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Units 1-5 Practice Quiz
Directions: Read each text and answer the questions below.
Passage 1
Would You Like a Liger?
Biologists have found that about 10 percent of animal species may sometimes
breed with other species. This means that two animals of different species can produce
offspring. Scientists have discovered more of these animals in the last 25 years. One
example of a hybrid animal is the mule, which is a cross between a donkey and a horse.
It is more difficult for hybrid species to survive in the wild, however. Occasionally,
species that are too different genetically might mate in nature. Many babies that come
from the different species are unable to reproduce. This means that the hybrid species
cannot grow in number. Zorses, which are a hybrid of a horse and a zebra, and mules,
are two examples of species that cannot reproduce. Another problem that hybrid
species have is that they face competition from the members of their parent species.
There are also positive things about producing hybrid species in the wild. Hybrids
may develop adaptations to conditions that neither of their parents was able to live in.
This could happen because of new gene combinations being produced in hybrids.
Scientists have studied the adaptation of hybrid species using sunflower and
honeysuckle plants.
Two common species of sunflower are the common sunflower and the prairie
sunflower, and both species only grow in moist soil. Their hybrids can grow in desert
climates and salt marshes, however. When parent sunflowers were planted in the
desert, they failed to survive. Results of the studies done with plants are comparable to
similar things that have happened in animals. The studies of animal and plant hybrids
could help us discover how humans have adapted.
1. Which statement supports the idea that animal hybridization is
unsuccessful?
A. Many babies that come from the breeding of different species are unable to
reproduce.
B. The studies of animal and plant hybrids could lead to discoveries about how humans
have adapted.
C. One example of a hybrid animal is the mule, which is a cross between a donkey and
a horse.
D. Scientists have studied the adaptation of hybrid species using sunflower and
honeysuckle plants.
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2. Read this sentence from the passage.
When parent sunflowers were planted in the desert, they failed to survive.
Based on this statement, what is the author suggesting?
A. Hybrid species will be wiped out by lack of adaptation in several years.
B. Parent species may be less able to adapt than their hybrid offspring.
C. Hybrids are born without the ability to adapt to the parents' conditions.
D. Parent species will be unable to adapt after their offspring are born.
3. What does the statement "Results of the studies done with plants are
comparable to similar things that have happened in animals" mean?
A. Humans are unable to produce hybrid offspring like animals.
B. Animals and plants are able to adapt but humans are not.
C. Plant hybrids are more able to adapt than animal hybrids.
D. Animal hybrids and plant hybrids are both able to adapt.
Passage 2
On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 became the first manned mission to land on the Moon.
The mission involved astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins.
Armstrong’s first steps on the Moon were accompanied by his historic words: “That’s
one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
The landing fulfilled the goal set by President John F. Kennedy eight years earlier.
He wanted the United States to make it to the Moon within the decade. He believed this
to be an important accomplishment in the space race against the U.S.S.R. Kennedy
said, "We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because
they are easy, but because they are hard."
On the Moon, Astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin experimented with various methods
of movement in the diminished gravity. Long leaping steps seemed to work best for
moving about. They explored the surface for about two hours, collected 47 pounds of
lunar samples, and planted the American flag on the Moon’s surface. The crew safely
returned to earth a little over eight days after leaving.
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4. Which of these best summarizes the passage?
A. Apollo 11, with astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins, landed on the Moon on
July 20, 1969, fulfilling the goal set by President Kennedy. After taking samples and
placing a flag on the Moon, the mission returned to Earth.
B. The astronauts of Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins,
explored the surface of the Moon, experimented with movement, planted a flag on
the Moon's surface, and returned to Earth.
C. When Apollo 11 landed on the Moon, Neil Armstrong said the famous words,
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." The mission, which also
involved astronauts Aldrin and Collins, was the first to successfully land on the
Moon.
D. The Moon landing by Apollo 11, and astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins,
fulfilled the goal set by President John F. Kennedy to reach the Moon in the decade.
Kennedy wanted to stay on top in the space race against the U.S.S.R.
5. In a short summary of this article, which detail from the article would
be most important to include?
A. "Long leaping steps seemed to work best for moving about."
B. "The mission involved astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael
Collins."
C. "Kennedy said, 'We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things.'
"
D. "Armstrong's first steps on the Moon were accompanied by his historic words."
6. Which of these is the best summary of the second paragraph?
A. American chose to go to the Moon in the 1960s and to do other things because they
were hard and not easy.
