Use “Mia Hamm: Best Woman Soccer Player in the World” to answer: In Paragraph 3, the author uses the word quake
to imply that Mia’s competitors are
A. unstable
B. excited
C. fearful
D. explosive
Use “Mia Hamm: Best Woman Soccer Player in the World” to answer: The author MOST LIKELY wrote this passage in
order to
A. encourage readers to contribute to Hamm's foundation
B. share details about an inspiring person
C. encourage players who are thinking about quitting soccer
D. provide details about Hamm's influence on soccer
Use “Mia Hamm: Best Woman Soccer Player in the World” to answer: The main idea of this passage is that Mia Hamm
A. is a champion on and off the soccer field
B. is humble and embarrassed by her success
C. has been greatly influenced by her brothers and sisters
D. has been U.S. Soccer's Female Athlete of the Year
Read the passage “Invasive Plants” to answer the question.
What information would be BEST to add to the passage?
A. the true meaning of the expression, "Wolf in sheep's clothing"
B. an explanation of how colorful gardens are best landscaped
C. suggestions on where to find information on invasive plants
D. the scientific names of several non-invasive plants
Read the passage “Invasive Plants” to answer the question.
Which sentence does NOT fit with the main idea of the passage?
A. sentence 4
B. sentence 6
C. sentence 9
D. sentence 15
Read the passage “Invasive Plants” to answer the question.
Which statement BEST represents the thesis of this passage?
A. Our horticultural landscape is constantly changing.
B. An invasive species can radically alter an ecosystem.
C. Purple Loosestrife is not a native plant.
D. Many factors can raid in the spread of invasive species.
Read the passage “Invasive Plants” to answer the question.
Which question related to the passage would BEST be answered through further research?
A. How large is a typical Purple Loosestrife plant?
B. Do most people think invasive plants are beautiful?
C. How much water do most common garden plants require?
D. Where are the places the Purple Loosestrife tend to strive?
1
Read the passage about Maria Tallchief answer the question.
According to the passage, Tallchief was primarily inspired by her
A. memories of her grandmother.
B. admiration for the Russian dancer Nijinsky
C. desire to bring honor to the Osage tribe.
D. inner passion for music and dance.
Read the passage about Maria Tallchief answer the question.
Which hypothesis BEST accounts for Tallchief’s success in The Firebird?
A. She was able to draw on the dances of her tribe.
B. She was able to invent her own dance moves for the role.
C. She was able to study the role for years before dancing it.
D. She was able to use her talent for piano.
Read the passage about Maria Tallchief answer the question.
Read this sentence from Paragraph 10
Tallchief became its principal dancer or prima ballerina.
The author uses the word principal to convey the idea of being
A. the tallest
B. the only one
C. the first to be hired
D. the most important
Read the passage about Maria Tallchief answer the question.
The author wrote this passage in order to
A. entertain readers with made-up details
B. share an amusing story with readers.
C. persuade readers to attend ballets.
D. inform readers about a famous Native American.
Read the passage about Maria Tallchief answer the question.
How is this passage BEST classified?
A. a short story
B. history
C. biography
D. a personal essay
Read the passage about Maria Tallchief answer the question.
The author expects the reader to assume that Tallchief
A. preferred dance to piano.
B. had always dreamed of traveling the world
C. wanted to change her original name.
D. planned to return to her home when she retired.
Read the passage about Maria Tallchief answer the question.
When the Osage tribe gave Tallchief a name meaning “woman of two worlds,” they did so to acknowledge that she
represented the worlds of both
A. dance and music
B. Europe and America
C. Native Americans and dance.
D. willingness to change her name.
2
Read the passage about Maria Tallchief answer the question.
Which statement from the passage supports the conclusion that Tallchief had the instincts of a true professional
performer?
A. The teacher pushed themto do ballet moves they were not ready for physically.
B. As her talents for both ballet and piano continued to grow, Tallchief knew she now had to choose between her two great
loves.
C. It was a great honor, and Tallchief was very nervous about the performance.
D. Embarrassed but not hurt, Tallchief picked herself up and finished the performance.
Read the passage about Maria Tallchief answer the question.
Based on the passage, you can conclude that the Chicago City Ballet
A. was formed years after the New York City Ballet.
B. became one of the most famous in the world.
C. featured mostly Native-American dancers.
D. caused Tallchief to be honored by her tribe.
Read the passage “Best in Show” to answer the question.
The dog that is “Best in Show” is judged by its
A. appearance
B. obedience
C. ability
D. registry
Read the passage “Best in Show” to answer the question.
The dog that is “Best in Show” is judged by its
A. appearance
B. obedience
C. ability
D. registry
Read the passage “Best in Show” to answer the question.
Owners interested in competing for “Best in Show” must first
A. join the American Kennel Club
B. purchase a prize hunting dog.
C. construct an exhibition platform.
D. learn verbal and nonverbal cues.
Read the passage “Best in Show” to answer the question.
