Key Ideas & Details
Read these sentences from paragraph 7.
"Come on, Catherine," Samuel said with a smile. "Clearing out the attic might be fun! You never know what treasures might be hidden in this old house."
What can the reader conclude about Samuel after reading this dialogue?
A. Samuel tries to avoid his responsibilities.
B. Samuel enjoys spending time with his sister.
C. Samuel tries to maintain a positive attitude.
D. Samuel enjoys having an organized home.
C. Samuel tries to maintain a positive attitude.
Read the sentences from the text.
And that 'significant stench' to which you referred is hydrogen sulfide, and it's produced when bacteria in the swamp decompose, or break down, organic matter such as plants. The scent of hydrogen sulfide is an indicator that the wetland is thriving.
What does the word indicator mean in this context? Select two options.
A. something that gives information
B. something that is the same as something else
C. something that measures
D. something that points out something else.
A. something that gives information
D. something that points out something else.
In a family of loud, boisterous performers who loved the spotlight, Elias was surprisingly reticent. During Thanksgiving dinner, while his cousins stood on chairs to tell jokes and his sisters sang show tunes, Elias sat at the far end of the table, offering only small smiles and one-word answers. He wasn't necessarily unhappy; he simply preferred to keep his thoughts locked away in his own mind rather than broadcasting them to the room.
Reticent means?
Reserved, timid
I enjoy eating lunch at the outdoor tables when the weather is nice.
What is the function of the phrase eating lunch as it is used in the sentence?
A. It acts as an adverb to clarify when the action takes place.
B. It acts as a noun and identifies what the subject enjoys.
C. It acts as an adjective to add a descriptive detail.
D. It acts as a verb and states what the subject is doing.
B. It acts as a noun and identifies what the subject enjoys.
Identify the type of verbal used in the sentence and what it is acting as in the sentence.
"After a long day, the exhausted students finally finished the cleanup."
Participle, adjective
Exhausted
Which sentence from the text best shows that Catherine is considerate?
A. Catherine let out a groan at the thought of spending the afternoon cleaning the attic.
B. The attic was hot, and Catherine immediately felt like leaving the cramped space.
C. Catherine's mood improved immensely after finding a trunk filled with outdated clothes.
D. The clothes were spotless, so Catherine decided to donate them to the high school's drama department.
D. The clothes were spotless, so Catherine decided to donate them to the high school's drama department.
In the text, Karen and her mother joke about selling the swamp's scent as a perfume called "Eau de Rotten Eggs."
How does this specific choice of words contribute to the tone of the first half of the story compared to Mr. Abramowitz’s later explanation of the scent?
A. It creates a formal tone that highlights the scientific importance of the swamp.
B. It establishes a lighthearted, humorous tone that reflects Karen’s initial lack of appreciation for the wetland.
C. It sets a dark, foreboding tone to warn the reader about the dangers of pollution.
D. It creates a mysterious tone that keeps the reader wondering what is causing the smell.
B. It establishes a lighthearted, humorous tone that reflects Karen’s initial lack of appreciation for the wetland.
After spending a day working at the library, the girls were famished and went to a nearby restaurant to eat.
What does the word famished mean as it is used in this sentence?
A. exhausted
B. relieved
C. bored
D. starved
D. starved
Select the portion of the sentence that is a participial phrase.
Brian, excited to fly, jumped into the basket of the hot air balloon.
excited to fly
In the story, the author describes the odor of the swamp as "putrid." Based on the fact that Karen "wrinkled her nose" and compared the smell to "rotting eggs," what is the best definition for putrid?
A. Extremely old or ancient.
B. Sweet and floral.
C. Decaying and foul-smelling.
D. Clean and refreshing.
C. Decaying and foul-smelling.
Samuel and Catherine recognize that Ms. Reynolds is thankful after they return her box of special possessions. How does this theme contribute to the plot?
