Textual Evidence
(RL. 8.1)
(RL. 8.1)
Read the passage below.
Mira read the weathered postcards in the attic—tiny handwritten maps of vacations she had never taken. One postcard showed a seaside pier and a message: "We will come back next spring." Another contained a grocery list and a date: June 12, 1999. Mira traced the faded ink with her finger and felt a sudden connection to faces in old photographs. She decided to ask her mother about the postcards, hoping to learn who "we" might be. Her mother paused, then folded the laundry tighter, as if folding away a memory.
According to the passage, where did Mira find the postcards?
A. In the attic
B. In an envelope on the table
C. In a drawer in the kitchen
D. In her grandmother's purse
A. In the attic
Read the following passage:
Every Saturday, the playground volunteers painted a bright circle around a battered picnic table and invited anyone passing by to sit. Some came for coffee, others for company; some sat silent and watched the sky. Over time, neighbors traded recipes, mended sweaters for one another, and learned to ask about days that felt heavy. The painted circle became less about a table and more about a small promise: that someone would notice if you did not come. When winter arrived, the group wrapped the table legs in yarn and left a thermos on the bench.
What can you infer the painted circle most directly offers people who sit there?
A. Free food and entertainment
B. A spot reserved for volunteers only
C. A place to sign petitions
D. A place to be noticed and find company
D. A place to be noticed and find company
Read the following passage.
Raul kept the key in the hollow of an old oak, where only he and his grandmother knew to look. When the bakery’s owner announced he would retire and sell the shop, a rumor spread that the new owner planned to tear down the brick oven. Raul remembered afternoons watching his grandmother knead dough by that same oven, teaching him to fold patience into the bread. That evening he carried the key into town and slipped it beneath the bakery door, leaving a note: "This oven belongs to the neighborhood." The next morning a crowd gathered, and the owner agreed to meet with them before making any decisions.
Where did Raul keep the key?
A. In his pocket
B. In the hollow of an old oak
C. Under his bed
D. In a jewelry box
B. In the hollow of an old oak
Read the following passage.
The director's demands were exacting; she expected rehearsals run with military precision and called late-night corrections "tiny calibrations." Actors complained that her critique felt scalding, yet after opening night they admitted her insistence had carved a sharper performance from their raw scenes. In interviews she described her method as "gentle rigor." Reporters wrote that audiences left the theater quietly moved, as if they had witnessed something both stern and tender.
The director calls late-night corrections "tiny calibrations." Which one-word synonym best matches that phrase in context?
A. careless
B. random
C. gentle
D. loud
C. gentle
Read the following passage.
The account begins with a single, startling sentence: "The lights went out at exactly midnight." Then the narrative steps back: readers learn about the neighbors' half-finished conversations, the misplaced grocery list on the kitchen table, and a clock that had always run five minutes slow. After several paragraphs of detail and memory, the story returns to the blackout and explains how those small, ordinary things influenced each person's decision that night. The final lines show consequences that only make sense after those intervening details have been revealed.
What is the first sentence of the account described in the passage?
A. "The lights went out at exactly midnight."
B. "The weather was strange that night."
C. "Neighbors argued in the street."
D. "A clock stopped ticking."
A. "The lights went out at exactly midnight."
Read the passage below.
Mira read the weathered postcards in the attic—tiny handwritten maps of vacations she had never taken. One postcard showed a seaside pier and a message: "We will come back next spring." Another contained a grocery list and a date: June 12, 1999. Mira traced the faded ink with her finger and felt a sudden connection to faces in old photographs. She decided to ask her mother about the postcards, hoping to learn who "we" might be. Her mother paused, then folded the laundry tighter, as if folding away a memory.
What detail in the passage suggests the postcards are old?
A. They smelled of saltwater
B. They had stamps from other countries
C. They were written in different languages
D. The ink is faded and the postcards are weathered
D. The ink is faded and the postcards are weathered
Read the following passage:
Every Saturday, the playground volunteers painted a bright circle around a battered picnic table and invited anyone passing by to sit. Some came for coffee, others for company; some sat silent and watched the sky. Over time, neighbors traded recipes, mended sweaters for one another, and learned to ask about days that felt heavy. The painted circle became less about a table and more about a small promise: that someone would notice if you did not come. When winter arrived, the group wrapped the table legs in yarn and left a thermos on the bench.
Which detail best supports the inference that the circle creates ongoing relationships among neighbors?
A. Neighbors "traded recipes, mended sweaters for one another."
B. They painted only once and left.
C. A thermos was left on the bench one day.
D. Some sat silent and watched the sky.
A. Neighbors "traded recipes, mended sweaters for one another."
Read the following passage.
