Standardized GRADE Test Tutor READING Practic lp e H t e Tests Wi a h th Question-by-Question Strategies and Tips T Students B uild Test-Taking Skills and Boost Their Scores Michael Priestley Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Scholastic Inc grants teachers permission to photocopy the reproducible pages from this mini-book for classroom use No other part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012 Editor: Maria L Chang Cover design: Brian LaRossa Interior design: Creative Pages, Inc Interior illustrations: Wilkinson Studios, Inc ISBN-13: 978-0-545-09601-0 ISBN-10: 0-545-09601-4 Copyright © 2009 by Michael Priestley All rights reserved Published by Scholastic Inc Printed in the U.S.A 10 40 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Contents Welcome to Test Tutor Test Test 30 Test 49 Answer Sheet 69 Answer Keys Test 71 Test 79 Test 87 Scoring Charts Student Scoring Chart 94 Classroom Scoring Chart 95 Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Welcome to Test Tutor! Students in schools today take a lot of tests, especially in reading and math Some students naturally perform well on tests, and some not But just about everyone can get better at taking tests by learning more about what’s on the test and how to answer the questions How many students you know who could benefit from working with a tutor? How many would love to have someone sit beside them and help them work their way through the tests they have to take? That’s where Test Tutor comes in The main purpose of Test Tutor is to help students learn what they need to know in order to better on tests Along the way, Test Tutor will help students feel more confident as they come to understand the content and learn some of the secrets of success for multiple-choice tests The Test Tutor series includes books for reading and books for math in a range of grades Each Test Tutor book in reading has three full-length practice tests designed specifically to resemble the state tests that students take each year The reading skills measured on these practice tests have been selected from an analysis of the skills tested in ten major states, and the questions have been written to match the multiple-choice format used in most states The most important feature of this book is the friendly Test Tutor He will help students work through the tests and achieve the kind of success they are looking for This program is designed so students may work through the tests independently by reading the Test Tutor’s helpful hints Or you may work with the student as a tutor yourself, helping him or her understand each question and test-taking strategy along the way You can this most effectively by following the Test Tutor’s guidelines included in the pages of this book Three Different Tests There are three practice tests in this book: Test 1, Test 2, and Test Each test has 35 multiple-choice items with four answer choices (A, B, C, D) All three tests measure the same skills, but they provide different levels of tutoring help Test provides step-by-step guidance to help students find the answer to each question, as in the sample on the next page The tips in Test are detailed and thorough Some of the tips are designed to help students read through and understand the passage, and others are written specifically for each reading question to help students figure out the answers Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Sample Directions: Read this story about a girl and her mother Then answer questions 1–5 The Pot of Milk Once upon a time in India, a young girl named Gheta lived in a small house with her mother The mother worked hard to make enough money to support herself and her daughter Every day, she milked their one cow Then she took the milk to the market and sold it for a few rupees One day after the mother milked the cow, the cow fell ill The mother could not leave the sick cow alone, for the animal was the most valuable thing she owned So she handed her daughter a clay pot full of milk and said, “Take this to the market and sell it.” Why does the mother send Gheta to the market? 𝖠 𝖡 𝖢 𝖣 The mother does not feel well The mother has to care for the cow Take a quick look at the questions before you begin reading so you know what to look for Think about why Gheta has to go to the market Go back to the passage to see why Gheta had to go to the market The mother is angry with Gheta The mother thinks Gheta can get more money Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Test provides a test-taking tip for each item, as in the sample below, but the tips are less detailed than in Test They help guide the student toward the answers without giving away too much Students must take a little more initiative Sample Directions: Read this passage about two boys on a vacation Then answer questions 1–5 The Garden By the second day of spring vacation, Colby and Logan were at loose ends Their grandmother was in the house baking pies for a local store and couldn’t take