Fiction
PART A: Which statement best expresses a shared theme developed across BOTH passages?
A. Familiar situations can become dangerous without warning.
B. Paying attention to intuition can influence decision-making in uncertain situations.
C. People rely too heavily on routines in their daily lives.
D. Fear is often irrational and should be ignored.
B. Paying attention to intuition can influence decision-making in uncertain situations.
6. Which statement best compares how Jalen and Maya respond to uncertainty?
A. Jalen reacts impulsively, while Maya evaluates the situation before acting
B. Jalen and Maya both respond in exactly the same way
C. Jalen seeks help, while Maya isolates herself
D. Jalen ignores uncertainty, while Maya confronts it directly
A. Jalen reacts impulsively, while Maya evaluates the situation before acting
Someone at the hospital called the Red Cross office in Brooklyn, and a request for the boy to rush to Brooklyn was relayed to the Red Cross director of the North Carolina Marine Corps camp.
1. In the underlined sentence the word relayed means…
A. hidden
B. passed along
C. made a gift
D. ignored
B. passed along
1. PART A: What is the central claim of Passage 1?
A. Teenagers sleep too much and need stricter routines.
B. Early school start times prepare students for adult responsibilities.
C. Schools should begin later to support students' health and learning.
D. Students should avoid extracurriculars that interfere with rest.
C. Schools should begin later to support students' health and learning.
Fireflies also known as lightning bugs are responsible for this light show.
A. Fireflies, also known as lightning bugs — are responsible for this light show.
B. Fireflies, also known as lightning bugs, are responsible for this light show.
C. Fireflies, also known as lightning bugs are responsible for this light show.
D. No change
B. Fireflies, also known as lightning bugs, are responsible for this light show.
2. PART B: Which TWO details (one from each passage) best support the answer to Part A?
A. “Maya stepped forward anyway.”
B. “Nothing had happened then.”
C. “Jalen didn’t wait…until walking became running.”
D. “The silence…felt…watchful.”
E. “Jalen had taken the shortcut…so often that he barely noticed it anymore.”
C. “Jalen didn’t wait…until walking became running.”
D. “The silence…felt…watchful.”
7. Which phrase from Passage 2 BEST contributes to the development of tone?
A. “She checked the time. Late.”
B. “Maya didn’t stop walking.”
C. “how much time it saved”
D. “studying it as though it were something to be solved”
D. “studying it as though it were something to be solved”
He was rushed to the airport in time to catch the one plane that might enable him to reach his dying father.
2. In the underlined sentence the word enable means…
A. stop him
B. encourage him
C. know him
D. make him able
D. make him able
2. Part B: Which sentence from Passage 1 best supports the answer to Part A?
A. “Sleep scientists agree: teenagers need more rest.”
B. “Many high schools begin the day as early as 7:00 a.m.”
C. “According to the American Academy of Pediatrics…”
D. “Delaying the start of the school day—even by just an hour—could dramatically benefit student performance and well-being.”
D. “Delaying the start of the school day—even by just an hour—could dramatically benefit student performance and well-being.”
Called bioluminescence, this feature is found in other animals, such as plankton and lantern fish.
A. Called bioluminescence, other animals have this feature, such as plankton and lantern fish.
B. Called bioluminescence, other animals, such as plankton and lantern fish, have this feature.
C. Called bioluminescence, plankton and other animals, such as lantern fish, have this feature.
D. No change
D. NO CHANGE
3. How does the author develop Jalen’s internal conflict in Passage 1?
A. By explaining the history of the alley
B. By contrasting his logical thoughts with his physical reactions
C. By showing his dialogue with another character
D. By describing his past experiences in detail
B. By contrasting his logical thoughts with his physical reactions
8. What is the MOST likely purpose of the sirens at the end of Passage 2?
A. To introduce a new conflict in the story
B. To reinforce the possibility that Maya avoided danger
C. To confirm that a specific crime occurred in the alley
D. To shift the setting to a different location
B. To reinforce the possibility that Maya avoided danger
Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young man in the Marine Corps uniform standing outside the oxygen tent.
