Textual Evidence
Theme/Summary
Comparing Texts
Writing/Inquiry
Features and Structures
100
Tim looked out the window. The house looked so lonely. Tim's father put the last suitcase in the trunk and started up the car. Thor, his dog, put his head on Tim's lap, like he understood how Tim was feeling. "It's okay Thor," he said, "Dad says we will like California." What is Tim doing?
A. Tim is moving to California with his family
B. Tim is sad his dog does not have a home anymore
C. Tim is taking a road trip to see people he doesn't know and is scared
D. Tim is taking Thor to live with his grandma for awhile
A. Tim is moving to California with his family
100
Excerpt from Afternoon on a Hill
Edna St. Vincent Millay
I will be the gladdest thing
Under the sun!
I will touch a hundred flowers
And not pick one.
I will look at cliffs and clouds
With quiet eyes,
Watch the wind bow down the grass,
And the grass rise.
And when lights begin to show
Up from the town,
I will mark which must be mine,
And then start down!
|
| A) | Be happy and enjoy the natural world. | ||
| B) | It is very important to protect the environment. | ||
| C) | Being a great writer means loving being in nature. | ||
| D) | Women tend to enjoy the natural world more than men. |
A. Be happy and enjoy the natural world. |
100
Excerpt from The Junior Representative
Mary McCormick
3First, all of the kids gathered in a large room made to look like the House floor. There, Jamal and the other winners said the Pledge of Allegiance and learned about the history of the Pledge. Several speakers went to the front of the room and made announcements. Then all of the kids watched and listened as the speakers debated. Some kids, who thought the day would be less educational, said the debate was monotonous. Jamal, however, enjoyed this exchange of words mostly because one day he wanted to be a great debater. To him, this was one of the best moments of the day.
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A) | Jamal's account of his own experience would MOST LIKELY be in first person. |
100
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100
Excerpt from Seaplanes  2 Flying boats have a fuselage, or body, that looks and acts like a ship’s hull. This hull enables them to float on water very easily. Two small floats underneath its wings keep the flying boat stable in rough water. These seaplanes are usually larger and more stable on water than floatplanes are. A floatplane is a seaplane that has two long floats, called pontoons, under the fuselage. This is the only part of the plane that touches the water. Unlike flying boats, floatplanes often come in a wide variety of sizes. An amphibious vehicle can be either a flying boat or a floatplane with wheels. This allows the aircraft to land on both land and water.
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| A) | to explain how seaplanes are used | ||
| B) | to encourage people to use seaplanes | ||
| C) | to list all of the types of seaplanes | ||
| D) | to describe the different types of seaplanes |
D) | to describe the different types of seaplanes |
200
Excerpt from The Shepherd’s Lute: A Chinese Folktale
Natalie Stewart
3Miserable and brokenhearted, Jiang hung his head as he walked through the forest. Good fortune soon came to him, however, when he bumped into a compassionate old man who felt sorry for Jiang’s loss.
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| A) | greedy and grasping | ||
| B) | kind and neighborly | ||
| C) | dangerous and hateful | ||
| D) | understanding and helpful |
D) | understanding and helpful |
200
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C) | The tournament is a fun way to spend time with friends while helping a worthy cause. |
200
My design leads me to speak of forms changed into new bodies. Ye Gods, (for you it was who changed them,) favor my attempts, and bring down the lengthened narrative from the very beginning of the world, even to my own times. [Ovid, Metamorphoses]
One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible insect. He lay on his armour-like back, and if he lifted his head a little he could see his brown belly, slightly domed and divided by arches into stiff sections. [Kafka, Metamorphosis]
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| A) | Ovid seems to fear and despise transformation. | ||
| B) | Kafka is less descriptive than Ovid. | ||
| C) | Ovid's says the gods caused the transformations he will describe. | ||
| D) | Kafka blames the gods for Samsa's transformation. |
C) | Ovid's says the gods caused the transformations he will describe. |
200
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| A) | its | ||
| B) | the | ||
| C) | their | ||
| D) | they're |
C) | their |
200
Excerpt from Thermometer Pills
|
| A) | It addresses the tragedy of heatstroke, then introduces the passage topic. | ||
| B) | It addresses the history of thermometer pills, then presents its benefits. | ||
| C) | It addresses the symptoms of heatstroke, then introduces the history of the passage topic. | ||
| D) | It addresses the various dangers faced by young athletes, then presents the advantages of the thermometer pill. |
A) | It addresses the tragedy of heatstroke, then introduces the passage topic. |
300
|
| A) | encouragement | ||
| B) | indifference | ||
| C) | laughter | ||
| D) | scolding |
 | D) | scolding |
300
Excerpt from Planet Earth
Kathy Hufford
Earth, our home planet, is the third planet from the sun. It is the fifth largest planet in our solar system. It is the only planet we know of where life exists. Earth has hundreds of names in many languages. It has one moon.