them anywhere They had ridden their bikes, played hide-andseek, and built a fort in the woods Now they were bored Logan suggested they visit their grandmother’s new neighbor, Mrs Wilson, because she had a puppy Their grandmother said, “Now don’t bother her Be respectful and don’t be pests.” When the boys got to the house, Mrs Wilson was working outside in the yard The dog bounded up to them, and the boys introduced themselves “Can we play with your dog?” the boys asked “Sure,” said the woman with a smile The boys chased the dog around the yard Then the dog chased the boys around and around Finally, the boys were tired, but the puppy was not! “Do you boys want some lemonade?” Mrs Wilson asked Logan and Colby nodded They thought this new neighbor was really nice Why did Colby and Logan think Mrs Wilson was nice? 𝖠 𝖡 She let them help her with the compost and the garden 𝖢 𝖣 She let them ride their bikes in her driveway Take a quick look at the questions before reading the passage Think about what the characters say and throughout the story Read each answer choice before you pick one he brought them lemonade when they were tired and S thirsty She played hide-and-seek and other games with them Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Test does not provide test-taking tips It assesses the progress students have made After working through Tests and with the help of the Test Tutor, students should be more than ready to score well on Test without too much assistance Success on this test will help students feel confident and prepared for taking real tests Other Helpful Features In addition to the tests, this book provides some other helpful features First, on page 69, you will find an answer sheet When students take the tests, they may mark their answers by filling in bubbles on the test pages, or they may mark their answers on a copy of the answer sheet instead, as they will be required to in most standardized tests Second, beginning on page 71, you will find a detailed answer key for each test The answer key lists the correct response and explains the answer for each question It also identifies the skill tested by each question, as in the sample below Answer Key for Sample Correct response: B (Analyze characters) The mother sends Gheta to the market because the cow is sick and she has to stay home to care for the cow Incorrect choices: A The cow is sick, not the mother C The mother becomes angry with Gheta after she goes to the market D The mother just tells Gheta to sell the milk The story does not suggest that Gheta will get more money for the milk than the mother would As the sample indicates, this question measures the student’s ability to analyze characters This information can help you determine which skills the student has mastered and which ones still cause difficulty Finally, the answer key explains why each incorrect answer choice, or “distractor,” is incorrect This explanation can help reveal what error the student might have made For example, a question about an effect might have a distractor that describes a cause instead Knowing this could help the student improve his or her understanding of the text At the back of this book, you will find two scoring charts The Student Scoring Chart can help you keep track of each student’s scores on all three tests and on each passage (literary or informational) The Classroom Scoring Chart can be used to record the scores for all students on all three tests, illustrating the progress they have made from Test to Test Keep in mind that students get a lot of tutoring help on Test 1, some help on Test 2, and no help on Test So if a student’s scores on all three tests are fairly similar, that could still be a very positive sign that the student is better able to read passages and answer comprehension questions independently and will achieve even greater success on future tests Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Test Name Date Read each passage and the questions that follow Look at the Test Tutor’s tips for understanding the passages and answering the questions Then choose the best answer to each question Test Tutor says: Directions: Read this story about a girl and her mother Then answer questions 1–5 The Pot of Milk Once upon a time in India, a young girl named Gheta lived in a small house with her mother The mother worked hard to make enough money to support herself and her daughter Every day, she milked their one cow Then she took the milk to the market and sold it for a few rupees One day after the mother milked the cow, the cow fell ill The mother could not leave the sick cow alone, for the animal was the most valuable thing she owned So she handed her daughter a clay pot full of milk and said, “Take this to the market and sell it.” Gheta grumbled, for she was used to lying in the shade and dreaming while her mother worked But she understood that if she did not sell the milk, there would be no food for dinner On the way to the market, Gheta got hot She sat down to rest in the shade of a big banyan tree As she rested, she dreamed about her future Take a quick look at the questions before you begin reading so you know what to look for Think about why Gheta has to go to the market Where is Gheta while she is dreaming? Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Test Test Tutor says: Name “When I sell the milk,” she said to herself, “I will use the money to buy some eggs “When the eggs hatch, I will have chickens “I will sell the chickens and buy a young goat “When the goat is fully grown, I will sell it for some fruit trees “I will plant the trees, and then I will gather the fruit to sell “With the money from the fruit, I will buy lots of land I will plant rice in the fields When I harvest the rice, I will sell it and use the money to build a fine house! “One day I will be cooking a big meal in my new kitchen The food will smell so good that flies will come in the window I will be angry, and I will kick the flies—just like this!” Gheta gave a big kick and knocked over the pot of milk! The clay pot did not break, but all the milk spilled out There was nothing she could except turn around and go home When Gheta walked into the house, her mother told her that the cow was fine Then she asked, “Where are the rupees?” Gheta told her what had happened, and her mother got very upset But Gheta said, “It was a good thing I did not take our cow to the market If I had kicked her instead of the pot of milk, she would have run away! We lost a little milk, but we still have the cow, so we can get more.” The mother said that was so, and her anger slowly faded After that, Gheta stopped dreaming and started working She often took milk to the market, but she never again stopped to rest Think about the lesson Gheta learns Questions 1–5: Choose the best answer to each question Which words from the story have almost the same meaning? 𝖠 𝖡 𝖢 𝖣 angry and alone walked and kicked ill and sick Read every answer choice before you pick one Think about the meaning of both words fine and valuable Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 15 Correct response: B 18 Correct response: C (Identify sequence of events) When Fox falls asleep and starts snoring, Hen begins cutting her way out of the bag Incorrect choices: A H en puts rocks in the bag after she cuts her way out C F ox calls out to his mother when he gets home, after Hen cuts her way out of the bag D Fox sneaks into Hen’s house long before she cuts her way out of the bag, not “just before.” Incorrect choices: A Th is definition refers to a belief about a person, not creatures B Th is definition would apply if the scientists started to doubt that bugs were once very large, but they actually believed the opposite D This definition refers to a feeling about a person, not creatures 16 Correct response: B (Evaluate author’s purpose) This story was meant to be read for fun and to entertain the reader Incorrect choices: A Th is story does not try to persuade people to cook or eat hens C Th is story is fiction and does not give any factual information D The story might suggest a lesson about being careful, but this is not the author’s main purpose for writing the passage Scientists Discover the World’s Largest Bug 17 Correct response: D (Identify main idea and details) According to this passage, scientists in Germany discovered a fossil of the world’s largest bug, a giant sea scorpion Incorrect choices: A O ther scientists found the remains of large cockroaches and dragonflies years before B Th e scientists in Germany did not discover this fact; it was known earlier C Th e scientists in Germany did not discover where bugs lived long ago; they already knew where bugs lived 82 (Use reference aids to clarify meaning: dictionary) In this context, the word suspected means the scientists thought it was likely that bugs and other creatures were once very large 19 Correct response: A (Identify cause and effect) The sixth paragraph implies that giant sea scorpions lived for many years because they had no enemies, but this changed when fish began to grow large teeth Incorrect choices: B S ea scorpions did live long before the dinosaurs, but this is not why the scorpions lived a long time C Th ey were huge bugs, but other creatures were larger (such as the fish that eventually started eating them) D Giant scorpions started to die out when fish began catching and eating them 20 Correct response: A (Identify text structure and organization) The author describes the creature as “the size of a small car” and “bigger than the tallest of men.” Incorrect choices: B Th e author does not describe how the scorpion grew, just how large it was in relation to a car or a man C S cientists figured out how large it was but did not explain how it got that big D The author relates some events in chronological order, but not for the purpose of describing the size of the scorpion Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 21 Correct response: C (Use details or evidence from