Theme
Main Idea
Inferences
Point of View
Character Traits
Text Structures
100
a. There are more important things in life than being popular.
b. Popularity will make you inconsiderate of others’ feelings.
c. Cliques shouldn’t be allowed.
d. Friends can sometimes let one another down
a. There are more important things in life than being popular.
100
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. Monster Trucks: Safety First
B. Marvelous Monster Trucks
C. Monster Trucks are NOT Pickup Trucks
D. The Features of a Monster Truck
D. The Features of a Monster Truck
100
Josh was sprawled out on his bed when his bedroom door flew open, startling him.“Turn that awful music down!” shouted his dad. “I can’t even hear myself think!”Josh groaned. “It’s not that loud,” he said as he leaned over and hit a few buttons on his iPod.“I just don’t know how you can listen to that stuff. It’s not even music-it’s more like angry people rambling into the microphone,” complained Dad.Josh snickered. “All of the guys on my team listen to this before our meets, Dad. This music gets us pumped up to go out on the mat and take down our opponent.”“Well, whatever works, I suppose,” Dad said, as he left the room.
In which sport does Josh participate?
Wrestling
100
What point of view is this written in?
Wow, am I ever glad to be home, Tabby thought to himself. He lay on his back and put his feet up in the air. That’s the last time I ever run away, he thought. Now he wondered when his people were going to serve his dinner. If they only knew how hungry an adventurous dog could get.
3rd person limited
100
What is a character trait for the main character?
Alicia feels nervous. Everyone at the volleyball camp already seems to know people, but she doesn’t know anyone. She slowly walks to the bathroom, spends five minutes in there, and then walks slowly back to the gym. When she returns, camp is starting. The director says that she wants each athlete to stand and introduce herself. Alicia’s heart starts to pound like a drum and her palms become sweaty.
shy, bashful, timid
100
What text structure is being used in this passage?
Do you have a dog or cat residing at your home? If the answer is yes, be sure to keep onions out of your pet’s reach. Onions contain an ingredient called thiosulfate. While this ingredient is perfectly safe for humans, it is toxic to cats and dogs. Thiosulfate weakens a cat or dog’s red blood cells. If your pet consumes enough onions, the red blood cells can even burst! As you can see, the accidental ingestion of onions by your dog or cat can result in worrisome consequences.
a. cause and effect
b. sequence
c. problem and solution
d. compare and contrast
e. description
a. cause and effect
200
a. Help others in their time of need.
b. Be a good neighbor.
c. Check with older neighbors regularly to make sure they are in good health.
d. Be careful when doing things when you get old.
a. Help others in their time of need.
200
What is the main idea of this passage?
A. Monster trucks are monster-sized.
B. Driving a monster truck can be dangerous.
C. Monster trucks are designed to have certain
features.
D. Many people are fascinated with monster trucks.
C. Monster trucks are designed to have certain features.
200
“Today is Library Day, and I can’t find my library book. Have you seen it?” Nathan asked his mother.“Oh, yes. I forgot to tell you about that little ordeal,” she answered as she opened a drawer and pulled Nathan’s library book out. “Here. Tell Mrs. Finney that we had a slight mishap at our house, and she needs to let us know how much the book costs so that we can replace it.”Nathan’s stomach dropped. He took the book from his mother’s hands, opened it, and found red scribbles on nearly every page. “Kayla scribbled all over this book! Now I’m going to have to listen to Mrs. Finney’s long lecture about taking care of library books.”“Oh, surely Mrs. Finney will understand that it was an accident. She won’t care, as long as we pay to replace it,” reasoned Mom.Nathan shook his head. “Mom, you don’t know Mrs. Finney very well, do you?”
Who is Kayla?
Nathan's younger sister
200
What point of view is this written in?
“Get out of my way!” the boy screamed at me. He was barreling toward me as his bike picked up speed as it rushed downhill. “My brakes aren’t working!"
1st person
200
What is a character trait for the main character?