In some ways, Earth is similar to Mercury, Venus and Mars. They are all hard, rocky planets. All four have meteor impact craters. Like Mars and Venus, Earth has volcanoes, mountains and valleys.
But Earth is different in very important ways. Most of our planet is covered with water. The air is made of nitrogen, oxygen and a little carbon dioxide, which makes it just right for us to breathe. Earth is home to people, plants and animals because it has both water and the right kind of atmosphere.
Earth's Moon is the brightest and most familiar object in the night sky. In many ways, the Moon is responsible for making Earth such a great home. It stabilizes our planet's wobble. Since the Moon stabilizes Earth's wobble the weather is nicer.
|
| A) | Like Mars and Venus, Earth has volcanoes, mountains and valleys. | ||
| B) | Earth's Moon is the brightest and most familiar object in the night sky. | ||
| C) | In some ways, Earth is similar to other rocky planets. | ||
| D) | Earth is quite similar to other planets, but different in that it alone supports life. |
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300
La Belle Dame sans Merci
By John Keats
'O WHAT can ail thee, knight-at-arms,
Alone and palely loitering?
The sedge is wither'd from the lake,
And no birds sing.
'O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,
So haggard and so woe-begone?
The squirrel's granary is full,
And the harvest 's done.
'I see a lily on thy brow
With anguish moist and fever dew;
And on thy cheeks a fading rose
Fast withereth too.'
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| A) | epic. | ||
| B) | ballad. | ||
| C) | sonnet. | ||
| D) | free verse. |
B) | ballad. |
300
|
| A) | The moon which often shines too brightly in my window is full tonight. | ||
| B) | My new textbook which costs over thirty dollars is the best one I've ever read. | ||
| C) | Mr. Smith, who is a well-respected lawyer, has just retired from active practice. | ||
| D) | The play by Velma Winterbaker, that was published last year, ended up winning the Pulitzer Prize. |
C) | Mr. Smith, who is a well-respected lawyer, has just retired from active practice. |
300
Anna is having fun at a writing camp this summer. She decides that she will write a story called "A Bucket Full of Sea Shells." The story will be about a mermaid that collects sea shells that wash ashore on an island.
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| A) | To inform | ||
| B) | To explain | ||
| C) | To persuade | ||
| D) | To entertain |
| D) | To entertain |
400
Excerpt from Acquiring a Driver's License in Alabama
Tracy Wilson
2 The questions on the test are multiple choice and are derived from the state driver’s manual. You should read the manual thoroughly before attempting the written test. The questions that appear at the end of each section in the manual are similar to those on the test. You will be asked specific questions concerning traffic laws, road signs, traffic signals, and road markings. Please be advised that if you are seeking an endorsement for classifications other than passenger cars and trucks, you will be required to take a supplemental test for each classification. This includes licenses to operate motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, motor homes, or boats. A score of 75% must be achieved on the written test before applicants will be eligible to attempt the road test.
