Reading/Language Arts
Expository Unit Test
Expository Unit Test
Use the passage below to answer questions 1-5.
How to Show Why the Sky Is Blue
Materials
a clear glass or plastic glass or bottle (Make sure its sides are straight and not slanted.)
water
milk
measuring spoons
a flashlight
Directions
1. Add water until the container is three-fourths full. If the water is cloudy, there is probably
air in the water. Let the water stand until the air escapes and the water is clear.
2. Use the measuring spoons to measure one teaspoon of milk, and add it to the container.
Shake or stir the container until the milk dissolves to form a solution.
3. Turn on the flashlight and turn off the lights in the room. Hold the flashlight above the
container as if it is the sun shining directly down through the atmosphere.
4. Notice that the liquid looks blue.
Explanation
The milk is like dust in our atmosphere. It scatters the light which is formed of red,
orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet waves. Only the blue light can be seen in this
situation in the same way that only blue light can be seen in our atmosphere.
1. The steps and information show that this passage is
A.
B.
C.
D.
a recipe.
a craft project.
a shopping list.
a science experiment.
2. Based on ideas in the Explanation section, why is the sky blue?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Dust allows only blue light to reach the earth.
Dust scatters the waves of light so that only blue waves can be seen.
White particles in liquid, such as rain, look blue in sunlight.
The sun gives off blue light so the sides of the air look blue.
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Expository Text Unit Test --Revised 3/6/2016 KG
Expository Unit Test
3. Which feature does the author use to help the reader focus on the separate sections of
the project?
A. Italics
B. Boldface font
C. Graphic organizers
D. Capital letters
4. Which task is completed FIRST?
A.
B.
C.
D.
mixing milk with the water
filling the container with water
measuring out the milk
turning off the light
5. Where might the reader find the meaning of the word solution?
A.
B.
C.
D.
glossary
index
topic sentence
the paragraph
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Expository Text Unit Test --Revised 3/6/2016 KG
Expository Unit Test
Use the following chart to answer questions 6-7.
Tectonic Plate Theory
Big Bang Theory
10 to 20 Billion Years Ago
4 to 5 Billion Years Ago
3.5 Billion Years Ago
An original atom splits apart. It
releases energy and matter.
Over time, the matter combines.
It forms planets, suns, asteroids,
and other space material.
Earth cools. Its gases begin to
form rain. There is one giant land
mass and one giant ocean.
Pangaea, the Supercontinent
248 to 206 Million Years Ago
206 to 24 Million Years Ago
5 to 1.8 Million Years Ago
The supercontinent, Pangaea, sits
on one giant tectonic plate. This
floats on Earth’s mantle. The
mantle splits.
Pangaea breaks into huge
sections.
The modern continents and
oceans take their current
positions.
The Ever-Changing Planet
1596
1912
1961
1962
Abraham Ortelius of
Holland makes and
studies maps. He
suggests that there was
only one giant continent
in the past.
Alfred Lothar Wegener
studies weather in
Germany. He introduces
the idea that the
continents drifted apart.
Scientists decide that
ocean ridges are areas
where the tectonic plates
are spreading.
U.S. Admiral Harry H.
Hess suggests that ocean
trenches are spots where
the plates are moving
together.
6. The Greek word pan means all. The Greek word gaia means earth. What continent’s name
means all earth?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Pangaea
Australia
Eurasia
Africa
7. The sections of the chart contain ideas that together explain
A.
B.
C.
D.
the formation of oceans
the scientific process
the tectonic plate theory
the study of the environment
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Expository Text Unit Test --Revised 3/6/2016 KG
Expository Unit Test
Use the passage below to answer questions 8 – 10.
A Green Salad
First, select crisp, fresh lettuce with no bruise marks. Try to find a variety of colors, from dark green to
light.
Next, wash and drain the lettuce thoroughly. Either dry the greens with a cloth or spin the water off using a
salad spinner.
Third, cut or tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces that are easy to eat. Toss the pieces into a bowl, and if
you want, chop up a tomato, carrot, and some radishes and add these to the salad.
Finally, add a little salad dressing and toss the salad lightly with two large spoons. You might add crunchy
croutons or salty nuts as well.
