Name: __________________________________________
Test Date: ________________________________________
STUDY GUIDE
Reading Skill
What does it mean?
Draw a Picture
Context Clues
Main Idea
Supporting Details
Summary
Author’s Purpose
*Hint (PIE)
Study Guide Practice
PASSAGE 1
Mad Cow Disease has received a lot of news attention lately. It is a brain disease in cattle. It causes odd behavior,
difficulty walking, and eventually death. Scientists believe this disease came about recently. It comes from feeding cattle
extra vitamins that have parts from sick sheep.
1. What is the main idea of this paragraph?
A. Scientific theories say that brain disease is common.
B. Media coverage has been focused on all kinds of diseases lately.
C. Feeding cattle extra vitamins is helpful.
D. Mad Cow Disease, a brain disease in cattle, has become more common.
2. Which detail best supports the main idea?
A. It causes odd behavior, difficulty walking, and eventually death.
B. Scientists believe this disease came about recently.
C. It comes from feeding cattle extra vitamins that have parts from sick sheep.
D. It is a brain disease in cattle.
3. Provide a summary of this paragraph.
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PASSAGE 2
Trevor was having an ideal Saturday. His father had made pancakes for him, his absolute favorite breakfast food. Then,
he got permission to ride his bike to the park with his neighbor. They were having a particularly good time jumping their
bikes over the dirt mounds until tragedy struck. Trevor’s tire was flat! He looked at it closely and saw that it had been
punctured by the nail.
4. What’s the main idea?
A. Trevor loves pancakes.
B. Trevor was having a great day until his dirt bike got a flat tire.
C. Trevor and his neighbor were jumping dirt bikes all day.
D. Saturday is the best day of the week because you can do things like jump dirt bikes.
5. What does “ideal” mean?
A. Terrible
B. Lazy
C. Perfect
D. Week
6. What does “punctured” mean?
A. Pierced
B. Hammered
C. Injured
D. Disaster
PASSAGE 3
As we drove through the vineyards, Dad talked and talked. "I grew up out here, you know," he said. "My brothers and I
would ride our bikes up and down these roads like tornados. We'd stop to take a break and eat handfuls of fresh grapes,
right off the vine."
I looked out the front and back windows of the red sports car. The road was deserted. This was my chance.
"Dad?" I asked. “There's no one on this road but us. Can I drive?"
He gave me a quizzical look, as if he didn't understand what I was talking about. “Nothing out here?” he said.
“Don't you see all those grapes, Tim?”
7. Which question is answered by the passage?
A. Does Tim get to drive his Dad’s car?
B. Where did Tim’s dad grow up?
C. What kind of car does Tim’s dad drive?
D. All of the above
8. What does “vineyards” mean?
A. Roads
B. Fields of grapes
C. Handfuls
D. Summer
9. What does “deserted” mean?
A. Empty
B. Yummy
C. Lively
D. Colorful
10. What does “quizzical” mean?
A. Amused
B. Angry
C. Gloomy
D. Confused
11. Find the simile in the passage and write it here:
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PASSAGE 4: Your heart normally beats 70 to 80 times a minute, but the rate changes depending on your activity level.
When you exercise, your body needs more oxygen than when you are sedentary. Your heart automatically responds to
these changing needs. When you need more oxygen, your heart beats faster to increase the flow of blood to your body.
12. Which of the following best summarizes the passage above?
A. Your heart usually beats about 70 to 80 times in one minute. That is more than one heart beat for each
second. That is pretty fast!
B. Your body needs a lot of oxygen when you exercise. That is why you breathe heavier when you are running or
shooting hoops with friends.
C. Your heart makes blood flow throughout your body. It also allows oxygen to move into your muscles, lungs,
and even into your bloodstream.
D. Your heart rate depends on your level of activity. Your heart beats faster when you are exercising, and it is
slower when you are still.
13. What does “sedentary” mean?
A. Exercising
B. Breathing
C. Moving
D. Still
14. What does “automatically” mean?
A. Speed control
B. Instantly without thinking
C. Necessary
D. Never
15. What is the author’s purpose for writing this passage?
A. To persuade you to exercise
B. To inform you about heart rate and activity level
C. To entertain you with hearts
D. To inspire you to become a doctor
16. Which two questions are answered by the passage? (Circle two answers!)
A. What kind of exercise is best for your heart?
B. What causes your heart to beat faster?
C. How many times per minute does a heart normally beat?
D. How can meditation help you control your heart beat?
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE PRACTICE:
17. What’s the author’s purpose for writing this piece?
Off the coast of Alaska, molten rock rises through cracks in the floor of the Pacific Ocean. This superheated
material known as magma oozes like toothpaste squeezed from a tube. Stretching, grumbling, and erupting, the
earth slowly builds a new island.
Author’s purpose___________________
Figurative language: _____________________________
18. What’s the author’s purpose for writing this piece?
Mia rushed home and threw open the front door. Her mother whirled around, surprised that Mia was home from
school so early. “I won first place in the art contest!” she said with pride.
Though Mia had been working eagerly on her art submission for weeks, her mother wasn’t sure what the project
involved. “That’s wonderful, Mia! What was the subject of your art project?” her mother asked.
Grinning from ear to ear, Mia handed over her artwork. It was a portrait of her mother.
Author’s purpose___________________
Figurative language: _____________________________
19. What’s the author’s purpose for writing this piece?
You will not want to miss this celebration for the opening of your new neighborhood bookstore! Conveniently
located at 2289 Main Street, The Book Nook is within walking distance of schools and many homes and businesses.
Come check out The Book Nook on Saturday!