A. Samuel and Catherine's mother force her children into giving the box back to the person it belongs to.
B. Samuel and Catherine know they made the right choice by giving the mysterious box back to its happy owner.
C. Samuel and Catherine want to keep the mysterious box to themselves to see if it holds secret treasure.
D. Samuel and Catherine are upset about returning the mysterious box to its rightful owner.
B. Samuel and Catherine know they made the right choice by giving the mysterious box back to its happy owner.
Mr. Abramowitz tells the class that "wetlands are like sponges."
Based on the structure of his explanation, how does this simile help develop the reader's understanding of a wetland's function?
A. It illustrates the physical texture of the mud Karen walks through.
B. It emphasizes how wetlands are easily damaged and need to be cleaned.
C. It explains the mechanical process of how wetlands absorb and release water to prevent flooding.
D. It describes the way the "putrid odor" is trapped within the plants.
C. It explains the mechanical process of how wetlands absorb and release water to prevent flooding.
A student wants to explain the ideas in a paragraph more clearly. Read the paragraph and answer the question that follows.
Andrea is a very smart and friendly girl. She thinks of how her actions and words may impact other people, and, therefore, her friends trust and appreciate her. Julia is encouraging her to run for President of the Student Council because Andrea cares about others.
Which specific word or phrase best replaces the underlined words?
A. talks
B. knows
C. is afraid of
D. is mindful of
D. is mindful of
Adrian drove to the mall after work buying a coat that was on sale.
Which of the following keeps the same meaning and correctly uses an infinitive?
A. Adrian drove to the mall after work and bought a new coat that was on sale.
B. Buying a coat that was on sale is why Adrian drove to the mall after work.
C. Adrian drove to the mall after work to buy a coat that was on sale.
D. Leave as is.
C. Adrian drove to the mall after work to buy a coat that was on sale.
In the middle of the story, Samuel is described as having a "change of heart" regarding the locked wooden box. Which statement best explains the reason for Samuel’s change of heart and how it connects to a major theme of the text?
A. He realized the box was likely filled with "clutter" rather than treasure, reflecting the theme that expectations often lead to disappointment.
B. He was influenced by Catherine’s argument about respecting others' privacy, reflecting the theme that empathy is more important than personal curiosity.
C. He became too tired from the afternoon of cleaning to continue searching for the key, reflecting the theme that hard work eventually requires rest.
D. He remembered his mother’s warning about the fragility of the wedding china, reflecting the theme that physical objects are easily broken.
B. He was influenced by Catherine’s argument about respecting others' privacy, reflecting the theme that empathy is more important than personal curiosity.
Catherine let out a groan at the thought of spending the afternoon cleaning the attic.
"Come on, Catherine," Samuel said with a smile. "Clearing out the attic might be fun! You never know what treasures might be hidden in this old house."
Catherine replied, "You've got your head in the clouds if you think we'll discover hidden treasures in this place. I think we're more likely to find a bunch of clutter."
Clearly, this passage demonstrates Catherine's negative attitude toward cleaning out the attic. Which incident later in the text changes Catherine's attitude, and what changes about her attitude?
A. Catherine finishes cleaning the attic, which is a relief. Her attitude changes to one of pride in her work.
B. Catherine finds dress up clothes and has fun trying them on. Her attitude changes and she begins to enjoy cleaning the attic.
C. Catherine gets very hot in the attic. Her attitude changes from negative to outright angry because her parents are forcing her to clean the attic.
D. Catherine's brother, Samuel, gets tired and wants to stop cleaning the attic. Her attitude changes to one of disappointment and despair because she realizes that she has to clean it on her own.
B. Catherine finds dress up clothes and has fun trying them on. Her attitude changes and she begins to enjoy cleaning the attic.
The author transitions from the classroom to Karen’s walk with her mother and then back to the classroom. What is the primary purpose of structuring the story with this memory/flashback?
