Grammar
Central Idea/Theme
Settings/Characters
Plot Inferring
Stories!
100

Fix the capitalization in this sentence. There may be more than 1 change that needs to be made, and everything needs to be correct to get credit:

on tuesday, patrick and i went to the coffee shop.

A) On tuesday, Patrick and I went to the Coffee shop.

B) On Tuesday, Patrick and I went to the coffee shop.

C) On tuesday, Patrick and i went to the coffee shop.

D) On Tuesday, Patrick and I went to the Coffee Shop.

B) On Tuesday, Patrick and I went to the coffee shop.


100

What is the theme of Partly Cloudy?

A. Humor

B. The cloud makes dangerous babies and the stork feels threatened

C. The importance of understanding that people are different and to accept them as they are

D. The stork is jealous of the other carries who carry safe babies

C. The importance of understanding that people are different and to accept them as they are

100

What time period does the story, First Day of School take place?

A. Present Day

B. 1950’s

C. 2010

D. 1990

B. 1950’s

100

Go to page 117 in your book.  From the title of this poem, the reader can infer that the –

A. Speaker is an older person

B. Speech was written a long time ago 

C. Speech was given at school

D. Speaker had made many mistakes 

A. Speaker is an older person

100

What challenge are both Jordan and his Grand’pa dealing with?

A. Using new technology

B. Maintaining old friendships

C. Fitting into a new place

D. Living up to Chuck’s expectations

C. Fitting into a new place

200

Add punctuation into this sentence in the appropriate spot(s):

Cora complained about the airplane food but she still ate it.

A) Cora complained about the airplane food, but she still ate it.

B) Cora complained about the airplane food, but, she still ate it.

C) Cora complained about the airplane food. But she still ate it.

D) Cora complained about the airplane food but, she still ate it.

A) Cora complained about the airplane food, but she still ate it.

200

Which statement best describes the theme of New Kid?

A. It is difficult to overcome fear

B. You can learn a lot from games

C. Competition is good for friendship

D. Making friends is an important part of growing up

D. Making friends is an important part of growing up

200

What is a character trait you could use to describe Malala?

A. Brave

B. Lazy

C. Shy

D. Vengeful

A. Brave

200

What was the climax of The First Day of School?

A. When John hears the National Guard in the streets

B. When John tries to harm Audrey by convincing her not to go to school but finds out information about what happened to their dad

C. When John and Audrey walk off to school

D. When John is sitting at the breakfast table popping bubbles

B. When John tries to harm Audrey by convincing her not to go to school but finds out information about what happened to their dad

200

How does Malala’s family feel about Malala going to school?

A. They feel that it is too dangerous to go

B. They support her going because education is important

C. They feel teaching Malala at home is safer

D. They feel they should keep her home and she can go back in the future

B. They support her going because education is important

300

Combine these two sentences appropriately into one, without changing the meaning.

Shayna overslept through her alarm. She missed the bus to school.


A. Shayna overslept through her alarm, for she missed the bus to school.

B. Oversleeping through her alarm, and Shayna missed the bus to school.

C. To oversleep through her alarm, Shayna missed the bus to school.

D. Shayna overslept through her alarm, so she missed the bus to school.

D. Shayna overslept through her alarm, so she missed the bus to school.

300

Which is a central idea from the selection I Am Malala?

A. Citizens should follow the law

B. People should fight for their beliefs

C. Children should work hard in school

D. Governments should protect people 

B. People should fight for their beliefs

300

In New Kid, what kind of relationship does Jordan and his Gran’pa have?

A. They don’t speak to each other

B. They see each other only at family events

C. They have short conversations and talk only when necessary

D. They have a close relationship in which they feel they can talk with each other

D. They have a close relationship in which they feel they can talk with each other

300

What are the two conflicts that are at the center of the First Day of School

A. John vs. Nature

B. John vs. Society

C. John vs. Audrey

D. John vs. His Fears

E. John vs. His Mother

B. John vs. Society & D. John vs. His Fears

300

How does Jordan resolve the main conflict of the story?

