Text Structure
Passage:
Dogs have been loyal companions to humans for thousands of years. They provide protection for homes and families, offer emotional support to their owners, and help reduce stress and anxiety. In addition, many dogs are trained to assist people with disabilities. These qualities show why dogs continue to be one of the most popular pets in the world.
Question 1:
Which text structure is used in this passage?
A. Cause and Effect
B. Problem and Solution
C. Description
D. Chronological Order
What is C. Description?
During the final minutes of the exam, the classroom was described as being “as still as frozen glass,” with every student focused on their paper.
Which type of figurative language is used in the phrase “as still as frozen glass”?
A. Metaphor
B. Hyperbole
C. Simile
D. Personification
What is C. Simile
Paragraph 1:
Recycling helps reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. Materials such as plastic, glass, and aluminum can be reused instead of thrown away. When people recycle, fewer natural resources are needed to create new products.
Question 1:
Which detail from the paragraph best shows why recycling is important?
A. Recycling helps reduce waste in landfills
B. Glass can be reused
C. Some products are made of aluminum
D. New products are expensive
What is A. Recycling helps reduce waste in landfills?
Paragraph 1:
When the storm finally ended, Lena stepped onto the porch and saw that the streets were flooded and tree branches were scattered across the yard. The sky remained dark, and the air was thick with humidity.
Question 1:
Which detail best shows that the storm was severe?
A. The sky remained dark
B. The air was humid
C. The streets were flooded and tree branches were scattered
D. Lena stepped onto the porch
What is C. The streets were flooded and tree branches were scattered?
Poem 1:
The rain tapped softly on the roof,
A quiet rhythm in the night,
As streetlights shimmered in the puddles,
Painting silver in the dark.
Question 1:
Which line from the poem best shows that the rain is gentle?
A. “The rain tapped softly on the roof”
B. “A quiet rhythm in the night”
C. “As streetlights shimmered in the puddles”
D. “Painting silver in the dark”
What is A. "The rain tapped softly on the roof"?
Passage:
For several years, students at Lincoln High School struggled with low reading scores. Many students avoided reading outside of school and lacked access to age-appropriate books at home. In response, the school created a daily independent reading program and opened a new student library. As a result, reading scores increased steadily over the next two years.
Question 2:
Which text structure best fits this passage?
A. Compare and Contrast
B. Sequence
C. Cause and Effect
D. Description
What is C. Cause and Effect?
After sprinting up three flights of stairs with a heavy backpack, Noah joked that his legs felt like they were “on fire.”
Which literary device is being used to emphasize how tired Noah feels?
A. Metaphor
B. Hyperbole
C. Personification
D. Simile
What is B. Hyperbole
Paragraph 2:
The doctor warned that a sedentary lifestyle, which involves sitting for long periods with little physical activity, can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease and obesity.
Question 2:
Based on the context, what does the word sedentary most nearly mean?
A. Active
B. Balanced
C. Inactive
D. Dangerous
What is C. inactive?
Paragraph 2:
As Marcus entered the crowded lunchroom, the noise slammed into him like a wall, leaving him disoriented and tense.
Question 2:
What does the phrase “the noise slammed into him like a wall” suggest about the lunchroom?
A. It was physically dangerous
B. It was unexpectedly quiet
C. It was overwhelming and intense
D. It was empty and silent
What is C. It was overwhelming and intense?
Poem 2:
The classroom buzzed like a restless hive,
Each voice a wing in motion,
Until the bell cut through the noise
And silence finally settled in.
Question 2:
What does the simile “buzzed like a restless hive” suggest about the classroom?
A. It is calm and peaceful
B. It is loud and full of activity
C. It is empty and quiet
D. It is dangerous and crowded
What is B. It is loud and full of activity?
Passage:
Traditional classrooms usually require students to attend school in person for a set number of hours each day. Online learning, on the other hand, allows students to complete assignments from home and often at flexible times. While traditional classrooms provide face-to-face interaction with teachers and classmates, online learning depends heavily on technology and self-discipline.
Question 3:
Why does the author use this text structure?
A. To show the steps in a process
B. To explain the causes of online learning
C. To present similarities and differences
D. To offer a solution to a problem
What is C. To Present similarities and differences?
As the storm rolled in, the author writes that the thunder “growled through the clouds, warning the town to take cover.”
What type of figurative language is used to describe the thunder as “growling”?
A. Hyperbole
B. Metaphor
C. Personification
D. Irony
What is C. Personification?
Paragraph 3:
Social media allows people to stay connected across long distances, share personal achievements, and express their opinions instantly. However, excessive use of these platforms has also been linked to sleep loss, anxiety, and decreased face-to-face communication.
Question 3:
Which statement best expresses the central idea of the paragraph?
A. Social media is harmful to teenagers
B. Social media has both positive and negative effects
C. Teenagers use social media too much
D. People should stop using social media
Paragraph 3:
At first, Elena refused to speak during group discussions, keeping her eyes lowered and her answers brief. By the end of the semester, however, she confidently led class debates and encouraged others to share their opinions.
Question 3:
What does this change in Elena’s behavior suggest about her character?
A. She has become more dishonest
B. She has grown more confident and comfortable
C. She no longer cares about her grades
D. She prefers to work alone
What is B. She has grown more confident and comfortable?
