Show:
CONTEXT CLUES
INFERENCES
MAIN IDEA/SUMMARY
PLOT
POETRY
100
Snowmobiles are causing problems in some of our national parks. Particulate matter, emitted by engines of vehicles, is a cause of haze and smog. In the passage above, what is the meaning of the words particulate matter? A. haze B. soot C. smog D. particular
SOOT
100
Long before weight machines, stationary bikes, and step aerobics became tools in any weight-management plan, people practiced yoga for spiritual and physical health. The origins of yoga predates written history. Archeologists have uncovered stone carvings depicting figures in yoga positions in the Indus Valley dating back 5,000 years or more! While it might not produce the rapid results that fast-paced aerobic exercises or high-tech weight machines do, yoga still has plenty to contribute to your weight loss program in the 21st century. What can you infer from this paragraph? A.The author has positive feelings about yoga.//// B. The author is an aerobics teacher.///// C. The author is a yoga instructor.///// D. Yoga is something everyone should try. //////
A.The author has positive feelings about yoga.
100
We're worried when Johnny can't read or add. Shouldn't we also worry when Johnny does and says things that hurt other cultures? In this country, we have assigned our schools with the shaping and reshaping of a democratic policy. That is why the schooling in America has always been a matter of political opinion. But in America, our schools have a very special task. The society we have made won't survive without the values of tolerance. Cultural tolerance is nothing without cultural understanding. The challenge facing America in the next century will be the shaping of a truly common public culture. It must be one that responds to the long-silenced cultures of color. adapted from Loose Canons: Notes on the Culture Wars by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. What is the main idea of this article? A. Johnny is not good at reading or math in school///// B. It is important for America to have good schools///// C. American schools need to create a common culture///// D. Cultural differences are not important in America//////
C. American schools need to create a common culture.
100
Stuck by Jon Caswell Kerry climbed into his over-sized, four-wheel-drive truck, which stood three or four feet off the ground. He turned the key in the ignition. Nothing happened. He turned it again, but still nothing. He looked at his girlfriend Lisa in the passenger seat and could tell from her eyes that she was frightened. “I told you I didn’t want to come out here in this old truck,” she said. “I told you, but you wouldn’t listen. You better get us out of here. I hate this old truck!” Kerry looked out the window. The woods were beautiful in the dusk. The ferns were like velvet covering the ground, punctuated by the tall spires of the pine trees. He loved taking his truck off-road. Beautiful as it was, Kerry knew this was no place to be if it rained, and it sure looked like rain was coming. He could smell it in the air. He turned the key again, with the same result as before. Lisa started to say something, but Kerry put his hand up. “I don’t need your opinion,” he said. Kerry opened the door and climbed down. He walked to the front of the truck and popped the hood and stepped onto the bumper so he could look at the engine compartment. There wasn’t enough light to see anything, and he climbed back down and got a flashlight out of the cab. Stepping onto the bumper, he pointed the light at the engine and saw the loose wire immediately. The wire from the ignition switch to the starter had come unplugged. He figured it must have happened during the ride up the mountain; there had been some pretty rough patches. He reached across the engine and plugged it in. “Turn the key,” he yelled. Lisa moved into the driver’s seat and turned the key. The engine in the big truck fired to life. Kerry smiled and slammed the hood as he jumped to the ground. Lisa scooted over as he climbed into the cab. “I knew you could do it,” she said and kissed him on the cheek. The first drops of rain splattered the windshield. “You can congratulate me later for being so smart. We have to get out of here before that storm moves in.” He engaged the four-wheel drive and began turning the truck around. That took a bit of maneuvering, but once they were headed down the mountain, Lisa relaxed a little bit. “Hey, babe, see if you can find that weather station on the radio,” Kerry said. Which of these best describes the plot of the story? A. Lisa picks a fight with Kerry because she didn't want to go into the mountains./////// B. Kerry and Lisa are stranded in the mountains until Kerry finds the problem.////////// C. Kerry feels guilty because his truck won't start and Lisa gets really scared./////////// D. Lisa and Kerry enjoy the woods until the truck won't start and it starts to rain.///////////