Obedience and field trials are examples of
A. breeds
B. classes
C. registries
D. competitions
Read the passage “Best in Show” to answer the question.
According to the passage, an unbenched show differs from a benched show because it is
A. hosted by foreign countries
B. divided into various categories
C. judged by a team of kennel officials
D. opened by owners leading their dogs
3
Read the passage “Best in Show” to answer the question.
In the last paragraph, the word flushes means
A. escapes into
B. runs ahead
C. looks about
D. drives out
Read the passage “Best in Show” to answer the question.
What mood MOST likely prevails while the judges score the dogs?
A tension
B. confusion
C. satisfaction
D. peace
Read the passage “Blackberries” to answer the question.
Which action taken father BEST shows the affection he has for his son?
A. He tells his son to hurry or they’ll never reach Fletcher’s Woods.
B. He goes to hear a nightingale with his friends.
C. He chooses a blackberry for his son to eat.
D. He picks berries for the boy’s mother.
Read the passage “Blackberries” to answer the question.
Which event is used as a flashback in the passage?
A. the boy knocking the heads off dandelions
B. the father hearing a nightingale
C. the father choosing a blackberry
D. the boy crushing the blackberry in his mouth
Read the passage “Blackberries” to answer the question.
How does the reader know that the boy is imaginative?
A. He pictures the canal in the old days when it was busy.
B. He knocks the heads off dandelions.
C. He asks if there will be blackberries in Fletcher’s Woods.
D. He fills his new cap with blackberries.
Read the passage “Blackberries” to answer the question.
In the last sentence of Paragraph 1, the word minute means
A. small
B. quick
C. beautiful
D. timeless
4
Read the passage “Blackberries” to answer the question.
Which paragraph from the passage supports the idea that the father shares his past with his son?
A. Paragraph 4
B. Paragraph 7
C. Paragraph 9
D. Paragraph 11
Read the passage “Blackberries” to answer the question.
The author of the passage creates a peaceful mood mainly through
A. the setting
B. the characters
C. foreshadowing
D. flashback
Read the passage “Blackberries” to answer the question.
Which of these statements BEST adds poetic language to the passage?
A. …in September, the sun was warm and the paths dry.
B. …the channel was filled with mud and tall reeds.
C. …his father, stumbling home, had fallen into a blackberry bush.
D. …sunlight, thrown in yellow patches onto the grass, seemed to grow out of the ground.
Read the passage “Blackberries” to answer the question.
What is the main idea of Paragraph 1?
A. The boy misses the old days.
B. The canal is full of plants.
C. The boy loves his grandfather.
D. The boy is out for a walk with his father
Use the reading “How the Mosquitoes Left Kambara” to answer the question.
What characteristic of the chief would MOST likely be found in other mythological characters?
A. cleverness
B. attitude of superiority
C. stupidity
D. self-righteousness
Use the reading “How the Mosquitoes Left Kambara” to answer the question.
How did the island people lure the mosquitoes into their trap?
A. by waving curtains near a tree
B. by painting screens on the doors
C. by placing a pig in a basket
D. by pounding bark on a tree
5
Use the reading “How the Mosquitoes Left Kambara” to answer the question.
What might the prince do after he realizes the mosquitoes are a nuisance?
A. catch more mosquitoes
B. find a new special shell
C. welcome island guests
D. return them to Kambara
Use the reading “How the Mosquitoes Left Kambara” to answer the question.
What characteristic does this story share with many other stories?
A. It is set on an island.
B. The main characters are brave.
C. Some of the events could not really happen.
D. The characters are male rather than female.
Use the reading “How the Mosquitoes Left Kambara” to answer the question.
What problem did the people of Kambara have?
A. They constantly fought with other islands.
B. They rarely caught enough fish for food.
C. They had no treasure.
D. Their island was infested with mosquitoes.
Read the passage “Seattle’s Underground” to answer the question:
The purpose of the passage is
A)
B)
C)
D)
to describe the creation of a famous place.
to inform readers about the original skid road.
to explain to readers what it’s like to live in Seattle.
to relate a story about living in a frontier settlement.
Read the passage “Seattle’s Underground” to answer the question:
The author uses paragraphs 2 and 3 to
A) explain how the settlers made a living.
B) describe the landscape of the settlement.
C) explain the challenges settlers faced.
D) describe the fire that burned down the town.
Read the passage “Seattle’s Underground” to answer the question:
In paragraph 4, which point is the author making when he describes the Seattle settlers as
industrious?
A) The settlers began opening businesses.
B) The settlers were unsure of how to rebuild.
C) The settlers were wary of the unstable land.
D) The settlers knew how to use their resources.
6
Read the passage “Seattle’s Underground” to answer the question:
What is the main idea of the passage?