the text to support ideas) The sixth paragraph states that fish with large teeth ate the sea scorpions, and there are still fish with large teeth that would eat them today Incorrect choices: A Th is statement is inaccurate because there are still swamps on Earth, even though the one where the sea scorpion lived is no longer a swamp B Th e amount of water on Earth has probably not changed much and is still enough to support giant sea scorpions D The passage does not say what the sea scorpions ate, but they could likely find food if they were alive today 22 Correct response: B (Summarize) This sentence best summarizes the content of the passage as a whole because it mentions the scientists’ discovery and some of the history Incorrect choices: A Th is sentence gives one detail from the first paragraph but does not summarize the passage as a whole C Th is sentence gives one detail from the third paragraph but does not summarize the passage as a whole D This sentence gives one detail from the sixth paragraph but does not summarize the passage as a whole The Maharaja’s Jester 23 Correct response: B (Identify synonyms) Jester and fool are similar in meaning; they both refer to a person whose job is to entertain a king or queen by making him or her laugh 23 (continued) Incorrect choices: A A maharaja is a king or ruler, not an entertainer C A fool or jester may tell a joke, but this is not the meaning of the word D A fool might be hired by a king, but a fool is not considered a servant 24 Correct response: A (Draw conclusions) In the fourth paragraph, Gopal’s wife wonders why they are so poor that they have to live in a mud hut with straw for a roof Incorrect choices: B G opal seems to work hard at his job every day, so he was not lazy C Th e story does not suggest that Gopal liked his mud hut; he was open to change when his wife suggested it D Gopal didn’t spend money on anything in this story 25 Correct response: D (Make inferences) The first paragraph says that the maharaja had serious problems to solve, so he hired Gopal to make him laugh Incorrect choices: A G opal planned a dinner for the king, but this was not his job B G opal was a jester to the maharaja, not his servant C Th e maharaja solved the problems himself, but he sometimes needed someone to take his mind off his problems 26 Correct response: C (Analyze literary elements: plot) The roof of Gopal’s house is leaking and has to be fixed again His wife wants to live in a better house, but Gopal is too poor to build a better house Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 83 26 (continued) Incorrect choices: A Gopal and his wife prepare a large dinner, so he must have enough money B The king still employs the jester and is fond of him D Gopal and his wife may argue, but they seem to get along otherwise 27 Correct response: B (Analyze literary elements: plot) The maharaja tells Gopal that he will send workers to build a house for him Incorrect choices: A G opal does get the ladder, but this does not solve the problem of needing a new house C and D are incorrect Gopal’s wife makes a fine meal, but the problem has been solved before anyone can eat 28 Correct response: D (Use details or evidence from the text to support ideas) Gopal knows the king well enough to know that if he is amused and becomes aware of Gopal’s situation, then he will offer to build a house for Gopal and his wife If he just told the maharaja about his problem, it would only add to his worries Incorrect choices: A Th is might show that he is wise or fairminded, but it does not show how clever he is B H e puts a mattress on the roof of his hut to pretend it is a throne, but this is not the main point Animal Smarts 29 Correct response: B (Identify antonyms) The fifth paragraph says that monkeys stayed in a place that was safe, but they moved away from a place if it was dangerous Dangerous is the opposite of safe Incorrect choices: A Th e word nearby fits in the sentence but is not the opposite of safe C F eeling scared might result from not being safe, but these words are not opposites D The word amazing might describe a place, but it is not the opposite of safe 30 Correct response: C (Make inferences) Both leopards and eagles will catch and eat a monkey, so the male monkeys make sounds to warn the females of different dangers Incorrect choices: A M any animals live in the jungle, but the monkeys would not need specific sounds for those that were not dangerous B M onkeys live near these animals, but that is not a reason to have sounds for them D Monkeys flee from leopards and eagles; they don’t try to catch and eat them 31 Correct response: B (Compare and contrast) The passage says that parrots can learn to speak and understand words, and dogs can understand a human’s commands C G opal sets up the situation so the king can figure it out himself 84 Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 31 (continued) Incorrect choices: A The passage says that Alex the parrot could count to six and knew