Assessment File Grade 7 - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt · PDF file42 Assessment File Grade 7. ......

Assessment File

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Book 1: Diagnostic and Selection Tests . . . . . . . . 43

Teacher’s Guide to Managing Assessment . . . 44

Diagnostic Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Sample Selection Tests

Seventh Grade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Book 2: Unit and Benchmark Tests . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Unit 1 Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Benchmark Test 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

PREVIEW • GRADE 7

40 Assessment File Grade 7

HOLT McDOUGAL

ASSESSMENT FILEOngoing formative and summative assessment

• Assess mastery

• Inform future instruction

41Assessment File Grade 7

The Assessment File includes—

BOOK 1Diagnostic and Selection Tests provide leveled tests for all selections and diagnostic tools to match the right assessment plan to students’ needs.

SAMPLE INSIDE

Student Self-Assessment: Reading

Directions: Use this form to describe your attitude and thougths toward reading at this time. You may circle more than one answer on any item.

1. These are my thoughts and attitude about reading:

a. I like to read, both at home and at school. b. I like to read for fun, but not for school. c. I really don’t like to read and would rather do other things. d. I would read more if I were a better reader. e. I would like to read if I had more time.

2. These are my thoughts and attitude about reading at home:

a. It’s a waste of time. b. It helps me escape and relax. c. I only read when I have to for an assignment. d. I read mostly for entertainment. e. I read mostly for information. f. I love to read and wish I had more time for it.

3. I consider myself to be

a. a very good reader c. an average reader b. a good reader d. a poor reader

4. In order to read and understand material for school,

a. I read best when I’m alone in a quiet place. b. I read best with things going on around me. c. I read best with another student or in a small group. d. I read best when the teacher tells us what to look for first. e. I understand more when I have a long period of time to read. f. I understand more when I read in short little spurts. g. I read the material twice.

5. These problems bother me when I am reading:

a. There are too many words that I don’t know. b. I read too slowly. c. I read too fast and forget things. d. I get bored quickly and stop paying attention. e. My eyes get tired easily. f. Other things distract me.

BENCHMARK TEST 1 CONTINUED

Reading Comprehension

1 The author uses a point of view that helps the reader understand —

A the mother and Phyllis’s thoughts and feelings

B what Lisa thinks and feels about Phyllis and her mother

C what all of the characters think and feelD what Charlie thinks and feels

2 The reader can infer that Lisa lets Phyllis give her a permanent because Lisa —

F trusts Phyllis’s sense of fashionG enjoys changing her hairstyleH hopes to look more like PhyllisJ wants to please her mother

3 In paragraph 2, the author characterizes Lisa’s mother by providing —

A a description of her appearanceB direct comments about herC the narrator’s reaction to herD Phyllis’s comments about her

4 At the beginning of paragraph 4, the author uses a flashback to help the reader understand why Lisa —

F is so impressed by PhyllisG likes to talk about clothesH enjoys visiting her mother at workJ wants to go shopping with her friends

5 In paragraph 4, Lisa reveals an internal conflict between her desire to —

A accept her mother as she is and her wish that her mother were more like Phyllis

B improve her relationship with Phyllis and her hopes of spending time with her mother

C get along well with her friends and her feelings of embarrassment about her mother

D teach her mother to sew well and her need to protect her mother’s feelings

6 In paragraph 15, the author characterizes Lisa’s mother by having Lisa —

F present her mother’s private thoughtsG comment on her mother’s speechH reveal how others react to her motherJ describe her mother’s behavior toward

others

7 In paragraph 7, Phyllis can best be described as a character who is —

A fun but inconsiderateB dedicated but immatureC friendly but shyD wise but self-important

8 In paragraph 12, Lisa escapes to her room because she feels —

F tired G ill H overwhelmedJ jealous

els about

rs think and feelfeels

sa lets Phyllis use Lisa —

fashionrstylePhyllis

her

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earancehero herut her

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lisesher at workith her friends

PhyllisB improve her relationship with Phyllis

and her hopes of spending time withher mother

C get along well with her friends and her feelings of embarrassment about her mother

D teach her mother to sew well and her need to protect her mother’s feelings

6 In paragraph 15, the author characterizesLisa’s mother by having Lisa —

F present her mother’s private thoughtsG comment on her mother’s speechH reveal how others react to her motherJ describe her mother’s behavior toward

others

7 In paragraph 7, Phyllis can best be described as a character who is —

A fun but inconsiderateB dedicated but immatureC friendly but shyD wise but self-important

8 In paragraph 12, Lisa escapes to her room because she feels —

F tired G illH overwhelmedJ jealous


Read the following selections. Then answer the questions that follow them.

from How Hot Air Balloons Work Tom Harris

Hot air balloons are based on a very basic scientific principle: warmer air rises in cooler air. Essentially, hot air is lighter than cool air, because it has less mass per unit of volume. A cubic foot of air weights roughly 28 grams (about an ounce). If you heat that air by 100 degrees F, it weighs about 7 grams less. Therefore, each cubic foot of air contained in a hot air balloon can lift about 7 grams. That’s not much, and this is why hot air balloons are so huge-to lift 1,000 pounds, you need about 65,000 cubic feet of hot air!

To keep the balloon rising, you need a way to reheat the air. Hot air balloons do this with a burner positioned under an open balloon envelope. As the air in the balloon cools, the pilot can reheat it by firing the burner.

Modern hot air balloons heat the air by burning propane, the same substance commonly used in outdoor cooking grills. The propane is stored in compressed liquid form, in lightweight cylinders positioned in the balloon basket. The intake hose runs down to the bottom of the cylinder, so it can draw the liquid out.

Because the propane is highly compressed in the cylinders, it flows quickly through the hoses to the heating coil. The heating coil is simply a length of steel tubing arranged in a coil around the burner. When the balloonist starts up the

1

2

3

4

BOOK 2Unit and Benchmark Tests track student progress as they master Common Core Standards.

SAMPLE INSIDE


Diagnostic and

Selection Test

Sample Pages


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44 Assessment FileDiagnostic and SelectionTestsGrade 7

Teacher’s Guide to Managing Assessment

Assessment has historically followed after instruction, informing teachers after-the-fact about what has been accomplished in the classroom. Today, however, assessment is at the very heart of the learning process, a part of every stage of instruction.Begin at the End. Most teachers know that for instruction to be effective, planning must begin with the end in mind. In other words, it is critical to identify up front those skills and standards you want students to have mastered by the end of the lesson so that the rest of the lesson, as well as an assessment, can be structured to lead to student understanding and success. In Holt McDougal Literature, every unit is designed around a set of related Common Core Standards, which are listed on the Unit Goals page at the beginning of each unit. These concepts are then taught and reinforced through material in the Student Edition and Teacher’s Edition. Students are evaluated on key skills and standards through ongoing assessment as well as at the end of the unit in a formal assessment.Know Your Purpose. Assessment can occur at different stages of a lesson and for different purposes. Remember these two very important functions of assessment.

Assessment informs instruction.

and skills during a lesson.

Assessment measures student progress.

time in mastering standards.Differentiate as Needed. With Holt McDougal Literature all students are tested on the same skills and standards, but teachers have the option of using different assessment components to find out how well students are doing. For example, both Selection Tests and Unit Tests are available in A and B/C formats and use the same passages to assess student understanding. The A assessment format is for students who struggle with reading and literature. The questions are written at a lower readability, yet are rigorous enough for teachers to tell whether students have understood the concepts. The B/C format is for students who are working at or above grade level. Give the C writing prompts to students you wish to challenge.The Assessment File contains two books, which are described below.

Diagnostic and Selection TestsThis book provides the following diagnostic and ongoing assessments.

Diagnostic Assessment. The diagnostic assessment shows what a student knows about a topic or concept before instruction has taken place. Holt McDougal Literature provides diagnostic assessment for use at the beginning of each year. These assessments give teachers information about how well their students perform with grade-level reading and writing materials. Each diagnostic assessment includes a student reading inventory and writing inventory for self-assessment, an Independent Reading Inventory, a cloze test, and a writing prompt with rubric. The student self-assessments will provide valuable insights into how students perceive their interests, strengths, and weaknesses.


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45Diagnostic and SelectionTestsGrade 7

Assessment File

Use this diagnostic information to determine the kind of support students might need as they read materials in the book as well as a means for motivating them.Selections Test A and B/C. Selection Tests are provided for each selection or group of selections in the Student Edition. Each Selection Test includes multiple-choice items and written-response questions to assess students’ reading and vocabulary skills as well as literary concepts. Tests A and B/C assess the same skills using the same test passages. The A test is written in a simplified style. To prepare students for the Selection Tests, give them the Reading Check, which is provided for most selections and is available in the Resource Manager.

Unit and Benchmark TestsThis book provides summative assessments that take place at the end of a period of instruction and cover important skills and standards that have been taught up to that point.

Unit Tests A and B/C. Unit Tests are provided at the end of each unit and assess students’ understanding and mastery of the most commonly assessed skills taught in the unit. Each Unit Test includes new reading passages and assesses students in reading and literary concepts, vocabulary strategies, writing, and grammar. Unit Tests A and B/C assess the same skills with the A test written in a simplified style. The B/C test includes Challenge writing prompts for the advanced student.

You can help students prepare for the Unit Tests by having them take the Assessment Practice at the end of each unit in the Student Edition. This test will show them and you how well they understand key skills and standards taught in the unit before they take the Unit Test. The Teacher’s Edition contains answers to questions as well as suggestions for walking students through the questions and answer choices.Benchmark Tests. Benchmark Tests occur four times a year and are designed to assess students’ understanding of the concepts and skills that were taught in the preceding units. The tests are cumulative in that skills taught early in the year are carried over into subsequent tests. Each test includes new reading passages followed by multiple-choice and short-answer, open-ended questions as well as an essay prompt. These tests will also show how students have grown over time in their understanding of key skills and standards.

Technology SupportAssessments in the Assessment File are available through ExamView on Teacher One Stop DVD-ROM and Think Central Online Assessment.

TEACHER’S GUIDE TO MANAGING ASSESSMENT, CONTINUED


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46 Assessment FileDiagnostic and SelectionTestsGrade 7

To the Teacher

This diagnostic assessment will give you information about how well your students perform with grade-level materials in reading and writing at the beginning of the school year. Student self-assessments will provide valuable insights into how well students think they are doing.

Self-Assessment: Reading. Students describe their attitudes and thoughts toward reading.Informal Reading Inventory. This assessment contains a passage from a book selection and 10 comprehension questions. You can administer this test to individual students or have students administer it to each other.Cloze Test. This assessment is based on students “filling in” blanks created in a passage of text unfamiliar to students.Self-Assessment: Writing. Students describe their attitudes and thoughts toward writing.Writing Prompt with Rubric. Students respond to a writing prompt requiring narrative or expository writing. A rubric on the following page provides a quick way to evaluate student writing.Student Record Sheet. You can record the results of the various inventories and use the information to help you determine how much support the student may need to be successful with classroom materials.

TEACHER’S GUIDE TO MANAGING ASSESSMENT, CONTINUED


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47Assessment File Diagnostic and Selection TestsGrade 7

Student Self-Assessment: Reading

Directions: Use this form to describe your attitude and thoughts toward reading at this time. You may circle more than one answer on any item.