B. Kerry and Lisa are stranded in the mountains until Kerry finds the problem.
100
Waiting for a Kind Reader by A. Gautam How can my words be free when they are tied? They have to follow ink wherev'r it flows. They can't run off, leave the paper aside. Bound around, it's how their story goes. Sometimes my words want to follow the eyes or even stick along the fingertips, to find a way to where the reader flies, or goes on to sleep in floating ships. They wait for rain to bleed from the white page. Sometimes a tear or two will shove them off. Then disfigured, they sulk with silent rage, when half of them are left to cry and cough. The words are finally happy to find the one who writes again, with fingers kind. The last two lines of the poem (lines 13 and 14) are an example of A. a couplet.////////// B. a ballad.////////// C. a stanza.////////// D. alliteration. ///////////
A. A COUPLET
200
Being a class monitor had put me in quite a quandary. While I had to report the students' unruly behavior to the authority, I did not want to jeopardize my friendship with my classmates. Luckily, most of my friends seemed to comprehend my problem quite well. 2. What does quandary most likely mean? A. fortitude///// B. distortion///// C. runt///// D. predicament/////
D. PREDICAMENT
200
Tayshawn is in the eighth grade. He has always loved science, and lately he has become interested in biology. He thinks he may go to medical school one day and become a doctor. He would like to be a gerontologist, a doctor who attends aging patients. Which of these would be the best book to recommend to Tayshawn? A. a biography of a famous athlete////// B. a book that presents the history of the United States military////// C. a book describing the most important medical discoveries of the twentieth century////// D. a science fiction novel about a civilization on earth in the year 2999 //////
What is C. a book describing the most important medical discoveries of the twentieth century
200
I’m never going to diet again. There, I’ve said it, and I feel a lot better. I’ve been dieting for on and off for 15 years and all I have to show for it is a closet full of clothes that do not fit me properly. Some are way too large, while others are way too small, and there may very well be clothes in there that fit me, but I can’t seem to find them among the rest. And yes, you read right, my remedy for this is to stop dieting, because dieting is how I got into this mess in the first place, how I’ve managed to not be the same weight for two months in a row in 15 years. From now on, I’m replacing my diet with a new, manageable lifestyle. I’m not going to just change my calorie intake, I’m changing what I eat, how much I exercise, and how I think about and view myself. I’m going to shape the body and mind that I will be happy with, not the body and mind that I think everybody will be happy with. For the first time in my life, I’m doing it right! 5. Which would be the best title of the passage? A. A Closet Full of Clothes that Do Not Fit////// B. Trying a New Diet Every Fifteen Years////// C. A Healthy Lifestyle is Better than a Diet////// D. Get More Exercise and Smile Every Day//////
C. A Healthy Lifestyle is Better than a Diet
200
Stuck by Jon Caswell Kerry climbed into his over-sized, four-wheel-drive truck, which stood three or four feet off the ground. He turned the key in the ignition. Nothing happened. He turned it again, but still nothing. He looked at his girlfriend Lisa in the passenger seat and could tell from her eyes that she was frightened. “I told you I didn’t want to come out here in this old truck,” she said. “I told you, but you wouldn’t listen. You better get us out of here. I hate this old truck!” Kerry looked out the window. The woods were beautiful in the dusk. The ferns were like velvet covering the ground, punctuated by the tall spires of the pine trees. He loved taking his truck off-road. Beautiful as it was, Kerry knew this was no place to be if it rained, and it sure looked like rain was coming. He could smell it in the air. He turned the key again, with the same result as before. Lisa started to say something, but Kerry put his hand up. “I don’t need your opinion,” he said. Kerry opened the door and climbed down. He walked to the front of the truck and popped the hood and stepped onto the bumper so he could look at the engine compartment. There wasn’t enough light to see anything, and he climbed back down and got a flashlight out of the cab. Stepping onto the bumper, he pointed the light at the engine and saw the loose wire immediately. The wire from the ignition switch to the starter had come unplugged. He figured it must have happened during the ride up the mountain; there had been some pretty rough patches. He reached across the engine and plugged it in. “Turn the key,” he yelled. Lisa moved into the driver’s seat and turned the key. The engine in the big truck fired to life. Kerry smiled and slammed the hood as he jumped to the ground. Lisa scooted over as he climbed into the cab. “I knew you could do it,” she said and kissed him on the cheek. The first drops of rain splattered the windshield. “You can congratulate me later for being so smart. We have to get out of here before that storm moves in.” He engaged the four-wheel drive and began turning the truck around. That took a bit of maneuvering, but once they were headed down the mountain, Lisa relaxed a little bit. “Hey, babe, see if you can find that weather station on the radio,” Kerry said What event causes Lisa's mood to change? A. turning the vehicle around//////// B. seeing the first raindrops////////// C. finding the weather station////////// D. admiring the ferns and trees /////////
A. TURNING THE VEHICLE AROUND
200
Immensity by A. Gautam When I gaze at the stars scattered across a dark plate like a million bits of popcorn, my fingers lose the count. When I look at the mountain top— pounds of vanilla ice cream scooped on a big rock, first my hat drops, then my jaw. And next to the ocean shore a deep bowl of blue Kool-Aid, I shrink with the ant. In the vast universe, I am as small as small can be. 5. What is the theme of this poem? A. Authors often compare themselves to the universe. B. Do not be afraid of things that make you shrink. C. Humans are small compared to the universe. D. Humans are afraid of things that are immense.
