Figurative Language
Read the sentence: “The cafeteria was as loud as a concert.” Which type of figurative language is used?
A. Hyperbole
B. Simile
C. Personification
D. Alliteration
Answer: B. Simile
What does the word methodical mean as it is used below?
Jalen was methodical when he packed for the field trip. First, he checked the list. Next, he placed each item in his bag one at a time. Finally, he zipped every pocket and checked the list again to make sure nothing was missing.
A. rushed and careless
B. organized and done step by step
C. confused and distracted
D. cheerful and talkative
Answer: B. organized and done step by step
Read the paragraph. What can the reader infer about the weather?
By the time the buses arrived, the blacktop shimmered in waves, and even the teachers who usually stood at their posts were gathered in the narrow strips of shade beside the building. Several students used their folders as fans while the crossing guard loosened his collar and wiped his forehead with a handkerchief.
A. The weather is cool and breezy.
B. The weather is rainy and humid.
C. The weather is uncomfortably hot.
D. The weather is turning colder by the minute.
Answer: C. The weather is extremely hot.
Which sentence best states the main conflict?
Arun had promised his grandmother he would help at her store after school, but his science teacher had just announced that the robotics team would hold its first practice that same afternoon. Arun stared at the permission slip on his desk, knowing he could not be in both places at once.
A. Arun wants to quit the robotics team.
B. Arun must choose between two responsibilities.
C. Arun is afraid to ask his grandmother for help.
D. Arun forgot to bring home his permission slip.
Answer: B. Arun must choose between two responsibilities.
Read the paragraph. What is the main idea?
In desert environments, survival often depends less on size or strength than on behavior. Many animals avoid the hottest part of the day by sheltering in burrows, beneath rocks, or in narrow strips of shade. Some hunt only at night, when the air is cooler and water is less likely to evaporate quickly. These patterns help animals conserve energy and survive in a place where heat and dryness create constant challenges.
A. Desert animals depend on behavioral adaptations to survive extreme conditions.
B. Most desert animals survive by staying underground during the daytime.
C. Nighttime is the safest time for all desert animals to search for food.
D. Desert habitats are difficult mainly because they do not provide enough shade.
Answer: A Desert animals depend on behavioral adaptations to survive extreme conditions.
Which sentence uses onomatopoeia?
A. The stars winked down at us.
B. Her smile was sunshine.
C. The bacon sizzled in the pan.
D. He ran like lightning.
C. The bacon sizzled in the pan.
Read the paragraph. What does the word subject mean as it is used below?
The photograph was beautiful, but the subject was difficult to see because the camera had focused on the trees in the background instead of the person standing in front.
A. a school class
B. the main thing being discussed or shown
C. someone ruled by a king or queen
D. a reason for punishment
Answer: B. the main thing being discussed or shown
Read the paragraph. What can the reader infer about Ms. Salazar?
Before the debate began, Ms. Salazar rearranged the desks into a circle, placed a timer where everyone could see it, and reminded students to challenge ideas rather than people. When one speaker was interrupted, she raised a hand immediately and said, “Let’s make sure every voice is heard.”
A. She prefers noisy classrooms with little structure.
B. She is uncomfortable leading class discussions.
C. She wants students to disagree as much as possible.
D. She values respectful, organized discussion.
Answer: D. She values respectful, organized discussion.
Read the paragraph. Which statement best explains how the setting influences the plot?
By the third day of the blizzard, the roads had disappeared beneath snowdrifts taller than the fence posts. The power had failed sometime during the night, and the nearest town was too far away to reach on foot. When Mrs. Alvarez heard the baby next door begin to cry, she wrapped herself in blankets and opened the door anyway.
A. The snowy setting makes the neighborhood look beautiful.
B. The dangerous weather creates obstacles that force characters to act bravely.
C. The setting shows that the characters dislike winter.
D. The storm causes the characters to leave town immediately.
Answer: B. The dangerous weather creates obstacles that force characters to act bravely.
Read the paragraph. Which detail best supports the main idea that Taryn is a dependable student?
Before leaving school each afternoon, Taryn checks the online classroom page, copies new assignments into her planner, and places the correct books in her backpack for homework. When directions seem unclear, she asks questions before the lesson ends rather than waiting until she is confused at home. Her teachers know they can count on her to come to class prepared and meet deadlines without repeated reminders.
A. Taryn checks the online classroom page before leaving school.
B. Taryn asks questions before the lesson ends when directions are unclear.
C. Taryn places the correct books in her backpack for homework.
D. Taryn’s teachers know they can count on her to meet deadlines.
Answer: D Taryn’s teachers know they can count on her to meet deadlines.
Onomatopoeia are words that ________ sounds.
imitate
Which TWO context clues best help the reader determine the meaning of obsolete?
By the time the museum opened its technology exhibit, many of the devices were already obsolete. Visitors stared at the floppy disks and bulky cassette players, puzzled by machines that had once been common but were now replaced by smaller, faster tools.
A. “museum opened”
B. “visitors stared”
C. “had once been common”
D. “now replaced by smaller, faster tools”
Answers: C and D
Read the paragraph. What can the reader infer about Omar’s reaction to the award?
When Omar’s name was announced, he blinked twice as if he had heard it wrong. On his way to the stage, he glanced back at his teammates before accepting the plaque with both hands. During the applause, he smiled, but when he spoke, the first people he thanked were the students who had stayed after school to practice with him.
A. Omar is only proud of his own effort.
B. Omar is surprised and sees the achievement as shared.
C. Omar is disappointed that the award was not larger.
D. Omar expected to win and had planned his speech in advance.
Answer: B. Omar is surprised and sees the achievement as shared.
