Literary Texts
Informational Texts
Writing
Language
Opinion Writing Test Prep
100
Excerpt from The Day of the Bake Sale
Jenna McKean
2 Finally, everything was ready for the bake sale. Two of Cindy's friends, Jorge and Pauline, came along on Saturday morning to set up tables. Cindy thought she could do it by herself, but they insisted they come along. They would need several long tables to hold all the supplies for the bake sale. As they set up tables on the town square, Cindy noticed a few dark clouds in the sky. However, she was too busy to stop working and worry about them. As the friends finished putting the tables together, they heard a loud clap of thunder.
What can you infer about Cindy based on this quote from the second paragraph of the story?
"Cindy thought she could do it by herself, but they insisted they come along."
A)Cindy thinks too much.
B)Cindy is a very dependent person.
C)Cindy enjoys being independent.
D)Cindy could not get her friends to help.
C)Cindy enjoys being independent.
100
Excerpt from Letter to the Editor: Parks
Shannon Keller
2 Many towns and cities across our country have parks. Some of the busiest, most crowded cities in the United States have beautiful parks. These parks are filled with grass, trees, and other plants. They have paths for walking and biking. Some parks have big ponds filled with wild geese and ducks. Many have playgrounds where children can seesaw, swing, and slide. Parks are good for people’s health and for nature, and they can help bring together the people of a town. The people of Jamesville should work together to build a park that everyone can enjoy. Building a park here in Jamesville would make our town a better place to live.
Which sentence from section two tells the author's point of view?
A)Many towns and cities across our country have parks.
B)These parks are filled with grass, trees, and other plants.
C)Some parks have big ponds filled with wild geese and ducks.
D)Building a park here in Jamesville would make our town a better place to live.
D)Building a park here in Jamesville would make our town a better place to live.
100
Comets are big chunks of ice, rock and gas that travel through space. They are dirty snowballs made of leftovers from the beginning of our solar system. Comets get their name from the Greek word "kometes" meaning "long hair." This is a reference to their long tails of dust and gas.
What topic is being introduced in the paragraph?
A)space
B)comets
C)Greek words
D)solar system
B)comets
100
Fall is my favorite season of the year.
It is when all of the trees turn vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow.
What is the BEST way to combine the two sentences?
A)My favorite season of the year is fall, when all of the trees turn vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow.
B)When all of the trees turn vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow, it is fall, my favorite season of the year.
C)All of the trees turn vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow in the fall, which is my favorite season of the year.
D)Fall is my favorite season of the year, and it is when all of the trees turn vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow.
A)My favorite season of the year is fall, when all of the trees turn vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow.
100
Excerpt from A Dog Is Man's Best Friend
Mary O'Dell
3 Secondly, many dogs are protective of their owners. In addition to cuddling and fetching, dog lovers appreciate the protective nature of many canines. Many dogs bark to alert owners when someone comes to their home. A dog owner often feels safer just knowing he has a loyal dog willing to protect its family or alert them of danger. If barking becomes a problem, most dogs can be trained to limit annoying yapping.
Which supporting detail is MOST important to add to the third paragraph?
A)Any size dog can be a faithful watchdog.
B)Over 78.2 million dogs are pets in the United States.
C)The first German shepherd was imported to the United States in 1906.
D)The Labrador Retriever has been America’s favorite breed for over two decades.
A)Any size dog can be a faithful watchdog.
200
Excerpt from Two Stories: Scrapefoot and Goldilocks
Traditional
from Scrapefoot
An English tale
1Once upon a time, three bears lived in a castle in the woods. The first was a great big bear, the second was a middle-sized bear, and the third was a little bear. Fox lived in the bushes near the castle and wanted to see what was inside. One day, he crawled out of the bushes and quietly crept up to the castle’s front door. He was surprised to find the door unlocked, and he tiptoed inside. Fox was very tired, so he went upstairs into the bedroom.
2There he saw three beds: a great big bed, a middle-sized bed, and a small bed. He climbed into the great big bed, but it was too hard. He climbed into the middle-sized bed, but it was too soft. The little bed, however, was just right, and Fox quickly fell into a deep sleep. He was so tired that he did not hear the front door slam shut or the bears thumping up the stairs.
3 “Who’s been sleeping in my bed?” asked the great big bear.
4 “Who’s been sleeping in my bed?” asked the middle-sized bear.
