Context Clues
Even with their father along, the boys didn’t want to return to the scary creature. “Come on, boys, it will be fine,” Dad assured them. “I promise I won’t let anything bad happen to you.” He led them back to where they had last seen the mysterious stranger. Just before they got to the hallway that led to the break room, Dad turned on a light switch. Then he looked around the corner to the end of the hall. The boys heard him chuckle. “Okay,” he said to Alex, “your turn.”
Which word from paragraph 17 helps the reader understand the meaning of the word assured?
A) return
B) looked
C) led
D) promise
D) promise
Read the following sentence from paragraph 6.
One of these programs is managed by people in Africa who once received bags from Wignall!
The author includes this sentence most likely to —
A) illustrate how many Care Bags programs there are in the world
B) show that Wignall’s project has had a positive effect on others
C) demonstrate why more volunteers for Care Bags programs are needed
D) show how long it can take for Wignall’s bags to reach people in need
B) show that Wignall’s project has had a positive effect on others
Making LEGO Bricks 2
In the 1930s a Danish carpenter named Ole Kirk Christiansen started making wooden toys. He called his company LEGO, a blend of the Danish words leg godt, meaning “play well.” After making wooden toys for years, Christiansen wanted to accelerate production so that he could make more toys in less time. He invested in a machine that would allow him to make plastic toys. In 1958 he produced the first plastic LEGO brick.
What is paragraph 2 mainly about?
F) Christiansen worked as a carpenter.
G) The word “LEGO” is a Danish word that means “play well.”
H) Christiansen changed LEGO toys from wood to plastic.
J) The first plastic LEGO brick was produced in 1958.
H) Christiansen changed LEGO toys from wood to plastic.
Read line 10.
Add more water now and then; don’t let that sand get dry!
Which sentence from “Building a Better Sandcastle” suggests that experts have a similar concern when building sandcastles?
A) Once the sand is firm enough, they remove the wooden beams, leaving a block of sand.
B) It’s important to get the main part of the castle just right.
C) After the sandcastle is shaped, it is time to carve the details.
D) Some experts keep a spray bottle full of water nearby to keep the sand damp so it won’t crumble.
D) Some experts keep a spray bottle full of water nearby to keep the sand damp so it won’t crumble.
The nurse speaks baby talk to me.
(She thinks I’m half my age.)
15 You’d think I was a lion
being coaxed into my cage.
The words in parentheses in line 14 emphasize that the speaker is —
F) happy that the nurse is easy to understand
G) annoyed by the way the nurse talks to her
H) disappointed that the nurse does not know how old she is
J) relieved that the nurse is trying to make her feel comfortable
G) annoyed by the way the nurse talks to her
Crabs also use shells for protection. But scientists don’t consider crabs tool users. These creatures can pick up shells and hide in them, but octopuses can carry shells to another spot. Scientists argue that the transportation of the shells indicates that octopuses can think ahead about how they will use the shells later.
In paragraph 4, the word indicates means —
A) suggests
B) depends
C) helps
D) decides
A) suggest
3 Making LEGO bricks is a fairly simple process. Small plastic granules are heated at an extreme temperature. A machine then presses the melted plastic into brick molds. Once the plastic cools and hardens, the bricks are ready to be packaged and sold.
By organizing paragraph 3 sequentially, the author is able to —
F) compare how different types of LEGO pieces are made
G) explain the method for making LEGO bricks
H) show how LEGO is able to make toys so quickly
J) list the reasons why making LEGO bricks is simple
G) explain the method for making LEGO bricks
2 Jean Chu and her family adopted Dusty, their pet cat, a few years ago. Not long after he moved in, the family members started finding odd objects lying around. One day they would find a glove and an unfamiliar towel. The next day there would be a pot holder and a sock. At first no one knew what to think about the items that mysteriously appeared on the porch or in the yard. Soon they realized that the objects always showed up in the morning. And which member of the family tended to roam every night? That would be Dusty.
Which sentence expresses the main idea of paragraph 2?
F) Jean Chu and her family adopted Dusty, their pet cat, a few years ago.
G) Not long after he moved in, the family members started finding odd objects lying around.
H) One day they would find a glove and an unfamiliar towel.
J) Soon they realized that the objects always showed up in the morning.
G) Not long after he moved in, the family members started finding odd objects lying around.
Read this sentence from the selection.
