Figurative Language
Which sentence contains a simile?
A. The sun smiled down on the playground.
B. The snow was a soft blanket over the ground.
C. The puppy bounced like a rubber ball.
D. The wind whispered through the trees.
C. The puppy bounced like a rubber ball.
(This is a simile because it uses like to compare two things.)
Read the paragraph:
Many animals use camouflage to stay safe. Some change colors to blend in, while others have patterns that help them disappear into their environment. These adaptations help animals avoid predators.
What is the main idea of the paragraph?
A. Some animals have bright colors.
B. Animals use camouflage to stay safe.
C. Predators hunt animals in the wild.
D. Patterns help animals look interesting.
B — Animals use camouflage to stay safe.
This sentence expresses the main idea, and the rest of the paragraph supports it with examples of camouflage.
Read the paragraph:
Heavy rain fell for several days, and the river rose above its banks. As a result, nearby fields flooded and farmers had to move their animals to higher ground.
Which text structure is used in this paragraph?
A. Compare and Contrast
B. Cause and Effect
C. Problem and Solution
D. Sequence
B — Cause and Effect
The paragraph explains what happened (fields flooded) and why it happened (heavy rain and rising river).
A nonfiction book includes a photograph of a volcano with a short sentence underneath explaining what is happening in the picture.
Which text feature is being used?
A. Heading
B. Caption
C. Glossary
D. Table of contents
B — Caption
A caption is the text under a picture that explains what is shown.
Before reading an article titled “Life in the Desert,” which question would best help a reader set a purpose for reading?
A. What kinds of animals live in the desert?
B. Why did the author write other books?
C. How many deserts are in the world?
D. How long is the article?
A — What kinds of animals live in the desert?
This is a purposeful question that helps guide reading and focus on the content.
Read the sentence:
"Carlos was a walking encyclopedia during the science fair."
What does this metaphor mean?
It means Carlos knows a lot of information.
(The metaphor suggests he is full of facts like an encyclopedia.)
Which detail best supports the idea that recycling helps the environment?
A. Recycling trucks are loud.
B. Recycled paper can be turned into new notebooks.
C. Some people throw trash on the ground.
D. Glass bottles come in many shapes and sizes.
B — Recycled paper can be turned into new notebooks.
This detail supports the idea that recycling benefits the environment by giving materials a new use.
Which sentence shows a compare-and-contrast text structure?
A. Birds migrate when the weather gets too cold.
B. Pandas eat mostly bamboo to survive.
C. Dogs usually enjoy company, while cats often prefer to be alone.
D. The volcano erupted suddenly.
C — Dogs usually enjoy company, while cats often prefer to be alone.
This sentence compares dogs and cats and contrasts their behaviors.
How do headings help a reader understand a nonfiction text?
A. They show the order of events.
B. They show important vocabulary.
C. They tell what each section will be about.
D. They show where to find page numbers.
C — They tell what each section will be about.
Headings and subheadings help readers know the topic of each part of the text.
A student asks, “Why did the explorer stop traveling?”
Which part of the text would most likely help answer this question?
A. A picture of the explorer
B. A paragraph describing the explorer’s childhood
C. A section explaining an injury the explorer received
D. The glossary at the end of the book
C — A section explaining an injury the explorer received
This section would most likely explain why the explorer stopped traveling.
Explain how this sentence shows personification?
"The angry storm pounded on the windows all night."
The storm is given human qualities, showing personification.
The topic of a passage is “volcanoes.” Which sentence best states a possible main idea?
A. Volcanoes can be dangerous and also help create new land.
B. Volcanoes are interesting.
C. Lava is hot.
D. Volcanoes can be found in different places.
A — Volcanoes can be dangerous and also help create new land.
This sentence is a main idea because it tells a broad, important point about volcanoes, not just a fact.
Read the sentence:
The playground was muddy after the storm, so the students decided to play games on the blacktop instead.
This sentence uses which text structure?
Problem and Solution
The problem: the playground was muddy.
The solution: students played on the blacktop instead.
A science article includes a diagram of the water cycle with arrows showing how water moves.
Why did the author include this diagram?
A. To entertain the reader with pictures
B. To show steps and parts more clearly
C. To fill extra space on the page
D. To compare two different texts
B — To show steps and parts more clearly
Diagrams help readers understand complex ideas by showing how things work or how parts fit together.
A student is reading a passage about how plants grow.
Which is a good question to ask while reading to help understand the passage?
A. What did I eat for lunch today?
B. How long does it take for a seed to sprout?
C. Who is my best friend?
D. When is recess?
B — How long does it take for a seed to sprout?
This question connects directly to the topic of how plants grow.
What does the idiom “break the ice” mean in a conversation?
To make people feel more comfortable
(That is the meaning of the idiom “break the ice.”)
Identifying Unrelated Detail
Which detail does NOT support the main idea that “bees are important pollinators”?
A. Bees carry pollen from flower to flower.
B. Many plants depend on bees to grow fruit.
C. Bees live in hives with thousands of other bees.
D. Bees help flowers make seeds.
Bees live in hives with thousands of other bees.
This fact is true, but it does not support the idea that bees are important pollinators.
Which clue word would most likely be found in a passage written in sequence (chronological order)?
A. “Similarly”
B. “Finally”
C. “Because”
D. “As a result”
B — “Finally”
“Finally” is a sequence clue word, showing the order of events.
Why do authors use bold print in nonfiction text?
To show words that are important or will be defined
(Bold print highlights vocabulary or key concepts.)
A reader wonders, “How did the main character solve the problem?”
Where should the reader look to find the answer?
The part of the text that describes the solution
To answer how the character solved the problem, the reader must look where the solution is described.
Which sentence contains an example of hyperbole?
A. I waited a million years for the bus to arrive.
B. The leaves danced in the wind.
C. The lake was as smooth as glass.
D. My backpack is a treasure chest.
A. I waited a million years for the bus to arrive.
(This is hyperbole—an exaggerated statement.)
A paragraph describes how strong wind, heavy rain, and fast-moving water can cause erosion. It explains that erosion changes the shape of land over time.
Which summary best represents the main idea?
A. Erosion can change land by moving earth materials.
B. Rainstorms can cause changes in the land.
C. Water causes erosion to happen.
D. Rocks sometimes break apart and effects the landscape.
A — Erosion can change land by moving earth materials.
This summary includes the central idea of how erosion shapes land over time.
A paragraph explains how dolphins communicate, comparing their clicks and whistles to tools humans use to send messages.
Which text structure is being used?
Compare and Contrast
The paragraph compares dolphin communication to the tools humans use to send messages.
A social studies article includes a map showing where different Native American tribes lived.
What does this graphic feature help the reader understand?
The locations being discussed in the text
(Maps help readers visualize places mentioned in the passage.)
A student reads a paragraph and doesn’t understand why a character is upset.
What should the student do to help them understand?
Look back at what happened earlier; it will help clarify why a character feels a certain way.