Story Elements
Liam walked into the new school feeling nervous. Everything looked different, and he didn’t know anyone. At lunch, a boy named Mateo asked if he wanted to sit together. By the end of the day, Liam was smiling and felt like he belonged.
What is the setting of this story?
A. The park during a soccer game
B. A school on the first day
C. A family reunion at night
D. A summer camp
B. A school on the first day
Kevin practiced his speech every day after school. When the big day came, he stood in front of the class, took a deep breath, and confidently shared his thoughts.
Question:
Which sentence best summarizes the passage?
A. Kevin didn’t like speaking in front of people.
B. Kevin gave a speech without preparing.
C. Kevin practiced and successfully gave a speech.
D. Kevin forgot what to say during his speech.
C. Kevin practiced and successfully gave a speech.
Sharks have lived in the oceans for over 400 million years. They come in many shapes and sizes. Some, like the great white shark, are large and powerful predators. Others, like the dwarf lantern shark, are small and barely visible. Despite their fearsome reputation, most sharks are not dangerous to humans.
Question:
What type of text is this passage?
A. A fictional story
B. A poem about sea creatures
C. An informational text about sharks
D. A myth about ocean animals
👉 Strategy: Ask yourself: “Is this giving facts or telling a story?” If it gives information, it’s nonfiction.
C. An informational text about sharks
As Maya walked into the room, she gave a cheerful smile. “Good morning!” she said in a bright voice. Everyone could tell she was in a good mood.
Question:
What does the word “cheerful” most likely mean?
A. Tired or bored
B. Happy or joyful
C. Hungry or thirsty
D. Mean or angry
👉 Strategy: Think about Maya’s actions and tone. Does she seem upset or excited? Use clues from the story.
B. Happy or joyful
Birds have many special features that help them survive. Their feathers keep them warm and help them fly. Their beaks are shaped to help them eat specific kinds of food. Birds also build nests to keep their eggs safe.
Question:
What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Birds build nests for their eggs.
B. Birds eat many different foods.
C. Birds have features that help them survive.
D. Feathers help birds fly.
C. Birds have features that help them survive.
What is it called when the conflict of the story is fixed or resolved?
In 1969, the first humans landed on the moon. Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon, followed by Buzz Aldrin. Their mission showed that space exploration was possible.
Question:
What is the best summary of the passage?
A. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon in 1969.
B. Many people have walked on the moon.
C. The astronauts brought back moon rocks.
D. The moon is far away from Earth.
👉 Strategy: Choose the option that includes the most important ideas from the whole passage.
A. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon in 1969.
Text features help readers understand nonfiction texts. Headings tell you what each section is about. Bold words show you important vocabulary. Captions explain pictures or diagrams. Charts and tables can organize facts clearly so readers can understand data quickly.
Question:
Which text feature would help you learn the meaning of a bolded word?
A. A heading
B. A diagram
C. A glossary
D. A table of contents
C. A glossary
After studying for weeks, Josh felt confident about the test. He walked into the room with his head high and a smile on his face, ready to begin.
Question:
What is a synonym for confident?
A. Nervous
B. Confused
C. Sure
D. Bored
C. Sure
Why is summarizing an important reading strategy when preparing for the SOL test?
A. It helps you guess answers based on feelings.
B. It helps you focus on main ideas and recall important facts.
C. It lets you skip parts of the reading passage.
D. It shows you how to memorize every word.
B. It helps you focus on main ideas and recall important facts.
Elena wanted to win the art contest. She worked hard on her painting, adding every detail with care. But when she saw the other entries, she felt nervous. Even though she didn’t win first place, she felt proud of her effort and improvement.
Question:
Who is the protagonist in this story?
A. The art teacher
B. The judges
C. Elena
D. The winner of the contest
Hint: The protagonist is usually the character who grows, changes, or faces a challenge.
C. Elena
What is a summary?
A summary is a short statement that tells the main idea and the most important details of a passage.
Recycling is one way to help the environment. Instead of throwing away paper, plastic, and metal, people can send them to recycling centers to be reused. This reduces the amount of trash in landfills and helps conserve natural resources. Recycling also saves energy and reduces pollution. Everyone can help by sorting their trash and reusing items when possible.