C. HUMANS ARE SMALL COMPARED TO THE UNIVERSE
300
3. When people who come to the U. S. from foreign countries want to become citizens, they must go through a process called naturalization. The process requires them to file an application, take a naturalization test, and appear in court. In the passage above, what does the word naturalization mean? A. a test that foreigners must take before entering the U.S.// B. an application for citizenship in the U.S.// C. the process by which people may become U.S. citizens// D. a test that people must take to become U.S. citizens//
What is C. the process by which people may become U.S. citizens
300
Allergic reactions to three native American plants—poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac, all members of the plant genus Toxicodendron—have been sources of misery for many centuries. Native Americans warned the early settlers about the ill effects of these plants, and Captain John Smith described them in his journal, thus making the first report of an allergic disease in America. What can the reader infer from this paragraph? A. A cure for poison ivy is being developed.///// B. Captain John Smith is known as a great physician.///// C. Many native American plants cause very uncomfortable allergic reactions.///// D. Poison ivy killed entire tribes of Native Americans.////
C. Many native American plants cause very uncomfortable allergic reactions.
300
Fossilized remains of a dinosaur were found in a desert oasis in Egypt. The site was long ago a lush coastal paradise. The remains were of a gigantic plant-eating dinosaur. It was the second most massive animal ever to walk the earth. The dinosaur has been named Paralititan stromeri. The discovery was made by Joshua Smith. Smith is a 31-year old doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania. He went on a dinosaur hunt at a remote site. The site had had spectacular finds in the first half of the 20th century. Those expeditions were led by German paleontologist Ernest Stromer von Reichenbach. What is the main idea of this passage? A. Egypt has had many archeological discoveries////// B. A discovery of dinosaur fossils was made in Egypt////// C. Joshua Smith made a very important discovery///// D. The discovery site was once a lush coastal paradise//////
B. A discovery of dinosaur fossils was made in Egypt.
300
Stuck by Jon Caswell Kerry climbed into his over-sized, four-wheel-drive truck, which stood three or four feet off the ground. He turned the key in the ignition. Nothing happened. He turned it again, but still nothing. He looked at his girlfriend Lisa in the passenger seat and could tell from her eyes that she was frightened. “I told you I didn’t want to come out here in this old truck,” she said. “I told you, but you wouldn’t listen. You better get us out of here. I hate this old truck!” Kerry looked out the window. The woods were beautiful in the dusk. The ferns were like velvet covering the ground, punctuated by the tall spires of the pine trees. He loved taking his truck off-road. Beautiful as it was, Kerry knew this was no place to be if it rained, and it sure looked like rain was coming. He could smell it in the air. He turned the key again, with the same result as before. Lisa started to say something, but Kerry put his hand up. “I don’t need your opinion,” he said. Kerry opened the door and climbed down. He walked to the front of the truck and popped the hood and stepped onto the bumper so he could look at the engine compartment. There wasn’t enough light to see anything, and he climbed back down and got a flashlight out of the cab. Stepping onto the bumper, he pointed the light at the engine and saw the loose wire immediately. The wire from the ignition switch to the starter had come unplugged. He figured it must have happened during the ride up the mountain; there had been some pretty rough patches. He reached across the engine and plugged it in. “Turn the key,” he yelled. Lisa moved into the driver’s seat and turned the key. The engine in the big truck fired to life. Kerry smiled and slammed the hood as he jumped to the ground. Lisa scooted over as he climbed into the cab. “I knew you could do it,” she said and kissed him on the cheek. The first drops of rain splattered the windshield. “You can congratulate me later for being so smart. We have to get out of here before that storm moves in.” He engaged the four-wheel drive and began turning the truck around. That took a bit of maneuvering, but once they were headed down the mountain, Lisa relaxed a little bit. “Hey, babe, see if you can find that weather station on the radio,” Kerry said. WHERE IS THE STORY TAKING PLACE? A. A RIVER///// B. A PARK////// C. A MOUNTAIN////// D. A SKI RESORT/////
C. A MOUNTAIN
300
Peter leaves by A. Gautam Mama, please let me leave now. So far away I have to go. Return my kiss, accept my bow. I will come back before the snow. My Mama, look! How Missy plays. I'll miss these pretty sights. I will return before the days are shorter than the nights. When I come back, we will be rich. I'll bring you pearls and gold. Our poverty, this painful itch, will perish, please be bold. 11. Which word best describes the mood of this poem? A. bold B. sad C. dark D. playful