1. These are my thoughts and attitude about reading:

a. I like to read, both at home and at school. b. I like to read for fun, but not for school. c. I really don’t like to read and would rather do other things. d. I would read more if I were a better reader. e. I would like to read if I had more time.

2. These are my thoughts and attitude about reading at home:

a. It’s a waste of time. b. It helps me escape and relax. c. I only read when I have to for an assignment. d. I read mostly for entertainment. e. I read mostly for information. f. I love to read and wish I had more time for it.


a. a very good reader b. a good reader c. an average reader d. a poor reader

4. In order to read and understand material for school, a. I read best when I’m alone in a quiet place. b. I read best with things going on around me. c. I read best with another student or in a small group. d. I read best when the teacher tells us what to look for first. e. I understand more when I have a long period of time to read. f. I understand more when I read in short little spurts. g. I read the material twice.

5. These problems bother me when I am reading: a. There are too many words that I don’t know. b. I read too s lowly. c. I read too fast and forget things. d. I get bored quickly and stop paying attention. e. My eyes get tired easily. f. Other things distract me.


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48 Assessment FileDiagnostic and Selection TestsGrade 7

6. How often do you read each of the following? Circle your answer.

a. newspapers never sometimes often usually b. magazines never sometimes often usually c. novels never sometimes often usually d. comic books never sometimes often usually e. books of information never sometimes often usually

7. How much time do you spend at home reading for enjoyment?

a. never b. up to 30 minutes a week c. between 30 and 60 minutes a week d. more than an hour a week e. an hour a day or more

8. Circle the topics or types of literature you like to read.

a. young adult novels i. fantasy b. adventure/survival j. myths and legends c. science fiction k. science d. mysteries l. poetry e. sports m. biographies f. stories about animals n. history g. humorous stories o. travel/other places h. historical fiction p. news articles

9. What is the best book you have ever read?

10. What is the best book you have read lately?

11. Look at the scale below and put an X where you think you belong.

I am not good at reading. I am OK at reading. I am good at reading.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

STUDENT SELF - ASSESSMENT: READING, CONTINUED


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49Diagnostic and Selection TestsGrade 7

Assessment File

Informal Reading Inventory

This informal inventory can give an initial idea of a student’s reading level. Teachers oftenuse an Informal Reading Inventory (IRI) to place students in the appropriate textbook or tohelp them find books or articles for independent reading.

To conduct an IRI, you need at least one 100-word passage from the material in question, and 10 comprehension questions about the material. Have the student read the same passage twice, the first time orally to assess oral reading skills. The student should read the passage a second time silently, after which he or she answers questions for assessement of reading comprehension. Use these suggestions to administer this IRI.

1. Tell the student he or she will read the passage out loud, and then again silently, and then you will ask some questions.

2. Give the students a copy of the passage and keep one for yourself. Have the student read the passage. As students read aloud, note on your copy the number of errors he or she makes.

Mispronunciations: Words that are mispronounced, with the exception of proper nouns.Omissions: Words left out that are crucial to understanding a sentence or a concept.Additions: Words inserted in a sentence that change the meaning of the text.Substitutions: Words substituted for actual words in the text that change the meaning of a sentence. (An acceptable substitution might be the word hard for the word difficult.)

Use these criteria for assessing reading levels after oral reading:Fewer than 3 errors: The student is unlikely to have difficulty decoding text.Between 4 and 9 errors: The student is likely to have some difficulty and may need special attention.More than 10 errors: The student is likely to have great difficulty and may need placement in a less demanding reading program.

3. Have the student read the passage again, silently. 4. When the student finishes, ask the comprehension questions on the next page. Tell the

student that he or she can look back at the passage before answering the questions. 5. Note the number of correct responses. Use these criteria for assessing reading

level after silent reading.Eight or more: The student should be able to interpret the selections effectively.Five to seven: The student is likely to have difficulty.Fewer than five: The student needs individual help or alternate placement.

6. Evaluate results from oral and silent reading to decide how good a match the material is for a student.


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Informal Reading Inventory

from “Thank You, M’am” by Langston Hughes

Read this passage aloud.

She was a large woman with a large purse that had everything in it but

hammer and nails. It had a long strap, and she carried it slung across her

shoulder. It was about eleven o’clock at night, and she was walking alone,

when a boy ran up behind her and tried to snatch her purse. The strap broke

with the single tug the boy gave it from behind. But the boy’s weight and the

weight of the purse combined caused him to lose his balance so, instead of

taking off full blast as he had hoped, the boy fell on his back on the sidewalk,

and his legs flew up. The large woman simply turned around and kicked him

right square in his blue-jeaned sitter. Then she reached down, picked the boy

up by his shirt front, and shook him until his teeth rattled.

number of mispronunciations: __________number of omissions: __________number of additions: __________number of substitutions: __________Total: __________


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Comprehension Questions

form “Thank You, M’am”by Langston Hughes

1. How would you describe the woman’s purse?

2. How does the woman carry her purse?

3. What time of day does the boy try to snatch the woman’s purse?

4. Why might the boy have targeted this woman to steal from?

5. What is the boy’s strategy for stealing the purse?

6. What causes the boy to lose his balance?

7. Where does the boy fall?

8. How does the woman react to the boy’s actions?

9. Does the woman seem scared? Explain why or why not.

10. What causes the boy’s teeth to rattle?

Number of correct answers: __________


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Administering a Cloze Test

Another test that has proven successful in determining reading skill levels is the cloze test. Cloze is a psychological term which refers to the human tendency to “bring to closure” a familiar but incomplete pattern. The test is based on “filling in” blanks created in a passage of text unfamiliar to students. The cloze procedure is often used to place students in informational texts, but it can also be used in other reading situations where you want to match a student’s reading level with materials. A cloze test is created in the following way:

several paragraphs, preferably from the beginning of the article or book.

Use these suggestions to administer this cloze test.

1. Give the students a copy of the passage. 2. Tell them to read the passage and to fill in the blanks with the words that have been

deleted from the passage. 3. Use the following to determine reading level. This particular passage has 48 blanks.

example, some have suggested replacing significant words or every 10th word, and accepting synonyms; however, the scoring system above applies only when the process described above is used.


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Assessment File

Cloze Test: Answer

from “Exploring the Titanic”Robert D. Balland

Bride picked up the iceberg message and stepped out onto the boat deck. It was a sunny but cold Sunday morning, the fourth day of the Titanic’s maiden voyage. The ship was steaming at full speed across a calm sea. Harold Bride was quite pleased with himself at having landed a job on such a magnificent new ship. After all, he was only twenty-two years old and had just nine months’ experience at operating a “wireless set,” as a ship’s radio was then called. As he entered the bridge area, he could see one of the crewmen standing behind the ship’s wheel steering her course toward New York.

Captain Smith was on duty on the bridge, so Bride handed the message to him. “It’s from the Caronia, sir. She’s reporting icebergs and pack ice ahead.” The captain thanked him, read the message, and then posted it on the bulletin board for other officers on watch to read. On his way back to the radio room, Bride thought the captain had seemed quite unconcerned by the message. But then again, he had been told that it was not unusual to have ice floating in the sea lanes during an April crossing. Besides, what danger could a few pieces of ice present to an unsinkable ship?

Elsewhere on board, passengers relaxed on deck chairs, reading or taking naps. Some played cards, some wrote letters, while others chatted with friends. As it was Sunday, church services had been held in the morning, the first-class service led by Captain Smith.


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Cloze Test

from Exploring the Titanicby Robert D. BallardRead the passage below. On a separate sheet of paper, fill in the blanks with the words that have been deleted from the passage.

Bride picked up the iceberg message and stepped out onto the boat deck. It was a sunny [ 1 ] zcold Sunday morning, the day of the Titanic’s [ 3 ] voyage. The ship was [ 4 ] at full speed across calm sea. Harold Bride [ 6 ] quite pleased with himself having landed a job [ 8 ] such a magnificent new [ 9 ]. After all, he was [ 10 ] twenty-two years old and [ 11 ] just nine months’ experience operating a “wireless set,” -- [13 ] a ship’s radio was [ 14 ] called. As he entered bridge area, he could [ 16 ] one of the crewmen behind the ship’s wheel [ 18 ] her course toward New [ 19 ].

Captain Smith was on in the bridge, so handed the message to . “It’s from the Caronia, . She’s reporting icebergs and ice ahead.” The captain him, read the message, then posted it on bulletin board for other on watch to read. his way back to [ 30 ] radio room, Bride thought [ 31 ] captain had seemed quite by the message. But [ 33 ] again, he had been [ 34 ] that it was not to have ice floating [ 36 ] the sea lanes during April crossing. Besides, what [ 38 ] could a few pieces [ 39 ] ice present to an [ 40 ] ship?

Elsewhere on board, [ 41 ] relaxed on deck chairs, or taking naps. Some [ 43 ] cards, some wrote letters, [ 44 ] others chatted with friends. it was Sunday, church [ 46 ] had been held in morning, the first-class service [ 48 ] by Captain Smith.

Number of blanks: 48Number of correct insertions: __________


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Student Self-Assessment: Writing

Directions: Use this form to describe your thoughts and attitudes toward writing at this time. You may circle more than one answer on any item.

1. These are my thoughts and attitude toward writing:

a. I like to write, both at home and at school. b. I like to write for fun, but not for school. c. I really don’t like to write and would rather do other things. d. I don’t think writing is a very useful tool for everyday living. e. I would write more if I were a better writer. f. I would like to write more if I had more time.

2. I spend this amount of time at home writing for enjoyment:

a. no time d. more than a week b. up to 30 minutes a week e. an hour a day or more c. 30-60 minutes a week


a. a very good writer b. a good writer c. an average writer d. a poor writer

4. This is how I would describe my improvement as a writer:

a. I feel as though I am improving as a writer. b. I know what I need to work on as a writer. c. I am not improving as a writer. d. I don’t know what to work on to improve my writing.

5. These problems bother me when I am writing:

a. I have trouble thinking of topics to write about. b. I have trouble expressing my ideas. c. I have trouble thinking of just the right words. d. I have trouble organizing my ideas. e. I have trouble getting started. f. Other things distract me.

6. When I am working on a writing project

a. I would rather work alone than with a group. b. I would rather work with one other person. c. I would rather work with a group. d. I don’t care whether I work alone or with a group.


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7. I prefer to have my writing reviewed by

a. a peer reader d. my teacher only b. a small group of peer readers e. no one c. a peer reader and my teacher

8. I most like to write

9. In my free time I like to write

a. cartoons e. plays b. song lyrics f. computer notes c. notes to friends g. letters d. a diary or a journal h. jokes and puzzles

10. The best piece of writing I have done is

I like this about it.

11. Look at the scale below and put an X where you belong.

I am not good at writing. I am OK at writing. I am good at writing.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

STUDENT SELF - ASSESSMENT: WRITING, CONTINUED

a. in a diary or journal b. letters to friends c. stories or mysteries d. poems e. about my opinions f. directions that tell others how to do

something

g. about my life h. about other people i. about inventions and ideas j. about the news at school k. ____________________


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Writing Prompt

Writing PromptThink of a person whom you admire. It can be someone close to you—a parent, friend, or teacher—or someone you don’t know whose life has inspired you. Write a well-organized character sketch of this person. Include details about the person’s appearance, actions, speech, and personality. Be sure to explain why you look up to him or her.

