English – Second Quarter Exam
Grade 4
Reading Comprehension
/5
Dr. Seuss:
Helping Kids Learn to Read
Dr. Seuss was born on March 2, 1904. He was an American cartoonist and
writer. His real name was Theodore Seuss Geisel. He was born in Springfield,
Massachusetts.
Dr. Seuss liked to draw and write, even as a child. The first book that Dr. Seuss
wrote was titled, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. He wrote it while
on an ocean voyage, returning from a trip to Europe. The rhythm of the ship’s
engine gave him the feeling for the poetry rhythm in the story!
Dr. Seuss was not a real doctor. He added the “Dr.” to his name to honor his
dad, who wanted Theodore to finish his doctoral degree. Even though he never
became a real doctor, he did write books that helped millions of kids learn to
read. Dr. Seuss had also used other names, or “pen names,” to write books.
These names include Theophrastus Seuss, Theo L. Seig (which is his
real name spelled backwards), and Rosetta Stone.
Dr. Seuss wrote more than 60 children's books, including some which have
been made into movies, such as The Cat in the Hat, Horton Hears a Who, and How
the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Dr. Seuss wrote lots of books for children even though he and his wife never had
children of their own. He died at age 87, in San Diego, California.
1. When and where was Dr. Seuss born?
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2. Where was Dr. Seuss when he wrote his first book?
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3. Name three Dr. Seuss books that have been made into movies.
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4. What other pen names did Theodore Geisel use to write books?
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5. Dr. Seuss was not a real doctor. Why did he add the title “Dr.” to his pen
name?
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Spelling:
Choose the correctly spelled word that completes the sentence:
1. There were many demonstrations in _________________ Cairo.
downtown - dountown - downton
2. A tortoise lives on land but a ________________ lives in water.
turtle - tortel - tertel
3. I need to ___________ my computer because it is broken.
repare - repair - repiar
4. The planets _______________ around the sun.
orbet - orbite - orbit
5. Mt. Everest is the highest _________________ in the world.
mountane - muontain - mountain
Decide if the underlined word is spelled correctly or incorrectly:
1. I am saving my allowance to buy a new computer game.
correct - incorrect
2. A tornedo is a very destructive wind storm.
correct - incorrect
3. Please do not disterb your father, he is sleeping.
correct - incorrect
4. I have some new software on my computer.
correct - incorrect
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5. Airplanes make travel a lot easier.
correct - incorrect
Vocabulary:
/8
Complete the sentences with the vocabulary words listed below:
neglected - insignificant - uninhabited - instinctively - skidded inhaled - jealous - endangered
1. The soccer player ________________ as he made the goal.
2. The plant died because it was _____________________, nobody
watered it.
3. I had an _________________________ part in the play.
4. I was ___________________because my friend made an A+ on the test.
5. Some animals are disappearing from Earth, they are called
________________________ species.
6. Birds ____________________ know to fly south in the winter.
7. I _________________________ the fresh morning air.
8. The old house was ______________________, nobody lived there.
Literature Elements:
/6
1. What great lesson does the emperor learn from his tiny daughter?
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2. Where does the story “Night of the Puffins” take place?
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3. What is the genre of the story “The Garden of Happiness”?
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4. How can you tell if orangutans are best friends?
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5. How long does it take baby orangutans to learn to live on their own?
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6. Describe briefly how the children of Heimaey set the pufflings free.
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Grammar:
/6
1. The dusty book fell off the table. (Underline the compound subject)
2. A taxi driver stopped at the corner. (Underline the compound
predicate)
On the line following the sentence, write simple, compound, or complex
sentence:
3. Steve drove the car and Tim rode the bike. ____________________
4. I am getting a new bike because it is my birthday. __________________
5. Mr. Tamer walked home. ___________________
6. Since school started, he doesn’t go to the club much. (Underline the
dependant clause)
7. Jack wanted to go up the hill because he was thirsty. (underline the
independent clause)
Writing:
/5
Write a short essay of not more than 10 sentences telling me what you
think Egypt will be like following the Revolution.