B. President Kennedy said that it was important for the America to stay ahead of the
U.S.S.R. in the space race.
C. The Moon landing of the Apollo 11 was important because it fulfilled the goal set by
President Kennedy.
D. The landing fulfilled President Kennedy's goal and kept America ahead in the space
race with the U.S.S.R.
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Passage 3
Fanny Frost
by A. Gautam
She's always sad in April,
even when flowers bloom.
She says it gives her a fever.
Summer gives her more gloom.
She looks out of the window
quietly, when it rains.
She doesn't dance, instead she says,
"The sky is sad, it drops its chains."
She loves the winters more—
to dance and ski, we're told.
The wool, the scarves, and gloves
She loves the white, the cold.
7. What statement about the seasons can be drawn from the theme of this
poem?
A. Seasons affect the way people view the world.
B. Most people don't care about the seasonal changes.
C. Some seasons make some people's lives boring.
D. People act according to the season they are born in.
Passage 4
Joshua walked into basketball tryouts feeling confident. Considering how well he
played over the summer, he felt that he was going to make the varsity team for sure. He
had spent most of the summer playing in a basketball league, and although he hadn’t
really known how to play, the more he practiced, the better he played. He played so well
that one of the coaches from the varsity team asked him to try out.
As Joshua waited for tryouts to begin, he observed some varsity players on the
court. His eyes widened at what he saw. All of them were unbelievably good. They were
more experienced. They were taller. They were faster. Even if he made the team, he
probably wouldn't get to play much. Joshua began to worry. He still had a lot to learn.
Coach Hasslegrove glimpsed his worried expression and came over to have a word
with him. "Joshua,” he said, “all of these players were once like you. Just work hard. If
you make the team, good. If not, then life isn't over. Go over there and just show us
what you’ve got.”
Joshua nodded in reply and joined the others on the court. He passed the ball well
and made most of his shots. What really got the coaches' attention, however, was his
defense. He didn't let anyone get open. He covered his man so well, his man didn't
score.
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At the end of tryouts, Coach Hasslegrove called Joshua over. "You gave great
effort,” he said, “and your defense is amazing! But you still need to learn some
fundamentals. I want you to play this year on junior varsity. Keep practicing like you
have, and I guarantee you’ll be on varsity next year."
Joshua did his best to suppress his disappointment. He didn’t make varsity, but next
year, he was going to blow everyone away.
8. One theme of this story is that things don't always turn out the way you
expect. Which event best reflects this theme?
A. Joshua learns that he is good at defense.
B. Joshua does not make the varsity team.
C. Joshua plays basketball during the summer.
D. Joshua gets advice from Coach Hasslegrove.
9. Which of these statements would Joshua most likely make?
A. The coach doesn't really value good defense.
B. Summer league isn't very challenging.
C. I will practice every day to make my goal.
D. Tall guys always have the advantage.
Passage 5
Too Much of a Mess
by Jon Caswell
Murphy had never seen so much clutter in one office. Although he had
checked the room number, he was convinced it was just a storeroom and
not the records office he was looking for. Murphy started to return to the
main corridor, but then he noticed the top of the clerk's head behind a stack
of files. The man looked up from what he was doing and asked, "May I help
you?"
Murphy eyed the clutter in the office. Truth was he wasn't sure that the
clerk could help him at all. He needed verification of a tax ID number. How
could the clerk find anything in this mess?
Murphy stepped back and looked at the office number once again. "No,
no, I have the wrong office," Murphy lied and walked down the hall. Maybe I
can do this on the Internet, he thought as he pushed open the door to the
main corridor.
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10. How is Murphy affected by the setting?
A. He doubts the man can help him.
B. He wants to clean up the mess.
C. He thinks the man must be crazy.
D. He is curious about what is going on.
11. What is the setting of the passage?
A. the clerk's home
B. a storage building
C. a dark basement
D. an office building
Passage 6
The launch of the space shuttle Atlantis has been postponed while NASA evaluates
a problem with the new robot arm on space station Alpha. The arm will be used to carry
out the installation of a new U.S.-built airlock on the space station.
12. What can you infer from this paragraph?
A. The space program is very expensive.
B. The robot space arm is critical to the space shuttle's mission.
C. The robot arm was poorly constructed.
D. The space shuttle experiences frequent launch delays.
Passage 7
The dehydration of food involves removing the moisture from food so that it will last
longer. Some people have food dehydration machines in their homes to help them
preserve food for longer periods of time. To be successful at dehydrating food, start with
fruits and vegetables. Meat and fish can also be dried, but they are more complicated.