Planning Your Essay

conclusion that summarizes your impression of the person.


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Scoring Rubric


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Student Record

1. Informal Reading Inventory

Oral reading Total number of errors: __________

____ The student is unlikely to have problems decoding text. (2 or fewer errors)

____ The student is likely to have some difficulty decoding text and may need help. (4–9 errors)

____ The student is likely to have great difficulty decoding the text. (more than 10 errors)

Silent reading Total number of answers correct: __________

____ The student should be able to interpret selections effectively. (8 or more answers correct)

____ The student is likely to have difficulty. (5 to 7 answers correct)

____ The student may need individual help or alternate placement. (fewer than 5 answers correct)

2. Cloze Test

Number of blanks: 48 Number of correct responses: __________

____ independent level (Student is likely to read the material without teacher involvement.) (58% correct answers or more, or 28 of 4)

____ instructional level (Student is likely to read the material with teacher involvement.) (44–57% correct answers, or 21–27 of 48)

____ frustration level (Student will probably get little out of reading the material.) (43% correct answers or less, or fewer than 21 of 48)

3. Writing prompt

Student writing sample is strong average weak

Comments:


SEVENTH GRADE

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Assessment File

SEVENTH GRADE

Selection Test A

ComprehensionRead each of the following questions. Then choose the letter of the best answer. (6 points each)

1. At which point in the story do you learn that Victor is beginning a new year at school?

A. climax B. falling action C. exposition D. resolution

2. One of Victor’s goals for this school year is to

A. learn how to speak Spanish fluently B. build a close friendship with Teresa C. convince Mr. Bueller to tell a lie D. become Michael’s best friend

3. How does Victor feel about his first answer when Teresa said hi to him after homeroom?

A. embarrassed B. proud C. happy D. confused

4. Victor pretends that he can speak French in order to

A. impress Teresa B. prove Mr. Bueller is wrong C. beat Michael at something D. have fun at school

5. Which of the following happens in the resolution of the story?

A. Michael and Victor become best friends.

B. Mr. Belton speaks over the loudspeaker.

C. Teresa and Victor become closer friends.

D. Victor admits that he told a lie in French class.


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SELECTION TEST A, CONTINUED

VocabularyChoose the answer that best explains the meaning of each underlined word. (6 points each)

Written ResponseShort Constructed Response Answer the following questions based on your knowledge of the story. Write a sentence or two on a separate sheet of paper. (10 points each)

11. What do we learn in the exposition of the story?

12. How does the relationship between Victor and Teresa change during this story?

Extended Constructed Response Answer the following question based on your knowledge of the story. Write one or two paragraphs on a separate sheet of paper. (20 points)

13. Which character in the story is most like you? Explain how you and this character are similar.

6. What does quiver mean?

A. roll B. slide C. shake D. jump

7. Portly means

A. beautiful B. harmful C. overweight D. important

8. What does unison mean?

A. hatred B. harm C. happiness D. agreement

9. What does ferocity mean?

A. intensity B. frequency C. friendliness D. ability

10. Linger means to

A. start over B. repeat again C. delay leaving D. stop moving


SEVENTH GRADE

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Assessment File

SEVENTH GRADE

Selection Test B/C

ComprehensionRead each of the following questions. Then choose the letter of the best answer. (6 points each)

1. Which of the following events happens in the exposition of the story?

A. Victor pretends that he can speak French fluently.

B. Mr. Bueller welcomes students to French class.

C. Teresa asks Victor to help her in French class.

D. Victor waits in line on the first day of school.

2. One of Victor’s goals for this school year is to

A. learn how to speak Spanish fluently B. build a close friendship with Teresa C. convince Mr. Bueller to tell a lie D. become Michael’s best friend

3. Which of the following best describes Victor’s first meeting with Teresa after homeroom on the first day of school?

A. He brags about taking a trip through France.

B. Victor pretends that he does not recognize Teresa.

C. He answers Teresa with a short and rude response.

D. Victor tries to show off his knowledge of French.

4. Victor claims to be able to speak French in order to

A. prove that Mr. Bueller is wrong B. persuade Michael to take French C. make a good impression on Teresa D. prove to himself that he can do it

5. In the resolution of this story, Victor

A. feels optimistic about the upcoming school year

B. is embarrassed by his own bad behavior

C. admits to Teresa that he was lying about speaking French

D. gets good advice from his best friend, Michael Torres


Unit Test

Sample Pages


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67Assessment FileGrade 7

Unit 1 TEST A

Unit and Benchmark TestsUnit 1, Test A

Reading ComprehensionDirections Read the following selections. Then answer the questions that follow.

from Banner in the SkyJames Ramsey Ullman

There was the sky. There was rock and ice. There was a mountain thrusting upward into blue emptiness—and at the foot of the mountain a tiny speck. This speck was the only thing that lived or moved in all that world of silent majesty.

Rudi climbed the white slope of the upper glacier. He did not hurry. He looked neither up at the peak nor down at the valley, but only at the ice flowing slowly past beneath his feet. In the ice were the marks of their boot nails from the previous day, and it was easy to follow the route. When the slope steepened, there were the steps cut by Winter and Saxo with their axes. He had only to step up, balance briefly, step up again—and again.

With the step-cutting, it had required two hours to reach the bergschrund. Today it took him perhaps a third of that time. Coming out on the rim of the great crevasse, he approached the snow-bridge, tested it, and crossed without mishap. Then, still following the trail of the day before, he threaded his way through the steep maze of the icefall.

The seracs rose around him in frozen stillness. And Rudi’s mind seemed frozen too. What he was doing was not a result of conscious choice or decision; it was simply what he had to do. He had not lost his senses. He knew that alone, and without food or a tent, there was no chance on earth of his reaching the top of the Citadel. And it was not hope for the top that pushed him on. It was simply—well, he wasn’t sure—perhaps simply the hope to set foot on the mountain. Or more than the hope. The need. The need of his body, his mind, his heart, to come at last to the place of which he had dreamed so long; to stand on the southeast ridge; to follow where his father had led; to climb, perhaps, even as high as the Fortress, which was as high as any man had gone. That was what he wanted; what he had to have. That much. Before it all ended. Before descending to the village; to his uncle’s anger, his mother’s tears, Klaus Wesselhoft’s laughter; to the soap and mops and dishpans of the Beau Site Hotel.

He climbed on. The seracs slid past like tall hooded ghosts. And then they dropped away behind him and he came out at the base of the snowslope. Above him he could see a trail of zigzagging footprints, extending perhaps halfway to the ridge and disappearing into smooth drifts where the avalanche had erased them. The drifts were huge, billowing, dazzling in the sunlight; but he knew that they had frozen overnight and that the sun was not yet strong

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Assessment FileGrade 7


68

UNIT 1, TEST A CONTINUED

enough to dislodge them. He shuffled his boots in the snow, and it was firm and dry. As Winter had said, the slope was safe in the morning.

Even so, he was cautious as he climbed upward, testing every step before trusting his weight to it. And when he came to the avalanche area he detoured to the left and kept as close as possible to the bordering rock-wall, so that he would have something to cling to, just in case. . . . But nothing happened. The snow stayed as motionless as the rock. In all that spreading wilderness there was no movement except that of his own two legs plodding slowly on through the drifts.

And then—he stopped—then there was a movement. He felt it rather than saw it: the merest flicker or shadow, not on the slope, but on the cliff high above. He tensed, peering upward. . . . A stonefall? . . . No. There was no sound. And then again there was the flicker: a moving speck of reddish brown against the tall grayness of the rock. Suddenly it leapt into focus. It was a chamois. For an instant it stood outlined on a crag, motionless, staring down at him; and Rudi, motionless too, stared back. Then the animal moved again—wheeled—vanished. It was as if the cliff had opened and swallowed it. And the stillness closed in again, even more absolute than before.

Rudi moved on. Through the stillness. Up the white slope. Kick—step, he went. Kick—step. Kick—step. And though the going through the deep drifts was slow, it was neither steep nor slippery, and his progress was steady. He looked back—and the icefall was far below; ahead—and the ridge loomed nearer. . . . Nearer. . . . And then at last the great moment came, and the slope was beneath him. There was no longer snow under his feet, but solid rock. He took a step up—a second—a third . . . and stood on the southeast ridge of the Citadel.

From Banner in the Sky by James Ramsey Ullman. Copyright © 1954 by James Ramsey Ullman. Used by permission of HarperCollins Publishers.

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from To the Top of EverestLaurie Skreslet with Elizabeth MacLeod

When I arrived back at Base Camp from Kunde, I was told the Icefall had been closed. I couldn’t go through? Well, maybe—maybe not. I radioed Bill.

“Laurie, it’s too dangerous. Stay in Base Camp!” Bill barked. “Do NOT—”

I flicked off the radio. That wasn’t what I wanted to hear. After a year and a half of working on this expedition, I had too much energy invested to sit at the bottom of Everest. I’d gained a lot of experience in my years of climbing. I knew I could make an important contribution to the climbers struggling high on the mountain. It would all be wasted if I waited in Base Camp. So I took the risk.

Next morning I shouldered my pack and set off. Base Camp had radioed Bill, and he did the only thing he could—he ordered that no one come with me. Bill also insisted that I radio Base Camp every time I crossed a crevasse. If I fell, I was still on my own—the radio call would just let them know where to find my body.

At first, the climb wasn’t too bad—I’d done it many times before, and with a heavier pack. The route was in much worse shape than my last time there, three weeks before, but most ladders were usable. The Icefall was quiet and the wind light.

Then I came to a crevasse about 3.5 m (12 ft.) wide. There was a ladder across it, but the ice had shifted since it had been put in place. Now the bridge ended 1.5 m (5 ft.) from the far wall. On my side, the end of the ladder was frozen into the ice, but the other end hung 30 m (100 ft.) above the bottom of the crevasse.

No problem, I thought, I’ll just find another place to cross. For more than an hour, I searched desperately, but there was no other

place. I had to admit defeat. Slowly, I started down to Base Camp. Then I stopped. Did you give that your best? I asked myself. Yes, I thought. But then I asked, Did you give it more than your best? No, I had to answer. More than my best was to go back and jump from

the ladder to the far side. I knew the impossible is often the untried. I couldn’t leave without trying, so back I went.

I decided to use the handrail ropes that were still there, adding new anchors and Petzl ascenders pointing both forward and back. I figured I had a fifty-fifty chance of making it across.

The ladder bobbed up and down as I edged my way out. At the end of the ladder, I focused all my concentration—and jumped.

Thwack! My ice pick bit into the ice on the lip of the crevasse. It held. I

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70


dug my crampons into the icy wall and used all my strength to pull myself up.

As I lay gasping on the far side, I realized that something powerful had happened. I seemed to be seeing things differently—everything was clearer and colors more vivid. It was like a different world. In making that leap, I’d let go not only of the ladder, but of some of my fears, too. I knew then that things would work out for me as long as I kept giving more than my best.