8. How is the passage organized?
A. by chronological order
B. by importance
C. by cause and effect
D. by popularity
9. What is the second step in the process?
A. Cut or tear lettuce into bite-sized pieces.
B. Add salad dressing to the salad.
C. Select crisp, fresh lettuce in a variety of colors.
D. Wash and drain the lettuce thoroughly.
10. What was the reason this passage was written?
A. to describe
B. to explore
C. to explain
D. to persuade
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Expository Text Unit Test --Revised 3/6/2016 KG
Expository Unit Test
Victoria forgot to set the alarm on her clock and woke up late for school. She hurried through breakfast and
spilled milk all over her mother’s clean floor. Then she missed the school bus and had to walk to school in the
rain. Victoria was having a very bad day.
11. What is the main idea of the paragraph?
A. Victoria forgot to set the alarm.
B. Victoria spilled milk on her mother’s clean floor.
C. Victoria had to walk to school in the rain.
D. Victoria was having a very bad day.
Mary rushed down the long hallway carrying a breakfast tray. As Lady Eleanor’s servant, she wanted to be
on time. She opened the door just as Lady Eleanor sat up in bed and yawned. Mary smiled and placed the tray
by the ornate bed.
“Good morning, your Ladyship,” said Mary.
12. Details in this passage show that Mary is
A. responsible
B. grumpy
C. thrifty
D. sad
1) Everything a cowboy wears has a purpose. 2) His wide-brimmed hat shields him from the sun and the
rain. 3) The chaps he wears over his trousers protect him from the prickly underbrush through which he rides.
4) The West is full of prickly underbrush. 5) His high-heeled boots keep his feet from pushing through the
saddle's stirrups.
13. Which sentence does NOT support the main idea?
A. 5
B. 4
C. 1
D. 2
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Expository Text Unit Test --Revised 3/6/2016 KG
Expository Unit Test
Use the passage below to answer questions 14 and 15.
The Manatee
Shaped like a one-person submarine, the thousand-pound, ten-foot-long manatee may be the gentlest
creature on earth. Divers in the southeastern waters of the United States have observed the playful
manatee hugging other manatees with its flippers. It also bestows kisses on its companions. (These must
be bristly kisses, for the manatee has sharp whiskers!)
Believed to be a relative of the elephant, the manatee has a long upper lip. This is used to propel food
into its mouth. Its teeth, all molars, are used for grinding its food. Its two front flippers are used for
swimming, scratching, and holding its young. The flippers also are used to remove grass from between
its teeth. Its tail is broad and flat, resembling a small paddle.
The manatee, a mammal with a brain and nervous system much like our own, has an excellent sense of
hearing and of taste. In fact, its ability to taste changes in the water probably aids its navigation. The
manatee “talks” to its companions with squealing, chirping sounds. Sometimes it screams with alarm if a
calf is threatened.
Always in search of warm water, the manatee travels from coastal bays up river mouths along the Florida
coast. Seemingly independent, with no heading or leadership instincts, the manatee develops no lasting
relationships. Its main concern is grazing on underwater grasses. After feeding, it usually naps, rising
sleepily to the surface every few minutes to breathe. The manatee leads a simple, peaceful, and playful
life which humans might, at times, envy.
14. The main purpose of the opening paragraph of the article is to describe the manatee’s
A. Behavior.
B. Environment
C. Intelligence.
D. Size.
15. According to the article, how are manatees and humans similar?
A. Both lead simple lives.
B. Both prefer to live in groups
C. They have similar eating patterns
D. They have similar nervous systems.
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Expository Text Unit Test --Revised 3/6/2016 KG
Expository Unit Test
Use the passage below to answer questions 16- 19.
HIP HOP
WORKSHOP
Saturday, May 14
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
North City Community Center
5678 N. Verde Drive
All the hottest Hip Hoppers in town will be there showing you all the latest and greatest moves!!!
Dancer and choreographer Bryan Feldman will be there straight from his tour with Gusher.
Gizmo Valdez will share the same steps he taught the Los Angels River Girls.
Missy Heart brings her VTV Awards show-stopping dance numbers to you.
Four sessions will be held with classes at beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. Sign up for the
classes that match your interest and skill level. There will be a one-hour lunch break, which includes a Jam
Session where you can talk with the instructors and get their autographs. Lunch will not be provided. There is
a picnic area if you want to bring you own lunch and a snack bar at the Community Center if you wish to
purchase food. For safety reasons, no food or drink will be allowed in the dance rooms.
