Language Arts

Changing the English Language

100

Cool is a word that has changed over time. What is one new meaning of the word?


A. easily angered or frustrated
B. neat or interesting
C. colors such as blue and green
D. temperature; cold or chilly

B. Neat or interesting

200

Mouse is a word that has changed over time. What is the original meaning of the word?


A. a pointer
B. a small child
C. an animal
D. a computer part

C. an animal

300

Jam is a word that has changed over time. What is one new meaning of the word?


A. to become wedged or stuck
B. to pack (items, for example) to excess; cram
C. jelly, fruit preserves
D. to listen to music or dance

D. to listen to music or dance

400

"DNA" and "isotope" are both words introduced to the English language due to—


A. advancements in science
B. a historical event
C. the influence of a foreign language
D. social changes

A. advancements in science

500

The word _______ existed before World War II, but took on a different meaning after the war was over. A. Holocaust B. Atom bomb C. Jeep D. Burka

A. Holocaust

Literary Devices

100

The Pasture
by Robert Frost

I'm going out to clean the pasture spring;
I'll only stop to rake the leaves away
(And wait to watch the water clear, I may):
I shan't be gone long.—You come too.

I'm going out to fetch the little calf
That's standing by the mother. It's so young,
It totters when she licks it with her tongue.
I shan't be gone long.—You come too.

What does the poet want the reader to understand?


A. There's beauty everywhere. Just look around you.

B. Spring is a time for love.

C. I'm going to see beauty, and I'd like to share it with you.

D. I'm going to make way for spring.

C. I'm going to see beauty, and I'd like to share it with You.

200

The Pasture
by Robert Frost
Sam wished he could rid himself of the sick feeling in his gut that told him something terrible was going to happen, and happen soon.

What purpose would the sentence above serve in a story?


A. to encourage you to read on

B. to give a clue about what’s about to happen

C. to increase suspense

D. all of these

D. all of these

300

The Pasture
by Robert Frost

I'm going out to clean the pasture spring;
I'll only stop to rake the leaves away
(And wait to watch the water clear, I may):
I shan't be gone long.—You come too.

I'm going out to fetch the little calf
That's standing by the mother. It's so young,
It totters when she licks it with her tongue.
I shan't be gone long.—You come too.

In the poem, what does the calf symbolize?


A. the loss of beauty
B. the problems of youth
C. the rebirth of spring
D. the coming of winter

C. the rebirth of spring

400

The Sick Rose
by William Blake

O Rose, thou art sick.
The invisible worm
That flies in the night
In the howling storm

Has found out thy bed
Of crimson joy,
And his dark secret love
Does thy life destroy.

In the poem above, what does the rose represent?


A. love
B. power
C. wealth
D. glory

A. love

500

Hannah squealed as she grabbed her cell phone and began dialing a number. Her mother, Lily, stood by and watched. Her tall, strong daughter had just received a full scholarship to play basketball in college. Lily looked at her daughter's giddy smile and excited eyes. They reminded her of older days that seemed so recent.
Hannah was a short, skinny four-year-old who liked to stay indoors. Lily thought Hannah should learn to play sports. It would keep her daughter outside and active. She bought a little basketball and a short net. After setting the equipment up, Lily put the basketball in Hannah's hands.
"Throw it in the net. Can you get it in the net?" Lily said to encourage her daughter.
Hannah looked hard at the net and then looked at the orange ball in her hands. She threw the ball with all her might. It didn't make it to the net; it just rolled across the driveway. Hannah chased the ball, picked it up, and threw it again. She squealed with laughter even though the ball never went inside the hoop.
"I'm going to play basketball in college! Can you believe it?" Hannah shouted over the phone. Her voice brought Lily back to the present. She looked at Hannah and was proud of how far her little girl had come.

Why does the author use flashback in this story?


A. to show Lily's concerns about the future
B. to show Hannah is excited about college
C. to show Lily's memories of an earlier time
D. to show Hannah is a great basketball player

C. to show Lily's memories of an earlier time

Author's Purpose

100

What do you think of first when you hear the word “chocolate”? For many, the word is synonymous with Hershey’s, the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America.
The history of The Hershey Company goes back to 1894 when it was founded by Milton S. Hershey as the Hershey Chocolate Company. Hershey opened his first factory in 1905. At that time, chocolate bars sold for five cents apiece. Low price and availability were two key principles that Hershey strongly believed in. Hershey was able to keep his prices low by producing chocolate bars in vast quantity. He was also instrumental in widening the market place where chocolate was sold. Once grocery stores and newsstands began carrying his product, it didn’t take long before the brand of Hershey became a household name throughout the United States.
Since the time of its founding, the company has expanded outside the realm of just chocolate. It now includes a multitude of products, including licorice, gum, breath mints, hard candy, etc. Moreover, Hershey products are now sold throughout the world.

What sort of reader would most appreciate the innovations of Milton Hershey?