As I climbed to Camp One and on toward Camp Two, I thought about Bill. What would happen when I had to explain face-to-face why I’d disobeyed his order to stay in Base Camp? Would he allow me to keep climbing?

He was right there when I arrived. “Laurie!” Bill shouted. Then he smiled and said, “It’s great you’re here!” “Huh?” I said, stunned by his good humor. “Look,” said Bill, “four people have died. If I’d asked you to come up and

something had happened to you, I couldn’t bear to have another death on my conscience. I had to tell you to stay put.” Bill paused. “But I knew you’d come up no matter what. So, welcome. I need you here.”

Material from To the Top of Everest written by Laurie Skreslet is used with permission by Kids Can Press Ltd., Toronto. Text © 2001 by Laurie Skreslet.

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COMPREHENSIONDirections Answer the following questions about the excerpt from Banner in the Sky.

1. The setting is a

A. cave C. river B. desert D. mountain

2. Based on lines 1–4, you can make the inference that the speck is a

A. rock C. chamois B. person D. snow drift

3. Which of the following words in lines 11–15 is a sequence clue?

A. required B. Coming C. without D. Then

4. Rudi’s conflict described in lines 16–29 is

A. rising C. external B. internal D. falling

5. Based on lines 27–29, you can make the inference that Rudi works as a

A. repairman C. bellhop B. hiking guide D. cleaner

6. The setting in lines 30–37 is a

A. snowslope C. rock-wall B. crevasse D. ridge

7. Rudi stops climbing in lines 45–48 because he feels

A. a snow drift B. something moving C. an avalanche D. the mountain top

8. The last event in lines 45–61 is that Rudi

A. reaches the Citadel B. looks back at the icefall C. takes a step up D. sees the chamois

9. When Rudi reaches the Citadel, it is the story’s

A. falling action C. exposition B. conflict D. climax


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72


COMPREHENSIONDirections Answer the following questions about the excerpt from To the Top of Everest.

10. Which of the following phrases in lines 1–5 tells you Laurie reached Base Camp?

A. “I couldn’t go through?” B. “When I arrived” C. “I was told” D. “had been closed”

11. The effect of the events in lines 1–2 is that Bill

A. tells Laurie to stay in Base Camp B. offers advice for climbing C. learns that Laurie is upset D. reveals problems at Base Camp

12. In lines 16–24, which event happened first?

A. The icefall made little or no sound. B. The wind was light. C. The ice shifted. D. Laurie made the climb with a lighter

pack.

13. According to the chronological order of events, Laurie had been on the same route

A. the morning before B. three weeks earlier C. last month D. two years ago

14. The setting described in lines 20–24 is a

A. crevasse C. ledge B. Base Camp D. ridge

15. Because he cannot cross the ladder bridge, Laurie

A. contacts Base Camp B. sets up camp C. looks for another crossing D. makes a new bridge

16. The details in lines 46–49 are part of the story’s A. exposition C. climax B. rising action D. falling action


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COMPREHENSIONDirections Answer these questions about both selections.

17. Based on the details in both selections, you can make the inference that Rudi and Laurie both feel that mountain climbing is

A. rewarding C. relaxing B. easy D. graceful

18. How are the events of both selections organized?

A. compare and contrast B. chronological order C. cause and effect D. main idea and details

19. Which of the following describes the conflict in both selections?

A. animal vs. predator B. human vs. nature C. honesty vs. hard work D. human vs. human


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74


Written Response

SHORT CONSTRUCTED RESPONSEDirections Write two or three sentences to answer each question on a separate sheet of paper.

20. Identify the setting of To the Top of Everest. Provide two details from the text to support your answer.

21. Based on the information in both selections, you can make the inference that mountain climbers are determined. Provide one detail from each excerpt to support this inference.

EXTENDED CONSTRUCTED RESPONSEDirections Answer the following question. Write two or more paragraphs on a separate sheet of paper.

22. Define the following plot stages: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Then provide an example of each plot stage from To the Top of Everest.


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VocabularyDirections Use your knowledge of Latin word roots to answer the following questions.

Directions Use your knowledge of prefixes and suffixes to answer the following questions. The line numbers will help you find the words in the excerpts.

Directions Use your knowledge of analogies to complete each item.

7. Chicago is to Illinois as Los Angeles is to

A. South America C. Europe B. California D. capital

8. Lead is to pencil as ink is to

A. pen C. school B. writing D. permanent

9. Minute is to hour as year is to

A. decade C. month B. evening D. day

4. The word still means “not moving.” What is the most likely meaning of the suffix -ness, which is used to form stillness in line 16 of Banner in the Sky?

A. skilled in C. result B. without D. state of

5. The word danger means “exposure to harm or pain.” What is the most likely meaning of the suffix -ous, which is used to form dangerous in line 3 of To the Top of Everest?

A. full of C. result in B. the opposite of D. skilled in

6. The word tried means “attempted.” What is the most likely meaning of the prefix un-, which is used to form untried in line 31 of To the Top of Everest?

A. with C. not B. again D. apart

1. The Latin word appropiare means “near.” Which word in Banner in the Sky most likely comes from the word appropiare?

A. axes C. anger B. approach D. avalanche

2. The Latin word decidere means “to decide.” Which word in Banner in the Sky most likely comes from the word decidere?

A. descend C. decision B. drifts D. dropped

3. The Latin word experientia means “act of trying.” Which word in To the Top of Everest most likely comes from the word experientia?

A. experience C. Everest B. energy D. edged


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76


Revising and EditingDirections Read the descriptive essay and answer the questions that follow.

(1) Located just 20 miles south of my hometown of Jamesville, Calton Canyon is one of the area’s most beautiful features. (2) It is also my favorite place to go to escape from city life. (3) The canyon is not a desolate wilderness, though in fact, it is the most popular picnic spot around. (4) This is one of the reasons I love the canyon I like to see people enjoying nature as much as I enjoy it. (5) It is very relaxing to sit on the warm sandstone boulders and watch families and friends eat and play. (6) Children play tag and explore the canyon for interesting bugs or creatures. (7) Parents and grandparents place plastic silverware and cloth napkins on old, red picnic tables. (8) They take out juicy red apples, crisp carrot sticks, and crunchy potato chips for people to snack on.

(9) After the picnickers finish its fun, they often take walks. (10) Several scenic hiking trails snake through the canyons walls. (11) My favorite trail leads up onto a narrow ridge of the canyon. (12) On this trail, large boulders tower over hikers heads. (13) The trail loops through a wide, sweeping plain full of wildflowers. (14) They are the most colorful flowers I have ever seen. (15) I am sure that each hiker on the trail wants to fill their pockets with the beautiful blooms! (16) However, I am just happy to look at the flowers and smell them. (17) I lie down on the plain and take a nap. (18) The sweet smell of the flowers and the sound of the wind always relax me.

(19) After a great day of people-watching, hiking, and napping, I head home. (20) I tell my family about my adventures. (21) They always listen with interest. (22) My family agrees that no other place near Jamesville offers the same beauty and peace as Calton Canyon.


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1. Sentence 1 identifies the essay’s

A. conclusion C. subject B. author D. organization

2. What is the best way to correct sentence 3 so that it is no longer a run-on sentence?

A. The canyon is not a desolate wilderness, though. In fact, it is the most popular picnic spot in the area.

B. The canyon is not a desolate wilderness though in fact it is the most popular picnic spot in the area.

C. The canyon is not. A desolate wilderness. Though, in fact, it is the most popular picnic spot in the area.

D. The canyon, is not a desolate wilderness, though, in fact, it is the most popular, picnic spot in the area.

3. What is the best way to correct sentence 4 so that it is no longer a run-on sentence?

A. This, is one of the reasons, I love the canyon I like to see people, enjoying nature as much as I enjoy it.

B. This is one of the reasons I love the canyon. I like to see people enjoying nature as much as I enjoy it.

C. This is one of the reasons. I love the canyon I like to see people enjoying nature as much as I enjoy it.

D. This is one of the reasons, I love the canyon I like to see people. Enjoying nature as much as I enjoy it.

4. The words “warm sandstone boulders” in sentence 5 appeal to which of the following senses?

A. smell C. touch B. hearing D. taste

5. To maintain pronoun-antecedent agreement in sentence 9, change “its” to

A. his C. their B. ours D. her

6. Choose the correct way to write the possessive form of canyons in sentence 10.

A. canyons’ C. canyon is B. canyon’s D. canyons’s

7. The words “narrow ridge” in sentence 11 appeal to which of the following senses?

A. hearing C. smell B. taste D. sight


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78


WritingDirections Read the following quotation. Then read the prompt that follows and complete the writing activity.

Prompt: Write a descriptive essay about a room in your home that is important to you. First, think about all of the things that make the room special. What sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings do you experience in this room? Then, as the author of the quotation suggests, use specific sensory details to bring the room to life.

Now write your essay. Use the reminders that follow to help you write.

Reminders

8. Choose the correct way to write the possessive form of hikers in sentence 12.

A. hiker’s C. hiker’s’ B. hikers’ D. hiker is

9. To maintain pronoun-antecedent agreement in sentence 15, change “their” to

A. us C. his or her B. my’s D. thems

10. Which sentence includes a transition word?

A. sentence 15 C. sentence 17 B. sentence 16 D. sentence 18

11. Which would be an appropriate transition to add to the beginning of sentence 17?

A. Then C. So B. Which D. But

12. Which transition word could you use to combine sentences 20 and 21?

A. if C. and B. but D. then

“[The writer] appeals through the senses, and you cannot appeal to the senses with abstractions.”

Flannery O’Connor


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Unit and Benchmark TestsUnit 1, Test B/C


Unit 1 TEST B/C

Reading ComprehensionDirections Readg the following selections. Then answer the questions that follow.

from Banner in the SkyJames Ramsey Ullman

There was the sky. There was rock and ice. There was a mountain thrusting upward into blue emptiness—and at the foot of the mountain a tiny speck. This speck was the only thing that lived or moved in all that world of silent majesty.

Rudi climbed the white slope of the upper glacier. He did not hurry. He looked neither up at the peak nor down at the valley, but only at the ice flowing slowly past beneath his feet. In the ice were the marks of their boot nails from the previous day, and it was easy to follow the route. When the slope steepened, there were the steps cut by Winter and Saxo with their axes. He had only to step up, balance briefly, step up again—and again.

With the step-cutting, it had required two hours to reach the bergschrund. Today it took him perhaps a third of that time. Coming out on the rim of the great crevasse, he approached the snow-bridge, tested it, and crossed without mishap. Then, still following the trail of the day before, he threaded his way through the steep maze of the icefall.

The seracs rose around him in frozen stillness. And Rudi’s mind seemed frozen too. What he was doing was not a result of conscious choice or decision; it was simply what he had to do. He had not lost his senses. He knew that alone, and without food or a tent, there was no chance on earth of his reaching the top of the Citadel. And it was not hope for the top that pushed him on. It was simply—well, he wasn’t sure—perhaps simply the hope to set foot on the mountain. Or more than the hope. The need. The need of his body, his mind, his heart, to come at last to the place of which he had dreamed so long; to stand on the southeast ridge; to follow where his father had led; to climb, perhaps, even as high as the Fortress, which was as high as any man had gone. That was what he wanted; what he had to have. That much. Before it all ended. Before descending to the village; to his uncle’s anger, his mother’s tears, Klaus Wesselhoft’s laughter; to the soap and mops and dishpans of the Beau Site Hotel.

