Vocabulary
Read the sentences:
Jackie couldn’t believe how much fun she had on the field trip. She kept replaying the day’s events in her mind on the bus ride back to school.
In the word “replaying,” what does the prefix re- mean? 1. not 2. two 3. again 4. after
Read the paragraph: Gordon loves to visit his aunt and uncle in Vermont. He goes up every summer to visit them. They live on a houseboat on the lake. His favorite thing to do is drive the boat around the lake.
What does Gordon like to do best? 1. swim in the lake 2. fish for perch and trout 3. read books on the boat deck 4. steer the boat around the lake
Read the passage: Dave and Mike had a great time sledding. They pulled their sleds up the big hill and went down face-first. Cold and tired they went inside for lunch. After they fell asleep on the couch.
What did Mike and Dave do right after playing outside? 1. They pulled their sleds up the big hill. 2. They raced down the hill. 3. They had grilled cheese and soup. 4. They fell asleep on the couch.
Read the paragraph: A hen lays about one egg a day. A chick takes three weeks to be born from an egg. When they are born they start peeping and looking for food.
When do chicks start peeping? 1. after one week 2. after two weeks 3. after three weeks 4. after four week
Read the passage: The best place to go on vacation is Florida. There are beautiful beaches, luxury hotels, good restaurants, and interesting shops.
What is the author’s opinion of Florida? 1. The weather is too hot. 2. Florida has no variety. 3. Only boaters will enjoy Florida. 4. Florida is a great place to visit.
Read the dictionary entries:
scuba (skoo-buh) n. equipment used to breathe under water
scullery(skuhl-er-ee) n. a small room near the kitchen
sculpture (skuhlp-chur) n. an object created by carving or molding
scum (skuhm) n. a covering on the surface of a liquid
What is the meaning of the word sculpture?
1. slimy film 2. large pantry 3. piece of art 4. swimming gear
Read the passage: The wind whipped the tops of the trees so they looked like they were dancing. Clouds raced across the sky. Leaves and bits of paper swirled around. Sprinkles of rain were starting to fall.
Which sentence best tells what the story is about? 1. They are having fun in the snow. 2. They are cleaning up after a big storm. 3. There is a double rainbow in the sky. 4. A big rainstorm is about to start.
Read the sentences: Scott opened his eyes and looked at the clock. He pulled the blankets over his head to keep the sun out. He yawned and closed his eyes. He just wanted to go back to sleep.
What does the author want you to think about Scott? 1. He is lazy. 2. He is tired. 3. He is hungry. 4. He is scared.
Read the passages: Passage 1: Cotton is a type of plant. The cotton plant grows from seeds. Then the plants grow flowers. After the flowers fall off, green pods, or bolls, are left. The bolls dry out in the sun. They burst open. White fluffy cotton pops out. Passage 2: Cotton is a soft cloth that comes from a plant. White bolls of cotton are washed and stretched into long strings. The strings are twisted together to make a thread.
What is the main idea of both paragraphs? 1. plants 2. clothes 3. cotton 4. flowers
Read the passage: (1)One of the most infamous bad guys in history was Robin Hood. (2)People think he lived in England, and hid in the forest with his friends. (3) Some would say he was a hero. (4). But he stole from some people and gave the money to others.
In which sentence does the writer state how he feels about Robin Hood? Sentence 1 Sentence 2 Sentence 3 Sentence 4
Read the sentences:
Lightning struck the ________ of the lilac tree.
Please put the___________ of old costumes in the attic.
Which word will fit in both spaces? 1. trunk 2. branch 3. limb 4. root
Read the passage: Molly stared out the bus window with blank eyes. Next to her, a woman pulled herself up. She got off at the next stop. Molly looked over and saw that she had left something on the seat. It was the women's wallet. Molly turned the wallet in to the bus driver. Then, she tried to call out to the woman.
What was Molly’s first reaction when she picked up the wallet? 1. to turn it in to the bus driver 2. to look at the pictures 3. to call after the woman 4. to take the money
Read the passage: Laura’s teacher asked to see her science project. “But Mrs. Thompson, I forgot it was due today!” Laura said. Then she asked if she could call her mom. “Mom, can you bring my science project to school? It’s due today!” She listened to her mother for a moment. "But it's not my fault!", she exclaimed.
How do readers learn about Laura? 1. from what other characters say 2. from what she says to others 3. from what she looks like 4. from descriptions of her feelings
Read the paragraph: Weasels are hunters. They prey on mice, rats, insects, and birds. They will attack larger animals too, such as rabbits and chickens. If they have leftover food, they will store it for later. They do not let anything go to waste.
