Idioms
Now that she's a successful singer, Deryanna rubs elbows with famous musicians at parties and other events.
What does rubs elbows mean?
A. to touch lightly
B. to be social with
B. to be social with
Two Sisters
The chlorine smell, an echoed splash—
Another Friday at the pool.
My older sister is about to smash
Another diving record for her school.
I smile but hold back my sighs
As I cheer for her from the stand.
I see myself through her eyes:
The little sister, meek and bland.
But I'm wrong, though, because one day
Like a comet shooting through the night,
My sister stops me just to say,
"It amazes me how well you write."
My sister is the star, and yet
She envies something about me.
I now look twice at those I've met.
Some talents are harder to see.
Based on the text, which sentence is most likely to be true?
A. The narrator feels like she's not as good as her sister.
B. The narrator doesn't think that her sister is going to break the record.
C. The narrator wants to learn how to dive as well as her sister.
A. The narrator feels like she's not as good as her sister.
Torri slipped out of bed and tiptoed down the hall. But when she opened the door at the end of the hall, she found a closet, not the bathroom. Torri tried another door and found the office.
By the time she found the bathroom, Torri couldn't remember where her room was!
A. Torri is not in her home.
B. Torri needs new glasses.
A. Torri is not in her home.
The new king seemed very shy. He stumbled through his speeches and stared at his shoes whenever he went out in public.
Carleana, the royal baker, decided to conduct an experiment. She gathered up the townspeople and explained what they needed to do. "Whenever we see the king, we should applaud and shout, 'Hurrah for King Beardsley!'"
So that's what they did. After three weeks of this, King Beardsley's words flowed smoothly and he smiled at his subjects. Carleana's experiment was a success!
What does conduct mean in this passage?
A. lead and carry out
B. search for and locate
C. closely watch
A. lead and carry out
For the Birds
When Philip got home from school, he noticed that the birdhouse he'd made had fallen off the maple tree in the front yard.
He picked it up and looked at the tree. The hook he'd used to hang the birdhouse had come loose in the wood, pulled down by the weight. Philip removed the hook and screwed the pointy end into a new spot in the branch. The wood seemed to grip it tightly. Then Philip put the birdhouse back on the hook.
The next morning, Philip saw that it had fallen again. He was late for school, but he couldn't just leave it there. He pulled out the hook and screwed it deeper into the wood. Then he carefully hung the birdhouse again.
When Philip got home that afternoon, he saw that the birdhouse was still hanging. A blue jay was even perched at the entrance. Philip beamed.
Suddenly, a breeze shook the birdhouse, and it fell onto the grass yet again. The bluejay shot away like an arrow.
This time Philip brought the birdhouse inside. He threw away the hook without a second thought. Digging through the junk drawer, he found an extra-long shoelace. He tied it around the birdhouse. Then he brought the birdhouse outside and tied it to a branch. He tugged on it to make sure it would stay. It seemed pretty secure.
The birdhouse was still hanging the next morning. And the next week. A week after that, Philip saw signs of a bird's nest inside. The birdhouse was finally a home.
Which of the following best describes the main theme or lesson of the story?
A. If one way of doing something keeps failing, try another way.
B. Some events are simply out of your control.
A. If one way of doing something keeps failing, try another way.
When Quincy heard that we had forgotten to feed his pet bird, he really hit the roof.
What does hit the roof mean?
A. to bang on the ceiling
B. to become very angry
B. to become very angry
Two Sisters
The chlorine smell, an echoed splash—
Another Friday at the pool.
My older sister is about to smash
Another diving record for her school.
I smile but hold back my sighs
As I cheer for her from the stand.
I see myself through her eyes:
The little sister, meek and bland.
But I'm wrong, though, because one day
Like a comet shooting through the night,
My sister stops me just to say,
"It amazes me how well you write."
My sister is the star, and yet
She envies something about me.
I now look twice at those I've met.
Some talents are harder to see.
What it the theme of this poem?
