Comprehension
At what time of day do the events in “A Blessing” take place?
a. sunrise
b. midday
c. twilight
d. midnight
a. twilight
When the speaker in “Predators” says, “In sun the fox / bows to my feline and her good / dog friends who rule this land,” what does she mean?
a. The fox feels embarrassed when it sees the pets.
b. The fox understands that the cat and dogs know best.
c. The fox does not approach when the cat and dogs are around.
d. The fox wants to hunt the other animals that live on the property.
c. The fox does not approach when the cat and dogs are around.
What does the speaker in “Predators” mean when she refers to “my feline and her good dog friends”?
a. Both the dogs and the cat want to be like the wild foxes they see.
b. She feels a closer relationship to the cat than to the dogs.
c. The cat only pretends to get along with the dogs.
d. The dogs are tame and mean the cat no harm.
d. The dogs are tame and mean the cat no harm.
Which of the following is most likely to be wild?
a. a pet puppy
b. an old coyote
c. potted tulips
d. roses in a vase
b. an old coyote
Where are you most likely to find a blossom?
a. in the sky
b. in a garden
c. inside a gymnasium
d. on top of a concrete wall
b. in a garden
Which creatures in “Predators” are domesticated? Choose two options.
a. the speaker
b. the feline
c. the vixen
d. the herbs
e. the sun
a. the speaker, b. the feline
Read these lines from “A Blessing.”
And the eyes of those two Indian ponies
Darken with kindness.
They have come gladly out of the willows….
Which words in these lines make the horses seem human?
a. kindness, gladly
b. ponies, kindness
c. eyes, ponies
d. gladly, willows
With which statement would the speaker in “A Blessing” most likely agree?
a. Moments of silent communication between people and animals are a gift.
b. People who believe they are communicating with animals are mistaken.
c. Friends can communicate best when they are surrounded by nature.
d. People with rare and special gifts are able to communicate with animals.
a. Moments of silent communication between people and animals are a gift.
Which of the following people would be most likely to cultivate land? Base your answer on the meaning of cultivate.
a. a farmer
b. an inspector
c. an architect
d. a real estate agent
a. a farmer
Which is the most likely meaning of shyly in the following sentence?
On her first day at her new school, Layla shyly asked her teacher where the water fountain was.
a. loudly
b. timidly
c. rudely
d. clearly
b. timidly
Who or what is the main subject of “Monkey Master”?
a. a scientist who studies the paintings made by monkeys
b. a chimpanzee whose paintings are featured in an exhibition
c. an orangutan whose paintings the writer does not care for
d. an artist who collects the paintings done by chimpanzees
b. a chimpanzee whose paintings are featured in an exhibition
Which word best describes the tone of “A Blessing”?
a. playful
b. peaceful
c. sorrowful
d. suspenseful
b. peaceful
Which best summarizes the writer’s reaction to Congo’s paintings in “Monkey Master”?
a. He is fascinated by the primitive quality of art made by apes.
b. He is impressed by the skill and good judgment Congo’s paintings show.
c. He is sure that Congo’s paintings were made by a human being.
d. He is impressed by the effect that good training has on the art of apes.
b. He is impressed by the skill and good judgment Congo’s paintings show.
What is the most likely meaning of domesticated in the following sentence?
No one knows for certain when cats were first domesticated, but ancient Egyptian paintings can be used to show that humans have had feline companions for more than 3,500 years.
a. hunted as food
b. tamed as pets
c. trained for labor
d. traded for resources
b. tamed as pets
In which of the following situations is the person most likely to feel loneliness?
a. All of Jacob’s friends attended his birthday party.
b. Max helped his younger sister with her homework.
c. With her brothers gone, Ingrid enjoyed reading alone in the quiet house.
d. On her first day of camp, Rose sat alone, missing her parents and friends.
d. On her first day of camp, Rose sat alone, missing her parents and friends.
According to “Monkey Master,” animal scientist Desmond Morris helped
Congo make his paintings. Which answer best describes the help Morris gave?
a. Morris drew shapes that Congo filled in with colors.
b. Morris showed Congo examples of abstract art to use as models.
c. Morris showed Congo how to hold a paintbrush and draw a straight line.
d. Morris gave Congo art supplies and a special high chair to help him paint.
d. Morris gave Congo art supplies and a special high chair to help him paint.
Read this excerpt from “Monkey Master.”
What is really spooky is the care Congo always brings to working within the paper. Only rarely does the brush stray over the edge. And he clearly understands the notion of balance, too. If a pink has a blue on one side of it, and needs another blue on the other side, he will add one.
In this passage, what point is the writer most clearly making?
a. Congo’s work is scary because it shows that he cares a great deal about art.
b. Congo’s work shows a sense of form and design that is eerily like a human’s.
c. Congo’s work is neat and tidy because the paper’s edges guide him as he paints.
d. Congo’s work shows balance because he has a real talent for choosing nice colors.
b. Congo’s work shows a sense of form and design that is eerily like a human’s.
Which of the following is a quality of Congo’s painting that the author of “Monkey Master” most clearly admires?
a. the way the paint completely covers the paper, without blank spots
b. the careful depiction of real objects, places, and people
c. the interesting, beautiful use of colors and shapes
d. the different feelings the paintings express
c. the interesting, beautiful use of colors and shapes
The term abstract is used to refer to paintings and other art. Which of the following is the best defintion of abstract as it applies to art?
a. using shapes and colors to depict something real
b. using shapes and colors that do not represent things
c. using shapes and colors to express sad emotions
d. using shapes and colors that are hard to understand
b. using shapes and colors that do not represent things
Which of the following is most clearly an aesthetic choice? Base your answer on the meaning of aesthetic.
a. whether to bring an umbrella on a trip
b. which color curtains to buy for a room
c. whether to go to sleep earlier than usual
d. which candidate to vote for in the election
b. which color curtains to buy for a room
What is the main question that the author raises in “Monkey Master”?
a. whether paintings by an animal can be considered art
b. whether famous artists appreciate paintings by chimpanzees
c. whether a scientist can train a chimpanzee or gorilla to paint well
d. whether paintings by a chimpanzee are better than paintings by a gorilla
a. whether paintings by an animal can be considered art
In “Monkey Master,” what general conclusion does the author reach?
a. By appreciating ape art, humans show their ability to find beauty in things.
b. By making paintings, Congo shows that he is the same as a person.
c. By helping apes make art, scientists show their appreciation of beauty.
d. By making paintings, Congo shows that works by human painters are fakes.
a. By appreciating ape art, humans show their ability to find beauty in things.
In “Monkey Master,” which of the following is background information the writer feels could have been better covered in the exhibition of ape paintings?
a. how much each painting is worth
b. which animal painted which painting
c. to what extent Morris influenced Congo’s paintings
d. whether Picasso truly valued the paintings in the exhibit
c. to what extent Morris influenced Congo’s paintings
If a person is a purist about food, which of the following is most likely to be true? Base your answer on the meaning of purist.
a. The person accepts only certain ways of cooking food.
b. The person prefers food cooked at a fancy restaurant.
c. The person prefers food cooked in the family home.
d. The person enjoys eating different types of food.
a. The person accepts only certain ways of cooking food.
As the wind blew, dry leaves skittered all over the sidewalk.
Skittered in this context most likely means...
a. spread out
b. laying around
c. moved lightly or quickly
d. falling
c. moved lightly or quickly