Raul kept the key in the hollow of an old oak, where only he and his grandmother knew to look. When the bakery’s owner announced he would retire and sell the shop, a rumor spread that the new owner planned to tear down the brick oven. Raul remembered afternoons watching his grandmother knead dough by that same oven, teaching him to fold patience into the bread. That evening he carried the key into town and slipped it beneath the bakery door, leaving a note: "This oven belongs to the neighborhood." The next morning a crowd gathered, and the owner agreed to meet with them before making any decisions.
What rumor about the bakery causes Raul to act?
A. The new owner will double prices
B. The bakery will stop selling bread
C. The bakery will move to another street
D. The new owner plans to tear down the brick oven
D. The new owner plans to tear down the brick oven
Read the following passage.
The director's demands were exacting; she expected rehearsals run with military precision and called late-night corrections "tiny calibrations." Actors complained that her critique felt scalding, yet after opening night they admitted her insistence had carved a sharper performance from their raw scenes. In interviews she described her method as "gentle rigor." Reporters wrote that audiences left the theater quietly moved, as if they had witnessed something both stern and tender.
The actors complained that her critique felt "scalding." Based on context, "scalding" most nearly means:
A. burning or very harsh
B. amusing
C. cool and distant
D. mild and kind
A. burning or very harsh
Read the following passage.
The account begins with a single, startling sentence: "The lights went out at exactly midnight." Then the narrative steps back: readers learn about the neighbors' half-finished conversations, the misplaced grocery list on the kitchen table, and a clock that had always run five minutes slow. After several paragraphs of detail and memory, the story returns to the blackout and explains how those small, ordinary things influenced each person's decision that night. The final lines show consequences that only make sense after those intervening details have been revealed.
After the first sentence, what technique does the narrative use before returning to the blackout?
A. Immediate action with no background
B. Flashback/background details about neighbors and ordinary items
C. A time jump to next year
D. A list of rules
B. Flashback/background details about neighbors and ordinary items
Read the passage below.
Mira read the weathered postcards in the attic—tiny handwritten maps of vacations she had never taken. One postcard showed a seaside pier and a message: "We will come back next spring." Another contained a grocery list and a date: June 12, 1999. Mira traced the faded ink with her finger and felt a sudden connection to faces in old photographs. She decided to ask her mother about the postcards, hoping to learn who "we" might be. Her mother paused, then folded the laundry tighter, as if folding away a memory.
When Mira decides to ask her mother about the postcards, how does her mother physically react?
A. She laughed and told a story
B. She folded the laundry tighter and paused
C. She threw the postcards away
D. She immediately began to cry
B. She folded the laundry tighter and paused
Read the following passage:
Every Saturday, the playground volunteers painted a bright circle around a battered picnic table and invited anyone passing by to sit. Some came for coffee, others for company; some sat silent and watched the sky. Over time, neighbors traded recipes, mended sweaters for one another, and learned to ask about days that felt heavy. The painted circle became less about a table and more about a small promise: that someone would notice if you did not come. When winter arrived, the group wrapped the table legs in yarn and left a thermos on the bench.
Which theme is best supported by the passage?
A. The importance of competition in community life
B. The power of small, consistent acts to create belonging
C. The necessity of always being productive
D. The danger of trusting strangers
B. The power of small, consistent acts to create belonging
Read the following passage.
Raul kept the key in the hollow of an old oak, where only he and his grandmother knew to look. When the bakery’s owner announced he would retire and sell the shop, a rumor spread that the new owner planned to tear down the brick oven. Raul remembered afternoons watching his grandmother knead dough by that same oven, teaching him to fold patience into the bread. That evening he carried the key into town and slipped it beneath the bakery door, leaving a note: "This oven belongs to the neighborhood." The next morning a crowd gathered, and the owner agreed to meet with them before making any decisions.
What action did Raul take that night?
A. He bought the bakery
B. He called the police
C. He slipped the key under the bakery door with a note saying "This oven belongs to the neighborhood."
D. He stole a loaf of bread
C. He slipped the key under the bakery door with a note saying "This oven belongs to the neighborhood."
Read the following passage.
The director's demands were exacting; she expected rehearsals run with military precision and called late-night corrections "tiny calibrations." Actors complained that her critique felt scalding, yet after opening night they admitted her insistence had carved a sharper performance from their raw scenes. In interviews she described her method as "gentle rigor." Reporters wrote that audiences left the theater quietly moved, as if they had witnessed something both stern and tender.
The director describes her method as "gentle rigor." How do the other phrases ("exacting" and "military precision") affect the overall tone toward the director?