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| A) | If you do not read the state driver's manual thoroughly, you will not pass the written test. | ||
| B) | An applicant who scores a 70% on the written test will not be eligible to take the road test. | ||
| C) | An applicant who scores 75% on the written exam and 70% on the road test will be issued a drivers license. | ||
| D) | An applicant will be allowed to attempt the road test if the license plates, registration, and insurance on his/her personal vehicle are current. |
B. An applicant who scores a 70% on the written test will not be eligible to take the road test. |
400
Excerpt from So You Want to be a Teacher?
Dennis Tyler
III. The Pros of Teaching:
A. There’s More to Life Than Your Salary:
While it is true that the pay is (and stays) relatively low, teachers usually don’t starve. Being a teacher means having a modest and humble lifestyle, but not being impoverished. If nothing else, the pay is reliable; no one budgets better than teachers who get paid the same amount once a month and have to make that paycheck last right up to the next one. Besides, there are many other (non-monetary) compensations for the low pay.
|
| A) | Being a teacher means that you get to have a lot of days where you don’t have to work. | ||
| B) | If you become a teacher, you will always have the teacher’s union and friends standing behind you in times of trouble. | ||
| C) | Teaching can be a very personally fulfilling job—even if you don’t make a lot of money, you can still get a lot of job satisfaction out of it. | ||
| D) | Being a teacher means having many benefits: personal job fulfillment, a strong union, supportive friends and colleagues, and many holidays and breaks off during the school year. |
C)Teaching can be a very personally fulfilling job—even if you don’t make a lot of money, you can still get a lot of job satisfaction out of it.
400
The Wolf and the Crane
1Long ago, a wolf was eating meat when a bone became stuck in his throat. He cried out in pain. A crane standing nearby heard his cries. She offered to help the wolf, who promised her a large reward if she would put her head into his mouth and remove the bone. The crane accepted his offer. She reached her long, thin beak into the wolf’s mouth and gently pulled out the bone. Then she asked, “Will you kindly give me the reward you promised?”
2The wolf showed his teeth and growled at the crane. “I have already given you a reward,” he said. “I let you put your head in my mouth and did not eat you. Now go away before I change my mind.”
3The crane flew away and promised herself that she would never again help a wolf in pain.
4Never trust the wicked.
Annika and the Hamster
5 On Monday morning, Annika could not wait to go to school. It was her week to take care of the classroom hamster, Squirmy. When Annika arrived at school, she first refilled Squirmy's water bottle. Next, she emptied the old food from Squirmy's bowl. But when Annika reached for the box of hamster food, she realized that the shelf was too high.
6Peter saw Annika standing on her toes and offered to help. But Annika didn't want help. She wanted to take care of Squirmy by herself. Peter reached the box of hamster food easily and gave it to Annika. Annika’s face turned red. She grabbed it and didn't even thank Peter. When Annika finished feeding Squirmy, she left the box of food on Squirmy's table, so she would be able to reach it the next day.
7On Tuesday, Annika once again refilled Squirmy's water bottle and emptied his food dish. But when Annika looked for the hamster food, she saw someone had put it back on the shelf. Once again, Annika tried to reach the shelf. Once again, Peter offered assistance. "Please let me get it for you, Annika," he said. "I'd really like to help. Don’t get mad at me."
8Annika realized that Peter was trying to be kind. "Thank you, Peter," Annika said. "I guess we can take care of Squirmy together."
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| A) | Both stories are about the danger of making enemies. | ||
| B) | Both stories teach the lesson of not trusting the wicked. | ||
| C) | The wolf in one story acts the same as Peter in the other story. | ||
| D) | Both stories contain characters learning to thank others or be grateful. |
D)Both stories contain characters learning to thank others or be grateful.
400
Choose TWO sentences in which a comma should be added.
A. Even though the coach advised against it the player tried to steal second base.
B. The flight will depart as scheduled unless the plane has mechanical issues.
C. Monty has been studying for his science test since he returned home from school.
D. In case Gwen decides to come I made the cake's icing without any dairy.
E. The results were inconclusive because the experiment had problems in its design.
A) | Even though the coach advised, against it the player tried to steal second base |
D) In case Gwen decides to come, I made the cake's icing without any dairy.