A. Everyone shines in his or her own way.
B. It's better to be brainy than good at sports.
C. The bond between sisters is the strongest type of friendship.
A. Everyone shines in his or her own way
Karyzma frowned as she stared at the flat tires and taped-up old frame. She'd have to work fast if she wanted to enter the race. First, Karyzma needed to borrow some tools. Then, she'd work on the chain and handlebars. For the final touch, she'd add the candy-apple red paint.
A. She s working on a painting.
B. She is practicing for a race.
C. She is fixing up her bike.
C. She is fixing up her bike.
The word conduct means "lead and carry out." If a statue were stolen from a museum, what would the police conduct?
A. a search
B. a thief
C. evidence
A. a search
The Ride Home
As the school bus chugged away, Spiro walked slowly up the quiet street. His neighbor, Dominic, stopped to wait for him.
"Hey, Spiro. How was your first week?"
Awful, Spiro thought, staring ahead. "It was okay. I'm pretty tired," he said. He wanted to say that he missed his old home and his old friends.
"Really? Are you sick or something?" asked Dominic.
"Yeah, actually. I think the bus is making me sick. I used to ride my bike to school," said Spiro.
"Oh. Did you know there's a bike trail two streets over?" asked Dominic.
"Really?"
"Yeah. It's like thirty miles long. I've biked the whole thing a few times. Maybe if you feel better later, I can show you."
Spiro really just wanted to sleep the afternoon away, but Dominic seemed friendly. "Sure," Spiro said. "Can I stop by around five?"
"Perfect," Dominic said. "See you then!" He went inside his house.
At his own home, Spiro found his bike in the garage among all the boxes of unpacked stuff. His bike reminded him that just a few weeks ago he'd been riding around his old neighborhood with his old friends.
At five o'clock, Spiro went next door. Dominic was already outside with another boy and a girl when Spiro arrived. Dominic introduced them and said that they wanted to go for a ride, too.
As he pedaled alongside the others, the wind in his face, Spiro realized that he was feeling okay for the first time since moving.
Which of the following best describes the main theme or lesson of the story?
A. No one likes a complainer.
B. Be open to new friendships.
B. Be open to new friendships.
After seeing his promising sketches, we decided that the young artist, Masen, was a diamond in the rough.
What does diamond in the rough mean?
A. an uncut and unpolished stone
B. safe after being danger
C. a person with hidden potential or ability
C. a person with hidden potential or ability
My Model Car
The hours piled on,
As I sprawled out on my carpet,
Tinkering with tweezers,
Fiddling with rubber bands,
Trying to make my model car come to life.
Finally, eyes bleary, I went for a walk,
Leaving the car parts behind.
I took in the details of the neighborhood,
The trills and chirps of birds in the trees,
The thick, smoky, smell of a grill
Fired up in my neighbor's yard.
I came back and opened my door.
Hoping the car had assembled itself. No, but—
I suddenly saw the parts with new eyes,
My mind clear and ready.
My tools bent and twisted the pieces
Like they'd always known what to do.
Based on the text, which sentence is most likely to be true?
A. The sounds and smell of the neighborhood distract the narrator from her problem.
B. The narrator wishes she could fly away like a bird.
C. The smell of her neighbor's grill makes the narrator realize that she is hungry.
A. The sounds and smell of the neighborhood distract the narrator from her problem.
Anna's nose tickled. There was so much dust under the bed. She tried to keep quiet when she heard Clara, but it was impossible to keep from . . . from . . . "Achoo!!"
"Got you!" Clara shouted. "Come on out. It's your turn to count!"
A. Anna is coming down with a cold.
B. Anna is playing hide and seek.
C. Anna is cleaning up her room.
B. Anna is playing hide and seek.
Which sentence uses conduct correctly?
A. For our group project, we decided to conduct a survey about study habits.
B. You should try to conduct this paragraph to five sentences or less.
C. If you don't help with the class project, you won't conduct a good grade.
A. For our group project, we decided to conduct a survey about study habits.
The Raffle
Camilla was with her friends Joe and Marta at the fair. Suddenly she stopped, as a sign caught her eye: Win a Free Laptop.
"Guys!" Camilla said, pointing to it.
"Aren't you already saving up for a laptop?" asked Joe.