A. They make her seem disorganized and forgetful.
B. They suggest she is strict and demanding, balancing intensity with care.
C. They show she is uninterested in improvement.
D. They make her sound lazy.
B. They suggest she is strict and demanding, balancing intensity with care.
Read the following passage.
The account begins with a single, startling sentence: "The lights went out at exactly midnight." Then the narrative steps back: readers learn about the neighbors' half-finished conversations, the misplaced grocery list on the kitchen table, and a clock that had always run five minutes slow. After several paragraphs of detail and memory, the story returns to the blackout and explains how those small, ordinary things influenced each person's decision that night. The final lines show consequences that only make sense after those intervening details have been revealed.
How do the small, ordinary details (like the misplaced grocery list and the slow clock) function in the story’s structure?
A. They create suspense unrelated to the main event.
B. They only add humor.
C. They distract from the main plot.
D. They explain motivations and choices that make the final consequences understandable.
D. They explain motivations and choices that make the final consequences understandable.
Read the passage below.
Mira read the weathered postcards in the attic—tiny handwritten maps of vacations she had never taken. One postcard showed a seaside pier and a message: "We will come back next spring." Another contained a grocery list and a date: June 12, 1999. Mira traced the faded ink with her finger and felt a sudden connection to faces in old photographs. She decided to ask her mother about the postcards, hoping to learn who "we" might be. Her mother paused, then folded the laundry tighter, as if folding away a memory.
Which line gives evidence that Mira felt a connection to people in the photographs?
A. "One postcard showed a seaside pier"
B. "She decided to ask her mother about the postcards"
C. "She traced the faded ink with her finger and felt a sudden connection to faces in old photographs."
D. "Her mother paused"
C. "She traced the faded ink with her finger and felt a sudden connection to faces in old photographs."
Read the following passage:
Every Saturday, the playground volunteers painted a bright circle around a battered picnic table and invited anyone passing by to sit. Some came for coffee, others for company; some sat silent and watched the sky. Over time, neighbors traded recipes, mended sweaters for one another, and learned to ask about days that felt heavy. The painted circle became less about a table and more about a small promise: that someone would notice if you did not come. When winter arrived, the group wrapped the table legs in yarn and left a thermos on the bench.
Based on the passage, what can you infer about the volunteers' intentions when they wrapped the table legs in yarn and left a thermos?
A. They wanted to protect the table from weather only.
B. They were marking the table for renovation.
C. They planned to sell the yarn to raise money.
D. They intended to create a visible sign of care and ongoing welcome, even in winter.
D. They intended to create a visible sign of care and ongoing welcome, even in winter.
Read the following passage.
Raul kept the key in the hollow of an old oak, where only he and his grandmother knew to look. When the bakery’s owner announced he would retire and sell the shop, a rumor spread that the new owner planned to tear down the brick oven. Raul remembered afternoons watching his grandmother knead dough by that same oven, teaching him to fold patience into the bread. That evening he carried the key into town and slipped it beneath the bakery door, leaving a note: "This oven belongs to the neighborhood." The next morning a crowd gathered, and the owner agreed to meet with them before making any decisions.
Who agreed to meet the crowd the next morning, and why is that meeting important?
A. The mayor; to pass a law
B. The baker; to give away bread
C. The owner of the bakery; meeting halted immediate decision and allowed discussion about the oven's fate
D. The police chief; to remove the crowd
C. The owner of the bakery; meeting halted immediate decision and allowed discussion about the oven's fate
Read the following passage.
The director's demands were exacting; she expected rehearsals run with military precision and called late-night corrections "tiny calibrations." Actors complained that her critique felt scalding, yet after opening night they admitted her insistence had carved a sharper performance from their raw scenes. In interviews she described her method as "gentle rigor." Reporters wrote that audiences left the theater quietly moved, as if they had witnessed something both stern and tender.
Which two words/phrases from the passage create a mixed tone of sternness and care?
A. "late-night corrections" and "actors complained"
B. "exacting" and "gentle rigor"
C. "audiences left" and "quietly moved"
D. "tiny calibrations" and "reporters wrote"
B. "exacting" and "gentle rigor"
Read the following passage.
The account begins with a single, startling sentence: "The lights went out at exactly midnight." Then the narrative steps back: readers learn about the neighbors' half-finished conversations, the misplaced grocery list on the kitchen table, and a clock that had always run five minutes slow. After several paragraphs of detail and memory, the story returns to the blackout and explains how those small, ordinary things influenced each person's decision that night. The final lines show consequences that only make sense after those intervening details have been revealed.