He climbed on. The seracs slid past like tall hooded ghosts. And then they dropped away behind him and he came out at the base of the snowslope. Above him he could see a trail of zigzagging footprints, extending perhaps halfway to the ridge and disappearing into smooth drifts where the avalanche had erased them. The drifts were huge, billowing, dazzling in the sunlight; but he knew that they had frozen overnight and that the sun was not yet strong

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80

UNIT 1, TEST B/C CONTINUED

enough to dislodge them. He shuffled his boots in the snow, and it was firm and dry. As Winter had said, the slope was safe in the morning.

Even so, he was cautious as he climbed upward, testing every step before trusting his weight to it. And when he came to the avalanche area he detoured to the left and kept as close as possible to the bordering rock-wall, so that he would have something to cling to, just in case. . . . But nothing happened. The snow stayed as motionless as the rock. In all that spreading wilderness there was no movement except that of his own two legs plodding slowly on through the drifts.

And then—he stopped—then there was a movement. He felt it rather than saw it: the merest flicker or shadow, not on the slope, but on the cliff high above. He tensed, peering upward. . . . A stonefall? . . . No. There was no sound. And then again there was the flicker: a moving speck of reddish brown against the tall grayness of the rock. Suddenly it leapt into focus. It was a chamois. For an instant it stood outlined on a crag, motionless, staring down at him; and Rudi, motionless too, stared back. Then the animal moved again—wheeled—vanished. It was as if the cliff had opened and swallowed it. And the stillness closed in again, even more absolute than before.

Rudi moved on. Through the stillness. Up the white slope. Kick—step, he went. Kick—step. Kick—step. And though the going through the deep drifts was slow, it was neither steep nor slippery, and his progress was steady. He looked back—and the icefall was far below; ahead—and the ridge loomed nearer. . . . Nearer. . . . And then at last the great moment came, and the slope was beneath him. There was no longer snow under his feet, but solid rock. He took a step up—a second—a third . . . and stood on the southeast ridge of the Citadel.

From Banner in the Sky by James Ramsey Ullman. Copyright © 1954 by James Ramsey Ullman. Used by permission of HarperCollins Publishers.

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from To the Top of EverestLaurie Skreslet with Elizabeth MacLeod

When I arrived back at Base Camp from Kunde, I was told the Icefall had been closed. I couldn’t go through? Well, maybe—maybe not. I radioed Bill.

“Laurie, it’s too dangerous. Stay in Base Camp!” Bill barked. “Do NOT—”

I flicked off the radio. That wasn’t what I wanted to hear. After a year and a half of working on this expedition, I had too much energy invested to sit at the bottom of Everest. I’d gained a lot of experience in my years of climbing. I knew I could make an important contribution to the climbers struggling high on the mountain. It would all be wasted if I waited in Base Camp. So I took the risk.

Next morning I shouldered my pack and set off. Base Camp had radioed Bill, and he did the only thing he could—he ordered that no one come with me. Bill also insisted that I radio Base Camp every time I crossed a crevasse. If I fell, I was still on my own—the radio call would just let them know where to find my body.

At first, the climb wasn’t too bad—I’d done it many times before, and with a heavier pack. The route was in much worse shape than my last time there, three weeks before, but most ladders were usable. The Icefall was quiet and the wind light.

Then I came to a crevasse about 3.5 m (12 ft.) wide. There was a ladder across it, but the ice had shifted since it had been put in place. Now the bridge ended 1.5 m (5 ft.) from the far wall. On my side, the end of the ladder was frozen into the ice, but the other end hung 30 m (100 ft.) above the bottom of the crevasse.

No problem, I thought, I’ll just find another place to cross. For more than an hour, I searched desperately, but there was no other

place. I had to admit defeat. Slowly, I started down to Base Camp. Then I stopped. Did you give that your best? I asked myself. Yes, I thought. But then I asked, Did you give it more than your best? No, I had to answer. More than my best was to go back and jump from

the ladder to the far side. I knew the impossible is often the untried. I couldn’t leave without trying, so back I went.

I decided to use the handrail ropes that were still there, adding new anchors and Petzl ascenders pointing both forward and back. I figured I had a fifty-fifty chance of making it across.

The ladder bobbed up and down as I edged my way out. At the end of the ladder, I focused all my concentration—and jumped.

Thwack! My ice pick bit into the ice on the lip of the crevasse. It held. I

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dug my crampons into the icy wall and used all my strength to pull myself up.

As I lay gasping on the far side, I realized that something powerful had happened. I seemed to be seeing things differently—everything was clearer and colors more vivid. It was like a different world. In making that leap, I’d let go not only of the ladder, but of some of my fears, too. I knew then that things would work out for me as long as I kept giving more than my best.

As I climbed to Camp One and on toward Camp Two, I thought about Bill. What would happen when I had to explain face-to-face why I’d disobeyed his order to stay in Base Camp? Would he allow me to keep climbing?

He was right there when I arrived. “Laurie!” Bill shouted. Then he smiled and said, “It’s great you’re here!” “Huh?” I said, stunned by his good humor. “Look,” said Bill, “four people have died. If I’d asked you to come up and

something had happened to you, I couldn’t bear to have another death on my conscience. I had to tell you to stay put.” Bill paused. “But I knew you’d come up no matter what. So, welcome. I need you here.”

Material from To the Top of Everest written by Laurie Skreslet is used with permission by Kids Can Press Ltd., Toronto. Text © 2001 by Laurie Skreslet.

COMPREHENSIONDirections Answer the following questions about the excerpt from Banner in the Sky.

1. The main setting of the excerpt is a

A. windy seaside cliff B. warm grassy meadow C. peaceful river valley D. rugged mountain slope

2. Based on lines 5–14, you can make the inference that Rudi

A. wishes Winter and Saxo were with him B. is a patient mountain climber C. climbs with great speed and strength D. is extremely tired and wants to rest

3. Which sequence word or words in lines 11–15 tell you that Rudi made it past the snow-bridge?

A. two hours B. third C. Then D. the day before

4. Rudi experiences an external conflict with

A. the mountain B. himself C. Winter D. the seracs

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COMPREHENSIONDirections Answer the following questions about the excerpt from To the Top of Everest.

5. Based on lines 22–29, you can make the inference that Rudi

A. wishes that he had friends B. misses his mother and his uncle C. wants to leave his village D. dislikes his job at the Beau Site Hotel

6. Rudi stays close to the rock-wall as he climbs because he is afraid of

A. sliding down a snow drift B. being swept away by an avalanche C. slipping on the rocks D. being hit by falling rocks

7. What happens after Rudi spots the chamois?

A. The chamois disappears. B. Winter says the slope is safe. C. Rudi thinks of the hotel. D. Rudi climbs the upper glacier.

8. In lines 45–53, the first event that takes place is that Rudi

A. tenses with fear B. stares at the chamois C. peers upward D. stops climbing

9. The climax occurs when Rudi

A. crosses the snow-bridge B. clings to the rock-wall C. sees the chamois D. reaches the Citadel

10. Laurie turns off the radio at the beginning of the excerpt because he

A. dislikes Bill’s message B. wishes Bill was in Base Camp C. wants to talk to Bill in person D. thinks that Bill is done speaking

11. What happens after Laurie leaves Base Camp?

A. Laurie comes to a crevasse. B. He tells Bill not to join him. C. The wind becomes stronger. D. Laurie goes to Kunde.

12. According to the chronological order of events, Base Camp radios Bill

A. one day before Laurie fills his pack B. before Laurie sets off C. two hours after Laurie leaves D. after Laurie reaches the first crevasse

13. The descriptions of setting in lines 16–19 are part of the story’s

A. rising action B. climax C. falling action D. resolution


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COMPREHENSIONDirections Answer these questions about both selections.

17. The exposition in both selections hints at a conflict between a person and

A. an authority figure B. a mountain C. his family members D. himself

18. The setting of both selections is a

A. snow drift B. crevasse C. mountain D. ridge

19. You can make the inference that Rudi from Banner in the Sky and Laurie from To the Top of Everest both

A. think that mountain climbing is a rewarding experience

B. think that Mt. Everest is the hardest mountain to climb

C. wish they had company while mountain climbing

D. respect the wishes of family members and friends

14. Which event causes Laurie to look for another place to cross the crevasse?

A. Bill tells him to find a new bridge. B. The crevasse is too wide. C. Laurie thinks the ice is too soft. D. The ladder bridge is too short.

15. According to lines 46–49, what two things happen simultaneously?

A. Laurie climbs to Camp One and Camp Two.

B. Laurie climbs on and thinks about Bill. C. Laurie thinks about Bill and jumps the

crevasse. D. He climbs to Camp One and talks with

Bill.

16. The effect of Laurie’s leap across the crevasse is that he

A. realizes that good things will happen if he gives more than his best

B. learns to take chances because sometimes you get lucky

C. decides that he wants to teach others how to climb Mt. Everest

D. wishes Bill were there to share the moment with him


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Written Response

SHORT CONSTRUCTED RESPONSEDirections Write two or three sentences to answer each question on a separate sheet of paper.

20. What internal conflict is shared by Rudi in Banner in the Sky and Laurie in To the Top of Everest? Provide a detail from each selection to support your answer.

21. Identify the falling action and the resolution of To the Top of Everest. Support each answer with one example from the selection.

EXTENDED CONSTRUCTED RESPONSEDirections Answer one of the following questions. Write two or more paragraphs on a separate sheet of paper.

22. How does the setting contribute to the plot in Banner in the Sky and To the Top of Everest? Use details from the selections to support your answer.

23. Challenge To the Top of Everest contains an external conflict and an internal conflict. Which conflict is more important to the plot? Use details from the selection to support your answer.


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VocabularyDirections Use your knowledge of Latin word roots to answer the following questions.

Directions Use your knowledge of prefixes and suffixes to answer the following questions. The line numbers will help you find the words in the excerpts.

Directions Use your knowledge of analogies to complete each item.

1. The Latin word prae means “in front of ” or “before.” Which word in Banner in the Sky most likely comes from the word prae?

A. speck C. upper B. mountain D. previous

2. The Latin word scire means “to know.” Which word in Banner in the Sky most likely comes from the word scire?

A. conscious C. detoured B. mind D. simply

3. The Latin word insistere means “to persist.” Which word in To the Top of Everest most likely comes from the word insistere?

A. heavier C. insisted B. crevasse D. arrived

4. The word brief means “short.” What is the most likely meaning of the suffix -ly, which is used to form briefly in line 10 of Banner in the Sky?

A. capable of C. concrete result B. in a certain way D. skilled in

5. The word obeyed means “followed commands.” What is the most likely meaning of the prefix dis-, which is used to form disobeyed in line 48 of To the Top of Everest?

A. under C. not B. again D. without

6. Which suffix can be added to the noun humor in line 52 of To the Top of Everest to form an adjective that means “not having humor”?