In fact, a standard-size LEGO brick made today can be attached to any other LEGO brick made since 1958.
What can the reader conclude about LEGO products from this sentence?
A) People have shared LEGO sets with friends and family for a long time.
B) The basic design of the LEGO has stayed the same.
C) LEGO toys made of plastic last longer than those made of wood.
D) Ole Kirk Christiansen believed in making LEGO toys that were fun and entertaining.
B) The basic design of the LEGO has stayed the same.
When Mom finally found you
10 huddled in the mop bucket
(and you bit her)
you looked so fierce,
like your wild cousins
that roam the jungles of Asia.
15 I wish I had jungles to give you.
I wish that could be your life.
What is emphasized by the repetition of the words “I wish” in the poem?
F) The reason the speaker wants her mother to like Manga
G) The speaker’s desire for Manga to have the best life possible
H) The length of time it takes the speaker to find Manga when he escapes
J) The speaker’s reason for keeping Manga as a pet
G) The speaker’s desire for Manga to have the best life possible
6 MIKE: [Peeking through the living room curtains.] Um, maybe we should just leave it alone. We don’t want to miss the best part of the movie.
7 CARL: Don’t worry. I’m recording the movie. Let’s go find out what’s wrong. What’s better than a real-life mystery anyway?
8 [Carl exits stage right. Mike groans and reluctantly follows him.]
In paragraph 8, the word reluctantly means —
A) playfully
B) impatiently
C) admiringly
D) unwillingly
D) unwillingly
1 Imagine that you are an actor performing in a play for the first time. You have learned all your lines, you know where to walk onstage, and your costume fits perfectly. Waiting behind the closed curtain, you can hear people in the audience whispering and taking their seats. Then your big moment arrives!
2 The curtain goes up, and the crowd falls silent. All you can see is the spotlight shining down on you. You try to speak your lines, but nothing seems to come out. The inside of your mouth is dry, and your palms are wet. The icy chill of panic starts to spread from your stomach to your arms and legs.
The author speaks directly to the reader in paragraphs 1 and 2 in order to —
F) encourage the reader to try out for a play
G) share a personal story with the reader
H) help the reader understand the experience of stage fright
J) demonstrate that acting requires skill
H) help the reader understand the experience of stage fright
5 Furthermore, dogs that spend time at a dog park are usually friendlier than dogs that do not. At the park, dogs become more familiar with how to meet new people and other animals. Dogs that have grown accustomed to seeing new people are less likely to bark at neighbors. Dogs that have not had many social experiences are likely to feel threatened by unfamiliar people or animals.
How does the comparison in paragraph 5 support the author’s main argument?
F) It suggests that people should avoid approaching a dog they have not met before.
G) It reveals that most dogs act in a similar way when encountering new people or animals.
H) It demonstrates that most dog owners prefer to have their dogs behave in a friendly way.
J) It explains that spending time at a dog park can have a positive effect on the behavior of dogs.
J) It explains that spending time at a dog park can have a positive effect on the behavior of dogs.
Read this sentence from paragraph 31.
Brody grinned because he knew that the team—which he had actually led—had successfully completed its task.
This sentence shows that Brody is —
F) aware of his mistakes
G) proud of his performance
H) amused by other team members
J) prepared to start a new drill
G) proud of his performance
The playwright included thunder and lightning in Scene 1 most likely to —
F) create suspense
G) indicate that the main characters are afraid
H) alarm the audience
J) explain the book’s disappearance
F) create suspense
Building with LEGO Sets
6 Although Christiansen’s original LEGO bricks all had the same basic rectangular shape, there now are 2,400 different-shaped LEGO bricks made in a variety of colors. LEGO creates building sets for children of all ages. LEGO blocks for preschoolers are larger and easier for toddlers to handle. The company also offers sets for older children and teens. These sets contain intricate parts that are more detailed and challenging to put together. With such a variety of products available, it is understandable that children of all ages enjoy playing with LEGO toys.
Which of the following words from paragraph 6 help the reader understand the meaning of intricate?
F) detailed and challenging
G) larger and easier
H) is understandable
J)different-shaped
F) detailed and challenging
Read these sentences from paragraph 4.
The pencils were sharpened to perfect points. The rich colors offered endless possibilities compared to my set of eight basic colors at home.
