Key ideas
"Malala Yousafzai works to help girls speak up and make a difference in their communities. Through the Malala Fund, girls learn how to stand up for their rights and work with others. Her efforts are still growing and continue to create change around the world."
Which detail best supports the main idea of the paragraph?
A. Malala’s work helps other young women speak up and make a difference in their communities.
B. The Malala Fund teaches girls about different school subjects.
C. Malala travels to many countries around the world.
D. Some communities have different rules for schools.
A. Malala’s work helps other young women speak up and make a difference in their communities.
Read this quote from Malala Yousafzai’s speech:
“So here I stand, one girl among many. I speak not just for myself, but for all girls and boys. I raise my voice so that those who do not have a voice can be heard… Their right to be educated.”
What is the most likely reason Malala gives this speech?
A. to explain why education matters to students
B. to share the work she has already done to help others
C. to show her commitment and desire to stand up for others’ rights
C. to show her commitment and desire to stand up for others’ rights
"So here I stand, one girl among many"
What is the correct use of stand in this sentence?
A. verb — to be standing upright on your feet
B. noun — a small booth or spot where items are sold
C. noun — a seating area for people at events
A. verb — to be standing upright on your feet
“The United States has the oldest democracy in the world. What makes it special is the powerful idea it is built on. This idea can be found at the very beginning of the Constitution in the words ‘We the People.’ In many other countries, constitutions tell citizens what they are allowed to do. In the United States, the Constitution is written by the people and tells the government what it is allowed to do. This means the people have the power, and one day you will help lead the country by voting.”
Question:
Which sentence from the paragraph best supports the idea that people are the most important part of a constitution?
A. “The United States has the oldest democracy in the world.”
B. “Our government is not the oldest of its kind.”
C. “This idea can be found at the very beginning of the Constitution in the words ‘We the People.’”
C. “This idea can be found at the very beginning of the Constitution in the words ‘We the People.’”
Read this excerpt from a speech by Ronald Reagan:
“In our country, the Constitution is created by the people and sets limits on what the government is allowed to do. The government can only do what is written in the Constitution. This means the people are in control in America.”
Question:
What does this part of the speech explain about the Constitution?
A. It gives the government unlimited power.
B. It explains that the government can only do what is written in the Constitution.
C. It describes how laws are made in other countries.
D. It shows that the government is more powerful than the people.
B. It explains that the government can only do what is written in the Constitution.
“In the United States, the Constitution is created by the people and explains what the government is allowed to do. The government cannot go beyond what is written in the Constitution. This means the people hold the power. One day, you will be the ones voting and helping choose the government.”
Question:
What can you infer from this part of the speech?
A. When students grow up, they will be able to vote for leaders.
B. The Constitution tells people exactly what they are allowed to do.
C. The government can create any rules it wants without limits.
A. When students grow up, they will be able to vote for leaders.
“People cast their votes in private, and the votes were counted publicly—not the other way around.”
What does President Reagan mean by “not the other way around”?
A. in a normal way
B. in the opposite way
C. in the same way
B. in the opposite way
"In 1791, William Wilberforce tried to pass a law in Parliament to end the slave trade, but it failed. Many people in England made money from the slave trade and did not want it to end, so they opposed him and treated him poorly. Even some of his friends stopped supporting him. Wilberforce did not give up. He continued working to end the slave trade, even though he knew it would make him unpopular. Over time, more people began to support him after hearing stories from formerly enslaved people like Olaudah Equiano. These stories helped many people in England become upset about slavery and want it to end."
Question:
What is the main idea of this passage?
A. Wilberforce gave up after his first attempt to stop the slave trade.
B. Wilberforce worked to end the slave trade, even when many people opposed him.
C. Most people in England strongly supported the slave trade at all times.
D. Olaudah Equiano was the only person who helped end slavery.
B. Wilberforce worked to end the slave trade, even when many people opposed him.
Read this excerpt from a speech by Ronald Reagan:
“Recently, people in the United States voted to choose their government. Some voters were wealthy or well-known, while others were everyday citizens. No matter who they were, each person had one vote, and every vote counted the same.”