A. someone interested in developing a new product
B. someone interested in the history of corporations
C. someone interested in corporate expansion
D. someone interested in international business

A. someone interested in developing a new product

200

Have Diabetes
by Nathan Goble

Hi! My name is Nathan. I am nine years old. I play the piano and sing in a choir. I am a Cub Scout. I also have diabetes.
Diabetes is a disease where the pancreas does not make insulin like yours does. Insulin helps the body use sugar from food so you can run and play.
I got diabetes when I was five. My body did not work right. I went to the doctor. A blood test showed that there was a lot of sugar in my blood. The doctor told my mom I had diabetes.
I was in the hospital for ten days. I got better by getting shots of insulin. I take a shot every morning and night. They feel like a little pinch.
I check my blood sugar every day. I poke my finger with a tool called a lancet. I put a drop of blood on a special strip. After forty-five seconds, a number tells me if my blood has too much sugar or not enough. If it is high, then I exercise. If it is low, I eat something, like a banana or apple and milk.
I eat regular meals and snacks. I cannot eat sugary foods. I stay on a schedule to make the insulin work. I have to eat the right amount of healthy food.
If my blood sugar gets very low, I eat something with a lot of sugar. Otherwise, I have an insulin reaction. I feel shaky, sweaty, hungry, and weak. I keep candy with me so I can bring my blood sugar up if it gets too low. My family and friends can give me something if I am really weak.
I wear a necklace that says I have diabetes. This tells people that I need special care if I get hurt or sick.
Sometimes I get sad when my friends eat cupcakes and I cannot. I feel different sometimes.
If I take care of myself, I will be fine. I can grow up to be a doctor or an astronaut. I am just like you. I just have diabetes.

This passage was most likely written for


A. children.
B. doctors.
C. a science book.
D. a newspaper.

A. children.

300

Have Diabetes
by Nathan Goble

Hi! My name is Nathan. I am nine years old. I play the piano and sing in a choir. I am a Cub Scout. I also have diabetes.
Diabetes is a disease where the pancreas does not make insulin like yours does. Insulin helps the body use sugar from food so you can run and play.
I got diabetes when I was five. My body did not work right. I went to the doctor. A blood test showed that there was a lot of sugar in my blood. The doctor told my mom I had diabetes.
I was in the hospital for ten days. I got better by getting shots of insulin. I take a shot every morning and night. They feel like a little pinch.
I check my blood sugar every day. I poke my finger with a tool called a lancet. I put a drop of blood on a special strip. After forty-five seconds, a number tells me if my blood has too much sugar or not enough. If it is high, then I exercise. If it is low, I eat something, like a banana or apple and milk.
I eat regular meals and snacks. I cannot eat sugary foods. I stay on a schedule to make the insulin work. I have to eat the right amount of healthy food.
If my blood sugar gets very low, I eat something with a lot of sugar. Otherwise, I have an insulin reaction. I feel shaky, sweaty, hungry, and weak. I keep candy with me so I can bring my blood sugar up if it gets too low. My family and friends can give me something if I am really weak.
I wear a necklace that says I have diabetes. This tells people that I need special care if I get hurt or sick.
Sometimes I get sad when my friends eat cupcakes and I cannot. I feel different sometimes.
If I take care of myself, I will be fine. I can grow up to be a doctor or an astronaut. I am just like you. I just have diabetes.

This passage was most likely written


A. to inform the reader about diabetes
B. to entertain the reader with jokes
C. to narrate a sad story about diabetes
D. to persuade the reader about eating

A. to inform the reader about diabetes

400

Have Diabetes
by Nathan Goble

Hi! My name is Nathan. I am nine years old. I play the piano and sing in a choir. I am a Cub Scout. I also have diabetes.
Diabetes is a disease where the pancreas does not make insulin like yours does. Insulin helps the body use sugar from food so you can run and play.
I got diabetes when I was five. My body did not work right. I went to the doctor. A blood test showed that there was a lot of sugar in my blood. The doctor told my mom I had diabetes.
I was in the hospital for ten days. I got better by getting shots of insulin. I take a shot every morning and night. They feel like a little pinch.
I check my blood sugar every day. I poke my finger with a tool called a lancet. I put a drop of blood on a special strip. After forty-five seconds, a number tells me if my blood has too much sugar or not enough. If it is high, then I exercise. If it is low, I eat something, like a banana or apple and milk.
I eat regular meals and snacks. I cannot eat sugary foods. I stay on a schedule to make the insulin work. I have to eat the right amount of healthy food.
If my blood sugar gets very low, I eat something with a lot of sugar. Otherwise, I have an insulin reaction. I feel shaky, sweaty, hungry, and weak. I keep candy with me so I can bring my blood sugar up if it gets too low. My family and friends can give me something if I am really weak.
I wear a necklace that says I have diabetes. This tells people that I need special care if I get hurt or sick.
Sometimes I get sad when my friends eat cupcakes and I cannot. I feel different sometimes.
If I take care of myself, I will be fine. I can grow up to be a doctor or an astronaut. I am just like you. I just have diabetes.