Sedated means...
3. In the underlined sentence the word sedated means…
A. spoken loudly
B. wide awake
C. armed
D. drugged with a pain reliever
D. drugged with a pain reliever
3. How does the author of Passage 2 respond to the argument made in Passage 1?
A. By completely agreeing with the need for better sleep
B. By suggesting that early start times are a necessary compromise
C. By criticizing the research used in Passage 1
D. By claiming that teenagers should not be allowed to have phones
B. By suggesting that early start times are a necessary compromise
unusual blink of the fireflies are related
A. unusual blink of the fireflies is related
B. unusual blink of the fireflies is being related
C. unusual blinks of the firefly is related
D. No change
A. unusual blink of the fireflies is related
4. Which statement best describes how the structure of BOTH passages contributes to suspense?
A. Each passage delays revealing whether the danger is real, leaving the outcome uncertain
B. Each passage focuses on dialogue to build tension
C. Each passage includes flashbacks that explain the cause of the danger
D. Each passage begins with action and ends with a clear resolution
A. Each passage delays revealing whether the danger is real, leaving the outcome uncertain
What is a theme?
A universal moral or lesson that you learn from a story.
Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young man in the Marine Corps uniform standing outside the oxygen tent.
Dimly means...
4. In the underlined sentence the word dimly means…
A. clearly
B. unclearly
C. rarely
D. often
B. unclearly
4. Which of the following statements describes a key difference in the tone of the two passages?
A. Passage 1 is optimistic, while Passage 2 is neutral.
B. Passage 1 is concerned and persuasive, while Passage 2 is pragmatic and cautionary.
C. Passage 1 is aggressive, while Passage 2 is defensive.
D. Passage 1 is casual, while Passage 2 is formal and scientific.
B. Passage 1 is concerned and persuasive, while Passage 2 is pragmatic and cautionary.
These synchronous fireflies were discovered in the Smoky Mountains in 1995, scientists located other groups in South Carolina and the Appalachian Mountains.
A. After these synchronous fireflies were discovered in the Smoky Mountains in 1995, scientists located other groups in South Carolina and the Appalachian Mountains.
B. These synchronous fireflies were discovered in the Smoky Mountains in 1995, while scientists located other groups in South Carolina and the Appalachian Mountains.
C. These synchronous fireflies were discovered in the Smoky Mountains in 1995, so scientists located other groups in South Carolina and the Appalachian Mountains.
D. No change
A. After these synchronous fireflies were discovered in the Smoky Mountains in 1995, scientists located other groups in South Carolina and the Appalachian Mountains.
5. How do the authors develop a sense of ambiguity in BOTH passages?
A. By introducing multiple characters with conflicting perspectives
B. By shifting between multiple settings
C. By leaving key events unresolved and open to interpretation
D. By clearly explaining the source of the noises
C. By leaving key events unresolved and open to interpretation
What is a central idea?
The main idea of the story that is specific to that story.
The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man’s limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement.
5. In the underlined sentence the word limp means…
A. lacking firmness or strength
B. equally tough
C. long
D. bleeding
A. lacking firmness or strength
5. Which statement best describes a key difference in the use of evidence between Passage 1 and Passage 2?
A. Passage 1 relies on personal anecdotes, while Passage 2 cites scientific studies.
B. Passage 1 uses expert and scientific evidence to appeal to logic, while Passage 2 relies more on practical concerns and everyday reasoning to appeal to the reader’s sense of realism.
C. Passage 1 and Passage 2 both ignore counterarguments and focus solely on emotional appeals.
D. Passage 1 presents evidence that is mostly hypothetical, while Passage 2 uses hard statistical data.
B. Passage 1 uses expert and scientific evidence to appeal to logic, while Passage 2 relies more on practical concerns and everyday reasoning to appeal to the reader’s sense of realism.
the fireflys mating season
A. the firefly’s mating season
B. the fireflies’ mating season
C. the fireflies’s mating season
D. No change
B. the fireflies’ mating season