Gretta slams her locker door shut before anything can fall out of it. She really thought she put her writing folder in her locker yesterday, but it’s not there now.She looks warily at her desk, which has papers spewing out the front. She really doesn’t want to have to go through the contents of her desk, but she knows Mrs. Ackerly won’t let her go to recess until she finds the missing folder.
disorganized, messy, forgetful
200
What text structure is being used in this passage?
Cutting an onion can be an extremely unpleasant experience. In fact, it is so awful that it often results in eyes that sting like bees, and tears streaming down the cook’s face. Have you ever wondered what causes this undesirable outcome, and how you can avoid it? Slicing the onion releases sulfuric acid into the air. This sulfuric acid reacts with the moisture in a person’s eyes and results in the tearful reaction.There is a simple solution to this common problem. Cut the onion under a stream of running water. This will prevent the sulfuric acid from reacting with your eyes’ moisture. If you follow this tip, you will likely have a positive onion-cutting experience without the tears.
a. cause and effect
b. sequence
c. problem and solution
d. compare and contrast
e. description
c. problem and solution
300
a. Feed the homeless.
b. When people work together, more can be accomplished.
c. Helping others makes people feel good.
d. When people donate to worthy causes, much can be accomplished.
b. When people work together, more can be accomplished.
300
What is the main idea of this passage?
A. Bob Chandler built the original monster truck and named it Bigfoot.
B. Monster trucks have unusual names.
C. Bob Chandler used Bigfoot to crush two cars in a field in 1975.
D. Monster trucks have existed for 40 years.
A. Bob Chandler built the original monster truck and named it Bigfoot.
300
Mary Ellen saw the mail carrier opening her gate and dashed outside to meet Mr. Whipple. Before she had a chance to even ask him if there was a letter from Eddie, the mailman shook his head. “I’m sorry, Mary Ellen, but I don’t think there is anything but bills in this pile again today.”“But he promised he’d write, and he hasn’t even written once yet,” Mary Ellen said quietly. “I hope he’s okay.”“Try not to worry, because worry won’t help a thing,” said Mr. Whipple. “Maybe he just hasn’t had time to write. I served in the first war, and they kept us mighty busy over there.”“Mom and Dad tell me not to worry, too, but I can see the worry in their eyes,” replied Mary Ellen. Mr. Whipple patted Mary Ellen on the shoulder. “Maybe tomorrow I’ll have a letter to deliver to you.” He turned and walked toward the next house.Mary Ellen trudged inside. Her mother looked up from her sewing machine hopefully, but her eyes dropped quickly when she saw the look of disappointment on Mary Ellen’s face. “No letter from Eddie, I guess.” Suddenly, she stood up and walked over to the telephone hanging on the wall. “I think I’ll call Carol, and ask if she has received a letter from Eddie yet. Judging from the tears I saw streaming down her face at the train station the day he left for the war, I’m guessing she might receive a letter from Eddie before we will.
Who is Carol?
Eddie's girlfriend
300
What point of view is this written in?
In the school cafeteria, Alexa felt lonely and out of place. She wished she could return to her old school and eat lunch with her friends.
On the other side of the table, Jennifer glanced at the new girl. She wondered if they had much in common. “What’s your name?” Jennifer asked the girl.
3rd person omniscient
300
What is a character trait for the main character?
Mason is feeling angry. Yesterday, he accused his sister of stealing his ten dollar bill.However, Mason’s mom was doing laundry today, and she found it in the back pocket of the jeans that Mason had worn yesterday. Mason’s mom says that it proves that Mason wrongly accused his sister of doing something she obviously didn’t do, and Mason’s mom is insisting that he must apologize to his sister. Why should I have to apologize? I made a simple mistake, he reasoned with himself.
stubborn, disrespectful
300
What text structure is being used in this passage?