D. PLAYFUL
400
"It turns out that math anxiety occupies a person's working memory," according to Ashcroft. Ashcroft said while easy math tasks such as addition require only a small part of a person's working memory, strenuous calculations need much more. 4. The word strenuous in paragraph 4 means A. tough///// B. easy//// C. stern///// D. forgetful/////
A. TOUGH
400
I love to go into my sister's room. On her shelf she has shiny trophies—gold and silver, tall and short, skinny and wide. All of the trophies have athletes on top swinging golf clubs. My favorite trophy is one that is as tall as my arm is long. "City Champion 2001" it says on its engraved front. It is beautiful and impressive! What inference can the reader draw based on the information in the passage? A. The person relating the passage is a younger sister.////// B. The person relating the passage plays golf also////// C. The sister is a professional golfer////// D. The sister is a very good golfer/////
What is D. The sister is a very good golfer
400
The orchid family is one of the largest families of flowering plants. There are twice as many species of orchids as species of birds. There are four times as many species of orchids as species of mammals. Charles Darwin wrote a book about orchids in 1862. The book studied the way in which orchids evolved to attract birds and insects. It is suggested that for every different type of bird or insect, there was an orchid that matched in appearance. This in-depth study on orchids helped Darwin develop his ideas on evolution. Orchids can survive almost anywhere—even underground. The only place they cannot survive is in glacial regions, like Antarctica. They grow best in tropical regions that are hot and humid. Some scientists believe that orchids have been around since the time of the dinosaurs. 4. Which of the following is the best summary of this passage? A. Charles Darwin wrote a book about the evolution of orchids. His book showed that for every type of bird or insect, there was an orchid that looked similar////// B. Orchids can survive almost anywhere except for Antarctica. They grow in the tropics and even underground. They survive best in regions with hot, humid weather.////// C. The orchid family is a very large family of flowering plants. Orchids have evolved since the dinosaur years and can survive almost anywhere////// D. There are far more species of orchids than there are species of birds or mammals. They have evolved to look like different species of birds and insects//////
C. The orchid family is a very large family of flowering plants. Orchids have evolved since the dinosaur years and can survive almost anywhere.
400
Stuck by Jon Caswell Kerry climbed into his over-sized, four-wheel-drive truck, which stood three or four feet off the ground. He turned the key in the ignition. Nothing happened. He turned it again, but still nothing. He looked at his girlfriend Lisa in the passenger seat and could tell from her eyes that she was frightened. “I told you I didn’t want to come out here in this old truck,” she said. “I told you, but you wouldn’t listen. You better get us out of here. I hate this old truck!” Kerry looked out the window. The woods were beautiful in the dusk. The ferns were like velvet covering the ground, punctuated by the tall spires of the pine trees. He loved taking his truck off-road. Beautiful as it was, Kerry knew this was no place to be if it rained, and it sure looked like rain was coming. He could smell it in the air. He turned the key again, with the same result as before. Lisa started to say something, but Kerry put his hand up. “I don’t need your opinion,” he said. Kerry opened the door and climbed down. He walked to the front of the truck and popped the hood and stepped onto the bumper so he could look at the engine compartment. There wasn’t enough light to see anything, and he climbed back down and got a flashlight out of the cab. Stepping onto the bumper, he pointed the light at the engine and saw the loose wire immediately. The wire from the ignition switch to the starter had come unplugged. He figured it must have happened during the ride up the mountain; there had been some pretty rough patches. He reached across the engine and plugged it in. “Turn the key,” he yelled. Lisa moved into the driver’s seat and turned the key. The engine in the big truck fired to life. Kerry smiled and slammed the hood as he jumped to the ground. Lisa scooted over as he climbed into the cab. “I knew you could do it,” she said and kissed him on the cheek. The first drops of rain splattered the windshield. “You can congratulate me later for being so smart. We have to get out of here before that storm moves in.” He engaged the four-wheel drive and began turning the truck around. That took a bit of maneuvering, but once they were headed down the mountain, Lisa relaxed a little bit. “Hey, babe, see if you can find that weather station on the radio,” Kerry said Why is the first paragraph important in the story? A. It lets the reader know that Kerry loves his truck. B. It tells the reader why Lisa blames Kerry. //////// C. It shows the reader how Kerry solves the problem.////// D. It shares with the reader what is happening.