In the passage above, which sentence serves as a hint as to who is being addressed?


A. "They feel like a little pinch."
B. "I was in the hospital for ten days."
C. "I am just like you."
D. "My body did not work right."

C. "I am just like you."

500

Don't Get Caught in the Net

When you are shopping online, be careful. When you buy items with a credit or debit card, you have to remember to be careful about to whom you give the information. You need to make sure that the Web site you are buying from protects your personal information. Any reliable Web site will have taken the proper steps to make sure that your information is kept from people who will misuse it.
There are people on the Internet who are trying to steal personal information, but there are also people on the Internet who sell fake goods, but tell you they are selling the real thing. There are also people who run fake storefronts that will take your order, take your money, but never send you the item you purchased. You shouldn’t rely on credit or debit card companies to protect you from these people. You need to protect yourself by doing a little research on any Web site from which you make a purchase. Bad design, lack of updates, lack of email addresses, and pictures of products that have been taken from other Web sites can all be clues that tell you not to trust a Web site. Also, you need to remember that if the deal seems to be too good to be true, it probably is.

When the author wrote this passage, he intended


A. to entertain the reader with online shopping stories.
B. to persuade the reader to buy products online.
C. to inform the reader about protecting one's identity.
D. to describe to the reader about new ways to shop.

C. to inform the reader about protecting one's identity.

Text Features

100

PREVIEW

Layers of sediment cover much of the ocean floor. Each has a story to tell about the past. These layers contain a great variety of particles. Some of these grains were swept to the ocean bottom from land, or dropped down from outer space, or were made by a variety of chemical processes. A careful study of these sedimentary deposits gives valuable clues about the Earth's history.
from Introduction to Oceanography by Paul R. Pinet

Based on the chapter preview, information about ____________ is located in the chapter.


A. fish
B. fresh-water fish
C. space exploration
D. sediment

D. sediment

200

Chapter 1: Becoming a Candidate 1
Chapter 2: Campaign Speeches 11
Chapter 3: Rally Speeches 37
Chapter 4: National Crisis Speeches 52
Chapter 5: Defense Speeches 67
Chapter 6: National Policy Speeches 91
Chapter 7: Inaugural Addresses 131

According to this excerpt from a Table of Contents, on which page would the reader look for a speech given before an election by one of the candidates?

A. 11
B. 67
C. 131
D. 52

A. 11

300

Biology of the Open Ocean and the Deep Sea

Despite its big size, life in the open ocean or on its deep-sea bottom is sparse. This is because the open ocean is located far from river mouths, which supply important nutrients marine plants need for growth. Without marine plants, there cannot be animals.
From Introduction to Oceanography by Paul R. Pinet

In the text above, why are the words "Biology of the Open Ocean and the Deep Sea" in bold letters?


A. These are keywords that will be defined in the glossary.
B. This is the title of a book used to research this chapter.
C. This is an entry in the index.
D. This is the title of the chapter section.

D. This is the title of the chapter section.

400

algae, 291-292
Amazon River, 157, 274
anchovy, 463
Arctic Ocean, 36, 70, 72, 76
Atlantic Ocean, 312, 488, 512
atmosphere, 33, 34, 500
atoll, 428

bacteria, 290
Bahama Islands, 108
barnacles, 329
barrier islands, 377-81
basin, 39-43
Bay of Bengal, 243

According to this index excerpt, on what page would you find information about atolls?

A. 428
B. 243
C. 488
D. 429

A. 428

500

This group of speeches and essays was put together carefully. It is for students studying modern public address, political speech, or speechwriting. It is also useful for any class in which speech texts will be read. Each chapter in this book includes speeches that share a common purpose.

In what section of a book would the paragraph above appear?

A. Chapter summary
B. Appendix
C. Glossary
D. Preface

D. Preface

Misc.

100

"Jabari's eyes were wide with fear."

Complete the analogy. Fear is to bravery as

A. petrify is to frighten.
B. publisher is to writer.
C. charity is to wickedness.
D. pedestrian is to sidewalk.

C. charity is to wickedness.

200

Identify the meaning of the prefix in the word rebate.

A. under
B. over
C. again
D. forward

C. again

300

The jeweler was a vulture as he inspected the diamond.
What figure of speech does the author use in this sentence?
A. personification
B. idiom
C. metaphor
D. simile

C. metaphor

400

Where would you look to find the definition, pronunciation, and origins of the word "ambiguous"?


A. Dictionary
B. Glossary
C. Chapter Headings
D. Index

A. Dictionary

500

The word manuscript contains the root word script with the prefix manu-. What is the definition of manuscript?

A. a document written about another person
B. a document written by hand
C. a rock carving
D. a homemade piece of furniture

B. a document written by hand