Summary
Elements of Fiction
Context Clues
Part A, Part B
John D. Rockefeller: Oil King AND Ida Takes Aim
100

In Yosemite with John Muir

How does paragraph 22 contribute to the overall meaning of this passage?

a. It describes how much John Muir prepared for his trip with President Roosevelt.

b. It explains how John Muir and President Roosevelt bonded over a shared loved of bird-watching.

c. It emphasizes how John Muir was most impressed by the natural beauty of Yosemite's landscape.

d. It demonstrates how unprepared John Muir was for the different types of weather that occurred in Yosemite.

c: It emphasizes how John Muir was most impressed by the natural beauty of Yosemite's landscape.

100

Summer Shift

"To chase away the fear,

I flipped through a dictionary,

plucked out the word hush" (lines 7-9)


How do these lines help develop the overall theme of passage 2?

a. They show that the speaker understands that education is the key to success.

b. They show that the speaker is tired of listening to her friends say goodbye.

c. They show that the speaker tries to be calm in the face of change.

d. They show that the speaker understands the value of friendship.

c: They show that the speaker tries to be calm in the face of change.

100

What is the meaning of braced as it is used in line 2 of Summer Shift?

"I braced for a summer"

a. pleaded

b. practiced

c. prepared

d. provided

c: prepared

100

This Strange Wilderness: The Life and Art of John James Audubon

Part A: How does the author develop the idea that Audubon was influenced by other artists?

a. by showing how dedicated other artists were in their pursuit of new subjects

b. by explaining how other artists' works impacted him at an early age

c. by giving examples of how other artists located their subjects

d. by describing what he though of other artists' works

d: by describing what he though of other artists' works

100

Which detail about Standard Oil does the illustration in Passage 3 provide that Passages 1 and 2 do not?

a. It shows Standard Oil as the creation of one man.

b. It shows Standard Oil as hurting the environment.

c. It shows Standard Oil as harming small businesses.

d. It shows Standard Oil as controlling the government.

d: It shows Standard Oil as controlling the government.

200

California Lee and Me

Select two sentences that show that Hettie and Cally's relationship has changed.

a. "Her eyes sparkled the same emerald green as they had in Hettie's backyard when Cally told her the big news." (paragraph 5)

b. "Half of the people at the party were grownups, and most of the other kids were actors." (paragraph 8)

c. "Overwhelmed and feeling shy, Hettie had taken her small gift bag and spent most of the party in the basement bathroom." (paragraph 8)

d. "No one came to look for her until her dad arrived to pick her up." (paragraph 8)

e. "'I'm your BFF because I know that you like Gummy Ripple, but you hate that it turns your tongue blue.'" (paragraph 16)

c and d: 

c. "Overwhelmed and feeling shy, Hettie had taken her small gift bag and spent most of the party in the basement bathroom." (paragraph 8)

d. "No one came to look for her until her dad arrived to pick her up." (paragraph 8)

200

California Lee and Me

"Hettie tried to see the Cally she had known through the makeup, the fancy clothes, and the magazine's airbrushing." (paragraph 5)

How does this sentence develop the plot?

a. It creates suspense by showing how Hettie searches for her friend.

b. It establishes the conflict by showing how much Cally has changed.

c. It creates a mystery by revealing that Cally is pretending to be someone else.

d. It shows the turning point by revealing when Hettie gives up on the friendship.

b: It establishes the conflict by showing how much Cally has changed.

200

This Strange Wilderness: The Life and Art of John James Audubon

"There were only seventeen states in the Union then, so most of the country was to Americans a mysterious wilderness. Every year explorers set out to chart distant rivers and mountains." (paragraph 6)

What does the word chart mean as it is used in paragraph 6?

a. map out unknown areas

b. travel over familiar routes

c. discover new animal species

d. search for nearby settlements

a: map out unknown areas

200

This Strange Wilderness: The Life and Art of John James Audubon

Part B

Which detail supports the answer "by describing what he thought of other artists' work"?

a. "High up in a cypress tree, there was a flash of color as a great blue heron smoothed her feathers and settled back on a mossy branch." (paragraph 1)

b. "Ever since he was a boy, he had been curious about birds and often skipped school to sketch them in the countryside near his home." (paragraph 3)

c. "But most of their work seemed stiff and unnatural to Audubon, as if the birds were sitting for their portraits." (paragraph 3)

d. "He loved to wake up before the sun... and head out into the singing forest." (paragraph 6)

c: "But most of their work seemed stiff and unnatural to Audubon, as if the birds were sitting for their portraits." (paragraph 3)

200

How do the authors of Passages 1 and 2 develop their purpose in similar ways?

a. They both analyze John D. Rockefeller in terms of his success.

b. They each discuss John D. Rockefeller's impact on the oil industry.

c. They each present an insider's view of the oil industry of the 1800s.

d. They both try to persuade readers that muckraking journalism was effective.

b: They each discuss John D. Rockefeller's impact on the oil industry.

