggest threats to the ocean. Every year, millions of tons of plastic waste enter the water, much of it from disposable items like bottles and bags. The plastic breaks down into smaller pieces, known as microplastics, which are consumed by marine animals. These tiny plastics can cause harm to sea life and make their way up the food chain, affecting humans as well.

How does the author organize the information in paragraph 5?

The author organizes this paragraph with a cause and effect text structure.

300

Lila loved painting, but she was nervous to show her artwork to others. When her school announced an art contest, she thought about entering but wasn’t sure if her work was good enough. After days of thinking, she finally turned in one of her favorite paintings. At the art show, she didn’t win a prize, but many people stopped to admire her work and told her how beautiful it was. Lila smiled, feeling proud.

What is a theme you can infer from Lila’s experience?

Lila learned to be proud of her effort, and to not give up. 

Possible themes are perseverance, hard work, determination, etc.

300

Tropical is to humid, just as polar is to _______.

frigid

300

Choose the sentence with the grammar error. Correct it.

I went to the park yesterday and decided to bring a picnic for myself. While I was eating, I notice a group of kids playing soccer, and they were having a great time. One of the kids kicked the ball too hard, and it rolled right toward me. I quickly dodged it and laughed at myself for not noticing sooner.

While I was eating, I noticed a group of kids playing soccer, and they were having a great time.

300

In the word "reliable," the suffix "-able" means "capable of." How would the meaning of the word change if you added the prefix "dis-" to make it "disreliable"?

The prefix "dis-" means "not" or "opposite of." So, by adding "dis-" to "reliable," the word "disreliable" would mean "not capable of being relied on" or "untrustworthy."

400

An earthquake occurs when there is a sudden release of energy beneath the Earth's surface, causing the ground to shake. This release of energy happens along faults, which are cracks in the Earth's crust. Earthquakes can vary in size, from small tremors that are barely felt to large quakes that cause significant damage to buildings and infrastructure. Scientists use special instruments called seismographs to measure and study the strength of earthquakes. Earthquakes can also lead to other disasters, such as tsunamis or landslides, depending on where they occur.

What is the main idea of the passage?

Earthquakes are caused by the release of energy beneath the Earth's surface, which can lead to shaking, damage, and other disasters.

400

Max and his family went on a camping trip in the mountains during the summer. They set up their tents near a clear, sparkling lake and spent the day fishing and swimming. That night, the temperature dropped quickly, and they gathered around the campfire to stay warm. The next day, a heavy rainstorm started, and they had to find shelter in their tents. Max was disappointed, but the storm made them work together to stay dry and cozy. By the time the rain stopped, Max realized that the adventure made the trip even more memorable.

How does the setting impact the plot?

The setting impacts the plot because they were camping out in the woods. This means that when it rained, they had to find shelter, but they also got to be together.

400

"I wish I hadn’t mentioned Dinah!’ she said to herself in a melancholy tone. ‘Nobody seems to like her down here, and I’m sure she’s the best cat in the world! Oh, my dear Dinah! I wonder if I shall ever see you any more!’ And here poor Alice began to cry again.” 

What does the word melancholy mean as it is used in this paragraph?

What context clues support this?

melancholy: sad

context clues: Nobody seems to like her; I'm sure she's the best; Alice began to cry again

400

Identify the usage error in the paragraph.  

I wanted to go to the beach, but it started raining. I decided to stay home, but I watched a movie instead. My brother went outside to play, and he had a great time in the rain. We both enjoyed the day, yet we did different things.

I wanted to go to the beach, but it started raining. I decided to stay home, so I watched a movie instead. My brother went outside to play, and he had a great time in the rain. We both enjoyed the day, yet we did different things.

400

Tom always struggled with math, but he never gave up. Every day after school, he spent extra time practicing problems until he understood them better. His classmates often finished quickly and moved on, but Tom kept trying, knowing that with hard work, he could improve. Eventually, his effort paid off, and he started getting better grades, feeling proud of his progress.

What is the theme of this passage?

The theme of this passage is that hard work and persistence lead to improvement and success.

500

Passage 1: Scientists recently discovered that Jupiter’s moon Europa has vast oceans beneath its icy surface. These hidden oceans might contain more water than all of Earth’s oceans combined. This discovery suggests that life could exist in these deep waters, even though the surface of Europa is very cold and harsh.

Passage 2: On Mars, scientists found signs of ancient rivers and lakes, as well as water frozen beneath the surface. Researchers believe that in the past, Mars had a more Earth-like environment with liquid water, which could have supported life. Today, some of this water still exists as ice beneath the planet’s surface.

According to Passage 1 and Passage 2, how were the discoveries of water on Jupiter and on Mars similar?

According to Passage 1 and Passage 2, the discoveries of water on Jupiter and Mars are similar because both involve water that exists beneath the surface. On Europa, Jupiter’s moon, there are hidden oceans, while on Mars, there is frozen water beneath the surface. Both discoveries suggest that water may have supported life in the past, or could support life in the future.

500

Emily and her dog, Buddy, went for a walk in the park on a sunny afternoon. They ran through the grass, chasing each other, laughing as the wind blew through their hair. Emily stopped to take a break on a bench, and Buddy lay at her feet, panting happily. They both watched the other children playing on the swings and slides. After a while, Emily decided it was time to head home, and Buddy trotted beside her, wagging his tail.

How would the story be different if it were told from Buddy's point of view?

The story would be different if it were told from Buddy's point of view because we would know his thoughts and feelings about their day together.

500

My hands were sweaty, and my heart was beating really fast. I couldn’t stop thinking about what might go wrong. My thoughts were a roller coaster. 

What sentence contains figurative language? What type of figurative language? What does the phrase tell you about the narrator? 

My thoughts were a roller coaster.

metaphor

The narrator is nervous. 

500

Choose the one punctuation and one capitalization error in the invitation.

You’re Invited!

Please come to Sam’s party this Sunday at 2:00 p.m. It may be hot so bring your bathing suit. Well be swimming! 

444 main Street

Happyville, IN 46345 

We'll

Main

500

What are the five main steps in the writing process, and why is it important to follow them in order?

The five main steps in the writing process are:

  1. Prewriting – Planning and organizing ideas before you start writing.

  2. Drafting – Writing the first version of your ideas without worrying too much about mistakes.

  3. Revising – Improving the content and structure of your writing by adding, removing, or changing parts.

  4. Editing – Correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, and other language errors.

  5. Publishing – Finalizing your work and sharing it with others.

Following these steps is important because it helps you organize your ideas, improve your writing, and make sure your final piece is clear and error-free.

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