Inference
Reading Skills
Text Evidence
Structure
Word Meaning
100

The dialogue in the passage leads the reader to believe that the narrator-

A   fell into the pit while looking at the 

      cylinder 

B    is trying to get to the front of the crowd 

C   knows the people investigating the 

      cylinder  

D   was going to help protect the cylinder 

 knows the people investigating the cylinder  

100

What insight does the point of view provide? 

A  the Martians’ actions 

B   the narrator’s feelings 

C  the narrator’s behaviors 

D  the crowd’s fears 

the narrator’s feelings

100

Which sentence best explains the narrator’s interest in the Martians?

A “Even at this first encounter, this first glimpse, I was overcome with disgust and dread.” (par. 16) 

B  “I turned and, running madly, made for the first group of trees, perhaps a hundred yards away; but I ran slantingly and stumbling, for I could not avert my face from these things.” (par. 16) 

C “The common round the sand-pits was dotted with people, standing like myself in a half-fascinated terror, staring at these creatures, or rather at the   heaped gravel at the edge of the pit in which they lay.” (par. 17) 

B  “I turned and, running madly, made for the first group of trees, perhaps a hundred yards away; but I ran slantingly and stumbling, for I could not avert my face from these things.” (par. 16)

100

Why does the author include paragraph 16?

A  to describe what the Martians look like 

B   to share the narrator’s experience 

C  to explain why the narrator ran and hid

D  to suggest that the Martians are 

    attacking 

A  to describe what the Martians look like

100

In paragraph 13, what does the word “ungovernable” mean?

A  someone in charge of you

B   to feel a sense of fear 

C  something that will happen

D  impossible to control 

D  impossible to control

200

Read the sentence from paragraph 16.

Those who have never seen a living Martian can scarcely imagine the strange horror of its appearance.

Based on the sentence, what inference can be made?

A  The narrator believes others have seen 

     Martians.

B  All aliens have a scary appearance. 

C  The mysterious cylinder came from Mars.

D  The Martians will kill everyone. 

The mysterious cylinder came from Mars.

200

Part A: Which word best describes the narrator’s attitude toward the Martians?

A   Critical                     C   Shocked 

B    Repulsed                 D   Judgmental 

Part B: Which detail from the passage supports the answer in Part A?

A Then something resembling a little grey snake       B  wriggled in the air towards me                 

C Two large dark-colored eyes were regarding me

D I was overcome with disgust and dread

 Repulsed     

I was overcome with disgust and dread

200

Which sentence from paragraphs 16 through 17 suggests that the Martians are dangerous?     

A “There was something fungoid in the oily brown 

   skin, something in the clumsy deliberation of the 

   tedious movements unspeakably nasty.”

B  “I heard it give a peculiar thick cry, and forthwith 

   another of these creatures appeared darkly in 

   the deep shadow of the aperture.”

C “Suddenly he vanished, and I could have 

    fancied a faint shriek had reached me.”

C “Suddenly he vanished, and I could have 

    fancied a faint shriek had reached me.”

200

Which phrase best describes the shift in tone from the beginning to the end of the excerpt?

A  From unsure to knowing 

B   From curious to repulsed  

C  From interest to terror   

D  From excited to scared 

C  From interest to terror  

200

Which word or phrase from paragraph 11 provides context that supports the meaning of the word “blundered”? 

A  Somebody

B  against me

C  narrowly missed 

D  being pitched 

B  against me

300

What do the descriptions of the Martians imply?

A   They will be dangerous. 

B    They come in peace. 

C   They are different than others. 

D   They do not look attractive. 

 They will be dangerous.

300

Part A: What is the central idea of the story? 

A  Inside the cylinder are two unknown and ugly creatures. 

B   Too many people crowd around the pit containing a cylinder. 

C  The crowd around the cylinder finally learn what is inside. 

D   The mysterious cylinder opens containing terrifying Martians.

Part B: How does the author develop the central idea? 