400
Excerpt from Book of Etiquette
Lillian Eichler
Various foods are eaten with the fingers instead of fork or spoon. Bread, for instance, is never cut but always broken into small pieces and lifted to the mouth with the fingers. Butter is seldom provided at the formal dinner, but if it is, each little piece of bread is buttered individually just before it is eaten. Crackers and cake are eaten in the same way; although some cakes and pastries are eaten with the fork. Those that can be eaten daintily with the fingers such as macaroons, lady-fingers, cookies, etc., should be eaten so while layer cake and elaborate pastries should be eaten with the fork.
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| A) | to inform | ||
| B) | to persuade | ||
| C) | to frighten | ||
| D) | to entertain |
| A) | to inform |
500
Excerpt from Preventing Backovers in America's Driveways
National Highway Transportation Safety Administration
5 In the case of a backover incident, the blind spot is the place behind your vehicle that you cannot see in the rear or side view mirrors — or even by craning your neck out the driver’s side window. Generally speaking, the larger the vehicle, the larger the blind spot.
6 Blind spots for shorter drivers tend to be significantly larger as well. In addition, the elevation of the driver’s seat, the shape of a vehicle’s windows and mirrors, and the slope of a driveway can affect the size of the blind spot behind a vehicle. In addition, the smaller stature of children can make them particularly difficult for a driver to see when backing up.
|
| A) | midsize sedan and an elderly woman | ||
| B) | compact car and two-year old toddler | ||
| C) | full size truck and a thirty-year-old man | ||
| D) | sport-utility vehicle and two-year-old toddler |
| D) | sport-utility vehicle and two-year-old toddler |
500
Excerpt from Getting in Synch
Mira D’Angelo
6 Evelyn and Camilla’s coach agreed to a temporary partnership that would allow Camilla to train with Briony in Texas for the summer. The two girls rehearsed their first dive, a one-and-a-half pike, individually for weeks before attempting a coordinated dive. Evelyn watched from the stands, noticing only minor problems here and there. Camilla hinged forward a little too much before entering the water, creating a larger splash. Evelyn worked with her on body position to eliminate the problem. Briony was too aggressive on her jumps, so Evelyn asked her to pull back.
|
| A) | Briony and Camilla worked well together from the start. | ||
| B) | Briony and Camilla had to learn a completely new way to dive. | ||
| C) | Briony and Camilla had to work on the dive alone before diving together. | ||
| D) | Briony and Camilla argued with each other from the start of their practice. |
C) | Briony and Camilla had to work on the dive alone before diving together. |
500
The Wolf and the Crane
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| C) | Annika and the wolf |
500
|
| A) | Also | ||
| B) | Likewise | ||
| C) | Furthermore | ||
| D) | On the other hand |
| B) | Likewise |
500
Excerpt from Clashing Opinions at Controversial Commissioners Meeting
Kyle Ellington
While much of the public rallied against the construction of the strip mall, some citizens welcomed its development...
Another citizen who supports the new strip mall is Jerome Washington. Washington gave an impassioned plea to commissioners to allow the development of the commercial facility. Washington spoke about his failing delicatessen business located a few blocks from the proposed building site. Washington, who gave the most convincing speech of the night, eloquently stated that the new development would bolster business. He claimed that the strip mall would increase foot traffic in the area, which would help his shop and other ailing establishments.
Which of the following is the BEST summary of Jerome's argument?
A) Jerome's failing delicatessen business is located a few blocks from the proposed building site.
B) The proposed strip mall would increase foot traffic in the area, which would help his shop and other ailing establishments.
C) The new development would bolster business.
D) While much of the public rallied against the construction of the strip mall, some citizens welcomed its development
| B) | The proposed strip mall would increase foot traffic in the area, which would help his shop and other ailing establishments. |