A. -less C. -ness B. -ly D. -able

7. Eye is to face as tooth is to

A. face C. tongue B. mouth D. toothache

8. Singer is to choir as piano is to

A. symphony C. violin orchestra B. tune D. musical instrument

9. Brick is to wall as room is to

A. door B. town C. window D. house


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Revising and EditingDirections Read the descriptive essay and answer the questions that follow.

(1) Located just 20 miles south of my hometown of Jamesville, Calton Canyon is one of the area’s most beautiful features. (2) It is also my favorite place to go to escape from city life. (3) The canyon is not a desolate wilderness, though in fact, it is the most popular picnic spot around. (4) This is one of the reasons I love the canyon I like to see people enjoying nature as much as I enjoy it. (5) It is very relaxing to sit on the warm sandstone boulders and watch families and friends eat and play. (6) Children play tag and explore the canyon for interesting bugs or creatures. (7) Parents and grandparents place plastic silverware and cloth napkins on old, red picnic tables. (8) They take out juicy red apples, crisp carrot sticks, and crunchy potato chips for people to snack on.

(9) After the picnickers finish its fun, they often take walks. (10) Several scenic hiking trails snake through the canyons walls. (11) My favorite trail leads up onto a narrow ridge of the canyon. (12) On this trail, large boulders tower over hikers heads. (13) The trail loops through a wide, sweeping plain full of wildflowers. (14) They are the most colorful flowers I have ever seen. (15) I am sure that each hiker on the trail wants to fill their pockets with the beautiful blooms! (16) However, I am just happy to look at the flowers and smell them. (17) I lie down on the plain and take a nap. (18) The sweet smell of the flowers and the sound of the wind always relax me.

(19) After a great day of people-watching, hiking, and napping, I head home. (20) I tell my family about my adventures. (21) They always listen with interest. (22) My family agrees that no other place near Jamesville offers the same beauty and peace as Calton Canyon.

1. In sentence 1, the author identifies the subject as

A. Calton Canyon B. beauty in nature C. Jamesville D. hometown cities


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2. Choose the correct way to rewrite sentence 3 so that it is no longer a run-on sentence.

A. The canyon is not a desolate wilderness, though in fact: It is the most popular picnic spot in the area.

B. The canyon is not a desolate wilderness; though, in fact, it is the most popular picnic spot in the area.

C. The canyon is not a desolate wilderness, though. In fact, it is the most popular picnic spot in the area.

D. The canyon is not a desolate wilderness, though, in fact it is the most popular picnic spot in the area.

3. Choose the correct way to rewrite sentence 4 so that it is no longer a run-on sentence.

A. This is one of the reasons I love the canyon. I like to see people enjoying nature as much as I enjoy it.

B. This is one of the reasons I love the canyon, I like to see people enjoying nature as much as I enjoy it.

C. This is one of the reasons. I love the canyon I like to see people enjoying nature as much as I enjoy it.

D. This is one of the reasons, I love the canyon I like to see people enjoying nature as much as I enjoy it.

4. Which of the following sentences contains the most sensory details?

A. sentence 2 C. sentence 16 B. sentence 8 D. sentence 19

5. Choose the correct way to maintain pronoun-antecedent agreement in sentence 9.

A. After the picnickers finish our fun, they often take walks.

B. After the picnickers finish its fun, them often take walks.

C. After the picnickers finish their fun, they often take walks.

D. After the picnickers finish its fun, us often take walks.

6. Choose the correct way to write the possessive form of canyons in sentence 10.

A. canyons’ B. canyon’s C. canyon’s’ D. canyons’s

7. Which words in sentence 11 contain a sensory detail?

A. favorite trail B. onto a C. narrow ridge D. the canyon


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8. Choose the correct way to write the possessive form of hikers in sentence 12.

A. hiker’s B. hikers’ C. hiker’s’ D. hikers’s

9. To maintain pronoun-antecedent agreement in sentence 15, change “their” to

A. us C. them B. my D. his or her

10. In sentences 14–16, which is a transition word or phrase?

A. “have ever seen” B. “I am sure” C. “However” D. “happy”

11. Which would be an appropriate transition to add to the beginning of sentence 17?

A. After that B. But C. And D. Therefore

12. Which transition word could you use to combine sentences 20 and 21?

A. generally B. or C. and D. specifically


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WritingDirections Read the following quotation. Then read the prompts that follow and complete one of the writing activities.

Prompt: Write a descriptive essay about a place in your home that is important to you. Bring the place to life, as O’Connor suggests, by appealing to the reader with sensory details. What sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings do you experience in this special place? Why are these details significant?


Challenge Prompt: Write a descriptive essay that explores the ways in which our senses help determine our favorite places. Begin by choosing a place in your home of which you are especially fond. As suggested in O’Connor’s quotation, use vivid sensory details to engage your readers. Analyze why the appeal to your senses makes the place more important to you than other places are.


Reminders

“[The writer] appeals through the senses, and you cannot appeal to the senses with abstractions.”

Flannery O’Connor


Benchmark Test

Sample Pages


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Unit and Benchmark TestsBenchmark Test 1, Units 1–2

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1. In the first paragraph, the narrator uses foreshadowing to suggest that Clyde will —

A. graduate soonB. have a bad report cardC. be late for schoolD. play with his friends

2. At the beginning of the story’s plot, the first thing Clyde’s friends do is —

A. look at the grades on his report cardB. offer to help Clyde improve his gradesC. enjoy a story about Clyde’s fatherD. sit around in Clyde’s room talking

3. The author probably used the kitchen as the setting to make it natural for —

A. Clyde and his friends to cookB. Clyde’s mother to feed Clyde’s friendsC. Clyde to do his homeworkD. all the characters to talk together

casually

4. Which of the following characters is a minor character?

A. KittyB. Mrs. JonesC. ClydeD. Sam


Reading Comprehension


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5. In what way is Clyde’s adviser’s attitude different from his father’s?

A. His adviser wants to give upB. Clyde’s father always kept tryingC. His adviser thinks math is importantD. Clyde’s father prefers to study instruments

6. The beginning of paragraph 2 helps the reader understand that the narrator is —

A. eager to brag about his own successB. concerned about hurting Clyde’s

feelingsC. shy about talking with KittyD. anxious to get away from Clyde’s

house

7. The point of view from which the story is told helps the reader —

A. follow the plot of the storyB. identify with the narratorC. understand the main character’s motivesD. see all the characters’ problems

8. Paragraph 2 shows a conflict between Clyde and his —

A. friendsB. motherC. math classD. conscience

9. According to the sequence of events, Mrs. Jones enters the room before —

A. Clyde talks to his grade adviserB. she shops for groceriesC. the narrator gets his report cardD. Clyde starts crying

10. Clyde’s actions in paragraph 9 indicate that he feels —

A. disappointedB. irritatedC. confusedD. sick



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11. When the children move to another room, the plot —

A. gets more tenseB. winds downC. endsD. becomes more complicated

12. The story about his father affects Clyde by —

A. encouraging him to do well in schoolB. making him feel sad about not having a

fatherC. suggesting that he drop the academic

programD. telling him how to study

13. You can predict that Clyde will work hard in math because —

A. Mrs. Jones contacts his teacherB. he is afraid of changing programsC. the narrator offers to help him studyD. he wants to be like his father


SHORT CONSTRUCTED RESPONSES

Write two or three sentences to answer each question.

14. Describe an internal conflict that the narrator faces in the excerpt from Fast Sam, Cool Clyde, and Stuff.

15. Explain how the conflict in the story is resolved.

Write a paragraph to answer this question.

16. How is Clyde’s experience in school similar to his father’s experience playing the trombone? Explain how their experiences reveal a common character trait, and support your answer with examples from the story.


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Read this selection. Then answer the questions that follow it.

from Sons from AfarCynthia Voigt

He lay back and looked at the sky. The stars were coming out, little pale pinpricks of light. He knew they weren’t really coming out, that they’d been burning away out in the darkness of space all day long; but it looked like they were coming out, like flowers coming into bloom. Sammy had his head against the stiff splintery boards of the dock, and he was looking out into space so deep it might as well be endless. He thought it would be great to explore space: sailing out among the stars, discovering . . . you couldn’t even begin to imagine what you might discover. If there were huge winds that blew across the vast empty reaches, and your ship had a big metal sail . . . but he didn’t think there were space winds. He could ask James, but he didn’t want to. “I’m good at math and science. I could be an astronaut,” he said to the stars.

“I thought you were going to play tennis,” James answered.

“I’ll do both,” Sammy said. The sky turned darker, and darker still. The stars burned white, making the sky look crowded. You could put a tennis court in a spaceship; the ship would have to be large, anyway, and people would have to have something to do, to fill in the vast stretches of time, and to keep in shape. “Why shouldn’t I do both?”

“Because they’re both careers for young men—too short-lived,” James’s voice informed him. “Be practical.”

That was pretty funny, coming from James. Sammy thought. Now James was getting going on being a lawyer, and Sammy was letting his brother’s words blow away on the wind. He’d heard it all before, about a 4.0 average so you could get a scholarship to a good college; about the right major, something to do with history or political science, to prepare you for the three-year course in law school; about the best schools and the scholarships they offered to the best students. After that, the voice went on—Sammy had heard it all before—you just chose how you wanted to make your money.

Government work was secure but paid the least. If you did corporate law, working for a big corporation, you earned big bucks but the job wasn’t that secure. Or you could work for a law firm, criminal law or property law, or handling wills and estates. You could do whatever you wanted, whatever you were good at, in a law firm, as you worked your way up to being a partner and taking a percentage of the firm’s earnings. With a law degree you could even go

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into politics—although Sammy couldn’t see anybody voting for James. He didn’t think he would.

“International law, international banking law,” James’s voice said. “I think I’d be good at that.”

“I wouldn’t,” Sammy said. “I wouldn’t like something where you didn’t do anything.”

James sputtered and Sammy was afraid he’d start explaining how important banking was, but he didn’t.

James had heard the boredom in Sammy’s voice and reminded himself that Sammy was still young, still just a kid, only twelve. “What about your homework?” he asked.

“What I don’t get done tonight I can finish on the bus.”

James shrugged: Sammy just didn’t care about grades. He just didn’t know how important they were; he didn’t care about knowing things either.

“You know,” Sammy’s voice said, “it always looks like the stars are coming out, even if they aren’t.”

“They’re really suns,” James told him. He looked up at the sky then. It was black, silky black, with no moon yet so the suns burned clear out there. James picked out the constellations he knew: Orion, by his belt, he could always, always find Orion; the big dipper, like a geometric figure, like a rhomboid; the little dipper, a smaller rhomboid, his eyes searched it out. Then the North Star, Polaris. The Pleiades, the sisters, crowded together, the seventh sister burning faintly. “Every one of them is a sun, a mass of burning gases. Do you know how hot the sun burns?”

“So what,” Sammy’s uninterested voice said.

“Neither do I,” James admitted. He used to know, but he’d forgotten. Sammy’s laugh sounded friendly. “Tell you a story,” James offered. “You want to hear a story?” Sammy always liked being told stories.

“Good-o.”

James identified the story’s source, first. “This is from Greek mythology. There was an inventor, named Daedalus, a famous inventor. Everybody knew about him. So when King Minos of Crete wanted a labyrinth built—a maze—where he’d keep his son, the Minotaur, in the middle—”

“I remember the Minotaur,” Sammy interrupted. “It was in my book of monsters. It was half man, half bull.”