300

BONUS: Summarize "Lob's Girl" by Joan Aiken.

A girl named Sandy and a dog named Lob formed a strong friendship that helped them get through a tragic event. Throughout the story, Sandy and Lob developed an intense friendship that turned into an inseparable bond.

300

How do California Lee and Me and Summer Shift develop the topic of friendship?

a. Both passages describe ways in which people try to save important childhood friendships.

b. Both passages highlight happy memories formed among friends to show the importance of friendships.

c. Passage 1 shows what happens when a friendship is lost, while Passage 2 focuses on the fear of losing friendships.

d. Passage 1 focuses on the similarities between friends, while Passage 2 shows how friends can often be different from each other.

c: Passage 1 shows what happens when a friendship is lost, while Passage 2 focuses on the fear of losing friendships.

300

This Strange Wilderness: The Life and Art of John James Audubon

"It is a magnificent collection of pictures of almost five hundred species -- some of them discovered by Audubon himself -- and when it was published, the world knew him as one of the greatest bird artists who had ever lived." (paragraph 4)

What does the word magnificent suggest about The Birds of America?

a. It is unique.

b. It is famous.

c. It is popular.

d. It is impressive.

d: It is impressive.

300

This Strange Wilderness: The Life and Art of John James Audubon

Part A

Which claim does the author make about The Birds of America?

a. It showed that Audubon was concerned about preserving natural habitats.

b. It illustrated the vast number of animals that remained undiscovered.

c. It changed the way artists painted natural settings.

d. It established Audubon as an expert in his field.

d: It established Audubon as an expert in his field.

300

Based on information in both passages, how did John D. Rockefeller's view of Standard Oil's monopoly (Passage 1) differ from Ida Tarbell's (Passage 2)?

a. Rockefeller thought his oil monopoly should be permanent, while Tarbell thought it should only be temporary.

b. Rockefeller thought all companies should become monopolies, while Tarbell thought only honest companies should.

c. Rockefeller thought the railroads should be purchased by the oil industry, while Tarbell thought they should remain independent.

d. Rockefeller thought a monopoly made an unstable industry better, while Tarbell thought the monopoly was unfair to small businesses.

d: Rockefeller thought a monopoly made an unstable industry better, while Tarbell thought the monopoly was unfair to small businesses.

400

Select 3 details that should be in a summary of Bully for Yosemite!

a. John Muir had lived in Yosemite for thirty years, working as a wilderness guide and living off the land." (paragraph 2)

b. "Muir quickly agreed to guide Roosevelt." (paragraph 9)

c. "Ignoring the chaos around them, the two men rode on horseback the twenty miles to Yosemite Valley..." (paragraph 10)

d. "Beneath a canopy of ancient sequoias, the two men chatted nonstop." (paragraph 10)

e. "The sunlight glittered on rocks and cliffs." (paragraph 17)

f. "'The sequoias deserve protection,' he said, 'simply because it would be a shame to let them disappear.'" (paragraph 19)

a, b, f

a. John Muir had lived in Yosemite for thirty years, working as a wilderness guide and living off the land." (paragraph 2)

b. "Muir quickly agreed to guide Roosevelt." (paragraph 9)

f. "'The sequoias deserve protection,' he said, 'simply because it would be a shame to let them disappear.'" (paragraph 19)

400

Bully for Yosemite and In Yosemite with John Muir

"'The valley was, Muir wrote, 'the grandest of all nature's temples.'" (paragraph 6)

"The majestic trunks, beautiful in color and in symmetry, rose round us like the pillars of a mightier cathedral than ever was conceived." (paragraph 21)

What does the figurative language in these sentences suggest about how both Muir and Roosevelt viewed Yosemite?

a. They both viewed Yosemite as the largest national park in the country.

b. They both viewed Yosemite as the perfect place for a national monument.

c. They both viewed Yosemite as a place worthy of respect and admiration.

d. They both viewed Yosemite as an interesting forest in which to experience nature.

c: They both viewed Yosemite as a place worthy of respect and admiration.

400

Bully for Yosemite!