Question:
What idea do these sentences support?
A. Every person’s vote is equal.
B. Some people’s votes matter more than others.
C. Most of the votes came from famous people.
A. Every person’s vote is equal.
"In 1807, the Slave Trade Act was passed in England, which stopped people from buying and selling enslaved people, but slavery itself was still legal. William Wilberforce knew the fight was not over and continued working for change. After many years, he helped pass the Slavery Abolition Act in 1833. This law made it illegal to buy, sell, or own enslaved people in the British Empire, and about 800,000 people were freed. By 1838, slavery ended in Britain. Other countries later followed this example, inspired by Wilberforce’s work."
What can you infer about William Wilberforce from the passage?
A. He gave up after the first law was passed in 1807.
B. He believed change takes time and kept working for justice.
C. He only worked on laws that affected other countries.
D. He did not care about ending slavery completely.
B. He believed change takes time and kept working for justice.
Read this sentence from a speech by Ronald Reagan:
“People would cast their votes in private, and the votes were counted publicly—not the other way around.”
Question:
What does the word cast mean in this sentence?
A. throw
B. record
C. show
B. record
"The civil rights movement led to major changes in the United States. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made discrimination illegal, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 helped ensure that all people could vote. These laws helped end unfair treatment in schools, workplaces, and public places. Even though many people faced hardship and danger, they continued to fight for equality. Their courage and determination helped create lasting change in the country. When people work together to stand up for freedom and fairness, they can make a big difference."
What is the key idea of this paragraph?
A. Laws about voting only affected people in the South.
B. The civil rights movement led to important changes that helped create equality.
C. Schools and restaurants were always fair to everyone in the United States.
D. Only government leaders were responsible for ending discrimination.
B. The civil rights movement led to important changes that helped create equality.
"Jackie Robinson was a talented athlete who became the first African American to play Major League Baseball. When he started, some teammates and fans treated him unfairly. Even so, Robinson did not give up. His courage and skill helped change how people thought about African American players."
What can you infer about Jackie Robinson from the passage?
A. He stopped playing baseball when people treated him unfairly.
B. He continued playing and helped change people’s attitudes through his courage.
C. He was only successful because fans supported him from the beginning.
D. He did not care about how people treated him.
B. He continued playing and helped change people’s attitudes through his courage.
“Some ballots were cast by people who were rich or well-known, and others were made by everyday citizens, but each person had only one vote. The votes were made in private, and they were counted in public—not the opposite way.”
Question:
What does the word ballot mean in this passage?
A. a written/marked vote in an election
B. a special kind of government rule
C. a card used at the bank
A. a written/marked vote in an election
"Branch asked Jackie Robinson to be brave and join Major League Baseball, which was all-white at the time. This was called “breaking the color barrier,” meaning race had previously prevented some players from joining. Branch warned Jackie that he would likely face unfair treatment from fans and other players, but he believed Jackie was strong enough to handle it and help change people’s attitudes."
Question:
What is the key idea of this paragraph?
A. Jackie Robinson was unsure about playing baseball professionally.
B. Most fans immediately supported Jackie Robinson’s decision to play.
C. Branch believed Jackie Robinson had the courage to break racial barriers in baseball.
C. Branch believed Jackie Robinson had the courage to break racial barriers in baseball.
"Rosa Parks was an important civil rights fighter. One day, she was riding a crowded bus in Alabama when she was asked to give up her seat to a white passenger. She refused and was arrested. Her actions inspired others to stand together and protest unfair treatment on the buses."
What can you infer about Rosa Parks from the passage?
A. She agreed with unfair bus rules and followed them quietly.
B. She showed courage by standing up against unfair treatment.
C. She avoided riding buses after the incident.
D. She was not involved in helping others during the protest.
B. She showed courage by standing up against unfair treatment.
“Last week the United States did something so unusual that people all over the world were amazed by it.”
(more than one correct answer)
Which words describe something that happened in the past?
A. today
B. next week
C. yesterday
D. last month
C. yesterday
D. last month