“Yeah. So Minos hired Daedalus to design and build this labyrinth. Daedalus took his son Icarus with him to Crete. But when the job was finished, Minos kept them prisoners in a high tower.”

“Why?”

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“Because they knew how to get out of the maze and Minos wanted that to be a secret. In the tower, they had to haul their food up in baskets, and they had candles for light. The only things that could get into the tower were birds. They were prisoners there for a long time. There was no way to escape, but Daedalus figured out a way. See, when the birds flew in they’d shed their feathers. So he and Icarus collected the feathers. They stuck them together with wax, to make huge wings. When they had enough - it must have taken years—they were ready to fly out, away, to fly free. Before they left, Daedalus warned Icarus that he shouldn’t fly too close to the sun, because the heat of it would melt the wax that was holding the wings together. But Icarus didn’t pay attention. Or he forgot, maybe. Because when they were out and flying, he went up, and up, until the heat was too great. His wings fell apart and he fell—he fell out of the sky into the ocean. He drowned.” James never could tell a story the way it should be told; when he told it, he could hear it sound like a series of facts, like a history book, not like a story.

“I can see why he did that,” Sammy said. “If you could really fly, you’d always want to go higher, once you started flying. Wouldn’t you?”

Reprinted with the permission of Antheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division from Sons from Afar

by Cynthia Voigt. Copyright © 1987 Cynthia Voigt.

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17. At the beginning of the story, the conversation starts because —

A. the stars are just starting to showB. James tells the story of DaedelusC. the king locks Daedelus in a towerD. Icarus flies too close to the sun

18. By limiting the setting of the story to James and his brother watching the stars together, the author helps the reader —

A. learn about the starsB. relax and listen to the storyC. understand how stars come outD. focus only on the two brothers

19. The excerpt begins at —

A. sunriseB. middayC. twilightD. midnight

20. The first paragraph’s point of view helps the reader understand —

A. how stars are formedB. the depth of spaceC. Sammy’s ideasD. James’s feelings

21. In paragraph 1, the author helps the reader learn about Sammy through —

A. Sammy’s thoughtsB. the narrator’s commentsC. James’s thoughtsD. Sammy’s actions

22. Information in the first paragraph leads the reader to understand that Sammy —

A. has a powerful imaginationB. is good at making friendsC. does well in schoolD. follows directions well

23. In paragraph 10, the point of view shifts from —

A. James’s thoughts to the narrator’s voiceB. James’s thoughts to Sammy’s thoughtsC. the narrator’s voice to Sammy’s thoughtsD. Sammy’s thoughts to James’s thoughts


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Write two or three sentences to answer each question.

28. Explain one of the conflicts in the story that James tells. Then identify it as an internal or an external conflict.

29. Predict how James would respond to Sammy’s question at the end of the excerpt. Explain your response.


30. Discuss how the author uses characterization to develop James’s character in Sons from Afar.Support your response with two examples from the excerpt.

24. Sammy’s approach to the stars is poetic, while James’s approach is —

A. scientificB. curiousC. disapprovingD. disbelieving

25. Paragraph 16 states Sammy always liked being told stories. This statement describes Sammy by —

A. showing the narrator’s actionsB. Sammy’s speechC. giving the narrator’s commentsD. expressing James’s thoughts

26. According to the sequence of events, James offers to tell a story —

A. before he tells Sammy about the starsB. after he talks to Sammy about lawC. before he asks about Sammy’s homeworkD. after he tells Sammy about Icarus

27. According to the sequence of events in James’s story, Icarus’ wings fall apart —

A. after he flies too close to the sunB. before Daedalus designs the mazeC. after he falls into the oceanD. before Daedalus escapes from the tower


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100


Read the following selections. Then answer the questions that follow them.

LifesaverJohn DiConsiglio

Having grown up in San Diego, California, Mack Lothian knows a lot about the beach—in particular, Newport Beach. He is aware that the best place to avoid crowds is three miles north of the jetty. The area is so deserted that lifeguards are stationed there only during the peak summer months. “It’s so peaceful out there,” Mack, 15, tells Choices. “You look around and all you see are miles of sand and water.”

But on an April afternoon in 2004, Mack saw more than waves. He saw a little boy being swept out to sea, and Mack sprang into action to save him. Mack never expected to be a lifesaver. He had gone to the beach that day with other family members to relax. While his relatives were lying on the sand, Mack waded out into the water to bodysurf.

He noticed two boys playing just a few yards from the shore. They seemed to be about 8 or 9 years old. As Mack floated nearby, he noticed a troubling sign in the water. On either side of the boys, steady waves lapped the shore. But the boys were standing in oddly calm water. Mack knew what that meant: rip current.

Deadly WatersA rip current is a powerful flow of water away from the shore. It is caused by

waves traveling from deep to shallow water. Sometimes those waves break in different ways. Some break strongly, others weakly. That makes the water move in narrow, fast-moving belts. The ground under the current can drop from 3 feet to more than 20 in one step. And the current can sweep you out to sea in as fast as 8 feet per second.

Rip currents are deadly. More people die every year from rip currents than from shark attacks, tornadoes, lightning, or hurricanes. According to the United States Lifesaving Association, 80 percent of beach rescues are due to rip currents—and more than 100 people drown each year when they can’t escape the current.

As Mack watched, the head of one of the boys bobbed under the water. Within seconds, the current started dragging him out to sea. Mack yelled out to the boy. When he didn’t answer, Mack swam toward him—right into the current.

Mack grabbed the panicky boy’s arm and tried to calm him. They were about 15 yards from the beach, but Mack knew that the current could sweep them out 100 yards - the length of a football field—in minutes. Mack also

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knew the beach led to the mouth of the Santa Ana River. If the current pulled them into the powerful river, they might never make it back. He began to tread water and told the boy to grab his legs. They were going to swim to shore.

Treading Water Mack, who learned how to swim at age 4, knows how to swim in a rip

current. “It’s useless to fight it and swim headlong to shore,” he says. “You won’t make any progress. The current will push you backward.” The boy kicked and flailed. Mack told him to hold on.

But the current was too strong. Mack was getting tired and a little worried. They were moving out to sea fast. The boy jumped on Mack’s shoulders, pushing him into the water. Mack knew that swimming wasn’t the answer. The best thing to do, he realized, was to wait.

Mack held the boy and assured him that everything would be OK. He kept treading forward in the current, allowing the water to slowly move him backward. “We were out there for maybe 10 minutes, but it seemed like 10 days,” Mack says. In the spring, few lifeguards patrol the beach. The current had already pulled them far away from Mack’s family. He began to wonder if anyone would ever find them.

Finally, Mack saw a lifeguard Jeep along the shore. He called out and waved his right arm. “We’re going to be all right,” he told the boy. Within moments, a team of lifeguards with buoys made their way to Mack and the boy. The lifeguards took the boy to shore as Mack swam beside them. When the boy was safe, a lifeguard turned to Mack, but he was already gone.

Worn Out Mack slowly walked along the beach toward his family’s camp. He

dropped down on a towel, exhausted. “My arms and legs felt like lead,” he says. “I felt like I’d just run a mile” None of his family knew what had happened and Mack didn’t tell them.

“That’s just Mack,” says his father, who’s also named Mack. “He never wants to take credit.” Soon, the lifeguard Jeep came by. The lifeguard told Mack that he had probably saved the boy’s life. “If you hadn’t gone out to get him, no one would have reached him in time,” the lifeguard said.

Mack still doesn’t think of himself as a hero even after he won the U.S Lifeguard Association’s Heroic Acts Award. And he never saw the boy’s family again. “Lifeguards are the real heroes,” he says. “They do this stuff every day. I was just in the right place at the right time.”

Reprinted with the permission of Antheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division from Sons from Afar by

Cynthia Voigt. Copyright © 1987 Cynthia Voigt.

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102


Rip Current SafetyNational Weather Service

Why Rip Currents FormAs waves travel from deep to shallow water, they will break near the shoreline. When waves break strongly in some locations and weakly in others, this can cause circulation cells which are seen as rip currents: narrow, fast-moving belts of water traveling offshore.

Why Rip Currents Are DangerousRip currents are the leading surf hazard for all beachgoers. They are particularly dangerous for weak or non-swimmers. Rip current speeds are typically 1-2 feet per second. However, speeds as high as 8 feet per second have been measured—this is faster than an Olympic swimmer can sprint! Thus, rip currents can sweep even the strongest swimmer out to sea.

Over 100 drownings due to rip currents occur every year in the United States. More than 80% of water rescues on surf beaches are due to rip currents.

Rip currents can occur at any surf beach with breaking waves, including the Great Lakes.

When Rip Currents FormRip currents can be found on many surf beaches every day. Under most tide and sea conditions the speeds are relatively slow. However, under certain wave, tide, and beach profile conditions the speeds can quickly increase to become dangerous to anyone entering the surf. The strength and speed of a rip current will likely increase as wave height and wave period increase. They are most likely to be dangerous during high surf conditions as the wave height and wave period increase.

Where Rip Currents FormRip currents most typically form at low spots or breaks in sandbars, and also near structures such as jetties and piers. Rip currents can be very narrow or extend in widths to hundreds of yards. The seaward pull of rip currents varies: sometimes the rip current ends just beyond the line of breaking waves, but sometimes rip currents continue to push hundreds of yards offshore.

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How to Identify Rip Currents Look for any of these clues:

None, one, or more of the above clues may indicate the presence of rip currents. Rip currents are often not readily or easily identifiable to the average beachgoer. For your safety, be aware of this major surf zone hazard. Polarized sunglasses make it easier to see the rip current clues provided above.

How to Avoid and Survive Rip Currents Learn how to swim!

If in doubt, don’t go out!

shoreline. When out of the current, swim towards shore.

When out of the current, swim towards shore.

shore, wave your arms, and yell for help.

If you see someone in trouble, get help from a lifeguard. If a lifeguard is not available, have someone call 9-1-1. Throw the rip current victim something that floats and yell instructions on how to escape. Remember, many people drown while trying to save someone else from a rip current.

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104


Use “Lifesaver” (pp. 232–233) to answer questions 31–40.

31. Information in paragraph 8 lets the reader know that Mack —

A. enjoys helping other people swimB. knows a lot about swimming in the

oceanC. has studied all aspects of the oceanD. fears the strong waves in the ocean

32. According to the article, what is the reason water sometimes moves in narrow, fast-moving belts?

A. Changes in water temperatureB. Differences in the way waves breakC. Patches of oddly calm waterD. Waves traveling along the coastline

33. According to paragraph 10, the current resulted in —

A. sweeping Mack and the boy farther away from shore

B. attracting the attention of several lifeguards with buoys

C. encouraging Mack to start swimming against it

D. making the waves become choppy and white

34. Which words in paragraphs 10 and 11 show that the two paragraphs are written in chronological order?

A. 10 minutes, 10 daysB. In the spring, slowlyC. Kept treading, already goneD. Finally, within moments

35. Which statement is the best summary of paragraph 11?

A. A lifeguard turned to MackB. Mack hollered and wavedC. A lifeguard Jeep was on the shoreD. Lifeguards rescued Mack and the boy

36. According to the chronological order of events, the lifeguards talked to Mack —

A. minutes before he swam back to shoreB. soon after he found his family’s campC. months after he received the awardD. seconds before he met the boy’s family

37. What does the following line from the story tell the reader about the author?

Mack Lothian knows a lot about the beach

A. He thinks experience is importantB. Swimming is his favorite leisure

activityC. The beach is the most important place

to beD. He wishes he were at the beach

38. The next time Mack sees someone caught in a rip current, he will probably —

A. tell the person to swim toward shoreB. look to see whether the water is calmC. swim with the current to save the

personD. find the nearest lifeguard on duty


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Use “Rip Current Safety” (pp. 234–235) to answer questions 41–45.