A. He has dinner with Gran’pa at the restaurant

B. He decides to go to art school in ninth grade

C. He follows Gran’pa’s advice about making choices

D. He uses his art skills to draw a solution to his trouble. 

C. He follows Gran’pa’s advice about making choices

400

Choose the phrase that replaces the underlined section of the sentences below that effectively varies sentence patterns.

She felt angry and frustrated. She started pacing around the room.

A. She felt angry and frustrated and she…

B. Feeling angry and frustrated, she…

C. Angering and frustrating, she…

D. Angry nor frustrated, she…

B. Feeling angry and frustrated, she…

400

What do both New Kid and The First Day of School have in common?

A. They both talk about boys and girls going to school

B. They put an emphasis both on new kids attending school who feel they are being discriminated against 

C. They talk about how many people attend school and where they go to school

D. They discuss the strengths and weaknesses of going to school 

B. They put an emphasis both on new kids attending school who feel they are being discriminated against 

400

In Malala, what excerpt from the story best helps us to understand the setting?

A. “I had an exam on Pakistani studies”

B. “I’d heard the morning call to prayer from the mosque nearby and I’d pretended not to hear my father come wake me.”

C. “It was the most ordinary of days.  I was fifteen, in grade nine.”

D. “All the banter nearly made me late and I raced out the door.”

B. “I’d heard the morning call to prayer from the mosque nearby and I’d pretended not to hear my father come wake me.”

400

In the poem Speech to the Young, (p. 117-118) what is the central message presented in lines 10-11?

A. Look to the past and learn how to live in the future

B. Do not focus too intensely on the past or on the future

C. Be proud of your accomplishments, but do not dwell on them

D. Remember your mistakes, but do not allow them to hinder you

B. Do not focus too intensely on the past or on the future

400

What is the final outcome in The First Day of School?

A. John and Audrey go to school and face the challenges

B. John goes to school but Audrey stays home because its too dangerous

C. John and Audrey stay home because it’s too dangerous

D. John stays home but Audrey goes to school. 

A. John and Audrey go to school and face the challenges

500

Fix the capitalization and punctuation in this sentence. There may be more than 1 change that needs to be made, and everything needs to be correct to get credit:

however when mario got closer, he could see the bug that had flown in the Window

A. However when Mario got closer, he could see the bug that had flown in the window.

B. However, when Mario got closer, He could see the bug, that had flown in the window.

C. However, when Mario got closer, he could see the bug that had flown in the window.

D. However when, Mario got closer, he could see the Bug that had flown in the Window.

C. However, when Mario got closer, he could see the bug that had flown in the window.

500

Describe in your own words why Malala wrote about her experience?  Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

Answers may vary

500

In the First Day of School, which line does NOT help us understand the setting of the story.

A. He pushed away from the table and went out on the front porch

B. That was why you had to be one of a half dozen kids out of some nine hundred colored who were going today to start classes at Joseph  P. Gilmore High.

C. Summer was over, when the gracious oncoming of morning light and stir of early breezes promised time was a luxury.

D. Someone had come stealthily to the house to bring his parents word about the National Guard.

A. He pushed away from the table and went out on the front porch

500

Move the events into the order in which they happen “The First Day of School”

A. John talks to his mother about the day

B. John learns that his father has been laid off from work

C. John hears his mother calling him from the driveway

D. John and Audrey fight over whether she will go to school

A, D, B, C

500

In the story New Kid how does the author use elements in a graphic novel to establish Jordan’s relationship with Gran’pa?

A. Jordan tells Gran’pa how he enjoys his relationship with him.

B. The author tells us they have a close relationship before the story begins

C. Jordan’s Dad talks about how close of relationship Gran’pa and Jordan have.

D. The author uses dialogue and pictures of the characters doing things together

D. The author uses dialogue and pictures of the characters doing things together

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