Comprehension
From Brown Girl Dreaming
In the poem, Jacqueline writes, “I am the other Woodson, following behind her each year into the same classroom she had the year before.”
What does this sentence suggest about Jacqueline’s feelings?
Answer choices
a. She feels proud to be like her sister.
b. She feels outdid by her sister’s success.
c. She enjoys being compared to her sister.
d. She wants to be a teacher like her sister.
b. She feels outdid by her sister’s success.
Explanation: The sentence shows Jacqueline’s experience of being compared to her sister, which makes her feel like she is not seen for her own talents but as “the other Woodson.”
Selfie: The Changing Face of Self-Portraits
What does the word “span” mean in the sentence:
“Rembrandt was the biggest selfie maker of his time, creating nearly 100 self-portraits that spanned 40 years of his life”?
Answer choices
a. To cover a long period of time
b. To stretch wide open
c. To get older quickly
d. To paint many pictures
a. To cover a long period of time
Explanation: “Spanned” means to extend across a length of time, showing Rembrandt’s self-portraits were made over 40 years.
From Brown Girl Dreaming
In “writing #1,” the author says, “Words from the books curl around each other make little sense until I read them again and again.”
What does this line reveal about the speaker’s experience with reading?
Answer choices
a. Reading is confusing and frustrating.
b. Reading helps her understand and remember stories.
c. She does not like reading at all.
d. She reads faster than others.
b. Reading helps her understand and remember stories.
Explanation: The line about reading words again and again shows that repetition helps Jacqueline make sense of the stories and remember them deeply.
What’s So Funny, Mr. Scieszka?
What is the author’s main purpose in writing “What’s So Funny, Mr. Scieszka?”
Answer choices
a. To tell jokes to the reader
b. To explain a funny moment that changed his life
c. To describe his religion class rules
d. To criticize his teacher
b. To explain a funny moment that changed his life
Explanation: The story focuses on a humorous event in the author’s religion class that had a big impact on him, showing his choice to tell a joke despite possible consequences
Spell Commonly Confused Words
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence:
The dog lost ___ collar at the park.
a) it’s
b) its
c) their
d) there
b) its
Explanation: “Its” is the correct possessive pronoun showing something belongs to the dog (the collar). “It’s” means “it is” or “it has,” which does not fit here.
From Brown Girl Dreaming
Why does Jacqueline describe her visits to the library as important in “Brown Girl Dreaming”?
Answer choices (Choose two)
a. It helped her find books with characters like herself.
b. It was a quiet place to do homework.
c. It allowed her to choose books without pressure.
d. It was where she met her best friends.
a. It helped her find books with characters like herself.
c. It allowed her to choose books without pressure.
Explanation: Jacqueline’s visits to the library gave her access to books featuring people who looked like her and a safe space to pick books she enjoyed without being judged.
Selfie: The Changing Face of Self-Portraits
What does the word “haughty” mean in this sentence:
“Dürer looks haughty and confident, with a stiff but elegant pose”?
Answer choices
a. Proud and a little rude
b. Friendly and welcoming
c. Sad and tired
d. Shy and quiet
a. Proud and a little rude
Explanation: “Haughty” means arrogantly proud, which describes Dürer’s confident and somewhat proud expression in the portrait.
From Brown Girl Dreaming
Which of the following is an example of figurative language from “Brown Girl Dreaming”?
Answer choices
a. “The story wakes up and walks all over the room.”
b. “I walk down the aisle from my seat in the back.”
c. “Each letter, neatly printed between the pale blue lines.”
d. “No one complains that all I want are picture books.”
a. “The story wakes up and walks all over the room.”
Explanation: This is figurative language (personification) because it gives the story human qualities, making it come alive in the poem.
What’s So Funny, Mr. Scieszka?
What point of view is used in this story?
Answer choices
a. First person (I)
b. Second person (you)
c. Third person (he/she)
d. Omniscient narrator
a. First person (I)
Explanation: The story is told from the author’s perspective using “I,” which is first person point of view.
Spell Commonly Confused Words
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence:
___ going to the concert tonight with their friends.
a) There
b) Their
c) They’re
d) Its
c) They’re
Explanation: “They’re” is the contraction for “they are,” which fits the sentence meaning. “There” is a place, and “their” shows possession, so they are incorrect here.
Selfie: The Changing Face of Self-Portraits
Why did Albrecht Dürer wear expensive and fancy clothes in his self-portrait?
Answer choices
a. To show he was rich and important
b. To attract attention with bright colors
c. To look like a famous actor
d. To hide his true personality
a. To show he was rich and important
Explanation: Dürer’s fancy clothes in the portrait were a way to show his high social status and wealth.
What’s So Funny, Mr. Scieszka?
What does the word “history” mean in this sentence:
“Nobody in the history of St. Luke’s Elementary School has ever chosen to ‘share it with the rest of the class.’”
Answer choices
a. A record of events over time
b. A funny story told in class
c. People who live in the town
d. An important choice to make
a. A record of events over time
Explanation: “History” means the chronological record of events, and here it refers to all the events that have happened at the school.