Only use the best quality produce for drying. Many people think that since the food will
be wrinkled up when it is dried that low quality produce can be used. This is not so!
Choose produce that is fresh, firm, clean, and free of bruises. Fruits and vegetables at
the peak of ripeness always have the finest flavor. They are also prettier to look at.
Unripened food will lack color after dehydrating. Overripe fruit will be too soft and mushy
to dehydrate properly, and overripe vegetables become tough. In short, use the best
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quality produce you can get your hands on for dehydrating because that will determine
the quality of the dried food you ultimately take out.
13. What word best describes the tone of this passage?
A. adventurous
B. hopeful
C. negative
D. informative
Passage 8
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.
14. What can the reader infer from this paragraph?
A. Poison ivy killed entire tribes of Native Americans.
B. A cure for poison ivy is being developed.
C. Many native American plants cause very uncomfortable allergic reactions.
D. Captain John Smith is known as a great physician.
Passage 9
My parents should have been home over an hour ago. I've been lying here, in bed,
for hours, but I can't sleep. The room is dark except for the dull, yellow glow of the light
in the alley shining through my curtains giving the room a sickly, haunted sort of look.
That noise in the backyard happens every time I am close to sleep. The wind is howling,
but still I can make out the faint skreeeeee sound, which is like nails on a chalkboard. At
first I think it is the gate swinging, but then I remember that I had boarded the gate shut.
It seems to be something moving slowly this way. But then the noise disappears, and I
am near sleep again when suddenly I hear theskreeeeeeee sound. My heart is racing. I
want to be brave but wonder where my parents are; they should have been home
already. I need them to look out into the backyard to tell me everything is normal.
Instead, I lie here with wide eyes in a cold sweat and scared out of my wits! They should
be here!
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15. What words contribute to the fearful mood of this passage?
A. "chalkboard" and "gate"
B. "backyard" and "swinging"
C. "haunted" and "scared"
D. "sleep" and "boarded"
Passage 10
Autumn
The swarming faces float across the room
With careless whispers and dreaming eyes
The pages are open and letters crawl
And, thus begins yet another fall
They seem like daffodils in the bloom
The fresh, young minds unaware of the world
Their laughter echoes like the summer rain
I wait till they are settled down again
And, then a girl motions her pals to stop
Perhaps she sees me pacing about the room
—The graying hair reflected on my chalk
And, a thousand winters weighing down my walk
16. From what point of view is the poem written?
A. the girl
B. the author
C. the teacher
D. the book
Passage 11
Annie closed the cardboard box and shoved it across the attic floor. "It's not here!"
she said.
"Calm down," I told my sister. "It's got to be here somewhere."
"No, it isn't, Bethany! It isn't anywhere in this whole house! It isn't anywhere in this
whole world!"
Annie wasn't searching for the Hope Diamond or some lifesaving medicine. All she
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wanted was a picture. One picture. This picture happened to be for a memoir project
she was doing for social studies class. It also happened to be completely ridiculous—
Annie pouring ice cold water over my head at the beach. For some reason, she just had
to have this picture for her project.
Personally, I hated the stupid thing. I had a stupid, surprised 9-year-old grimace on
my face while Annie, a sweet-looking 6-year-old girl in pigtails, looked happy as a clam.
Annie wouldn't admit it, but she loved anything that made me look silly. Sisterly rivalry, I
guess.
"Well, I give up," Annie finally said. "Mom must have lost it when we moved, or Dad
accidentally threw it away when he cleaned out the attic last year."
Annie got to her feet, brushed off the dust, and headed toward the stairs. "Thanks for
helping me look, Bethany. Sorry this was a total waste of time."
"No problem," I told Annie. "I wasn't busy anyway."
"You coming downstairs?" Annie asked.
"Yeah, in a second. I'm just going to move these boxes back the way they were so
Mom and Dad don't freak out," I replied.
As soon as I heard the door to the attic close, I stuck my hand in my back pocket.
"Well, well, how did that get there?" I whispered, laughing to myself. I tucked it back
in the photo album I'd snuck it out of.
I felt kind of bad about it, but I'd have felt a whole lot worse if Annie had shown that
picture to her entire sixth grade class.
17. From what point of view is the story told?
A. first person
B. third person limited
C. third person omniscient
D. second person
Passage 12
In 2009, scientists suspected that the swine flu came into the United States from
Mexico, and President Obama was asked why he didn’t close the U.S. border with
Mexico. “Closing the border now,” he said, “would be like closing the barn door after the
horses were out. I think our healthcare system is up to the task of taking care of the sick
while we combat this disease and bring it to its knees.” Americans are the key to keep
the swine flu from spreading. Health officials advised that the swine flu was a raging fire
that could be stopped if more Americans would keep their hands washed, cover their
mouths while coughing, and stay home from work or school if they were sick.