If the tears often caused by cutting an onion aren’t bad enough, the action also typically results in hands that reek of onions hours after the onion-slicing occurred. The next time you cut an onion and your hands stink, try this trick that many cooks swear by. Find a piece of stainless steel-perhaps a sink or a large spoon-and rub your hands against it for about one minute. The sulfur molecules react with the chromium in the stainless steel, and become neutralized. As a result, the smell vanishes!
a. cause and effect
b. sequence
c. problem and solution
d. compare and contrast
e. description
c. problem and solution
400
a. Be an alert passenger when others are driving.
b. Don’t text and drive when traffic is heavy.
c. Reckless behavior can hurt you and others.
d. When you make a mistake, admit it.
c. Reckless behavior can hurt you and others.
400
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. Crunching Cars
B. 1981: The Year of the Monster Truck
C. The Original Monster Truck
D. Monster Truck Names
C. The Original Monster Truck
400
As soon as Kyle finished his homework, he charged out the kitchen door,his ball and glove in hand. Baseball season was around the corner, and Kyle couldn’t wait to get back on the mound. His dad had taken a rope and had hung a tire from the branch of the old oak tree. It was just the right height for Kyle to practice throwing curve balls and fastballs through the hanging target.After a minute of throwing fastballs, Kyle spotted a cat in the distance. “Lucky, is that you?” he called. The cat ignored him and walked through the barn door.A short time later, Kyle’s dad pulled into the driveway. “How’s the target working?” he called, as he climbed out of the car.“Good!” replied Kyle. “Hey, Dad, I think I just saw Lucky walk into the barn!”“That old cat is back again? I thought for sure she was gone for good this time. She sure seems to be a cat with nine lives. Hey, go to the barn and find my glove. We can play catch for a few minutes before I have to go feed the cattle.”Kyle ran into the barn. He rummaged around, trying to decide where his dad might have placed his glove. He spotted some boxes in the corner. I bet his glove is in there, he thought.As he bent down to look through the first box, he heard several high-pitched cries. He looked behind the box and smiled. “Now I see what you’ve been doing while you were gone, Lucky!”
What had Lucky been doing while she was away?
Lucky had baby kittens.
400
What point of view is this written in?
You are tired. You are hungry. You are lost. You haven’t seen a road (or even a path, for that matter) for six hours. Night is approaching. What are you going to do?
2nd person
400
What is a character trait for the main character?
Lucas is feeling annoyed and jealous. The past three months in a row, he had received the Outstanding Reader award because he had read the most books of anyone in his grade. However, the principal just announced that Rachel Peter son won the award this month. Lucas knows he read more books than Rachel. He glares at Rachel as she walks to the front of the gym to receive her award. There goes my plan to earn the award every month. This is so unfair!
greedy, selfish, competitive
400
What text structure is being used in this passage?
When most people see an onion, they assume that the onion will be eaten. However, creative people have found additional purposes for the common onion. Some of these uses may even surprise you!Did you know that onions repel insects? Therefore, some people rub onion on their skin or clothes as an Earth-friendly alternative to bug spray. Likewise, leaving a bowl of raw onion slices sitting on your kitchen counter can ward off ants.Other people use onions to polish metal. They just crush an onion, combine it with water, and rub the mixture on metal surfaces until the metal looks spic and span! Did you know that you can use an onion to absorb unwanted smells? For example, leaving a bowl filled with water and raw onion slices in a newly painted room overnight can result in fewer remaining paint fumes the next day.The next time you see an onion, you may want to consider using it in one of its lesser-known ways. Or, be creative! Maybe you’ll be the next person to find an alternative use for the onion!
a. cause and effect
b. sequence
c. problem and solution
d. compare and contrast
e. description
e. description
500
a. Crying is a sign of weakness.
b. Mistakes are okay as long as you learn from them.
c. A failing grade is not worth crying over.
d. It’s important to console others when they are upset
b. Mistakes are okay as long as you learn from them.
500
What is the main idea of this passage?