what the numbers meant, but it does not say that dogs can understand math C Crows can use tools to reach food, but dogs and parrots don’t this D They both understand words, but only parrots can speak them 32 Correct response: B (Identify main idea and details) This sentence tells what the whole passage is mainly about Incorrect choices: A Th e passage mentions examples of animals that are intelligent but does not say that all animals are C A pes and dolphins are mentioned in the next-to-last paragraph, but they are not the main focus of the passage D This is a supporting detail but not the main idea 33 Correct response: A (Evaluate author’s purpose) Describing Alex’s intelligence gives a good example to illustrate the main idea of the passage 34 Correct response: B (Use prefixes and base words to determine word meaning) This word consists of the prefix un- and the base word tangle Incorrect choices: A Un- is a prefix, not a base word C A ngle is a word, but its meaning is not related to untangling a knot D Tang is also a word, but its meaning is not related to untangle 35 Correct response: A (Make inferences) Being able to correct other birds means that Alex knows the correct pronunciation of words Incorrect choices: B A lex has a large vocabulary (for a bird), but you cannot tell this from the fact that he corrects other birds C B eing able to correct other birds does not suggest that Alex can communicate with other animals D Alex is correcting other birds, so you could conclude the opposite—that he wants them to know what he knows Incorrect choices: B Th e author does not explain how parrots learn language, only that they C Th e author describes some remarkable parrots but does not try to persuade anyone to get a parrot D The author shows that some birds are special, but does not suggest that all birds are alike Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 85 Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Test Answer Key D D 15 D 22 D 29 A A A 16 D 23 B 30 B C 10 A 17 C 24 B 31 C B 11 B 18 A 25 A 32 D C 12 C 19 B 26 C 33 D C 13 B 20 B 27 D 34 A A 14 A 21 D 28 C 35 C Answer Key Explanations A Special Pet Correct response: A Correct response: D (Analyze literary elements: plot) At the beginning of the story, the boys are unhappy because they want a pet, but their parents have said no Incorrect choices: A Th e boys have not heard of a pet rock until Grandpa shows them one B Th e boys looked at Grandpa as if he had “gone around the bend,” but this is not presented as a problem C Th e boys’ allergy to fur is the reason they can’t have a cat or a dog, but their real problem is the need for a pet (Identify cause and effect) When Grandpa returned, he said he had a little trouble remembering where he had put the pet rock Incorrect choices: B He knew the boys were waiting for him C G randpa said he might have a solution to the pet problem but did not say anything about taking medicine D The boys looked at his glass animal collection, but this was not the reason he was gone so long Correct response: C (Interpret figurative language) This sentence contains a simile The light shining through the glass animals made spots of color on the floor that looked like candy fruit drops Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 87 (continued) Incorrect choices: A There is no mention of a colored rug on the floor B Light shining through the animals looked like candies, not the animals themselves D The colored spots of light looked like candies, but there were no candies melting on the floor Nature’s Helicopters Correct response: C (Identify main idea and details) The first paragraph presents the idea that maple trees produce fruits that resemble helicopters This is the main idea of the passage as a whole Incorrect choices: A, B, and D are factual details from the passage but not the main idea Correct response: B (Identify sequence of events) When the boys first see the pet rock, Christopher says, “That’s dumb.” Correct response: A A Th e boys see the manual after Grandpa tells them about the pet rock (Use text features) You can find the meaning of the word samara by going back to the passage and looking for the word in italics The second paragraph says that a maple fruit is made up of two parts called samaras C G randpa says that he will take the boys to look for rocks on Saturday Incorrect choices: Incorrect choices: D Grandpa tells the boys about Cheever’s tricks after Christopher says, “That’s dumb.” Correct response: C (Analyze characters) Grandpa seems to enjoy their company because he helps the boys without being asked, encourages them to stick around, and offers to spend more time with them on Saturday Incorrect choices: A H e takes their problem seriously enough to find a solution B H e responds positively to the boys and does not seem to regard their words as complaining B, C, and D all refer to specific things mentioned in the passage, but they not give the meaning of samara Correct response: D (Use graphic features: diagram) The pictures show the winglike structure of maple tree fruits from two kinds of maples Incorrect choices: A Th e pictures not contrast maple trees with other kinds of trees B Th e pictures show maple tree fruits, not flowers C Th e pictures show a difference in the fruits but not explain why they are different D Grandpa helps the boys, not the other way around 88 Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Correct response: A 12 Correct response: C (Make connections) Since the third paragraph refers to “leaves like the one on the Canadian flag” but gives no picture, a picture of the maple leaf on the flag would be the most useful piece of information to include (Identify cause and effect) The second paragraph says that Edmund landed on his instrument bag when he fell, and “the bow had snapped in two.” Incorrect choices: A I t had just started raining and the fiddle was in the bag, so it did not get wet B Th e Canadian Forest Service is not relevant to this passage C Th is passage is about maple tree fruits, not other kinds of trees in Canada D How to make maple syrup may be related to maple trees, but this information is less useful than a picture of the Canadian flag 10 Correct response: A (Use prefixes, suffixes, roots, and base words to determine word meaning) If hundreds of mini-aircraft are hanging from trees, then they must be very small The word part mini- means “small.” Incorrect choices: B Th e word fast fits in the context of the sentence, but mini- does not mean “fast.” C Th e word special fits in the context of the sentence, but mini- does not mean “special.” D The word pretty fits in the context of the sentence, but mini- does not mean “pretty.” Edmund’s Lucky Break 11 Correct response: B (Analyze literary elements: setting) The best clue to the time of the story is the fact that it takes place in a castle Incorrect choices: A, C, and D are incorrect People still play the fiddle and juggle, entertainers may still wear red leggings, and people who entertain may still eat in the servants’ kitchen None of these details indicates that the story took place long ago Incorrect choices: B Th e story says that Edmund looked inside the bag, but it does not say that the bag opened D Edmund put on his red leggings after he fell in the mud, so they did not get dirty The story does not say what he was wearing before that 13 Correct response: B (Analyze characters) Inventing a new routine at the last minute shows that Edmund is “quick-witted,” or clever Incorrect choices: A Th is shows that he is careful or prudent, not quick-witted C Th is shows that he is skillful with his hands, but not quick-witted D Any performer would collect the coins offered to him, but this does not show that he is quick-witted 14 Correct response: A (Identify antonyms) The first paragraph says that the people at the last place were “quite tightfisted,” and Edmund hopes that these people would be “more generous.” These words have opposite meanings Incorrect choices: B E dmund slipped in the mud and landed on his bag, but these words not have opposite meanings C Th ese words describe things that happened, but they are not opposites D Play and song are related words but not opposites Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 89 15 Correct response: D (Summarize) This answer best summarizes the key elements of the plot: Edmund runs into a problem (breaking his bow), solves it, and puts on a show Incorrect choices: A Th is suggests that the lord knew about Edmund’s broken instrument B Th is does not tell what happened to Edmund before the show or why he had to try out new tricks C E dmund did have problems, but everyone enjoyed his performance 16 Correct response: D (Make predictions) Edmund needs a job, he has no plans for the winter, and he seems to like the steward’s offer because the story says that things “had turned out very well after all.” For these reasons, he is likely to stay “ I’ll Go and Do More”: Annie Dodge Wanneka (1910–1997) 17 Correct response: C (Summarize) This answer best summarizes the key elements of the passage: Annie Wauneka worked hard to help her people and received many honors for her work Incorrect choices: A Th is answer is vague about what Wauneka did, and it includes the unnecessary detail of her date of death B Th is does not describe what Wauneka did or the honors she received D This choice describes her childhood but not her adult leadership roles and honors 18 Correct response: A Incorrect choices: (Use context clues to determine meaning of unfamiliar words) The third paragraph says that the flu swept through the school and some of the students died, so it must have been terrible A Th e show is already over, so he has no reason to perform a new trick Incorrect choices: B H e has probably changed out of his costume already, and he has no reason to change into a new one C H e was not very successful at the last place, so he is not likely to go back there B Th e flu was strong enough to cause students’ deaths C Th e flu may have been painful to people who got it, but that is not the meaning of dreadful D The flu “swept through the school” and some students died, so it was not slow-acting 90 Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 19 Correct response: B (Evaluate author’s point of view) The tone of the passage is positive, and the writer seems to admire Wauneka for what she did Incorrect choices: A Th e passage does not suggest that Wauneka got too much attention; if anything, she may not have gotten enough C W auneka worked with her father for years, but there is no suggestion that she did not spend enough time with the rest of her family D Wauneka was clearly respected and admired, but is not described as “lovable.” 