18. What does the President mean by the simile "like closing the barn door
after the horses are out"?
A. The President used the simile because he knows that border gate is similar to a barn
door.
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B. U.S. border crossings usually are housed in big buildings referred to as "barns."
C. Although called "swine flu," the President knows that the disease is spread by horses.
D. The disease has already entered the country, so closing the border won't keep it out.
19. Which of these is an example of a metaphor?
A. ". . .swine flu came into. . ."
B. ". . .key to keep the swine flu. . ."
C. ". . .the swine flu was a raging fire. . ."
D. ". . .keep their hands washed. . ."
Passage 13
Negative Self-Talk
“If you can change your thoughts,” Dr. Hargrave said, “you can change your world.”
“I just don’t believe that’s true,” Rory replied. “I’ve been coming to your office for
nearly six months, and I’ve changed plenty of thoughts, and I don’t see one thing that’s
changed.”
Dr. Hargrave pondered his patient’s words before she replied. “Rory, I just don’t
agree. You’ve changed quite a few things. First of all, you’ve lost nearly 30 pounds.”
“And I’m still fat!”
“Now there’s a thought you could change,” the doctor replied.
“What are you talking about, what thought?”
“As long as you think of yourself as still fat, it won’t matter how much weight you
lose. Thirty pounds is a significant amount of weight to lose in six months. I have
patients that would give up a month’s salary to lose that much weight. Try saying this to
yourself when you look at yourself in the mirror, I am a likable person no matter how
much I weigh.”
“Oh doc, I can’t say that; it’s not true.”
“There’s another thought you could change: that you don’t like yourself.”
“Well, I don’t,” Rory retorted. “I’m still overweight. I feel so unattractive, like the mirror
may break every time I look in it!”
“For goodness sake, Rory, you can’t talk to yourself like that and expect to be
happy,” Dr. Hargrave said. “If you said that kind of thing to other people, you wouldn’t
have any friends.”
20. Based on the passage, which of these choices sounds like something
Rory would most likely say?
A. "It's my mother's fault."
B. "I'm ready for a boyfriend."
C. "I love my teachers."
D. "I'm not very pretty."
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21. Based on this passage, which phrase best describes Rory's feelings
about herself?
A. unsure of her intelligence
B. disgusted and frustrated
C. light-hearted and forgiving
D. courageous and confident
22. How is Dr. Hargrave portrayed in this passage?
A. sarcastic and unconcerned
B. tired and frustrated by Rory
C. concerned and compassionate
D. bored and money-hungry
Passage 14
Everyone in the conference feared playing the Samuel Middle School Huskies
because of their fearsome halfback Dekwon Johnson. Dekwon was a monster on the
field, and not one team had been able to keep him out of the end zone all season long.
Dekwon was everyone’s pick for player of the year in the conference.
There are no guarantees, however, in the championship game, and Hobbes Middle
School was not planning to make things any easier for Dekwon and the Samuel offense.
The Hobbes defensive line was a brick wall. Only four touchdowns had been scored
against them all season, and they had shut out six different teams. No doubt about it,
the championship game was going to be epic.
23. What does the word monster suggest about Dekwon?
A. He is very scary-looking.
B. He plays extremely tough.
C. He has very sharp teeth.
D. He is a fairy tale creature.
24. What is the denotative meaning of the word monster?
A. a skilled football player
B. a very unattractive person
C. a person that is very strong
D. a scary fairy tale creature
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25. What does brick wall suggest about about the Hobbes defensive line?
A. It is one of the sides of a house.
B. It is about 10 feet tall and red in color.
C. It is constructed from blocks of stone.
D. It is strong and difficult to get through.
26. What does the word epic connote or suggest about the championship
football game between Samuel Middle School and Hobbes Middle School?
A. It will be a long, narrative poem.
B. It will be a very exciting game.
C. It will tell a story involving a hero.
D. It will involve a journey far away.
Passage 15
Before MP3s, CDs, and even cassettes, people listened to music on vinyl records.
That is to say, people listened to vinyl records until they disappeared from most stores
in the 1980s. Records didn't disappear because people didn't like them, or because they
weren't as good as the newer formats. They disappeared because most music
companies stopped making them. Music companies stopped making records because
they knew they could make more money off of the newer formats.