"Yeah, but it's taking forever," said Camilla. She walked to the raffle table, where the prize laptop was on display. Camilla hovered around it, admiring it from every angle.
"Does it even have the specs you want?" Marta asked.
"I'm sure it does! It's brand-new," Camilla said. "I'm going to buy thirty tickets!" Opening her wallet, she fished out three ten-dollar bills.
"Thirty? Didn't you spend hours babysitting those Carmichael kids to earn that money?" said Joe.
"But I won't have to babysit them again if I win this laptop!" argued Camilla. "I'm sure no one else will buy thirty tickets. I know I'll win!"
She bought the tickets and wrote her name on each one. Then she handed them to the woman standing behind the raffle table, who put them in a plastic jug. The woman told Camilla the drawing would take place in an hour.
Camilla kept checking her watch. "It's almost time," Camilla said finally. "Let's go!" She walked purposefully back to the raffle table, with Joe and Marta trailing her. A crowd of people had assembled around the laptop. The woman plunged her hand into the plastic jug, swished her fingers through the tickets, and pulled one out.
"And the laptop goes to . . ."
Camilla held her breath.
" . . . Evan Lee!"
As Evan Lee approached the raffle table, Camilla realized she not only didn't have a laptop, but she was now several steps further from her goal of owning one.
Which of the following best describes the main theme or lesson of the story?
A. Shortcuts usually don't work out.
B. People don't always know what they want.
A. Shortcuts usually don't work out.
Mrs. Hobbs' coworkers finally met her better half, Mr. Hobbs, at the office holiday party.
What does better half mean?
A. someone's husband or wife
B. the nicer part of something
C. the best of the group
A. someone's husband or wife
My Model Car
The hours piled on,
As I sprawled out on my carpet,
Tinkering with tweezers,
Fiddling with rubber bands,
Trying to make my model car come to life.
Finally, eyes bleary, I went for a walk,
Leaving the car parts behind.
I took in the details of the neighborhood,
The trills and chirps of birds in the trees,
The thick, smoky, smell of a grill
Fired up in my neighbor's yard.
I came back and opened my door.
Hoping the car had assembled itself. No, but—
I suddenly saw the parts with new eyes,
My mind clear and ready.
My tools bent and twisted the pieces
Like they'd always known what to do.
What is the purpose of this text?
A. It highlights how easily the narrator can build the car after going for a walk.
B. It shows that the narrator still can't figure out what to do with all the pieces.
C. It shows that the narrator bought the best kind of tools for model cars.
A. It highlights how easily the narrator can build the car after going for a walk.
"How were tryouts?" Penny's mom chirped.
Penny dropped her racket on the couch and slumped down beside it.
"I stayed at the baseline," she mumbled. "I should have run to the net more."
Penny's mom wrapped her up in a huge hug. "Aw, honey. There's always next year."
A. Penny wasn't chosen for the softball team.
B. Amy dropped her racket and broke it.
C. Amy didn't make the tennis team.
C. Amy didn't make the tennis team.
The word momentous means "highly important." Which of these days is probably the most momentous for students?
A. the last day to buy school supplies
B. the last day to return library books
C. the last day of elementary school
C. the last day of elementary school
Read the following story.
Starry Night
"What do we do now?" asked Gavin. It was his first time camping, and he expected a long, boring night. He and Eric had finished dinner, and it was only six thirty.
"Just hang out," said Eric. Eric had been going camping for years. "Look at the sky. Sometimes you can see a shooting star," he said.
Gavin looked up. The stars were clear and bright. It was like being in a planetarium.
"See that really bright one over there? That's the North Star," Eric told him. "And there's the Little Dipper. Right next to it is the Big Dipper."
"Cool idea!" Gavin said. "What other constellations do you know?"
"Huh. I guess that's it. A lot of them come from Greek myths, but I don't remember them," said Eric.
"Well, I'll make up my own, then," said Gavin. "See over there? That's the buffalo."
"You're right!" agreed Eric. "See those three stars over there? That's the tent."
"And that bunch of stars—that's the mosquito," Gavin said, pointing.
Eric squinted. "That's a stretch," he said, "but why not? Now we just need a myth."