20 Correct response: B (Identify cause and effect) The second paragraph says that homes on the reservation were “too spread out to build schools near where people lived.” 22 Correct response: D (Use details or evidence from the text to support ideas) Being reelected many times supports the idea that people thought she was doing a good job Incorrect choices: A Th is answer is possible because no one would listen to her radio show if they didn’t like what she was doing, but it is not the best reason B S he could work with groups throughout the country regardless of what the Navajo people thought of her C H elping people get better homes might be part of her work, but it is not evidence that the Navajo people thought she was doing a good job Incorrect choices: Wind and Music A Th is was an effect of having no schools nearby, not a cause 23 Correct response: B C S ome people had money to send their children away to school, so this does not explain why schools were not built nearby D The council knew where the children lived because they determined that they lived too far apart 21 Correct response: D (Compare and contrast) The passage states that Wauneka was the first Native American to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom; it does not mention that her father ever received one (Identify literary genres and their characteristics) You can tell that this is a folktale because it starts with “Once upon a time,” it takes place long ago, two of the main characters have to pass a test, and it has a happy ending Incorrect choices: A A biography gives factual information about a real person C A news article gives factual information about an event that actually happened D This is similar to a fairy tale in some ways, but it does not have fairy-tale characters, such as princesses, talking animals, or ogres Incorrect choices: A B oth Henry Chee and his daughter were tribal leaders B Both thought that education was important C Both worked on the reservation Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 91 24 Correct response: B 27 Correct response: D (Analyze literary elements: plot) In the second paragraph, Ming Li tells the two women that she wants to see how clever they are Incorrect choices: A M ing Li’s sons were already married to them C M ing Li had a specific purpose for the tasks, not just to get the women out of the house D Ming Li was “not an easy person to satisfy,” and she showed no signs that she believed the two women would succeed 25 Correct response: A (Make inferences) The daughters-in-law tried to please their mother-in-law by doing what she asked They bowed to her and left the next day without argument Incorrect choices: A S he may have enjoyed their company, but this was not the reason she helped them B S he lived in a distant village and did not know Ming Li C S he invited them to her house and to stay the night, so she did not want them to leave quickly 28 Correct response: C (Identify text structure and organization) The events in the story are presented in chronological order, or the order in which they happened Incorrect choices: Incorrect choices: B Th e two women cried because of the difficulty of the task and their worries that they might not succeed A The story does not have a surprise ending C Th ey lived in her home because Ming Li’s sons brought them home, as was the custom D They did meet an old woman, but not by plan, and meeting her does not show the women wanted to please Ming Li B Th e characters could be compared with one another, but this is not how the author organized the story D The story describes a problem and then tells how the women solved it, not what caused it What’s for Breakfast? 