5 “Who’s been sleeping in my bed?” asked the little bear. When the little bear saw that Fox was still in her bed, she screamed. Her screams woke Fox, who saw the bears and dashed outside as fast as he could. Fox never went near the castle again.
from Goldilocks and the Three Bears
1Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Goldilocks. She went for a walk in the forest and spotted a house. When she knocked and no one answered, she opened the door and went inside. Goldilocks was very tired, so she went upstairs to the bedroom. She tried to sleep on the first bed, but it was too hard. She tried the second bed, but it was too soft. The third bed was just right, so Goldilocks fell asleep. While she was sleeping, the three bears that lived in the house came home. “Someone’s been sleeping in my bed,” growled Papa bear.
2 “Someone’s been sleeping in my bed,” roared Mama bear.
3 “Someone’s been sleeping in my bed—and she’s still there!” exclaimed Baby bear.
4Just then, Goldilocks woke up and saw the three bears. She yelled “Help!” and ran out of the house. She never returned to the home of the three bears.
Choose all of the similarities about the two stories that allowed the plot events to occur?
A)Both stories had many beds as a choice.
B)Both stories were about human characters.
C)Both stories include castles that the bears lived in.
D)Both Fox and Goldilocks were tired and needed to rest.
E)Both stories had houses that were open to the visitors.
A, D, E
200
Excerpt from Recipes Tried and True - Bird's Nest Pudding
First Presbyterian Ladies’ Aide
BIRDS NEST PUDDING. MRS. JOHN KISHLER.
Pare six or eight large good cooking apples; remove the core by cutting from the end into the middle, so as to leave the apple whole; place them in a deep pie dish, as near together as they can stand, with the opening upward. Make a thin batter, using one quart of milk, three eggs, and sufficient flour; pour this into the dish around the apples and into the cavities. Bake in a quick oven. Serve with butter and sugar.
Based on the information in this recipe, readers can conclude that
A)Mrs. John Kishler is a terrible cook.
B)the pudding will taste just as good without adding the butter and sugar.
C)this recipe is for making a delicious dessert.
D)this pudding has become extremely unpopular in the last century.
C)this recipe is for making a delicious dessert.
200
Coyotes and dogs are animals that are alike in many ways. They are both in the dog family. They both have four legs, and they look similar. However, they are different in some ways, too. Dogs are usually trained animals that can live with people. Coyotes are wild animals that live in the woods. Dogs have rounder heads and noses than coyotes.
Which detail would BEST support the main idea of this paragraph?
A)Coyotes are thinner than dogs are and have longer legs.
B)Cats are another type of trained animal that lives with people.
C)My dog loves to play in the yard and catch a ball in her mouth.
D)Wolves are also a part of the dog family, and they are wild too.
A)Coyotes are thinner than dogs are and have longer legs.
200
Which is the BEST definition for free in this sentence?
As we free the frogs from their cages, they croak a grateful “thank-you!”
A)free—(adj) at no cost
B)free—(adj) open; tolerant
C)free—(adj) loose; limitless
D)free—(v) let go; liberate; release
D)free—(v) let go; liberate; release
200
Seth wrote this paragraph to share his opinion about why he thinks school should begin later in the day.
"The school day should begin at a later time. Right now, school starts at 8:00 and kids are tired. We have to wake us so early. If school started later, then kids would be happier about going to school."
Which detail could be added to support Seth's argument that school should begin later in the day?
A)Teachers would be happier if school started later in the day. They would have more time to get ready and write lessons for the day.
B)Bus drivers would prefer to wake up later. When they are driving, sometimes they get sleepy and need to drink coffee to stay awake.
C)It is safer to drive to school when it is light outside. Kids can walk to school if the day started later, because it would be light outside.
D)Doctors all say that kids need a lot of sleep, so they can be healthy. If school started later, then kids could get more sleep because they wouldn't be getting up so early.
D)Doctors all say that kids need a lot of sleep, so they can be healthy. If school started later, then kids could get more sleep because they wouldn't be getting up so early.
300
Excerpt - 'Twas the Night before Christmas by Clement Moore
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the Chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
Turner read this and decided the whole poem was probably written in the first person point of view. Which words MOST LIKELY helped him decide this?
A. Around/bound
B. prancing/pawing
C. I/my
D. And/ St. Nicholas
C. I/ My
300
Excerpt from Home Emergencies
Carole Jenkins
(1)Many people have never thought about what they would do when faced with a home emergency, such as a tornado, a hurricane, or a fire. (2)People get scared and don't act right. (3)Being prepared in case of emergencies can reduce the risk of danger and prevent panic should emergencies occur.
