Kayaking Alaska
Learning a Second Language
The Unstoppable Clara Barton
Foundational
Grammar
100
Read the sentences from paragraph 5.
“Don’t worry—we won’t bite off more than we can chew. Just stay close to me, and you’ll be fine.”
What does the guide mean when he tells Julio that “we won’t bite off more than we can chew”?
A We won’t eat food that is unfamiliar.
B We won’t eat more food than we need.
C We won’t do anything we cannot handle.
D We won’t do anything we have not practiced.
C We won’t do anything we cannot handle.
100
Read the sentence from paragraph 5. Those who study languages at this time can learn them in a flash. What is the meaning of the phrase “in a flash” as it is used above?
A partly
B poorly
C happily
D speedily
D speedily
100
Why does the author tell the story about Barton’s brother David?
A to show that David was thankful to his sister
B to show how Barton spent most of her early life
C to show that David and his sister had a close friendship
D to show how Barton learned she was good at helping others
D to show how Barton learned she was good at helping others
100
Read the sentence from paragraph 3. Studying a language can help us to be successful in classes other than English too! Think about the suffix -ful.
What is the meaning of the phrase be successful above?
A do very well
B speak clearly
C practice often
D think very hard
A do very well
100
After a few minutes of folding, I showed Rudy mine animal.
What change should be made in sentence 7?
A Change I to me.
B Change Rudy to his.
C Change mine to my.
D No change is needed.
C Change mine to my.
200
Read the sentence from paragraph 7.
The rest of the family got a kick out of the experience, but Julio found himself paddling away as fast as he could.
Based on the idiom “got a kick out of,” how did Melinda and her parents feel about seeing the bears?
A They were afraid.
B They were excited.
C They were upset.
D They were not affected.
B They were excited.
200
Read the sentence from paragraph 4. We make discoveries about their history, their homeland, and their beliefs, which can help us become more open-minded. Which word means nearly the same as open-minded as it is used above?
A distant
B excited
C truthful
D accepting
D accepting
200
What is one way the Civil War affected Barton’s life?
A It gave her a chance to be a nurse.
B It brought her closer to her family.
C It let her fight for what she believed in.
D It helped her raise money to open a school.
A It gave her a chance to be a nurse.
200
Read the sentence from paragraph 9. He glanced around hesitantly to see what else might arise suddenly from the water, though for the moment at least, nothing did.
Which word means the same as glanced as it is used above?
A swam
B asked
C walked
D peeked
D peeked
200
It looks like both of our origami figures have a special meaning for us.”
What change should be made in sentence 16?
A Change our to ours.
B Change our to your.
C Change us to ours.
D No change is needed.
D No change is needed.
300
What does Julio learn at the end of the story?
A You should always look for ways to help other people.
B If you pay attention, there is beauty all around you.
C It’s okay to make mistakes.
D Kayaking is difficult.
B If you pay attention, there is beauty all around you.
300
What does the graph show?
A High school students must learn a second language.
B More elementary schools are starting to add language classes.
C Language classes are more common in high schools than in elementary schools.
D It is easier to learn a second language in elementary school than it is in high school.
C Language classes are more common in high schools than in elementary schools.
300
Read the sentence from paragraph 4. She could sail through even the roughest waters. What does the metaphor tell readers about Barton?
A She knew how to steer a boat.
B She enjoyed being on the ocean.
C She remained calm in hard times.
D She rarely faced difficulty in her life.
C She remained calm in hard times.
300
What is the correct way to divide the following word with the VV syllable division pattern?
A vi o let
B vi olet
C vio let
D v iolet
A vi o let
300
(4) That is usually true. (5) We must add a day from time to time.
What is the correct way to combine sentences 4 and 5 to make a compound sentence?
A That is usually true but we must add a day from time to time.
B That is usually true but, we must add a day from time to time.
C That is usually true, but we must add a day from time to time.
D That is usually true, but, we must add a day from time to time.
C That is usually true, but we must add a day from time to time.
400
What does the illustration help the reader to understand?
A how to pack a kayak
B where SciFi Land is located
C the size of the chunk of ice that fell off the glacier
D what the spray of a humpback whale looks like from 20 yards away
C the size of the chunk of ice that fell off the glacier
400
Read the sentences from paragraph 4. New languages are like bridges. They help us connect to each other and move beyond any differences. Why does the author compare languages to bridges?
A to show that languages often change over time
B to show that languages can link people together
C to show that there are many languages around the world
D to show that some people know how to speak many languages
B to show that languages can link people together
400
How does the author present the events in the article?
A from most important to least important
B in the order in which they happened
C as a list of problems and solutions
D as a cause and its many effects
B in the order in which they happened
400
Read the sentence from paragraph 4. Always energetic and ready to help, she became known as the “Angel of the Battlefield.” Think about the suffix -ic. What is the meaning of energetic above?
A full of life
B on the way
C open to ideas
D wanting a change
A full of life
400
(5) Nailah and Eli were both good at wiggling their ears, but we agreed Eli was better at it.
What change should be made in sentence 5?
A Change better to best.
B Change better to more good.
C Change better to more better.
D No change is needed.
D No change is needed.
500
How does the author show that nature is full of wonder? Use details from the story to support your answer.
The author supports the idea that nature is full of wonder by describing the family’s exciting experiences in the outdoors. For example, in paragraph 7, the family paddles by a black bear walking with her cubs, and in paragraph 8, the family is sprayed by a humpback whale.
500
How does the author use facts to support the idea that learning a second language can help us better understand our first language? Use details from the article to support your answer.
The author explains that learning a second language can show us how language works, which can help us better understand our first language. For example, when we learn a new language, we learn how to arrange the words in a sentence in that language. This can help us think about how to write clearer sentences in our first language.
500
Why was Barton’s trip to Europe important? Support your answer with details from the article.
Barton’s trip to Europe was important because it introduced her to the International Red Cross. Learning about this organization gave Barton the idea to set up a similar one in America. Since then, the American Red Cross has helped many people suffering through wars and natural disasters.
500
Read the sentences from paragraph 3.
“They are as dangerous as they are beautiful. The waves created by those monsters can swamp a boat, so don’t get any closer to the glaciers than I do,” the knowledgeable young man explained.
Think about the suffix -able. What is the meaning of knowledgeable above?
A knowing a lot
B widely known
C wanting to know
D needing to know
A knowing a lot
500
(3) We all burst out laughing because it was the funnier thing we had seen all week.
What change should be made in sentence 3?
A Change funnier to funny.
B Change funnier to funniest.
C Change funnier to most funny.
D No change is needed.
B Change funnier to funniest.