Instructor
Bryan
10:00 – 10:45
Int. Hip Hop
11:00- 11:45
Beg. Breakin’
Gizmo
Adv. Hip Hop
Int. Breakin’
Missy
Beg. Hip Hop
Adv. Breakin’
12:00 – 1:00
Lunch/Jam
Session
Lunch/Jam
Session
Lunch/Jam
Session
1:00 – 1:45
Adv. Pop and
Lock
Beg. Pop and
Lock
Inter. Pop and
Lock
2:00 – 3:00
Free Style/
Showcase
Free Style/
Showcase
Free Style/
Showcase
The cost of the workshop is $60, which includes up to 4 classes. There is an early registration discount of
$10 if you register by May 10th.
Registration begins at 9:00 AM, May 9th at the Community Center or online at www.hiphop.edu. Class size is
limited, so register early.
Call 602-555-6835 for more information.
16. What is the organizational structure of this passage?
A. problem and solution
B. logical order
C. cause and effect
D. comparison and contrast
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Expository Text Unit Test --Revised 3/6/2016 KG
Expository Unit Test
17. James wants to learn break-dancing. Which instructor should he choose for his “breakin” class?
A. Missy
B. Gusher
C. Bryan
D. Gizmo
18. Based on the workshop schedule, the total number of classes that the reader could participate in is –
A. 12 classes
B. 6 classes
C. 5 classes
D. 4 classes
19. Which of the following features is NOT used to improve the reader’s understanding of the passage?
A. Underlined text
B. Boldfaced text
C. Organizational chart or table
D. Italicized text
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Expository Text Unit Test --Revised 3/6/2016 KG
Expository Unit Test
Use the passage below to answer questions 20 – 21.
The Cinque Terre are five villages in Italy. They were "discovered" by foreigners in the late 20th century, and
they have become among the most visited areas of Italy. They can be reached by train via the line from La Spezia to
Genoa.
Most of the hotels in the village accept reservations. The best time to visit is in April-May before the summer
crowd comes. It is also nice to visit after August, when all the crowd has left.
The five villages in order from East to West are Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso.
A local train connects all the five villages from La Spezia. In addition, there are walking trails connecting each
village to its neighbor. The path from Riomaggiore to Manarola is called the Via Dell'Amore. This winds along the
shore. It is very pretty and is very easy to hike. The trail from Corniglia to Vernazza is steep at certain places. The
trail from Vernazza to Monterosso is by far the steepest. It winds through Olive orchards and vineyards. It is rough
in some places but offers the best views of the bay.
20. Which of the following would improve the reader’s understanding of the passage?
A. A bar graph displaying each village
B. A map of the five villages
C. A guide to the train lines
D. A calendar of the tourist season.
21. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. Train Riding in Italy
B. Hiking Trails in Italy
C. Hotels in Five Italian Villages
D. Traveler’s Guide to The Cinque Terre
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Expository Text Unit Test --Revised 3/6/2016 KG
Expository Unit Test
Smokers
Smokers in the United States
NonSmokers
1992
1991
Year
1990
1985
1980
1974
1965
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
80.00%
90.00% 100.00%
Percentage
22. By what percentage did the number of smokers drop from 1965 to 1980?
A. 3 %
B. 26%
C. 33%
D. 9%
23. Which of the following can the reader conclude based on the data presented?
A. The percentage of smokers is increasing over time
B. The percentage of nonsmokers is increasing over time
C. The percentage of nonsmokers was the same in 1990 as it was in 1980
D. The percentage of smokers was greater in 1990 than in 1980.
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Expository Text Unit Test --Revised 3/6/2016 KG
Expository Unit Test
Use the passage below to answer questions 24-25.
East Lake Press
Elephants Moved to New Home on Tuesday
Friday, June 25, 2006
Late Tuesday evening, two of the most beloved animals at the East Lake Zoo left for their new home in Mexico.
Eleanor, a five-year-old African elephant, and her mother, Big Dixie, were flown by airplane to the African Safari
Park near Mexico City. Eleanor and her mother lived at the East Lake Zoo until the zoo ran out of money and had
to find them another home.
The African Safari Park is a large zoo that offers the elephants more room to live and play. East Lake zookeeper
Matt Stone hopes that Eleanor and her mother will be very happy in their new home. "Elephants need lots of room
to play," he told reporters on Tuesday. "I know that Eleanor and her mother will be happy together in a bigger zoo."
24. According to the caption, where was Eleanor born?
A. In Cape Town, South Africa
B. In the East Lake Zoo
C. In the African Safari Park
D. In Mexico City, Mexico.
25. This passage is most likely an example of
A. A newspaper article
B. An encyclopedia entry
C. A book review
D. A biography
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Expository Text Unit Test --Revised 3/6/2016 KG