(4)Each home should have an emergency chest that all family members can locate in the time of need. (5)A list of contents is helpful, and periodic checks and updates are recommended. (6)Suggestions for things to include in the chest are:
Emergency telephone numbers (such as 911, police, fire, doctors, poison control, relatives, and neighbors)
Information relating to the health needs and medications of family members
A first-aid kit
A battery operated radio
A fire extinguisher
A hot water bottle
An ice pack
During which event would it NOT be necessary to have an emergency kit prepared in case it is needed?
A)fire
B)tornado
C)hurricane
D)rain shower
D)rain shower
300
Which sentence would make the BEST thesis statement for a persuasive essay on homework?
A)The teachers at my school never assign homework.
B)The teachers at my school assign homework every night.
.C.) Homework is a typical part of the lives of all students.
D)The amount and difficulty of homework should be based on the age of the student.
D)The amount and difficulty of homework should be based on the age of the student.
300
The young man works very hard, but he can barely make ends meet.
Which explains the meaning of the underlined idiom in this sentence?
A)tired and frustrated
B)willing to do anything
C)does all the work
D)make enough to pay bills
D)make enough to pay bills
300
Henry is writing a report on the value of field trips. Which detail would BEST support the main idea of this report.
A)It is very important that every field trip have a certain number of adults according to how many students are going.
B)Some schools do not allow their students to go on field trips because of a lack of money.
C)Some schools take field trips that are overnighters, while others just do quick, local trips.
D)Field trips allow students to see how knowledge in school is applied in the real world.
D)Field trips allow students to see how knowledge in school is applied in the real world.
400
Excerpt from The First Tears — Based on an Inuit Folktale
Elizabeth Kibler
1Once, a very long time ago, a man named Amak awoke in the morning and was very hungry—he wanted some dinner. Before the sun rose over the mountains, he left his family and promised to bring food home to them. Amak, whose stomach growled, knew his family was famished—and so was he. As he trudged along, Amak realized he had been walking for a long time. He wanted to find food quickly and take it home to his family.
2Amak walked through the forest to find food. He looked into the trees to find birds and scoured bushes hoping to find a rabbit. He became frustrated when he found nothing. Amak knew he had to keep searching, though, because his family was counting on him.
3Hoping that he would have better luck there, Amak decided to walk down beside the ocean. The smell of the salty air made the man feel a little better. He had almost forgotten about his grumbling stomach. Suddenly, Amak espied a large group of seals lying beside the ocean. The man was gleeful at the sight of mammoth, brown seals—surely he could take one of these large animals home for dinner! Amak knew he would make his family proud.
What inference can be made after reading paragraph 3?
A. Arnak was hoping to catch a rabbit beside the ocean.
B. Amak was no longer hungry after his walk along the ocean.
C. The ocean was one of Amak's favorite places to hunt and visit.
D. Catching a seal would still not provide enough food to feed his family.
C. The ocean was one of Amak's favorite places to hunt and visit.
400
Excerpt from Opossums
Kathy Hufford
The Virginia opossum (commonly known just as the opossum) has the distinction of being North America’s only marsupial, an animal that carries its young in a pouch, like kangaroos and koala bears.
Newborn opossums are tiny. A typical litter of 8 to 9 young can fit in a teaspoon. They climb into the mother‘s pouch when they are born and stay there up to three months. Around four months of age, they‘re on their own, leading mostly solitary lives. Their average life span is only 1-2 years in the wild.
Opossums are non-aggressive and shy. In the presence of a threat, they will flee if possible. In addition to being nocturnal, they don‘t burrow, dig, or destroy property, so most people never even realize that an opossum has been in their yard.
Opossums have several interesting defense mechanisms. First, they will hiss and bare their teeth. They may then wobble and drool excessively, making potential predators think they are sick (and therefore, unappetizing). If these defenses fail, they will “play possum” by slipping into a fear-induced state of sleep causing them to appear dead. This discourages animals that eat live prey.
The opossum’s diet consists of insects, snails, and slugs, keeping our gardens free of pests. They catch and eat mice and rats, keeping rodent populations in check. Opossums are immune to the venom of poisonous snakes and will feed on snakes such as copperheads.
Based on the information in the passage about opossums, what can we infer about kangaroos?
A)They eat mice and rats.
B)They live only 1-2 years.
C)They do not live in North America.
D)They hiss and bare their teeth to defend themselves.
C)They do not live in North America.
400
Kate wrote this paragraph to share her opinion about why she thinks that all plastic straws should be banned.
"Plastic straws are killing animals! The United States should ban all plastic straws. Plastic straws get thrown into the trash. Then that trash can end up in the ocean and rivers. Animals eat the straws and it hurts them."