26 Correct response: C (Identify sequence of events) The story says that she took the women to her home and made them tea Incorrect choices: A S he gave them the flute and the fan after she made tea for them B Th e women told her their story before she took them to her home D They stayed overnight after they had tea and after they got the flute and the fan 92 (Analyze characters) The sixth paragraph suggests that Cheng Wa helped the two women because she had been through a similar situation when she was young 29 Correct response: A (Identify main idea and details) The second paragraph gives the main idea, that people eat different foods for breakfast Incorrect choices: B Th is sentence is a supporting detail, not the main idea C Th is is a detail stated in the passage, but it is not the main idea D This statement may be inferred from the passage, but it is not the main idea Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 30 Correct response: B (Use context clues to determine meaning of unfamiliar or multiple-meaning words) This sentence comes from the seventh paragraph, which encourages children to eat breakfast, not miss it on purpose Incorrect choices: A,C, and D are all other meanings of the word skip, but none fits the context of this sentence 31 Correct response: C (Draw conclusions) The paragraph says that the Welsh love to eat shellfish and cakes made from seaweed, which are both products from the ocean, so many Welsh people probably live near the ocean Incorrect choices: A Th e paragraph mentions only one food eaten in Ecuador, not “many kinds of food.” B Th e paragraph describes a typical Chinese breakfast, but this does not give any suggestion of what else might be sold in Chinese stores D The paragraph says that Russian breakfast foods sound pretty familiar, except the pickles, but that does not mean the foods are American 32 Correct response: D (Use details or evidence from the text to support ideas) The passage states that children who eat breakfast better in school Children in very poor countries are not as likely to eat a good breakfast, so they may have trouble learning Incorrect choices: A Th is detail does not relate to learning or children going to school B Th is detail is related to breakfast on a farm, but not to children and learning 33 Correct response: D (Evaluate author’s purpose) This answer tells the author’s purpose for writing the passage as a whole Incorrect choices: A a nd C both reflect some of the factual details given in the passage, but neither one gives the author’s main reason for writing the passage as a whole B I n the last paragraph, the author warns against eating too much for breakfast, but this is not the author’s main purpose 34 Correct response: A (Make inferences) The fifth paragraph says that we got doughnuts from the Dutch, and Dutch settlers probably kept making them after they moved here Incorrect choices: B Th is detail does not explain why Americans eat doughnuts in particular C Th is detail refers to the Dutch, but it does not explain why Americans have eaten doughnuts since the 1600s D This detail does not explain why Americans eat doughnuts in particular 35 Correct response: C (Use reference aids to clarify meaning: dictionary) The dictionary entry for grits says that they are made from coarsely ground grain, especially corn Incorrect choices: A and B both are based on the first dictionary entry, grit D The word grits came from a Middle English word meaning “coarse meal,” but this does not mean that grits made of corn were first eaten in England C Th is detail is related to breakfast, but not to children and learning Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 93 Standardized Test Tutor: Reading Grade Student Scoring Chart Student Name Teacher Name Item Numbers No Correct/ Total “The Pot of Milk” (folktale) 1–5 /5 “Cuts and How They Heal” (informational) 6–10 /5 “Shelter” (realistic fiction) 11–16 /6 “Bloomers” (informational) 17–22 /6 “A New Day-Care Center” (realistic fiction) 23–28 /6 “Meet the Jelly” (informational) 29–35 /7 Total 1–35 /35 Item Numbers No Correct/ Total “The Garden” (realistic fiction) 1–5 /5 “What’s the Most Important Bone?” (informational) 6–10 /5 “Fox and Big Red Hen” (folktale) 11–16 /6 “Scientists Discover the World’s Largest Bug” (informational) 17–22 /6 “The Maharaja’s Jester” (folktale) 23–28 /6 “Animal Smarts” (informational) 29–35 /7 Total 1–35 /35 Item Numbers No Correct/ Total “A Special Pet” (realistic fiction) 1–5 /5 “Nature’s Helicopters” (informational) 6–10 /5 “Edmund’s Lucky Break” (historical fiction) 11–16 /6 “I’ll Go and Do More” (biography) 17–22 /6 “Wind and Music” (folktale) 23–28 /6 “What’s for Breakfast?” (informational) 29–35 /7 Total 1–35 /35 Test Test Test 94 Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Percent (%) Percent (%) Percent (%) Standardized Test Tutor: Reading Grade Classroom Scoring Chart Teacher Name Student Name Test Test Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Test 95 Notes: 96 Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources ... Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 43 Test Test Tutor says: Name Questions 23? ??28: Choose the best answer to each question 23 W hich word... your food and open your mouth to drink Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 33 Test Test Tutor says: Name The Hand Bones The bones in your... Standardized Test Tutor: Reading, Grade © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 37 Test 13 Fox says, “Now, it’s back to square one.” What does Fox mean by this? Test Tutor says: