Figurative Langauge
Inference
Text Structure
Main Idea
Authors Purpose
100

The cooing baby was just as cute as a kitten!

Simile

100

1. Cynthia clutched her plane ticket tightly in her hand. She couldn’t stop wiggling her left foot and double-checking to make sure she was at the right gate. She had never flown before and didn’t want to get lost in Houston’s enormous airport. Finally, her boarding group was called. She picked up her backpack and walked up to the ticket counter. Here I go, she thought to herself.

From events in this story, what can the reader conclude about Cynthia?

A. She is excited to be flying on an airplane

B. She is not looking forward to her vacation

C. She is nervous about flying

D. She is on the wrong plane

C. She is nervous about flying

100

1. Chocolate and vanilla: This combination is a classic when it comes to cupcakes. Millions of people enjoy the different ways this combo can be put together-from vanilla with dark chocolate frosting, milk chocolate cake with creamy vanilla icing. 

2. Red Velvet: People have enjoyed red velvet cakes for a long time, but could never finish an entire cake. Then somebody came along and created the red velvet cupcake-perfect for a small treat that can be gobbled up in 5 bites!

 3. Peanut Butter: Believe it or not, the peanut butter cupcake is one that is becoming more popular each year! It’s not too sweet and can be enjoyed with many different frostings such as chocolate, honey, or banana!

 

Description

100

What is main idea?

What the story is mostly about

100

Despite the toy’s popularity with students, adults have mixed opinions about fidget spinners and where they should be used. Some medical experts think that fidget spinners are more than just a toy, and that these objects can also be used as a therapy tool. They believe that by keeping a student’s hands busy, a fidget spinner can help students concentrate better and for longer periods of time. However, many schools have banned fidget spinners entirely. Many teachers do not see spinners as tools, but as toys that distract students. These teachers argue that students are not using spinners to focus.

1. The main purpose of the second paragraph is to explain--

A. Why fidget spinners have become so popular

B. The different opinions about fidget spinners being used at

school

C. Where fidget spinners can be purchased

D. How to use a fidget spinner

D. How to use a fidget spinner

200

The computer in our classroom is a dinosaur.

Metaphor

200

“I have nothing to wear!” Geovanna screamed as she pulled off her sweater and threw it into a pile of clothes on her floor. She walked into her closet and looked around at the garments hanging around her. She huffed and grabbed a pink dress from the hanger. She stepped into the dress, looked at herself in the mirror, and then threw her hands up in disappointment. Geovanna heard her mother’s voice through the door: ”Geovanna, it’s time to go! Mrs. Ramirez is here to drive you to the dance!” Geovanna groaned and said “I’ll be down a second!” as she picked up another outfit to try on.

The last sentence in this story implies that Geovanna—

A. Will wear the pink dress to the dance

B. Does not have a date to the dance

C. Will wear the sweater to the dance

D. Will be late to the dance

D. Geovanna will be late to the dance

200

Muffins and cupcakes share many similarities, however, there are a few characteristics that set these pastries apart. For one thing, muffins tend to be on the healthier side, as fruit can be added to them. They aren’t too sweet and can be made even healthier if the baker uses whole wheat four. Muffins are dryer than cupcakes. Cupcakes are sweet, soft, and are typically made with more eggs and butter. They are usually slathered in frosting. Muffins are typically eaten as a breakfast food, whereas cupcakes are eaten as a sweet treat or as a dessert. There is no denying how tasty both are.

Compare and Contrast

200

Some animals have stronger senses than humans. Dogs, for example, have powerful noses. Sniffer dogs help find people who are trapped. They tell the rescue workers where the victims are. These dogs also smell bombs and alert the police. Eagles and hawks have extremely sharp eyes. This helps them see small rodents from far away. Elephants and cats can hear sounds that humans cannot. Bats and dolphins have echolocation. They can send out sound waves. These waves help find prey.

Part A: What is the central idea? 

A Dogs can be very helpful to humans. 

B Many animals have stronger senses than humans.

C Birds have amazingly sharp vision. 

D Bats have a special sense called echolocation.

B Many animals have stronger senses than humans.

200

While some kids just make slime for themselves and their friends, other students have turned slime-making into a business. By using social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat, students are selling slime and charging between $1 and $5 per container. Other students are selling slime at their schools.

3. Based on information in the second paragraph, the reader can infer that—

A. The demand for slime has increased

B. The demand for slime has decreased

C. The demand for slime has stayed the same

D. More students are selling slime online

A. The demand for slime has increased

300

1. The sun smiled down on us.

2. The glowing growing green leaves

Personification and Alliteration

300

Mikey woke up and immediately jumped out of bed. Today was the day he had been waiting for ever since his teacher had made the announcement last week. Mikey carefully put on his school uniform and made sure to brush his teeth for a full two minutes. He wanted to look his absolute best at school today. On his way out of the door, he picked up a bag and was careful not to crumple it in the car. He couldn’t wait for Show and Tell later that day.

From events in the story, what can the reader conclude

about Mikey?

A. He forgot that it was Show and Tell today

B. He cares a lot about Show and Tell

C. He thinks he is too old to participate in Show and Tell

D. He does not want to have bad breath

B. He cares a lot about Show and Tell

300

Can you imagine living in a world without chocolate chip cookies? Well, boys and girls, it almost happened! The chocolate chip cookie was actually invented by accident! Back in the 1930s, Ruth Wakefield, who was the owner of the Toll House Inn in Massachusetts, was desperate for supplies to make her cookies. She broke a chocolate bar into pieces, hoping that the chunks would melt, making chocolate cookies. Instead of melting, the chunks of chocolate stayed in the cookie. That’s how the popular treat was created! Now it is enjoyed by millions!

Cause and Effect

300

Some animals have stronger senses than humans. Dogs, for example, have powerful noses. Sniffer dogs help find people who are trapped. They tell the rescue workers where the victims are. These dogs also smell bombs and alert the police. Eagles and hawks have extremely sharp eyes. This helps them see small rodents from far away. Elephants and cats can hear sounds that humans cannot. Bats and dolphins have echolocation. They can send out sound waves. These waves help find prey.

Which sentence supports Many animals have stronger senses than humans?


Some animals have stronger senses than humans. 

300

However, not all shadows are created equal. If an object is very close to the light source, the shadow will have sharp, well-defined edges. If the object is far away, the shadow will have blurred edges. Another factor that impacts shadows is how bright the light source is. Intense lights will create sharp shadows, while dim lights will create a gentler shadow.

Shadows can also change depending on what time of day it is. This is because the angle of the sun’s rays change throughout the day. In the early morning and late afternoon, shadows will be longer than in the middle of the day.

15. The main purpose of paragraphs 2 and 3 is to—

A. Explain how shadows are formed

B. Explain what causes differences in shadows

C. Explain when shadows are the longest

D. Explain what causes sharp shadows

B. Explain what causes differences in shadows

400

1. My backpack weighs a ton.

2. Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

3. The cloud was flufffy as cotton candy?

Hyperbole, onomatopeoia, Simile

400

BEEP BEEP BEEP! Jazmyn’s eyes flew open and glanced at the alarm clock. She’d never be able to get ready in just ten minutes! Jazmyn stumbled to her closet and pulled out the first thing she grabbed. Hair was next, but she didn’t have enough time to straighten her hair like she usually did, so she just threw it in a ponytail. She grabbed her backpack and a banana and sprinted out to the school bus stop. She didn’t notice the weird looks she was getting until she arrived at her homeroom class and realized that everyone was dressed in nice outfits. When she looked at what was written on the board, she gasped.

Based on her reaction in this story, Jazmyn—

A. forgot her homework on the kitchen table

B. forgot that it was Picture Day

C. forgot her lunch in the fridge at home

D. forgot to put on shoes

B. forgot that it was Picture Day

400

The art of making a traditional pizza takes a little bit of skill, but it’s actually a lot of fun. The first step is to find a recipe for the dough. Next, gather and mix your ingredients together. These are usually flour, warm water, and yeast. While the dough is allowed to rise in a covered bowl, you can prepare your toppings. You might need to cook some of the meats ahead of time or chop vegetables if that’s what you prefer. You will certainly need to grate some mozzarella cheese and let it rest. Once your dough has risen for the right amount of time, turn on your oven to the correct temperature—usually around 400 degrees—and let it begin to heat up while you flatten the dough into a circle or square that is no more than half an inch thick. Spread your grated cheese on top, add your toppings, and bake for about fifteen minutes. It might take a few tries to get your pizza just right, but think of how delicious it will be to practice!

Chronological order & Sequence

400

Water is a liquid. Liquids are an in between state of matter. They can be found in between the solid and gas states. One characteristic of a liquid is that it will fill up the shape of a container. Pour some water into a cup. You will see the water take the shape of the cup. The top part of a liquid will usually have a flat surface. Now put an ice cube (solid) into a cup. You will see the cube in the middle of the cup. The shape won't change until the ice becomes a liquid. Another trait of liquids is that they are difficult to compress. When you compress something, you force it into a smaller space. Solids are very difficult to compress. Gases, for example, are very easy. Liquids are in the middle. But they tend to be difficult too. When you compress something, you force the atoms closer together. Liquids already have their atoms close together. Therefore, they are hard to compress.

What is the central idea? 

A Liquids are an in-between state of matter. 

B Liquids take the shape of its container and are hard to compress. 

C Water is an example of a type of liquid. 

D Liquids are hard to compress because the atoms are closer together.

B Liquids take the shape of its container and are hard to compress. 

400

The United States Constitution was ratified on September 17, 1787. This important document explains how the U.S. government is organized. The men who wrote the Constitution decided that our government should have three main parts, or branches. The duties of each branch of government is explained in the Constitution.

The three branches of government are the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch. The legislative branch creates the laws, and is made up of the U.S. Congress. The executive branch enforces the laws, and is made up of the President. The judicial branch interprets the laws, and is made up of the courts. Each branch works together with the others to help the country run smoothly. The branches also have control over one another. For example, the executive branch can veto a law created by the legislative branch, or the judicial branch can rule that a law signed by the executive branch is unconstitutional. This system of checks and balances prevents any one group from having too much control.

The author wrote this selection most likely to explain—

A. How the U.S. government is different from other

governments

B. How the U. S. government is organized

C. How citizens can join one of the branches

D. Why our government has three parts

B. How the U. S. government is organized

500

1. HE COULD EAT A HORSE.

2. The farmers field was a wave of golden heat

3. My phone sings each time someone calls

4. PETER PIPER PICKED A PECK OF PICKLED PEPPERS

hyperbole, metaphor, personification, and alliteration

500

Screech! Karina stomped on the gas pedal the moment the stoplight turned green. She looked over her shoulder and and then sped past a taxi. She glanced at the clock on the console and darted into the parking lot. Whipping into a parking spot, she grabbed her suitcase and ran to the airport. Just as she entered the terminal, she heard an announcement over the loudspeaker: “Final boarding call for flight 205 to New York City...” Karina looked at her ticket and then at the line to get through the security checkpoint. She sighed and then slowly walked to the customer service desk.

Which line from the passage shows that Karina is in a rush?

A. Karina looked at her ticket and then at the line to get through

the security checkpoint.

B. Screech! Karina stomped on the gas pedal the moment the stoplight turned green.

C. Karina sighed and then slowly walked to the customer service desk.

D. Just as she entered the terminal, she heard an announcement over the loudspeaker:

B. Screech! Karina stomped on the gas pedal the moment the stoplight turned green.

500

Some experts have begun questioning whether or not kids today get too much screen time, largely as a result of owning smartphones. They worry that children and teenagers are spending too much time interacting with inappropriate content, encountering predators or cyberbullies, or simply shutting others out and not forming genuine face-to-face friendships. One way that parents have begun to correct this problem is by having screen- free time. This is important for the health and well-being of all consumers, not just kids. A screen-free time might be a daily or weekly family meal in which no devices come to the table, a game night in which the family “unplugs” and enjoys a board game, or just some time set aside to really talk and listen to each other. Hopefully, this time away from smartphones and screens can help people feel more confident and connected, as well as give families some time together.

Problem and Solution

500

Down in the depths of the ocean, one might come across this fascinating creature known as the hammerhead shark. This shark is unique due to the shape of its head. Their heads are extremely wide and are shaped that way in order to find its favorite meal: stingrays. Its eyes are very far apart which allows it to examine its surroundings much faster. The hammerhead shark has other features that allow it to find and eat its prey easily. The top part of their bodies are grayish brown or olive green. The bottom part is white. This allows them to stay hidden from their prey. The sharks also have sharp, triangular teeth that easily cut through their prey. They eat not only stingrays, but also squid, crab, and lobster. There is another large difference between the hammerhead shark and other fish. The hammerhead doesn’t lay eggs. Instead, the mother gives birth to live baby hammerhead sharks. She can have anywhere from 5 to 50 at one time! At first, the babies don’t have the hammerhead look, but as they grow up, the shape of their heads change.

What is the centeral idea?

a. They are endagered animals

b. They are the most dangerous animals

c. They are small animals

d. They are unique creatures

Hammer head sharks are unique creatures

500

Natural resources like trees, oil, and water are used to produce many of the items we use on a daily basis. However, the factories that produce cans, bottles, and paper often pollute our atmosphere. By using recycled materials, you can help decrease pollution in our air and reduce the amount of natural resources that are taken from our earth. 

What is the most likely reason the author includedparagraph 2?

A. To support the idea that natural resources are limited

B. To explain why it is important to reduce and recycle

C. To encourage people to shop less

D. To describe common natural resources

To explain why it is important to reduce and recycle