A   by explaining the events 

B   by describing the Martians 

C   by comparing the reactions 

D   by building suspense 


The mysterious cylinder opens containing terrifying Martians.

 by explaining the events

300

Which sentence from the passage states the narrator’s main problem? 

A  “I half turned, keeping my eyes fixed upon the  cylinder still, from which other tentacles were now projecting, and began pushing my way back from the edge of the pit.” (par. 13)

B  “I found myself alone, and saw the people on the other side of the pit running off, Stent among them.”  (par. 13) 

C “A big greyish rounded bulk, the size, perhaps, of a bear, was rising slowly and painfully out of the  cylinder.” (par. 14)

A  “I half turned, keeping my eyes fixed upon the cylinder still, from which other tentacles were now projecting, and began pushing my way back from the edge of the pit.” (par. 13)

300

Daily Double

"How does this section of the text contribute to the overall central idea" is a fancy way of asking...

What the section is about

300

In paragraph 13, why does the author use the word “inarticulate” to describe the crowd? 

A  It shows how distressed everyone is 

     feeling. 

B   It explains why the narrator is so 

     confused. 

C  It describes what the crowd is seeing. 

D  It emphasizes the feeling of 

    the narrator. 

A  It shows how distressed everyone is 

     feeling. 

400

What do the actions of the people standing around the pit represent? 

A   You are safe if you give some space. 

B    People will always watch aliens. 

C   The inability to move when scared. 

D   A desire to watch something terrible.

 A desire to watch something terrible.

400

Daily Double

Name at least three things that can be used to help find the central idea of a story.

setting

plot events

repeated ideas

characterization

structure

400

Which detail explains why the Martians are slow-moving? 

A “the tumultuous breathing of the lungs in a strange atmosphere, the evident heaviness and painfulness of movement due to the greater gravitational energy of the earth—above all, B the extraordinary intensity of the immense eyes—were at once vital, intense, inhuman, crippled and monstrous. C There was something fungoid in the oily brown skin, something in the clumsy deliberation of the tedious movements unspeakably nasty. D Even at this first encounter, this first glimpse, I was overcome with disgust and dread.” (par. 16)

A “the tumultuous breathing of the lungs in a strange atmosphere, the evident heaviness and painfulness of movement due to the greater gravitational energy of the earth—above all

400

What is the primary purpose of the excerpt?  

A  to explain what happened when the 

     cylinder opened 

B   to provide a detailed description of the 

     Martians 

C  to show how people reacted to the 

     Martians 

D  to convince the reader the Martians are 

    dangerous 

B   to provide a detailed description of the 

     Martians 

400

Part A: Based on the word “tumultuous” in paragraph 16, in what way is the author presenting the Martians? 

A  as dominant                 C  as struggling 

B  as intimidating             D   as tentative 

Part B: Which phrase from paragraph 16 provides a clue to the meaning of tumultuous”?

A “breathing of the lungs”         

B “in a strange atmosphere”

C “evident heaviness”

D “intensity of the immense eyes"

 C  as struggling

B “in a strange atmosphere” 

500

Daily Double

What two things do you use when making an inference?

Clues/evidence + you/your knowledge

500

How does Paragraph 12 influence the plot? 

A  identifies the turning point that leads to 

     uncovering what was inside the cylinder 

B   provides an unexpected ending to the 

     story 

C  signifies the point at which the narrator 

     changes his mind 

D   presents a possible answer to the 

     characters’ questions

 identifies the turning point that leads to 

     uncovering what was inside the cylinder 

500

Daily Double

Evidence taken directly from the text should always have quotation marks and a ______________.

citation

500

Read the sentence from paragraph 16.

It had toppled over the brim of the cylinder and fallen into the pit, with a thud like the fall of a great mass of leather.

Why does the author use a simile?

A  to contrast the Martians and humans 

B  to show the Martians outward appearance

C  to convey the difficult movement of the 

     Martians 

D  to explain the mystery around 

    the Martians

C  to convey the difficult movement of the 

     Martians 

500

I will get a _____  on the FSA

5

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