Author’s purpose___________________
Figurative language: _____________________________
PASSAGE 5
Jet lag is a problem suffered by many flight attendants, pilots, and
frequent flyers. When people travel rapidly across numerous time
zones, as they do when flying long distances, they sometimes develop
a condition called jet lag. These long trips disturb normal body
rhythms. After a trip, travelers may have trouble falling asleep at night
and staying awake during the day. Experts advise travelers flying
eastbound to go to bed later than usual before traveling and those
flying west to go to bed earlier than usual. These changes should help
minimize the effects of jet lag.
20. Which statement best summarizes this paragraph?
A. People who suffer jet lag have trouble falling asleep and staying awake. This is because people's body
rhythms get thrown off by travel.
B. Long-distance travel is unsafe because of a condition known as jet lag. Jet lag happens when people travel
across many time zones.
C. Flight attendants, pilots, and frequent flyers often suffer jet lag. Experts have many tips for travelers that will
help prevent jet lag.
D. Jet lag is a problem for people who fly a lot. To prevent jet lag, people can change the time they go to sleep
before they take a trip.
21. What does “advise” mean?
A. Recommend
B. Hope
C. Respect
D. List
22. Complete the graphic organizer using passage 5.
PASSAGE 6
The Last Dish of Ice Cream
The dinner dishes and homework were done, and lunches for the next day were packed.
Seung wandered into the kitchen excited to scoop himself and his sister each a dish of ice
cream. He had been looking forward to the part of the day since breakfast.
He opened the freezer with great anticipation and pulled out the carton of rocky road ice
cream. However, instead of feeling heavy with delicious creamy goodness, the container
felt dangerously light.
“Mom!” he yelled in a panic. “Where’s the new carton of ice cream?”
Seung’s mother walked into the kitchen. “I didn’t get a chance to go by the store after work. Is there much left?”
“No!” Seung hollered. “There’s hardly any in here! There’s no way we can share!”
“Take it easy, Seung. There is no need to raise your voice,” said his mom. “I’ll just slice up some apples instead.”
“But that’s not fair,” protested Seung. “Can’t you just go to the store and get some more?” His mother stopped him in
his tracks with one of her stern, arched-eyebrow looks. “I’m sorry,” Seung replied.
8
“I have an inspiration!” exclaimed his mother, snapping her fingers. “Prepare yourself for ice cream hot chocolate.”
Seung watched as his mom rummaged through the pantry and triumphantly pulled out two packets of hot chocolate.
She put the kettle on the stove, heated up some water, and began to carefully divide the ice cream into two mugs. Soon,
both Seung and his sister were enjoying a wonderful made-up dessert.
“Mmmm, Mom, that was delicious!” roared Seung as he sipped the last of his hot chocolate. “You saved the day.”
The next day, when their mother picked them up from school, she had a sly smile on her face. “Look in the bag,” she
said. Seung and his sister looked down and saw a grocery bag contacting two half-gallon cartons of rocky road ice cream.
“I guess we won’t be running out of ice cream again anytime soon!” Seung laughed.
23. Which is the best summary of this story?
A. Seung and his sister both wanted ice cream, but there wasn’t enough for both of them, so their mother
came up with a new dessert treat for them.
B. Seung had been waiting ice cream all day, and when he found out there wasn’t enough for him and his
sister, he complained until his mother went out to buy more.
C. Seung’s mother is too tired after work to go buy groceries so he and he sister go buy groceries.
D. Seung and his sister both wanted ice cream but there wasn’t enough for both of them so they ate sliced
apples instead.
24. Which is the best summary of paragraph 8?
a. Seung’s mother mixes together hot chocolate and ice cream and gives them to Seung and his sister.
b. Seung’s mother searches through the kitchen and finds some hot chocolate packet.
c. Seung’s mother makes a name for a new dessert
d. Seung and his sister appreciate their mother’s creativity.
25. How would you summarize Seung’s character in the story?
a. Seung enjoys a dish of ice cream after a long day but is willing to be flexible.
b. Seung is a whiner who is never willing to change.
c. Seung isn’t very nice to his mother
d. Seung can think quickly in a crisis, and he solves his own problems.
26. What is the main idea of this story?
a. Two children do not get the dessert they want, but end up with an even better treat.
b. Two children complain until they get their way.
c. Good things happen to good people.
d. Two children do not get the dessert they want, but get what they want the next day.
27. What does “anticipation” in paragraph 2 mean?
a. Worry
b. Excitement
c. Anxiety
d. Sadness
28. What is the author’s purpose for writing this passage?
a. To Persuade
b. To Inform
c. To Entertain
d. To Inspire
MAIN IDEA PRACTICE
29. Not all plants grow in the same way. Some plants grow and reproduce in one year and are called annuals. Some
plants grow and reproduce in two years and are called biennials. Other plants grow and reproduce for many
years and are called perennials.
TOPIC
MAIN IDEA
SUPPORTING DETAILS
1.
2.
3.
Directions: Read the flier and answer the questions that follow.
Read this Dictionary entry.
30. What is the meaning of acts in the section “NO TRYOUTS?”
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
31. Which question is answered in the section “NO TRYOUTS”?
a. Will students have an opportunity to practice?
b. How will students know they are in the show?
c. When is the show for high school students?
d. How long is each performance?
Read this sentence from this flier.
32. What is the job of a stagehand?
a. To design costumes
b. To direct performers
c. To play musical instruments
d. To provide special support
33. Where would this flier most likely by found?
a. In a city newspaper
b. In a school newsletter
c. On a website about singing
d. On a wall of a music store
34. What is the purpose of this flier?
a. To explain what a talent show is to the reader
b. To inform the reader about the talent show guidelines
c. To persuade the reader to develop a new talent
d. To tell the reader what skills are needed for the talent show
35. Each person performing in the talent show is required to submit aa. Telephone number
b. Musical recording
c. Permission slip
d. Costume sketch