What does the weasel do when it gets more food than it needs? 1. It eats until it is sick. 2. It shares the food with others. 3. It stores the food for later. 4. It lets the food go to waste
Read the passage: There are many differences between the ancient Olympics and the Olympics of today. In ancient times, the games were held only during the summer, but today there are summer and winter Olympic Games. In ancient times only men were allowed to compete but today women and people with disabilities can compete.
Which organization structure is used in this passage? 1. sequence of events 2. order of importance 3. cause and effect 4. compare and contrast
Which set of words all have the same root word?
1. extra, relax, index
2. contain, restrain, plain
3. here, everywhere, there
4. knowledge, unknown, knowing
Read the story: The lights went out, and people at the costume ball stopped dancing. They spoke in whispers. Then a guest dressed as a lion tamer cried aloud, “Watch out!” Polly screamed. The lion tamer crashed into a tray of glasses. A pirate tiptoed out the side entrance. It was later discovered that money was missing!
Who is most likely the thief in this story? 1. the lion tamer 2. Polly 3. Detective Cutler 4. the pirate
Read the passage: The clouds lifted, and the pilot sighted the tower of the Jefferson City airport. He had already radioed ahead that he was arriving. He pushed the button for the landing gear. The plane eased onto the runway right on time.
What is the best title for this passage? 1. Jefferson City Airport 2. One Cloudy Night 3. A Safe Landing 4. A Pilot’s Life
Read the paragraph: Platinum is a silver-white metal that is even more valuable than gold. It will not corrode or tarnish as many metals do when exposed to air. It can be used as a catalyst* in processes that change harmful pollutants into non-pollutants.
*Catalyst: a substance that can speed up or bring about a chemical reaction without being affected itself According to the passage, why is platinum valued by jewelers?
1. It can be used as a catalyst. 2. It is good for gem settings. 3. It is rarer than gold. 4. It is produced in many countries
Read the paragraphs: Review 1: Happy Birthday, Maudie is a delightful movie. The characters are believable, and the plot is a tender love story. Review 2: Don’t bother to see Happy Birthday, Maudie. It’s a sappy movie about a dumb girl who lets everyone push her around.
Based on the descriptions in the two reviews, on which topic are the two reviewers most likely to agree? 1. the main character’s personality 2. the quality of the plot 3. the details of the setting 4. the overall quality of the movie
Read the sentence:
Although the storm outside was ferocious, Nate left the comfort of the cabin and trudged toward home.
Which word best matches the connotative meaning of “ferocious” as it is used in the sentence? 1. barbaric 2. inhuman 3. intense 4. untamed
Read the passage: He lived on the bank of a mighty river, broad and deep, which was always silently rolling on to a vast undiscovered ocean. It had rolled on, ever since the world began. It had changed its course sometimes, and turned into new channels, leaving its old ways dry and barren.
What is the main point in this passage? 1. The river supported life on its banks. 2. It is hard to swim against the tide. 3. The flow of the river to the ocean is unchanging. 4. Earth will continue to circle around the sun.
Read the passage: Many years ago, a young man named Takoda decided to go on foot to Dark Mountain, a three-day journey from his village. Two days into his journey, he paused for nourishment in a narrow valley. Both sides of the valley had high slippery walls. Takoda heard the thunder of pounding hoofs. A herd of buffalo was coming into the valley!
How does the setting contribute to Takoda’s main problem in the story? 1. He is unable to see clearly through dust from the valley floor. 2. He is unable to find shelter on the valley floor from threatening weather. 3. The valley does not provide him with the nourishment he needs for his journey. 4. The valley does not provide him with an easy way to avoid the buffalo stampede.
Read the passage: Many people today use bifocals; eyeglasses that aid people’s vision for objects both near and far away. Some people use cast-iron wood-burning stoves to heat their homes. Still others put lightning rods on the roofs of their houses. These are all inventions from the man who also took part in writing the Declaration of Independence.
Which aspect of the passage best supports the idea that Franklin was a creative visionary? 1. the danger associated with Franklin’s famous kite-flying experiment 2. the example of the wide range of inventions that Franklin developed 3. the mention of Franklin’s role in writing the Declaration of Independence 4. the similarities between today’s bifocals and the bifocals that Franklin invented
Read the passage: A Unique and Strange Creature: The thorny devil is a very interesting and unusual creature. From its name, one might guess that it is large and scary. But once you learn about it, you may change your mind.
Which explanation is the most likely reason the author includes a chapter heading in this passage? 1. to present information about key vocabulary terms 2. to supply reasons why this is an interesting subject 3. to explain background information about the subject 4. to provide an idea of what the selection will be about.