As a result, the consumer is left with CD covers that are so small that he or she can
barely see the artwork. The CDs he or she finds in these covers are longer than
records, and as such, contain bloated albums that have on them five good songs and
fifty minutes of filler. This didn't happen with records, which usually held around forty
minutes of music. If the consumer doesn't like CDs, he or she can use MP3s. MP3s
come with even smaller artwork, if there's any artwork at all. Also, since MP3s are just
strings of computer code, the consumer risks losing his or her entire music collection if
his or her computer crashes. Meanwhile, records, which have less room for filler and
can't be lost in a computer crash, are collecting dust in homes across the United States.
27. Which of the following can you infer from the passage above?
A. The author of this passage does not like new music.
B. The author of this passage dislikes music companies.
C. The author of this passage prefers records over CDs and MP3s.
D. The author of this passage is old.
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28. Based on the way the author of the passage discusses the topic, the
reader can infer
A. that the author likes writing about music.
B. that the author is most likely a musician.
C. that the author has thought about the differences among records and other formats.
D. that the author has been buying music since the 1980s.
Passage 16
One early morning, Thomas Garret and his family arrived in the small town of
Wiltshire. The atmosphere was that of a ghost town. There was absolute silence on the
streets, as if the town had been emptied out. Fog covered everything. They had to look
carefully to find their way to their new home since the visibility was very low.
Garret’s son Blake was getting restless at the thought of having to stay cooped up at
home because of the weather. Blake thought to himself, I’m going to lift the fog and turn
things around in this town.
Garret knew what his son was thinking and immediately cautioned him about using
his powers. They were trying to keep a low profile and did not want to attract any
attention. The CIA was watching the Garrets closely. Federal authorities long suspected
the Garrets of having superhuman abilities. Suspicions arose when their previous
neighbor in Oregon called in a mysterious object in the Garrets’ backyard. However,
when the authorities arrived, the object was long gone. When the CIA agent asked
Thomas Garret about the incident, Thomas played dumb.
Right after this incident, Thomas decided it was time to move to another town. He
wanted the entire family to keep their powers undercover and act like normal people.
Although his wife and daughter agreed, it was hard for Blake to listen to his dad.
Thomas realized that his son was having trouble listening to his instructions, so Thomas
came up with an idea.
He told Blake that he would beam him up to planet Zeneca once every month in
order to be able to carry out his experiments. This made Blake very happy, and he
promised his dad that he would not blow their cover.
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29.
Character (s) WHO?
Plot WHAT?
Conflict WHAT?
Thomas Garret
Blake Garret
mother
daughter
trying to keep a low profile
from the authorities
What belongs in the empty space?
A. The Garrets refuse to surrender to the CIA agents.
B. The new neighbors are having trouble with the Garrets.
C. Blake does not want to follow his father's instructions.
D. Blake changes the weather, and his family gets upset.
30.
Character(s) WHO?
Setting(s) WHERE?
Plot WHAT?
Thomas
Garret
Blake Garret
mother
daughter
Oregon, the car, and
Wiltshire
trying to keep a low profile from
the authorities
What belongs in the empty space?
A. Thomas's wife and daughter are unhappy on Earth.
B. Blake wants a lab to conduct experiments.
C. Thomas Garret wants to move to planet Zeneca.
D. The family is being watched by the CIA.
Passage 17
Plot WHY?
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On Being Solute
by Jon Caswell
Sea foam races toward shore,
marking the tide on the beach,
where sand and sea intermingle
to create luminous pink bubbles.
A colony of them floats on the waves
with the aplomb of a bull-rider—
only to be left stranded at high tide.
Evanescent bubbles populate the beach
in iridescent mounds, effervescing
out of turbulence only to evaporate in the wind
or melt back into the surf.
Do they perceive themselves?
Do they devolve or progress?
Do bubbles aspire and transcend,
or are they just form—
subdividing nothing into something?
31. "Solute" means "a substance dissolved in a solution." Which of these
statements is the best explanation of this metaphor?
A. The poet is comparing himself to a substance dissolved in a solution.
B. The poet is comparing himself to a bull rider riding ocean waves.
C. Iridescent pink bubbles are created when sand dissolves in seawater.
D. A flock of birds dissolves into the light of the setting sun.
Answers
1. A
2. B
3. D
4. A
5. B
6. D
7. A
8. B
9. C
10. A
11. D
12. B
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13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
D
C
C
C
A
D
C
D
B
C
B
D
D
B
C
C
C
D
A