41. Rip currents are likely to be most dangerous as a result of increased —

A. wave height and periodB. water temperatureC. sandbar and beach depthD. tides and surf

42. Which statement is the best summary of paragraph 2?

A. Olympic swimmers can swim fastB. Rip currents are dangerous when they

move at high speedsC. Non-swimmers should always stay out

of the waterD. Scientists have measured the speeds of

rip currents

43. Which sentence best describes the author’s opinion?

A. Rip currents are safe only if you know how to handle them

B. Surfing in rip currents is allowable if a lifeguard is nearby

C. Rip currents are dangerous and should be avoided by everyone

D. Slow or weak swimmers should use caution near rip currents

44. After failing to swim out of a rip current, what should a swimmer do next?

A. Call 911B. Tread waterC. Fight the currentD. Call a lifeguard

45. Swimmers often drown in rip currents because —

A. they don’t know how to swim well enough

B. the water pulls them away from the shore

C. the water is cold and choppyD. lifeguards cannot see the swimmers

39. Although he never sees the boy again after rescuing him, Mack will probably —

A. remember the rescue for years to comeB. become an Olympic swimmerC. try to contact the boy’s family later in

lifeD. write a best-selling book about the

incident

40. The lifeguards probably take the boy to shore first because —

A. the boy is cryingB. they know Mack is a good swimmerC. the boy’s mother asked them toD. they didn’t see Mack in the water


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106


46. Which information do the two articles have in common?

A. The story of a rescue in a rip currentB. A list of tips for surviving a rip currentC. How to recognize a rip currentD. The name of a real-life hero

Use “Lifesaver” and “Rip Current Safety” to answer question 46.


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Write two or three sentences to answer this question.

47. Analyze the writer’s position about rip currents in “Lifesaver.” Support your analysis with one detail from the text.


48. Summarize the events in Mack’s rescue of the little boy in “Lifesaver.” Evaluate your summary by stating whether it includes all the important events.



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108

49. Which prefix can be added to the adjective satisfactory in paragraph 2 to form an adjective meaning “not suitable”?

A. un-B. dis-C. in-D. re-

50. Which suffix can be added to the adjective academic in paragraph 2 to form an adverb that means “in a scholarly way”?

A. -eousB. -allyC. -nessD. -ial

51. Adding the suffix -er to the word advise produces a word that means —

A. quality of needing adviceB. action or process of giving adviceC. relating to adviceD. one who gives or offers advice

52. Adding the prefix un- to the word wrap produces a word that means to —

A. wrap againB. do the opposite of wrapC. wrap beforeD. almost wrap something

53. Which is the most likely meaning of corporation in paragraph 6?

A. GovernmentB. CriminalC. CompanyD. Factory

54. Which is the most likely meaning of percentage in paragraph 6?

A. Small fractionB. Free educationC. Varying degreeD. Honest attempt

55. Which is the most likely meaning of constellations in paragraph 14?

A. Geometric figuresB. Groups of starsC. Visible planetsD. Clusters of moons

56. Which is the most likely meaning of labyrinth in paragraph 18?

A. WingB. MonsterC. TowerD. Maze


Vocabulary

Use context clues and your knowledge of prefixes and suffixes to answer the following questions about words in Fast Sam, Cool Clyde, and Stuff.

Use context clues to answer the following questions about words in Sons from Afar.


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Use context clues and your knowledge of multiple-meaning words to answer the following questions about words in “Rip Current Safety.”

Use your knowledge of antonyms to answer the following questions.

61. Which word is an antonym for deserted in paragraph 1 of “Lifesaver”?

A. ProtectedB. BusyC. ConvenientD. Humid

62. Which word is an antonym for powerful in paragraph 4 of “Lifesaver”?

A. ConstantB. DeepC. WeakD. Hazy

63. Which word is an antonym for required in paragraph 5 of Fast Sam, Cool Clyde, and Stuff ?

A. DifficultB. CommercialC. CreativeD. Optional

64. Which word is an antonym for nonchalant in paragraph 19 of Fast Sam, Cool Clyde, and Stuff ?

A. ConcernedB. WillingC. LateD. Suspicious

57. Which meaning of break is used in paragraph 1?

A. Exceed a recordB. Interrupt an activityC. Emerge above a surfaceD. Shatter into small pieces

58. Which meaning of sweep is used in paragraph 2?

A. Carry away forciblyB. Destroy completelyC. Brush lightlyD. Pass over quickly

59. Which meaning of wave is used in paragraph 5?

A. Surge or rushB. Curved patternC. Rising trendD. Ridge of water

60. Which meaning of period is used in paragraph 5?

A. Division of time in a sport or gameB. Point at which something is endedC. Time between repeating eventsD. Punctuation mark indicating a full stop


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110


Revising and Editing

DirectionsRead the descriptive essay and answer the questions that follow.

(1) Nature has always played an important role in my life. (2) Some of my fondest memories are of my parents’ farm, where I grew up. (3) I loved exploring the quiet ponds and peaceful woods, and I learn much about the natural world. (4) That farm will always have a special place in my heart.

(5) Most days after school I would walk down a long dirt path that snaked through the grounds. (6) I would enter the big gate, I would cross a bridge to the far side of the pond. (7) On some days a blue heron would greet me. (8) Flapping noisily as she circled above.

(9) The pond was always a calming place. (10) Closing my eyes, I would concentrate on the frogs’s croaking. (11) When I opened my eyes, I would take in the scenery. (12) There were bright yellow flowers perched atop clusters of large green lily pads. (13) Large, iridescent dragonflies flew through the air while other bugs flew around my head. (14) A falling leaf made concentric circles in the water. (15) Concentric circles are ripples.

(16) Usually, I would stay on the path while asking myself am I lost? (17) Eventually, though, I would reach a large oak tree. (18) The old trees trunk formed a perfect seat where they split into three branches. (19) The seat was atop a large protuberance in the trunk. (20) A protuberance is a lump. (21) Bushy-tailed squirrels darted from tree to tree as fuzzy-capped acorns fall from the trees. (22) I would often take a pen and notebook from my schoolbag and carry it into the tree to write or sketch. (23) Around me I’d hear an owl say Hoo! Hoo! (24) Below me I’d smell fresh sap wafting. (25) I still have all of the stories and drawings I made while sitting in that tree.

(26) I don’t live on that farm anymore. (27) My parents sold them and we moved to a big city. (28) Now I have a whole new set of sights and sounds to explore. (29) I’ll always remember the farm and what it taught me. (30) Those walks down the dirt path taught me to appreciate nature and brought out my creative side.


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65. The introduction is effective because it —

A. describes an important eventB. explains things that will be comparedC. identifies the place being describedD. establishes a serious tone

66. To correct the verb tense in sentence 3, change learn to —

A. learnedB. will learnC. learningD. had learned

67. Which words in sentence 5 are sensory details?

A. Most daysB. Dirt pathC. After schoolD. Would walk

68. What is the BEST way to rewrite sentence 6 so that it is no longer a run-on sentence?

A. I would enter the big gate I would cross a bridge to the far side of the pond

B. I would enter the big gate; so I would cross a bridge to the far side of the pond

C. I would enter the big gate, I would, cross a bridge to the far side of the pond

D. I would enter the big gate, and I would cross a bridge to the far side of the pond

69. What is the BEST way to revise sentences 7 and 8 to avoid having a sentence fragment?

A. On some days a blue heron would greet me flapping noisily as she circled above

B. On some days a blue heron would greet me; flapping noisily as she circled above

C. On some days a blue heron would greet me, flapping noisily as she circled above

D. On some days a blue heron would greet me flapping, noisily as she circled above

70. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 10?

A. Change frogs’s to frogs’B. Change frogs’s to frogsC. Change frogs’s to frog’sD. Make no change

71. Which transition word could BEST be added to the beginning of sentence 11?

A. HoweverB. ThenC. ThereforeD. Although

72. Which words in sentences 11–12 demonstrate sensory details?

A. opened my eyesB. take in the sceneryC. atop clusters ofD. bright yellow flowers


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112

73. Which words in sentence 13 demonstrate sensory details?

A. Large, iridescent dragonfliesB. flew through the airC. while other bugsD. flew around my head

74. What is the BEST way to combine sentences 14 and 15?

A. A falling leaf made ripples and concentric circles in the water

B. Falling concentric circles made ripples in the water

C. Concentric ripples fell into the waterD. A falling leaf made concentric circles,

or ripples, in the water

75. What is the CORRECT way to punctuate sentence 16?

A. Usually, I would stay on the path while asking myself, “Am I lost?”

B. Usually, I would stay on the path, “While asking myself, Am I lost?”

C. Usually, I would stay on the path while asking, “Myself, am I lost”?

D “Usually, I would stay on the path while asking myself, Am I lost?”


A. Change trees to tree’sB. Change trees to trees’sC. Change trees to trees’D. Make no change


A. Change they to heB. Change they to itC. Change they to youD. Make no change

78. What is the BEST way to combine sentences 19 and 20?

A. The seat was atop a large protuberance and lump in the trunk

B. The seat was atop a large protuberance in the trunk, a protuberance is a lump

C. The seat was atop a large protuberance, or lump, in the trunk

D. The seat was atop a large trunk, a protuberance in a lump


A. Change fall to fellB. Change fall to will fallC. Change fall to had fallenD. Make no change


A. Change it to itsB. Change it to himC. Change it to themD. Make no change

81. What is the CORRECT way to punctuate sentence 23?

A. Around me I’d hear an owl, “Say Hoo! Hoo!”

B. Around me I’d hear an owl say “Hoo! Hoo!”

C. Around me I’d hear an owl say, “Hoo! Hoo!

D. Around me I’d hear an owl say, “Hoo! Hoo!”


A. Change them to herB. Change them to meC. Change them to itD. Make no change



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Writing

DirectionsRead the following quotation. Then read the prompt that follows and complete the writing activity.

“The two most engaging powers of an author are to make new thingsfamiliar, familiar things new.”

William Makepeace Thackeray

Prompt: Write an essay that compares and contrasts two familiar people or things. As Thackeray suggests, you have the power to consider your subjects in a new or different way. Explore alternative ways of viewing your subjects as you compare and contrast them.


Reminders

83. Which transition word could BEST be added to the beginning of sentence 29?

A. Therefore B. However C. Instead D. Furthermore

84. The conclusion is effective because it —

A. explains why the farm is important to the writer

B. provides additional details about how the farm looked

C. introduces a new idea about the writer’s argument

D. describes what the farm is like many years later


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