Gavin thought about it. "Two great hunters were tracking a buffalo," he began, "but they came to a swamp where the Great Mosquito lived."
Eric and Gavin took turns adding to the story. They were so focused on myth-making that by the time Gavin checked his watch, it was already nine forty-five. Since the air was mild and the sky cloudless, they unrolled their sleeping bags outside their tent. Gavin sighed happily as he closed his eyes, his brain still buzzing with new ideas for constellation stories.
Which of the following best describes the main theme or lesson of the story?
A. Time passes quickly when you make your own fun.
B. Trying new things can be good for you.
A. Time passes quickly when you make your own fun.
Kenzlee volunteers in the children's wing of the hospital, and her neighbors think she is the salt of the earth.
What does salt of the earth mean?
A. witty and intelligent
B. a flavoring from the ground
C. a very good person
C. a very good person
My Model Car
The hours piled on,
As I sprawled out on my carpet,
Tinkering with tweezers,
Fiddling with rubber bands,
Trying to make my model car come to life.
Finally, eyes bleary, I went for a walk,
Leaving the car parts behind.
I took in the details of the neighborhood,
The trills and chirps of birds in the trees,
The thick, smoky, smell of a grill
Fired up in my neighbor's yard.
I came back and opened my door.
Hoping the car had assembled itself. No, but—
I suddenly saw the parts with new eyes,
My mind clear and ready.
My tools bent and twisted the pieces
Like they'd always known what to do.
What is the main theme of this text?
A. Make sure you understand all the steps of your task before you start.
B. Taking a break from a task can help you approach it in a new way.
C. It's important to ask for help with a project when you need it.
B. Taking a break from a task can help you approach it in a new way.
Attucks looked at the game clock and frowned. How were there still two minutes left in the game? He drummed his fingers on the bleachers and looked around at the players on the football field. Yawning, Attucks looked up at the game clock again. Still two minutes left. Ugh. Why had he left his book in his car?
A. Attucks is at a boring football game.
B. Attucks is worried about being late.
C. Attucks is a drummer.
A. Attucks is at a boring football game.
Which sentence uses momentous correctly?
A. Dale declared that he was momentous to write about the American Civil War for a third time.
B. Compared to the lives of Civil War generals, the lives of ordinary people seem momentous.
C. The Civil War began after eleven states made the momentous decision to leave the United States.
C. The Civil War began after eleven states made the momentous decision to leave the United States.
The Water's Fine
Paolo walked out on the dock and looked down into the water. "I only like to swim in pools. I'm not swimming in there," he said.
"Well, I'm going to," his mom said. "There's not much else to do here!"
Paolo's little sister, Celia, was standing next to him. "If Paulo's not going in, I'm not swimming in there either," Celia said.
Paolo's mom looked at Paolo with a raised eyebrow. "That's fine," she said. "You two don't have to swim. But remember, there's no internet here and no TV."
Paolo marched back to the cabin and sat in a lawn chair. He crossed his arms and frowned. This is going to be an awful vacation, he thought. No Wi-Fi, nothing to do.
Celia followed him, sitting in a chair and crossing her arms, too. "I'm bored!" Celia said.
Meanwhile, their mom had gone into the cabin to change. Soon she emerged, carrying an armful of goggles and towels. "I'm going for a dip. Are you sure you don't want to go?" she asked.
Celia glanced at Paulo.
"I'm sure," said Paolo.
"No way!" added Celia.
Paolo sat in the chair and stared across the lake. Celia did too, but soon she grew restless. She got up, walked up and down the dock, and finally sat down, watching her mom.
Seeing this, Paolo felt bad. He went inside and put on his bathing suit. Then he walked out to the dock where Celia was sitting. When their mom swam up to them, Paolo apologized. "I'll swim with you, Mom. I'm sorry I was crabby. The water actually looks nice," he said.
Celia looked at Paolo. Then she ran to the cabin to change into her swimsuit, too.
Which of the following best describes the main theme or lesson of the story?
A. People today take technology for granted.
B. People can't agree one hundred percent of the time.
C. Set a good example for people who look up to you.
C. Set a good example for people who look up to you.