Which detail could be added to support Kate's argument that plastic straws should be banned?
A)Plastic straw are gross, and get thrown away instead of recycled.
B)Plastic straws are a lot easier to drink from than cardboard straws.
C)Plastic straws cost a lot of money to make, while cardboard straws are cheaper.
D)91 percent of the plastic we use is not recycled ends up in landfills or the ocean.
D)91 percent of the plastic we use is not recycled ends up in landfills or the ocean.
400
annoy
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: irritate, upset
Synonyms: T-off, abrade, agitate, ask for it, badger, be at, be on the back of, bedevil, beleaguer, bore, bother, break, bug, burn up, chafe, displease, distress, disturb, egg on, exasperate, fire up, gall, get, gnaw, harass, harry, heat up, henpeck, hit where one lives, irk, madden, make waves, miff, nag, needle, nettle, nudge, peeve, perturb, pester, plague, provoke, push button, ride, rile, ruffle, tease, tick off, trouble, turn off, vex, work on, worry
After consulting the thesaurus entry, which word would BEST fill in the blank in this sentence?
Old Mr. Morgan was ________ by the modern age and how everyone on the street he saw either had an iphone or an ipod absorbing his or her attention.
A)amazed
B)confused
C)exasperated
D)uncertain
C)exasperated
400
How young is too young for a child to have his or her own cell phone? Parents and parenting groups disagree. While some parents believe that so long as a child is old enough to understand how to use the phone and what to use it for, others believe that even fifteen years old is too young to have that kind of responsibility. Some parents claim that cell phones help keep the family in closer communication and keeps children safer. Other parents warn that cell phones are a constant distraction from school and life itself.
Which sentence would work BEST as a concluding sentence to this paragraph?
A)Some people believe that cell phones actually cause cancer of the brain.
B)Cell phones are quite expensive, but there are many different types of them out there.
C)Ultimately the decision of whether or not to give a child a cell phone belongs to each parent.
D)A cell phone can not only be used to call people, it can often text, take pictures, and play games.
C)Ultimately the decision of whether or not to give a child a cell phone belongs to each parent.
500
Themes can be found in most fictional stories, and are usually not directly stated in the text. Which summary below is MOST LIKELY from a story with themes of hard work and determination?
A)Brandy and Nelson never got along until they discovered they enjoyed some common hobbies.
B)Gillian was too afraid to try new foods until one day she had no choice because she had nothing else to eat.
C)Nathan has never been good at sports, but he finally makes the baseball team after spending extra time practicing.
D)The Smiths and Franklins never got along, but when a storm comes, they have to help one another and become friends.
C)Nathan has never been good at sports, but he finally makes the baseball team after spending extra time practicing.
500
Excerpt from Gardening at the White House and at Your House
Kathy Hufford
On March 20, 2009 elementary school students joined First Lady Michelle Obama to plant a vegetable garden at the White House. This is the first vegetable garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt’s victory garden during World War II. The White House Kitchen Garden provides fresh foods for the President’s Family to enjoy each day.
Today, the garden is planted, tended and harvested by Mrs. Obama. White House staff and visitors also help tend the garden. Tours of the White House Kitchen Garden are open to school groups. Students from across the country have helped Mrs. Obama plant new seeds in the garden.
The White House garden has inspired people across the country to start a vegetable garden at home. Some schools have planted school or community gardens. Growing your own fruits and vegetables is a great way to include healthy foods in your favorite meals. Even if you aren’t an expert gardener, you can harvest your own produce at school, in your backyard or around the community.
The central idea of this passage is that anyone can garden. Which sentence does not support this idea?
A)White House staff and visitors also help tend the garden.
B)This is the first vegetable garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt's...
C)Students from across the country have helped Mrs. Obama plant new seeds in the garden.
D)...you can harvest your own produce at school, in your backyard or around the community.
B)This is the first vegetable garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt's...
500
He enjoyed most action-packed movies; some recent disappointments didn't have race scenes, chases or any kind of adventure.
Which of these is the BEST transitional word to add to this sentence?
A)finally
B)however
C)indeed
D)instead
B)however
500
All of these words contain the Greek root graph. Based on your knowledge of the definitions of these words, what does the root graph mean?
photograph
autograph
biography
A)able
B)light
C)self
D)write
D)write
500
You are writing an essay arguing in favor of more team sports at your school. Which statement would NOT be a strong reason in support of your argument?
A)Team sports are fun.
B)Team sports help develop good character in all students.
C)Team sports encourage a sense of community within the school.
D)Team sports teach students the value of working with others toward a goal.
A)Team sports are fun.