"That day Yosemite did its best to dazzle the President." (paragraph 17)

What does the phrase "did its best to dazzle" suggest about Yosemite?

a. The specific area of Yosemite was clear and full of light.

b. Yosemite had been decorated for President Roosevelt's visit.

c. The landscape of Yosemite appeared to shimmer when the sun rose.

d. Yosemite seemed especially beautiful when President Roosevelt visited.

d: Yosemite seemed especially beautiful when President Roosevelt visited.

400

This Strange Wilderness: The Life and Art of John James Audubon

Part B

What evidence does the author give to support the claim "It established Audubon as an expert in his field."?

a. "...and when it was published, the world knew him as one of the greatest bird artists who had ever lived." (paragraph 4)

b. "A mockingbird defends its eggs from a rattlesnake, a bald eagle clutches a catfish in its claw..." (paragraph 5)

c. "His quest took him all over the North American continent from the Florida Keys to the stormy coast of Labrador and from the New Jersey shore to ... the Dakotas." (paragraph 6)

d. "Almost every day he wrote letters and detailed field notes, which he later turned into bird 'biographies' and lively tales of the frontier." (paragraph 6)

a: "...and when it was published, the world knew him as one of the greatest bird artists who had ever lived." (paragraph 4)

400

Read this paragraph from Passage 2.

10     Tarbell was surprised at the backlash caused by her articles. She said, "I was willing that [Standard Oil] should combine and grow as big and wealthy as [it] could but only by legitimate means. But [the company] had never played fair, and that ruined [its] greatness for me." She called for the American people to take a stand against greed and dishonesty.

Which two meanings does legitimate have in this paragraph?

a. cheap

b. honest

c. lawful

d. powerful

e. stable

b and c: honest and lawful

500

California Lee and Me

Select 3 statements that should be included in a summary of this story:

a. Hettie attends a birthday party for her famous best friend.

b. Hettie edits her video instead of working on her homework.

c. Hettie discovers an exciting contest being held by her famous friend.

d. Hettie has a best friend who moves away and builds a life without her.

e. Hettie takes steps to remind her best friend of the memories they share.

f. Hettie unpacks her bags and is surprised by a magazine her mom left for her.

c, d, and e:

c. Hettie discovers an exciting contest being held by her famous friend.

d. Hettie has a best friend who moves away and builds a life without her.

e. Hettie takes steps to remind her best friend of the memories they share.

500

How do paragraphs 12-17 of California Lee and Me help develop the plot?

a. They reveal the resolution by showing how Hettie deals with Cally's moving away.

b. They include the climax by building suspense about who will win the magazine contest.

c. They contribute to the exposition by establishing the main characters and setting in the story.

d. They contribute to the rising action by describing what the friendship between Hettie and Cally used to be like.

d: They contribute to the rising action by describing what the friendship between Hettie and Cally used to be like.

500

Bully for Yosemite!

18     Muir and Yosemite did their work well. Just days after his camping trip, Roosevelt gave a passionate speech urging forest preservation.

19     "The sequoias deserve protection," he said, "simply because it would be a shame to let them disappear. We are not building this country of ours for a day. It is to last through the ages."

What does the word passionate mean as it is used in the paragraph?

a. heartfelt

b. hopeful

c. lengthy

d. sudden

a: heartfelt

500

Part A: How is John Muir introduced in Bully for Yosemite!?

a. as someone who wanted to meet the President

b. as an expert working and living in Yosemite

c. as someone who was mainly interested in birds

d. as someone who protected public land from the government


Part B: Which detail from In Yosemite with John Muir helps show Muir's abilities?

a. "When I first visited California, it was my good fortune to see the 'big trees,' the Sequoias, and then to travel down into the Yosemite, with John Muir." (paragraph 20)

b. "Of course of all people in the world he was the one with whom it was best worthwhile thus to see the Yosemite." (paragraph 20)

c. "I was interested and a little surprised to find that, unlike John Burroughs, John Muir cared little for birds or bird songs, and knew little about them." (paragraph 22)

d. "I shall always be glad that I was in the Yosemite with John Muir and in the Yellowstone with John Burroughs." (paragraph 22)

Part A: b - as an expert working and living in Yosemite

Part B: b - "Of course of all people in the world he was the one with whom it was best worthwhile thus to see the Yosemite." (paragraph 20)

500

In Passage 2, which details does the author use to explain why Ida Tarbell became a "muckraking" reporter? Select two answers.

a. Tarbell wanted to become a famous reporter.

b. Tarbell had a personal connection to the oil industry.

c. Tarbell had formerly worked for John D. Rockefeller.

d. Tarbell wanted to find out the truth about Standard Oil.

e. Tarbell supported Standard Oil before turning against it.

b and d

b: Tarbell had a personal connection to the oil industry.

d: Tarbell wanted to find out the truth about Standard Oil.

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