A) Using the environment’s resources
B) Thinking of ways to improve cities
C) Learning to live in unpleasant areas
D) Forging ahead in the face of disaster
Read the passage ” Fight or Flight: The Evolution of Stress” to answer the question:
The tiny blood vessels (called capillaries) under the surface of your skin close down (which
consequently sends your blood pressure soaring) so you can sustain a surface wound and
not bleed to death. Even your eyes dilate so you can see better.
What is the meaning of the affix sur used in the word surface?
A) head
B) over
C) through
D) under
Read the passage ” Fight or Flight: The Evolution of Stress” to answer the question:
Despite the huge amount of technological change in the ensuing 25,000 years, you are
walking around with essentially the same set of internal body parts as that of a caveman.
What is the meaning of the Greek root logy as it is used in the word technological?
A) look
B) science
C) sense
D) study
Read the passage ” Fight or Flight: The Evolution of Stress” to answer the question:
Which term is related word of flight as it is used in this passage?
A) aviation
B) escape
C) formation
D) meeting
Read the passage ” Fight or Flight: The Evolution of Stress” to answer the question:
Luckily for you, millions of years of evolution has endowed you with a set of automatic
weapons that take over in the event of an emergency.
In this sentence from the second paragraph, the phrase automatic weapons refers to
A) difficult situations
B) various means of defense
C) a body’s instinctive responses
D) mechanical devices used in a crisis
7
Read the passage “Searching for the Blue Poison Dart Frog” to answer the question:
Which one of these themes is developed in the article?
A) Animals are dangerous creatures.
B) Traveling away from home is scary.
C) People should not deal with nature.
D) Nature is challenging and beautiful.
Read the passage “Searching for the Blue Poison Dart Frog” to answer the question:
Which of these sentences from the story BEST describes what the author has learned about
nature?
A) It was the most stunning creature I had ever observed.
B) I realized that the dangers of nature were just as plentiful as its wonders.
C) The frog’s distinctive coloring was even more flamboyant than I had anticipated.
D) Dendrobates azureus use their long, sticky tongues to retrieve their meals.
Read the passage “Searching for the Blue Poison Dart Frog” to answer the question:
Which of these BEST describes what happens in the passage?
A) A pet lover journeys to South America to capture a poisonous but beautiful frog.
B) A group of tourists get into danger when they try to go too far into the rainforest.
C) A nature enthusiast takes a difficult trip into the wilderness to find and exotic frog.
D) A scientist goes to the rainforest to find, takes notes on, and snap photos of a frog.
Read the “Pride and Prejudice” to answer the question:
‘He was quite young, wonderfully handsome, extremely agreeable, and, to crown the whole,
he meant to be at the next assembly with a large party.’
In this sentence, what is the definition of assembly?
A) meeting
B) dispersal
C) one-on-one
D) social gathering
Read the “Pride and Prejudice” to answer the question:
The gentlemen pronounced him to… be proud; to be above his company, and above being
pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most
forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend.
What is the meaning of forbidding as used in the sentence?
A)
B)
C)
D)
grim and unfriendly
prohibit and prevent
sinister and hostile
dangerous and threatening
8
Read the “Pride and Prejudice” to answer the question:
Sentence 1
Amongst the most violent against him was Mrs. Bennet, whose dislike of his general
behavior was sharpened into particular resentment by his having slighted one of her
daughters.
Sentence 2
Mrs. Bennet didn’t like the way he acted because he slighted one of her daughters.
What effect does replacing Sentence 1 with Sentence 2 have on the tone of the
sentence?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The sentence would be more formal.
The sentence would be less general.
The sentence would be less critical.
The sentence would be more disruptive.
Read the “Pride and Prejudice” to answer the question:
‘Such amiable qualities must speak for themselves.’
What is meant by the term amiable, as it is used in this sentence?
A)
B)
C)
D)
friendly
lukewarm
rude
surly
An invitation to dinner was soon afterwards dispatched; and already had Mrs. Bennet
planned the course that were to do credit to her housekeeping, when an answer arrived
which deferred it all. Mr. Bingley was obliged to be in town the following day, and,
consequently, unable to accept the honour of their invitation, etc. Mrs. Bennet was quite
disconcerted.
Which is the best definition for the word disconcerted as it is used in the sentence above?
A) giddy and silly
B) disappointed and upset
C) joyous and celebratory
D) despairing and grief-filled
9
Look at the blank with the number 3 in the passage “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”. Which of
these answers correctly completes the sentence?
A) at
B) by
C) for
D) with
Look at the blank with the number 1 in the passage “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”. Which of
these answers correctly completes the sentence?
A) are
B) is
C) was
D) were
Look at the blank with the number 11 in the passage “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”. Which of
these answers correctly completes the sentence?
A) come
B) did come
C) does come
D) are coming
Look at the blank with the number 6 in the passage “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”. Which of
these answers correctly completes the sentence?
A) our
B) their
C) us
D) we
10