Poem 3:
I carried doubt like stones in my pockets,
Each step heavier than the last,
Until hope stretched out its hands
And taught me how to rise.
Question 3:
Which theme is best supported by this poem?
A. Fear always leads to failure
B. Change is impossible
C. Hope helps overcome emotional burdens
D. People cannot escape doubt
What is C. Hope helps overcome emotional burdens?
Passage:
When Jordan first joined the basketball team, he struggled with confidence and often doubted his abilities. He missed easy shots, hesitated during practice, and feared letting his teammates down. As the season continued, Jordan practiced every day, accepted feedback from his coach, and learned from his mistakes. By the final game, he confidently led his team in scoring and proved to himself that hard work could lead to success.
Question 4:
How does the structure of this passage help develop its meaning?
A. It compares Jordan to other players
B. It lists reasons Jordan failed
C. It emphasizes Jordan’s growth over time
D. It explains how basketball rules work
What is C. It emphasizes Jordan's growth over time?
In the passage below, the author states:
“The hallway between classes was a battlefield, filled with pushing, shouting, and survival instincts.”
What does the metaphor “the hallway was a battlefield” suggest about the students’ experience?
A. The school was dangerous because of weapons
B. The students were pretending to fight
C. The environment felt chaotic, aggressive, and stressful
D. The hallway was being used for sports practice
What is C. The Environment felt chaotic, aggressive, and stressful?
Paragraph 4:
In order to improve air quality, the city first limited factory emissions, then encouraged public transportation use, and finally expanded green spaces such as parks and tree-lined streets. Together, these efforts gradually reduced pollution levels over time.
Question 4:
How does the author develop the idea that air quality improved?
A. By listing problems caused by pollution
B. By presenting a sequence of solutions and their result
C. By comparing pollution in two different cities
D. By giving opinions about environmental policy
What is B. By presenting a sequence of solutions and their result?
Paragraph 4:
Every morning, before the sun rose, Mr. Dalton swept the empty sidewalks in front of his failing shop. Though few customers ever entered, he returned each day, broom in hand, hoping that business would someday improve.
Question 4:
Which theme is best supported by this passage?
A. Wealth guarantees happiness
B. Perseverance in the face of hardship
C. People avoid responsibility
D. Success comes without effort
What is B. Perseverance in the face of hardship?
Poem 4:
The clock sneered from the classroom wall,
Its ticking louder than our thoughts,
Mocking the moments slipping away
We could never get back.
Question 4:
What does the personification of the clock most strongly suggest about time?
A. Time is friendly and helpful
B. Time moves slowly when students are bored
C. Time is cruel and cannot be controlled
D. Time is imaginary and meaningless
What is C. Time is cruel and cannot be controlled?
Passage:
Technology allows people to communicate instantly across the world through texting, video calls, and social media platforms. Teenagers can stay connected with friends daily, share ideas, and meet people from different cultures. However, as online communication increases, many teens spend less time interacting face-to-face. This shift has led to concerns about weakened social skills and emotional connections. While digital communication provides convenience and global access, it also presents challenges to real-world relationships.
Question 5:
How does the author’s use of text structure support the central idea of the passage?
A. The sequence structure shows how technology developed
B. The problem-solution structure explains how to fix communication issues
C. The compare-and-contrast structure highlights both benefits and drawbacks
D. The descriptive structure explains how social media works
What is C. The compare-and-contrast structure highlights both benefits and drawbacks?
After receiving several failing grades in a row, the narrator explains,
“Failure followed me like a shadow, never leaving my side no matter how hard I tried to escape it.”
What does this figurative language most strongly suggest about how the narrator feels?
A. They feel physically threatened by someone
B. They feel overwhelmed and unable to avoid continued disappointment
C. They believe failure has actually come to life
D. They are no longer worried about their performance
What is B. They feel overwhelmed and unable to avoid continued disappointment?
Paragraph 5:
Many historians argue that studying past civilizations helps modern societies avoid repeating mistakes. By examining economic collapses, political conflicts, and social movements of earlier cultures, leaders today can make more informed decisions about the future.
Question 5:
Why does the author include examples such as economic collapses and political conflicts?
A. To entertain the reader with dramatic events
B. To explain how governments are formed
C. To support the idea that history provides valuable lessons
D. To show that all past civilizations failed
What is C. To support the idea that history provides valuable lessons?
Paragraph 5:
The chapter opens with the town celebrating in the streets, unaware of the tragedy that is about to unfold. In the final paragraph, the same streets are silent, covered in debris and grief.
Question 5:
How does this structural contrast between the beginning and the ending of the chapter most affect the reader?
A. It creates suspense by slowing down the plot
B. It emphasizes the emotional impact of the tragedy
C. It makes the story more confusing
D. It distracts from the main conflict
What is B. It emphasizes the emotional impact of the tragedy?
Poem 5:
The first stanza speaks in sunlight and laughter,
The second whispers of shadows and fear,
The final stands in quiet balance—
Neither joy nor sorrow winning the war.
Question 5:
How does the structure of the poem across three stanzas most contribute to its meaning?
A. It shows that all poems must have three stanzas
B. It moves from happiness to sadness and finally to emotional balance
C. It repeats the same idea in different ways
D. It changes topics without a clear purpose
What is B. It moves from happiness to sadness and finally to emotional balance?