How does the structure (hook → background details → return) affect readers’ understanding of the final consequences?
A. It confuses the reader by leaving out key facts.
B. It makes the consequences seem random.
C. It delays explanation so that when consequences appear they feel inevitable and meaningful because readers know the context.
D. It shortens the story for quick reading.
B. It makes the consequences seem random.
Read the passage below.
Mira read the weathered postcards in the attic—tiny handwritten maps of vacations she had never taken. One postcard showed a seaside pier and a message: "We will come back next spring." Another contained a grocery list and a date: June 12, 1999. Mira traced the faded ink with her finger and felt a sudden connection to faces in old photographs. She decided to ask her mother about the postcards, hoping to learn who "we" might be. Her mother paused, then folded the laundry tighter, as if folding away a memory.
Which two pieces of evidence best indicate the postcards reveal family memory or history?
A. "seaside pier" and "grocery list"
B. "weathered postcards" and "felt a sudden connection to faces in old photographs"
C. "June 12, 1999" and "tiny handwritten maps"
D. "tiny handwritten maps" and "seaside pier"
B. "weathered postcards" and "felt a sudden connection to faces in old photographs"
Read the following passage:
Every Saturday, the playground volunteers painted a bright circle around a battered picnic table and invited anyone passing by to sit. Some came for coffee, others for company; some sat silent and watched the sky. Over time, neighbors traded recipes, mended sweaters for one another, and learned to ask about days that felt heavy. The painted circle became less about a table and more about a small promise: that someone would notice if you did not come. When winter arrived, the group wrapped the table legs in yarn and left a thermos on the bench.
Which two inferred conclusions most accurately reflect the passage's deeper meaning?
A. The table was used to run a business; the volunteers sought profit.
B. Small rituals build trust and the painted circle became a social safety net; evidence: "traded recipes, mended sweaters" and "painted circle became...a small promise."
C. The volunteers wanted to control who used the park and created rules.
D. The circle discouraged people from visiting the playground.
B. Small rituals build trust and the painted circle became a social safety net; evidence: "traded recipes, mended sweaters" and "painted circle became...a small promise."
Read the following passage.
Raul kept the key in the hollow of an old oak, where only he and his grandmother knew to look. When the bakery’s owner announced he would retire and sell the shop, a rumor spread that the new owner planned to tear down the brick oven. Raul remembered afternoons watching his grandmother knead dough by that same oven, teaching him to fold patience into the bread. That evening he carried the key into town and slipped it beneath the bakery door, leaving a note: "This oven belongs to the neighborhood." The next morning a crowd gathered, and the owner agreed to meet with them before making any decisions.
Why is Raul motivated to act regarding the oven?
A. He feels the oven is part of neighborhood memory because of his grandmother teaching him by that oven, so he protects it.
B. He wants to sell the key.
C. He dislikes the new owner.
D. He wants to become famous.
A. He feels the oven is part of neighborhood memory because of his grandmother teaching him by that oven, so he protects it.
Read the following passage.
The director's demands were exacting; she expected rehearsals run with military precision and called late-night corrections "tiny calibrations." Actors complained that her critique felt scalding, yet after opening night they admitted her insistence had carved a sharper performance from their raw scenes. In interviews she described her method as "gentle rigor." Reporters wrote that audiences left the theater quietly moved, as if they had witnessed something both stern and tender.
Which three words/phrases best explain why audiences left "quietly moved"?
A. "sold out," "loud applause," "curtain call"
B. "actors complained," "interviews," "director"
C. "tiny calibrations," "late-night corrections," "reported"
D. "exacting," "scalding," "gentle rigor"
D. "exacting," "scalding," "gentle rigor"
Read the following passage.
The account begins with a single, startling sentence: "The lights went out at exactly midnight." Then the narrative steps back: readers learn about the neighbors' half-finished conversations, the misplaced grocery list on the kitchen table, and a clock that had always run five minutes slow. After several paragraphs of detail and memory, the story returns to the blackout and explains how those small, ordinary things influenced each person's decision that night. The final lines show consequences that only make sense after those intervening details have been revealed.
Which outline best shows the passage’s organizational pattern and its purpose?
A. Beginning (characters meet) — Middle (battle) — End (victory)
B. Random scenes with no structure
C. Chronological diary entries with no connection
D. Hook: startling sentence — Background: neighbors' small details — Return: blackout explained — Resolution: consequences revealed; purpose is to show how ordinary details shape decisions and outcomes.
D. Hook: startling sentence — Background: neighbors' small details — Return: blackout explained — Resolution: consequences revealed; purpose is to show how ordinary details shape decisions and outcomes.