The author uses the description of the pencils to show —
F) how sad the narrator feels when he can’t afford them
G) how much the narrator wants to buy them
H) that the colors inspire the narrator with ideas for his comic book
J) that the pencils the narrator has are no longer usable
G) how much the narrator wants to buy them
5 R2 weighs 330 pounds and cost $2.5 million to build. It has arms and a head—filled with vision equipment—but no legs. Its “brain,” or computer, is in its stomach. R2’s arms can hold 20 pounds. Each bendable finger has 5 pounds of grasping force. R2’s hands are also skillful. Since its hands are shaped like human hands, R2 can use human tools to complete tasks traditionally performed by astronauts. Nic Radford, the deputy project manager of R2, says that astronauts “absolutely have their day packed from the minute they wake up until they go to bed. If Robonaut can provide just an hour’s worth of relief to the crew doing something they don’t want to do, that would make it worth it right there.”
The details in paragraph 5 support the main idea that R2's design —
F) helps it accomplish certain kinds of tasks
G) took years for scientists to plan
H) causes it to be too heavy to complete certain tasks
J) works better in space than in a factory
F) helps it accomplish certain kinds of tasks
13 I began to look around the sidewalk. Under the bench, there were two more pennies. I added them to the collection in my pocket. My career as a penny-pincher had begun.
The narrator’s actions in paragraph 13 imply that he will —
F) observe his surroundings more closely wherever he goes
G) keep all his pennies in his pocket until he has saved enough
H) stay at the bench and collect all the pennies people throw away
J) try to think of a different way to collect money
G) keep all his pennies in his pocket until he has saved enough
Read these lines from the poem.
I memorized each line. Learned them by heart.
The poet uses the figurative expression “learned them by heart” to emphasize that the speaker —
F) has volunteered to be in the play
G) practices on the stage
H) enjoys playing the role of the prince
J) feels prepared for his performance
J) feels prepared for his performance
“Brody, I gave you a map so you could teach your team how to navigate around the ship,” the captain said. “If you had followed orders, you would have had no problem responding quickly. I’m afraid your team won’t be able to participate in tomorrow’s firefighting drill.”
Which words from paragraph 18 help the reader know what the word navigate means?
F) to participate in
G) around the ship
H) had no problem
J) teach your team
G) around the ship
Read this sentence from the selection.
“Manual labor . . . is about all I care about, and, after all, is what will really make a strong woman.”
The author included this quotation to show the reader that Cameron —
A) thought ranch work was more interesting than photography
B) focused on changing the way work was done in ranching communities
C) valued being independent and hardworking more than having a comfortable life
D) was unaware of the physical effort that ranch work required
C) valued being independent and hardworking more than having a comfortable life
Read this quotation from paragraph 9 of the article.
John Olson, a director at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C., says that the project “will allow us to go farther and achieve more than we can probably even imagine today.”
Which detail from the article supports this idea?
A) Since its hands are shaped like human hands, R2 can use human tools to complete tasks traditionally performed by astronauts.
B) Astronauts will also appreciate the fact that the robot can perform its duties without constant supervision.
C) In the future humanoid robots will be astronauts’ eyes in space, going places considered too difficult or unsafe for astronauts to explore.
D) They will grasp and hold onto handrails as the robot moves through the space station.
C) In the future humanoid robots will be astronauts’ eyes in space, going places considered too difficult or unsafe for astronauts to explore.
Read this excerpt from Scene 2.
MIKE: [Nods eagerly.] My dad was taking me to Ranger Scouts last night, and the traffic was bad. [Carl gives him an annoyed look.]
What can the reader infer about Carl from this excerpt?
F) Carl thinks that what Mike is saying isn’t important.
G) Carl doesn’t believe that the traffic was bad.
H) Carl envies Mike for being a Ranger Scout.
J) Carl thinks that Mike has been rude to Mrs. Watson.
F) Carl thinks that what Mike is saying isn’t important.
Read paragraph 10.
DEXTER: [Picks up a stuffed polar bear and strokes its head.] Mr. Snowball doesn’t like it when you call me a goof.
By having Dexter refer to Mr. Snowball’s emotions, the playwright is —
F) emphasizing that Leo does not understand Dexter’s actions
G) suggesting that Dexter is quite young
H) showing that Mr. Snowball used to belong to Leo
J) showing that Dexter is ignoring his brother
G) suggesting that Dexter is quite young