(Brown Girl Dreaming)
What tone does the poem convey when the author describes struggling to write?
a) Frustrated but hopeful
b) Sad and hopeless
c) Angry and rebellious
d) Bored and disinterested
a) Frustrated but hopeful
Explanation: The author shows frustration in struggling to write but continues trying, which shows hope and determination.
(Selfie: The Changing Face of Self-Portraits)
From which point of view is Selfie: The Changing Face of Self-Portraits written?
a) First person
b) Second person
c) Third person
d) Omniscient narrator
c) Third person
Explanation: Selfie is written in third person, providing facts and descriptions about artists and selfies without using “I” or “you.”
Pronoun
Choose the correct personal pronoun to complete the sentence:
Each student must bring ___ own lunch to the field trip.
a) their
b) his or her
c) its
d) him
b) his or her
Explanation: Because “each student” is singular, the pronoun must be singular: “his or her.” “Their” is plural and does not agree with the singular subject.
(Brown Girl Dreaming)
What is the author’s main purpose in Brown Girl Dreaming?
a) To entertain readers with poems
b) To share her personal experiences growing up
c) To teach readers about poetry forms
d) To persuade readers to write stories
b) To share her personal experiences growing up
Explanation: Brown Girl Dreaming is a memoir in verse where Jacqueline Woodson shares her childhood memories and experiences, making this her main purpose.
In the sentence, “After a hard week, Meghan was feeling self-indulgent and ate a lot of pie,”
What does “self-indulgent” most likely mean?
a) Caring about others’ feelings
b) Being strict with oneself
c) Allowing oneself to enjoy too much
d) Feeling tired and weak
Allowing oneself to enjoy too much.
Explanation: “Self-indulgent” means giving in to one’s desires excessively, such as eating a lot of pie after a hard week.
(Selfie: The Changing Face of Self-Portraits)
In Selfie, the phrase “Rembrandt was the biggest selfie maker of his time” is an example of what figurative language?
a) Metaphor
b) Simile
c) Personification
d) Hyperbole
a) Metaphor
Explanation: Calling Rembrandt the “biggest selfie maker” metaphorically compares his self-portraits to modern selfies.
(Brown Girl Dreaming)
What is the author’s main purpose in Brown Girl Dreaming?
a) To entertain readers with poems
b) To share her personal experiences growing up
c) To teach readers about poetry forms
d) To persuade readers to write stories
b) To share her personal experiences growing up
Explanation: Brown Girl Dreaming is a memoir in verse where Jacqueline Woodson shares her childhood memories and experiences, making this her main purpose.
Capitalization
Choose the correctly capitalized sentence:
a) we visited the grand canyon last summer.
b) We visited the Grand Canyon last summer.
c) we visited the Grand canyon last summer.
d) We visited the grand canyon last summer.
b) We visited the Grand Canyon last summer.
Explanation: Proper nouns like “Grand Canyon” and the first word of the sentence must be capitalized. Other choices have errors in capitalization.
(What’s So Funny, Mr. Scieszka?)
What was the author’s main conflict in the story?
a) Deciding whether to apologize or tell a funny joke in class
b) Choosing what to wear to school
c) Finding a lost book in the library
d) Deciding which game to play at recess
a) Deciding whether to apologize or tell a funny joke in class
Explanation: The author struggles with choosing between following rules or sharing the joke, which represents his internal conflict.
What does the author mean by saying “our everyday lives are saturated by social media”?
a) Social media is rarely used in daily life
b) Social media fills up much of our daily activities
c) Social media is clean and clear
d) Social media is ignored by most people
b. Social media fills up much of our daily activities
Explanation: “Saturated” means completely filled or soaked, so the author is saying social media is very present in our everyday lives.
(Brown Girl Dreaming)
Which figurative language is used in the line “The story wakes up and walks all over the room”?
a) Simile
b) Personification
c) Metaphor
d) Hyperbole
Explanation: The story is given human qualities (“wakes up” and “walks”), which is personification.
From Brown Girl Dreaming
How does the first-person point of view in Brown Girl Dreaming affect the reader’s understanding of the story?
a) It creates distance between the reader and the narrator.
b) It allows readers to experience the author’s personal thoughts and feelings.
c) It gives an outside view of the author’s life.
d) It makes the story confusing and hard to follow.
b) It allows readers to experience the author’s personal thoughts and feelings.
Explanation: The first-person point of view gives readers direct insight into the author’s experiences, making the story more intimate and personal.
Commas
Choose the sentence with correct commas in a series:
a) I bought apples oranges bananas and grapes.
b) I bought apples, oranges, bananas, and grapes.
c) I bought apples, oranges bananas, and grapes.
d) I bought apples oranges, bananas and grapes.
b) I bought apples, oranges, bananas, and grapes.
Explanation: Commas correctly separate items in a series. The comma before “and” (Oxford comma) is optional but often recommended for clarity.