Question:
Why is this passage an informational text?
A. It tells a made-up story with a lesson.
B. It shares facts and explains how recycling helps the environment.
C. It describes an imaginary place.
D. It uses rhyme and rhythm to entertain.
👉 Strategy: Think about the author's purpose—is it to inform, entertain, or persuade?
B. It shares facts and explains how recycling helps the environment.
The two boys argued over who got the last slice of pizza. Finally, they reached a compromise—they would split it in half.
Question:
What is an antonym for compromise?
A. Agreement
B. Conflict
C. Share
D. Plan
B. Conflict
Which of the following is the best example of a theme in a story?
A. The story takes place in a forest.
B. The characters are struggling to find food.
C. The story is about a dog who learns to trust again.
D. The dog’s name is Max.
C. The story is about a dog who learns to trust again.
- Maya was excited to visit her cousin in the city. Everything was so different from her small town—the tall buildings, noisy traffic, and crowded streets amazed her. At first, she was overwhelmed, but by the end of the week, she had tried new foods, ridden the subway, and even made a few new friends. When she returned home, she felt more confident and brave.
Question:
How do the story elements (setting, character, and plot) work together in this passage?
A. The setting stays the same while the character changes.
B. The setting and character growth support the theme of trying new things.
C. The plot is about going home, and the setting causes the problem.
D. The character doesn’t change even though the plot is exciting.
The correct answer is: B. The setting and character growth support the theme of trying new things.
Explanation:
Setting: A big city, very different from Maya's small town.
Character growth: Maya starts off overwhelmed but becomes more confident and brave.
Plot: She visits her cousin, has new experiences, and changes as a result.
What does a summary NOT include?
Leaves out extra details or examples
This text feature helps readers quickly find specific topics or chapters in a book by listing titles and page numbers at the beginning.
A. Index
B. Table of contents
C. Glossary
D. Captions
B. Table of contents
Which word has the prefix that means "again"?
A. Rewrite
B. Helpful
C. Unhappiness
D. Darkness
A. Rewrite
Which of the following is the best way to organize information about the different types of clouds?
A. A map
B. A timeline
C. A chart
D. A story
C. A chart
Anna’s team was losing the game. She wanted to give up, but she remembered all the practices and pep talks from her coach. She encouraged her teammates and gave it her all. Even though they didn’t win, her coach praised her for her leadership and effort.
Which story elements are most important in this passage?
A. Setting and solution
B. Conflict and character development
C. Theme and time period
D. Dialogue and weather
B. Conflict and character development
Why is summarizing an important reading strategy when preparing for the SOL test?
A. It helps you guess answers based on feelings.
B. It helps you focus on main ideas and recall important facts.
C. It lets you skip parts of the reading passage.
D. It shows you how to memorize every word.
👉 Strategy: Think about how summarizing helps you understand what a passage is mostly about.
B. It helps you focus on main ideas and recall important facts.
Explanation:
Summarizing helps you understand the passage better, remember the main ideas, and avoid getting distracted by unimportant details—a key skill for answering SOL test questions.
Polar bears are one of the most well-known Arctic animals. They have thick white fur that helps them stay warm in freezing temperatures. They are strong swimmers and can travel long distances across icy waters to hunt for food, mainly seals. Polar bears are currently endangered due to climate change, which is melting the ice they need to survive.
Question:
Which of the following is the best explanation for why polar bears are endangered?
A. Climate change is making it harder for polar bears to find food.
B. Polar bears are losing their habitat because the ice is melting.
C. Polar bears are too weak to swim across icy waters.
D. Polar bears have been hunted to the point of extinction.
B. Polar bears are losing their habitat because the ice is melting.
Which word uses the suffix to indicate a person who does something?
A. Teacher
B. Quickly
C. Darkness
D. Happy
A. Teacher
Which of the following sentences is the best example of text evidence to support the idea that a character is brave?
A. The character looked around nervously.
B. The character stepped forward, despite being scared, and helped the others.
C. The character thought about the situation for a long time.
D. The character had a lot of experience with difficult situations.
B. The character stepped forward, despite being scared, and helped the others.