A. To provide a detailed description of the physical exercise required to hike in rural areas.
B. To introduce the conflict of the "personal junkyard" that motivates Karen’s later actions.
C. To show that Karen’s mother is the person who actually came up with the idea for the cleanup.
D. To explain the scientific definition of hydrogen sulfide before the teacher mentions it.
B. To introduce the conflict of the "personal junkyard" that motivates Karen’s later actions.
A heavy, somber atmosphere hung over the village after the ancient "Great Oak" tree was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. This wasn't just a tree; it was the heart of their town where weddings and festivals had been held for centuries. The usual sounds of children playing and neighbors chatting were replaced by a funereal silence. People walked with their heads down, their faces clouded with a grief that made the sunny afternoon feel like a dark, rainy day.
What is a synonym for the word somber as it is used in the passage above?
dark, gloomy
In the sentence below, which underlined phrase includes a gerund?
Keeping track of all her children's afterschool activities was driving Ms. Gomez to tears.
A. Keeping track
B. activities
C. was driving
D. to tears
A. Keeping track
How does the author use the physical description of the cleanup—such as "heavy-duty work gloves," "thick muck," and "gallons of insect repellant"—to develop the story’s plot?
A. To suggest that the students were unprepared for the difficulty of the task and likely didn't finish the job.
B. To emphasize the contrast between the difficult, unpleasant work of the cleanup and the rewarding feeling of seeing the wildlife at the end.
C. To prove that the swamp was far more dangerous than Mr. Abramowitz had described in his classroom lecture.
D. To show that Karen and her friends were only participating in the cleanup to get the free food provided by Sara’s father.
B. To emphasize the contrast between the difficult, unpleasant work of the cleanup and the rewarding feeling of seeing the wildlife at the end.
What emotion is established by this dialogue in the passage?
"It's filled with old photographs and letters from my grandparents," Ms. Reynolds said in a quiet voice. "I thought these were lost forever. I can't tell you what it means to me to have them back."
A. acceptance
B. dismay
C. gratitude
D. sorrow
C. gratitude
In the final paragraph, the author describes the students seeing the "hidden wonders" of the swamp and seeing animals "show their appreciation." How does this word choice signal a shift in Karen's perspective from the beginning of the text?
A. It suggests that Karen is still bothered by the smell but feels obligated to help.
B. It proves that the students were more interested in the wildlife than the actual cleanup.
C. It indicates a shift from viewing the swamp as a "nuisance" or "junkyard" to seeing it as a vital, living ecosystem.
D. It shows that the teacher’s lecture was less effective than the actual physical labor of the cleanup.
C. It indicates a shift from viewing the swamp as a "nuisance" or "junkyard" to seeing it as a vital, living ecosystem.
After years of traveling the world as a daring photojournalist, Arthur found it difficult to adjust to the mundane tasks of office life. Instead of dodging monsoon rains in jungles or trekking across glaciers, he now spent his afternoons filing expense reports, organizing paperclips, and checking the office calendar for upcoming meetings. To him, these everyday, boring chores felt like a dull gray fog compared to his former adventures.
What is an antonym for the word mundane as it is used in the passage above?
out of the ordinary, exciting or thrilling
"To protect the local wetlands became Karen’s primary goal after her walk."
Task: Rewrite the sentence so that it begins with a gerund.
Protecting the local wetlands became Karen’s primary goal after her walk.
At the start of the story, Catherine dismisses Samuel’s hope for "hidden treasures," believing they will only find "clutter." By the end, the author states they found a "hidden treasure after all." Which statement best analyzes how the theme of "treasure" develops and which character's actions led to this realization?
A. The theme shows that treasure is defined by financial value; Samuel’s persistence in searching the rafters for the key is what ultimately allowed Ms. Reynolds to open the box.
B. The theme suggests that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure; Catherine’s mood improvement after finding the trunk of old clothes proved that "treasure" is anything that makes a person happy.
C. The theme shifts from treasure being a physical, valuable object to being something of sentimental and historical worth; Catherine’s empathy and insistence on privacy ensured the box reached its rightful owner.
D. The theme reveals that the greatest treasure is a new home; Samuel’s change of heart about moving allowed him to see the old Victorian house as a place of mystery rather than a chore.
C. The theme shifts from treasure being a physical, valuable object to being something of sentimental and historical worth; Catherine’s empathy and insistence on privacy ensured the box reached its rightful owner.