Blind Ambition
Text Structure
Vocab
Linking or Helping
Passage Skills
100

What is the best summary of Blind Ambition?


A. Twyla sometimes snores in class and makes Matthew’s classmates laugh.

B. Matthew enjoys golf more than every other activity.

C. Guide dogs follow commands and avoid obstacles.

D. Matthew uses adaptations, tools, Twyla, and help from others to participate in activities he enjoys.

D. Matthew uses adaptations, tools, Twyla, and help from others to participate in activities he enjoys.

100

Which text structure places events or steps according to when they happen?

A. Compare and contrast
B. Chronological order
C. Problem and solution
D. Description

B. Chronological order

100

After a difficult day, Maya’s friend spoke kindly and helped her feel less worried. Which word describes what the friend provided?

A. Command
B. Obstacle
C. Comfort
D. Adapt

C. Comfort

100

How does is function in this sentence?

“The turtle is quiet.”

A. Linking verb
B. Helping verb
C. Action verb
D. Noun

A. Linking verb

100

Read:

“Before the storm, the neighborhood park contained tall trees, shaded benches, and a large playground. After the storm, fallen branches covered the ground, several benches were broken, and the playground was closed.”

How are the ideas organized?

A. Chronological order
B. Compare and contrast
C. Problem and solution
D. Description

B. Compare and contrast

200

Matthew adds Braille labels to controls and asks friends to wear buzzers during paintball. What do these actions reveal about him?

A. He avoids unfamiliar activities.
B. He finds creative ways to overcome challenges.
C. He prefers working without other people.
D. He gives up when an activity becomes difficult.

B. He finds creative ways to overcome challenges.

200

A paragraph explains how guide dogs and household pets are alike and different. Which structure does the author use?

A. Problem and solution
B. Chronological order
C. Cause and effect
D. Compare and contrast

D. Compare and contrast

200

A student changes how he completes an assignment after injuring his writing hand. Which word describes what the student does?

A. Adapt
B. Deny
C. Command
D. Accept

A. Adapt

200

Which word is the helping verb?

“The eagle was flying above the field.”

A. eagle
B. flying
C. was
D. field

C. was

200

Read:

“The abandoned barn sagged like a tired old man.”

What does the simile help readers understand?

A. The barn belonged to an elderly farmer.
B. Someone was sleeping inside the barn.
C. The barn moved when people approached it.
D. The barn looked old, weak, and worn down.

D. The barn looked old, weak, and worn down.

300

Why does Matthew include examples involving Braille, buzzers, Twyla, and assistance from other people?

A. To compare his favorite activities
B. To tell the events of one day in order
C. To explain solutions that help him respond to challenges
D. To prove that Twyla can complete every task for him

C. To explain solutions that help him respond to challenges

300

Read the sentences:

“First, Liam tried moving the heavy box by himself. When it would not move, he asked a friend to help.”

How are the ideas organized?

A. Chronological order because the author uses the word first
B. Compare and contrast because two people move the box
C. Problem and solution because Liam encounters a challenge and finds help
D. Description because the author describes a heavy box

C. Problem and solution because Liam encounters a challenge and finds help

300

Which situation best shows someone denying something?

A. Leah changes her plan when it does not work.
B. Marcus accepts an award from his coach.
C. Ava comforts her friend after a loss.
D. Owen says he did not break the pencil, although others watched him do it.

D. Owen says he did not break the pencil, although others watched him do it.


300

Which word functions as a linking verb?

“Matthew was determined during the difficult activity.”

A. Matthew
B. was
C. determined
D. activity

B. was

300

Read:

“Even during the difficult hike, Elena’s cheerfulness encouraged the group.”

What does cheerfulness mean? Use the suffix -ness.

A. The state of being cheerful
B. Someone who needs encouragement
C. The act of planning a difficult trip
D. A place where people gather

A. The state of being cheerful

400

Which statement best describes the dominant structure of Blind Ambition?

A. Problem and solution connects Matthew’s challenges to the tools, adaptations, and people that help him.
B. Chronological order presents the events of Matthew’s day from morning to night.
C. Compare and contrast shows how Matthew differs from his classmates.
D. Chronological order explains every event from Matthew’s birth to the present.

A. Problem and solution connects Matthew’s challenges to the tools, adaptations, and people that help him.

400

A passage contains one chronological section, one comparison section, and three sections connecting challenges to responses. What should readers examine to determine the dominant structure?

A. Which structure organizes most of the passage’s important ideas
B. Which signal word appears in the first paragraph
C. Which section contains the greatest number of sentences
D. Which structure appears in the title

A. Which structure organizes most of the passage’s important ideas

400

A trainer tells a guide dog to stop at the curb. What vocabulary word names the trainer’s order?

A. Comfort
B. Command
C. Obstacle
D. Adaptation

B. Command

400

Why does were function differently in these sentences?

  1. The wolves were hungry.
  2. The wolves were hunting.

A. It functions as an action verb in both sentences.
B. It functions as a helping verb in both sentences.
C. It is helping in sentence 1 and linking in sentence 2.
D. It is linking in sentence 1 and helping in sentence 2.

D. It is linking in sentence 1 and helping in sentence 2.

400

Read:

“The children could sense that rain was coming when the air became cooler.”

Which meaning of sense is used?

A. Good judgment
B. A physical organ
C. To notice or become aware of something
D. To forget an important detail

C. To notice or become aware of something

500

Matthew says, “My dream felt like a mountain I needed to climb.” What does this language communicate?

A. Matthew wanted to become a mountain climber.
B. Matthew carried his golf equipment up a steep hill.
C. Reaching Matthew’s goal felt difficult and required determination.
D. A mountain prevented Matthew from reaching the golf course.

C. Reaching Matthew’s goal felt difficult and required determination.

500

Read the paragraph:

“Sea turtles sometimes mistake plastic bags for food. Eating plastic can injure them. Volunteers remove trash from beaches, and communities reduce the use of plastic bags. These actions keep some plastic from reaching the ocean.”

Which structure best organizes the paragraph?

A. Chronological order
B. Problem and solution
C. Compare and contrast
D. Description

B. Problem and solution

500

Which sentence correctly uses both accepted and obstacles?

A. The obstacles accepted a difficult journey through the forest.
B. Mia obstacles the award and accepted the race.
C. Mia accepted the challenge even though several obstacles stood in her way.
D. Mia denied the obstacles because she accepted that they were commands.

C. Mia accepted the challenge even though several obstacles stood in her way.

500

Which sentence uses the italicized verb as a helping verb?

A. Matthew was confident.
B. His adaptations were useful.
C. Twyla had guided Matthew around several obstacles.
D. The activity became easier with practice.

C. Twyla had guided Matthew around several obstacles.

500

Read:

“In May, workers began repairing the damaged park. During the summer, they removed fallen trees and replaced the benches. In September, the playground reopened. By October, families had returned to the park.”

What is the dominant structure?

A. Problem and solution because workers repaired damage
B. Sequence because events are arranged according to when they happened
C. Compare and contrast because the park changed
D. Description because the author names parts of the park

B. Sequence because events are arranged according to when they happened