A. You should never insult a chef.
B. Potato chips are over-salted and paper thin.
C. Potato chips were invented in a New York City hotel kitchen.
D. Chef George Crum invented the potato chips when hewas trying to insult a picky diner.
D. Chef George Crum invented the potato chips when hewas trying to insult a picky diner.
500
Laney managed to convince them to play “birthday party”. While the twins covered their eyes, she quickly stuffed two non-Cinderella dresses in bags, and then presented each girl with a bag. “Now make sure you act happy with whichever dress I gave you, or you’re going to hurt my feelings,” Laney said.When Rachel peered into her bag, she immediately burst into tears. “But I wanted the blue dress!”A moment later, Rebecca began to wail, too.“This isn’t working,” Laney muttered under her breath. “I have an idea! Let’s watch the Cinderella movie!”“Mom said no more TV today. We watched TV all morning, and now we have to play with you,” said Rebecca through her tears. Laney felt her face turn red. That figures. Their parents put them in front of a TV all morning so they don’t have to deal with them, but then they expect me to entertain them!“Fine,” replied Laney. “Let’s go outside and kick the soccer ball.” Laney and the girls filed outside, but were back in the kitchen within three minutes. Rebecca was sobbing as she covered her left eye. “You did that on purpose!” Rebecca accused her sister.Rachel skipped to the freezer. “Here’s an ice pack,” she said, grinning from ear to ear. Laney glanced desperately at the clock. Only 16 minutes have passed? Laney had a feeling that this was going to be a never-ending afternoon.
What subject was Mr. Reynolds teaching at the beginning of the story?
Science
500
What point of view is this written in?
“What do you want to do on Saturday?” Dad asks when Ben answers the telephone. How about you move your stuff back home, Ben thinks to himself. He doesn’t say it out loud, though. He doesn’t want to hurt his dad’s feelings. He knows the divorce has been hard on his dad, too. “I don’t care,” Ben says aloud.“I was thinking that we could go to the zoo for the day,” Dad suggests.“Sure, Dad,” Ben answers, “that sounds like fun.”
3rd person limited
500
What is a character trait for the main character?
The last two weeks had been crazy for Jamal. He had competed in the Kid’s Baking Championship in New York City and had won! When he returned to school, everyone began treating him like a celebrity. He didn’t enjoy it, and wished things would return to normal.When his mom picked him up from school on Thursday, she informed him that they were heading directly to the local television studio. “They want to interview you for a news report!” she said, smiling from ear to ear.Jamal groaned. “Do I have to?” His mom looked surprised. “Of course! This is an honor, Jamal!” Thirty minutes later, Jamal was answering the reporter’s questions as a cameraman recorded their conversation. “I wouldn’t have been able to do this without the help of my mother and grandmother,” Jamal said. “They taught me everything I know about baking.”
16. Which word best describes Jamal?
A. punctual-a person who is always on time
B. dominating-a person who tries to control everything
C. pessimistic-a person who sees the negative side of most issues
D. humble-a person who does not think they are better than others, in spite of being successful
D. humble-a person who does not think they are better than others, in spite of being successful
500
What text structure is being used in this passage?
Onions have been around for a longtime. In fact, scientists agree that onions were likely a staple in the prehistoric diet.Onions are known to have existed in Egypt in 3500 BC. To the ancient Egyptians, onions symbolized eternity, and many pharaohs were buried alongside onions.The ancient Greeks also believed in the power of onions. In fact, in the first century AD, a Greek physician convinced several Greek athletes that onions had a medicinal property that would make them stronger. As a result, the majority of athletes who participated in the first Olympic Games ate several pounds of onions, drank onion juice, and rubbed onions over their bodies.In the Middle Ages, onions were prescribed to alleviate headaches and to prevent hair loss. They were also acceptable forms of payment for goods and services. They were even commonly given as wedding gifts!Today, onions are primarily used to add flavor to our foods. Furthermore, all evidence indicates that they will continue to exist far into the future.
a. cause and effect
b. sequence
c. problem and solution
d. compare and contrast
e. description
b. sequence