B. Omar is surprised and sees the achievement as shared.
Which word best describes the character of Nia?
When the group realized they had only ten minutes left to finish the project, everyone began talking at once. Nia raised her hand for silence, divided the remaining tasks, and handed the markers to the students who were still arguing about what to do next.
A.shy
B. careless
C. bossy
D. decisive
Answer: D. decisive
Read the paragraph. Which detail does not support the main idea that the library is an important community resource?
The public library provides much more than shelves of books. Students can use its computers to research assignments, families can attend weekend events, and job seekers can print resumes or fill out online applications. Staff members also help visitors locate information and learn how to use digital tools. Last spring, the front steps were repaired and the flower beds were replanted near the entrance.
A. Students can use the computers to research assignments.
B. Families can attend weekend events at the library.
C. Staff members help visitors locate information and use digital tools.
D. The front steps were repaired and the flower beds were replanted.
Answer: D The front steps were repaired and the flower beds were replanted.
Which TWO sentences contain alliteration?
A. The busy bees bounced by the bushes.
B. My feet were blocks of ice after the game.
C. The popcorn heated and crackled in the microwave.
D. Silly Sammy spilled seven sodas.
Answers: A and D
What does the word meticulous mean as it is used below?
Tessa’s model of the solar system was meticulous. Every planet was painted carefully, each label was perfectly centered, and even the smallest details matched the information in her textbook.
A. messy but creative
B. completed in a hurry
C. careful and precise
D. larger than expected
Answer: C. careful and precise
Read the paragraph. Which TWO details best support the inference that Priya feels uneasy about what she has done?
Priya insisted that moving the vase had “probably been the right idea,” but she crouched nervously near the doorway instead of entering the room fully. Every few seconds, her eyes flicked toward the shelf where the dust-free square still showed exactly where the vase had been. When her aunt’s car pulled into the driveway, Priya stopped talking in the middle of her sentence.
A. Priya said it was “probably” the right idea.
B. She crouched near the doorway.
C. The shelf had a dust-free square.
D. She stopped talking when her aunt arrived.
Answers: B and D
Which detail best reveals the mood?
The flashlight beam trembled across the cellar walls, catching on stacked boxes, hanging cobwebs, and a chair missing one leg. Somewhere in the darkness, water dripped slowly into a metal pan.
A. peaceful
B. humorous
C. suspenseful
D. cheerful
Answer: C. suspenseful
Read the paragraph. Which detail best supports the main idea that Hana has changed over time?
In sixth grade, Hana used to dread speaking in front of groups. Once, she even asked whether she could give a presentation to the teacher alone after school instead of standing in front of the class. Now she volunteers to introduce guest speakers at assemblies, leads tours for new families, and speaks so confidently during class presentations that she rarely needs to glance at her notes. Her classmates have begun to see her as someone who stays calm under pressure.
A. Hana once asked to present only to the teacher after school.
B. Hana now volunteers to introduce guest speakers at assemblies.
C. Hana speaks confidently during class presentations.
D. Her classmates see her as someone who stays calm under pressure.
Answer: D Her classmates see her as someone who stays calm under pressure.
Read the sentence: “After carrying all those groceries, my arms were noodles and my legs begged me to stop.” Which TWO types of figurative language are used?
A. Simile
B. Metaphor
C. Personification
D. Onomatopoeia
Answers: B and C
“My arms were noodles” is a metaphor, and “my legs begged me to stop” is personification.
What does the word refuse mean in the second sentence?
I thought the workers would not collect the trash bags because they were torn and leaking. Instead, they loaded the refuse into the truck and swept the sidewalk clean before driving away.
A. to say no
B. to delay
C. garbage
D. a warning
Answer: C. garbage
Multiple response: Read the paragraph. Which TWO details best support the inference that the town takes pride in its history?
Although the train station had not carried passengers in decades, no one in Briar Glen talked about tearing it down. The brick walls were repaired each spring, flower boxes hung beneath the windows, and a polished brass plaque near the entrance explained the station’s role in the town’s early growth. During the fall festival, local students even gave tours from the old ticket counter.
A. The train station had not carried passengers in decades.
B. The brick walls were repaired each spring.
C. A polished brass plaque explained the station’s role in the town’s early growth.
D. Local students gave tours from the old ticket counter.
Answers: C and D
Which TWO statements are best supported by the passage?
The play had gone wrong almost from the start. A curtain rope jammed, one actor missed an entrance, and the paper moon slipped sideways in the middle of the second scene. Yet when the final line was spoken, the audience rose to its feet. Backstage, Zara laughed until tears ran down her face while the rest of the cast cheered, not because the performance had been perfect, but because they had somehow carried it through together.
A. The external conflict involved several problems during the performance.
B. Zara is upset because the audience disliked the play.
C. One theme is that teamwork can matter more than perfection.
D. The setting is most likely a sports arena.
Answers: A and C
Multiple response: Read the paragraph. Which TWO statements are best supported by the paragraph?
Coral reefs support a remarkable variety of life. Tiny organisms build the reef itself, while fish, sea turtles, and countless other creatures depend on the reef for food, shelter, or breeding grounds. At the same time, reefs are highly sensitive to changes in water temperature, pollution, and other environmental stresses. Damage that begins gradually can spread over time and affect entire reef systems, making these habitats both valuable and fragile.
A. Coral reefs provide essential support for many living things.
B. Coral reefs are able to recover quickly from nearly all environmental damage.
C. Coral reefs are important ecosystems, but they can be easily harmed.
D. Sea turtles and fish help build the structure of coral reefs.
Answers: A and C