D. IT SHARES WITH THE READER WHAT IS HAPPENING
400
A poem that tells a story with plot, setting, and characters is called A. lyric. B. free verse. C. epic. D. narrative.
d. narrative
500
The riverboat Columbia Queen takes passengers on an almost-1,000-mile journey along the route taken by explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in the early 1800s. Along the way, the boat makes stops where passengers can disembark and see wildlife and artifacts onshore. What is the meaning of disembark as it is used in this paragraph? A. to buy a ticket///// B. to go ashore from a ship///// C. to take photographs///// D. to meet new people /////
B. TO GO ASHORE FROM A SHIP
500
The brain is a large and extremely complex organ. Different parts of the brain perform different functions. Scientists believe that different parts of the brain developed at different points in human history. One important section of the brain, the brain stem, controls some of the body's most important functions. For instance, the brain stem controls breathing, heart rate, swallowing, and some aspects of speech. Because the brain stem is in charge of such important functions, scientists think it was one of the first parts of the brain to evolve. The brain stem is located at the base of the brain, at the top of the spinal cord. It is made up of three parts: the midbrain, the pons, and the medulla. Six different arteries bring blood to the brain stem. If any of these arteries becomes blocked, a stroke or other life-threatening problem is possible. 15. What can the reader infer from this passage? A. The brain stem is in the middle of the human brain. B. The brain stem is crucial to life for human beings. C. The brain stem provides blood to the whole brain. D. The arteries of the brain stem are often blocked.
B. The brain stem is crucial to life for human beings.
500
Head coverings were probably the first forms of apparel put on by early humans, probably for protection from rain and sun. Hats for men have been considered proper fashion for centuries, but the popularity of hats, aside from baseball caps, declined in the second half of the 20th century. Now, in the early 21st century, the fashionable men's hat is seeing a resurgence in popularity. Led by styles such as the fedora and the panama, men are again choosing to add a "lid" to a stylish outfit when dressing up is required. Men are again finding that the hat is an accessory capable of expressing individuality and taste. What is the best summary of this passage? A. Early humans first used hats to protect themselves from rain and sun, and hat popularity is growing.////// B. After a decline, hats are seeing a resurgence in popularity as part of a fashionable outfit.////// C. After being popular for centuries, hats declined in popularity in the last half of the 20th Century.////// D. Hat styles such as the fedora, the panama, and the baseball cap are popular. //////
B. After a decline, hats are seeing a resurgence in popularity as part of a fashionable outfit.
500
Stuck by Jon Caswell Kerry climbed into his over-sized, four-wheel-drive truck, which stood three or four feet off the ground. He turned the key in the ignition. Nothing happened. He turned it again, but still nothing. He looked at his girlfriend Lisa in the passenger seat and could tell from her eyes that she was frightened. “I told you I didn’t want to come out here in this old truck,” she said. “I told you, but you wouldn’t listen. You better get us out of here. I hate this old truck!” Kerry looked out the window. The woods were beautiful in the dusk. The ferns were like velvet covering the ground, punctuated by the tall spires of the pine trees. He loved taking his truck off-road. Beautiful as it was, Kerry knew this was no place to be if it rained, and it sure looked like rain was coming. He could smell it in the air. He turned the key again, with the same result as before. Lisa started to say something, but Kerry put his hand up. “I don’t need your opinion,” he said. Kerry opened the door and climbed down. He walked to the front of the truck and popped the hood and stepped onto the bumper so he could look at the engine compartment. There wasn’t enough light to see anything, and he climbed back down and got a flashlight out of the cab. Stepping onto the bumper, he pointed the light at the engine and saw the loose wire immediately. The wire from the ignition switch to the starter had come unplugged. He figured it must have happened during the ride up the mountain; there had been some pretty rough patches. He reached across the engine and plugged it in. “Turn the key,” he yelled. Lisa moved into the driver’s seat and turned the key. The engine in the big truck fired to life. Kerry smiled and slammed the hood as he jumped to the ground. Lisa scooted over as he climbed into the cab. “I knew you could do it,” she said and kissed him on the cheek. The first drops of rain splattered the windshield. “You can congratulate me later for being so smart. We have to get out of here before that storm moves in.” He engaged the four-wheel drive and began turning the truck around. That took a bit of maneuvering, but once they were headed down the mountain, Lisa relaxed a little bit. “Hey, babe, see if you can find that weather station on the radio,” Kerry said What helps Kerry solve the problem? A. Lisa decides to help Kerry.//////////// B. Lisa finds the weather station.////////// C. Kerry uses a flashlight./////////// D. Kerry finds the car keys//////////
C KERRY USES A FLASHLIGHT
500
. A poem with no meter or rhyme is called A. free verse. B. lyric. C. personification. D. narrative.
a. free verse