Drawing Inferences RL1
Plot/Theme RL.2
Character Analysis RL.3
Vocabulary RL.5
Point of View RL.6
100

Which paragraph gives the reader clues about the area in which Marisa lives? A) 7 B) 10 C) 11 D) 17

B) 10

100

How did Marissa resolve her conflict? 

A. She realized that she was able to draw the horses better when she was looking at them.

B. She kept practicing and did not give up. 

C. She asked Euphemia for help. 

D. She realized that she was never going to be a great artist, and she learned to accept herself. 

A. She realized that she was able to draw the horses better when she was looking at them.

100

Which word BEST describes how Marisa feels about her drawings at the beginning of the story? A) satisfied B) disappointed C) proud D) humiliated

B) disappointed

100


In line 3, what does the simile “like clouds across the sky” help the reader understand about  the horses in Euphemia’s sketches?

A They are drawn sloppily.

B They look like they are in motion.

C They are getting tangled up with each other.

D They look like they are trotting through fog.

B. They look like they are in motion.

100

What is the effect of the first-person point of view on the reader? A) The reader learns about Euphemia Tucker’s drawings. B) The reader knows the reason for Luke’s comments. C) The reader shares Marisa’s thoughts and feelings. D) The reader gets a clear picture of what Marisa looks like.

C) The reader shares Marisa’s thoughts and feelings.

200

Why does the narrator sign her name “Marisa” instead of “Missy” on her drawing? A) She wants her teacher to know who made the picture. B) She plans to enter her drawing in a contest. C) She likes her real name better than her nickname. D) She is sending her drawing to her grandmother.

C) She likes her real name better than her nickname.

200

What is the BEST summary for the passage?

A) Marisa tries to be as good an artist as Euphemia, but ultimately fails. 

B) Marisa is good at pestering Luke, which gets her into trouble. Drawing horses saves her. 

C) Marisa struggles to draw horses as well as Euphemia, but then learns to draw better them better by looking at them as she draws. 

D) Marisa finds that drawing with pastels is easier. As she gains confidence, she eventually learns to be happy with herself and gives up trying to draw horses. 

C) Marisa struggles to draw horses as well as Euphemia, but then learns to draw better them better by looking at them as she draws.

200

When Marisa works on a horse drawing at school, what is the first thing she draws? A) ears B) mane C) hooves D) tail

B) mane

200

Which word BEST describes Marisa’s attitude toward Euphemia and her drawings? A) dismissive B) affectionate C) annoyed D) envious

D) envious

200

If Luke had written the story, how would the point of view MOST LIKELY be different? A) The reader would understand why Luke teases Marisa. B) The reader could see how his comments affect Missy. C) The reader could better visualize Missy’s drawings. D) The reader would feel sorry for Luke.

A) The reader would understand why Luke teases Marisa.

300

Based on information in the passage, drawing horses is A) something many people are interested in doing. B) easy if the artist uses pastel colors. C) necessary for anyone to learn who wants to be an artist. D) a rewarding process for all of the effort.

D) a rewarding process for all of the effort.

300

How do lines 14 through 16 contribute to the development of the plot?

A. They establish Marisa’s problem.

B. They emphasize Marisa’s hopefulness.

C. They contrast Marisa’s artistic abilities with Euphemia’s.

D. They illustrate Marisa’s determination to not let Luke bother her


A. They establish Marisa’s problem.

300

At the end of “Drawing Horses,” Marisa changes her approach to drawing horses by A) using different paper. B) using different shapes. C) drawing what she sees and feels. D) drawing what she wants to see.

C) drawing what she sees and feels.

300


 Read this sentence from line 32.  

"I brooded about it all through dinner." 

What effect does the word “brooded” have in the story? 

A It shows Marisa’s anxiety about her abilities.

B It reveals Marisa’s motives for drawing.

C It emphasizes how Marisa is growing as a character.

 D It indicates Marisa has a major decision to make.


A It shows Marisa’s anxiety about her abilities.

300

Why would someone MOST LIKELY read this passage? A) to learn how to draw horses B) to find out about different types of horses C) to get information about pastel colors D) to be entertained by the experience of a young artist

D) to be entertained by the experience of a young artist

400

Based on her experiences at the end of the story, Marisa will MOST LIKELY A) stop drawing entirely. B) become friends with Luke. C) start taking horse riding lessons. D) become even better at drawing.

D) become even better at drawing.

400

What kind of conflict does Marissa have in the story? 

A. Character vs. character

B. Character vs. society

C. Character v. nature

D. Character vs. self

D. Character vs. self

400

At the beginning of the story, what conflict does Marisa have when she draws horses? A) The teacher thinks Marisa is not doing her work. B) She compares her pictures to Luke’s. C) Another student makes a comment about her art. D) She does not have the art supplies that she needs.

C) Another student makes a comment about her art.

400

Which phrase best conveys the tone in lines 1 through 30? 

A “They’re always running wild and free. . .” (lines 2 and 3) 


B “He also calls me Messy.” (lines 8 and 9)


C “Next I roughed in most of the body. . .” (lines 17 and 18)


D “I scratched a big X through my earless, macaroni‑legged horse, . . .” (line 26)


D “I scratched a big X through my earless, macaroni‑legged horse, . . .” (line 26)
400

The reader learns about Marisa through her A) feelings about the watercolors from her grandmother. B) conversations with Luke Anderson. C) thoughts about her attempts at drawing horses. D) descriptions of Euphemia’s horses.

C) thoughts about her attempts at drawing horses.

500

Which question should be answered in the passage to help the reader better understand the process of drawing? A) Which art supplies are best for drawing pictures? B) What are the basic steps for drawing pictures? C) Where did Marisa learn to draw pictures? D) When did Marisa start to draw pictures?

B) What are the basic steps for drawing pictures?

500

How do lines 36 through 38 help convey the theme of the story?

A. They show that some situations take time to change. 

B. They prove that practice can help natural talents to develop.

C. They suggest that inspiration may come in unexpected ways.

D. They demonstrate that new ideas will eventually be accepted.


C. They suggest that inspiration may come in unexpected ways.

500

At the end of the story, Marisa makes a drawing that comes out right, but when the story begins she is unhappy with her drawings. Identify four events from the plot that help lead to Marisa’s success.

1) Her peers made fun of her drawings in class. 2)Her mother said her drawing looked like a dog. 3)Used a different writing material: pastel 4) Drew the horse when it was right in front of her.

500

I closed my eyes and pictured one of Euphemia’s perfect horses rearing up and pawing the air with its sharp hooves. Which sentence uses the word sharp as it is used here? A) We plan to meet on the playground at ten o’ clock sharp. B) I used the sharp scissors very carefully. C) The sharp student pleased the teacher with her clever comment. D) She listened to the band and noticed that the trumpet sounded sharp.

B) I used the sharp scissors very carefully.

500

Which addition to the passage “Drawing Horses” would be MOST appropriate? A) directions explaining how to blend pastels on paper B) an illustration showing Marisa on the school bus C) a paragraph providing a description about the ecology of the desert D) a paragraph detailing other pictures that Marisa eventually draws

D) a paragraph detailing other pictures that Marisa eventually draws

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