Yeh-Shen: The Chinese Cinderella · Assessmen 2 1 Curriculum Associates, LLC 42 Assessment 2: Book...

Assessment 2: Book 1

©Curriculum Associates, LLC


Read the passage. Then answer the questions that follow.

Yeh-Shen: The Chinese Cinderellaretold by Daniel Chen

1 Long ago in China, they say, there lived a little girl named Yeh-Shen. Yeh-Shen was lovely and good, but her mother died when she was a baby. Then, sadder still, her father died, and Yeh-Shen was left to be raised by her stepmother. Even though Yeh-Shen was a beautiful and kind child, her stepmother had no love for her. The woman loved only her own daughter, who was not like Yeh-Shen. The widow forced Yeh-Shen to do the hardest work.

2 Yeh-Shen’s only friend was a fish she had met while fetching water. Whenever the poor girl had a few grains of rice left over from a meal, she would take them to the pool and throw them to the fish. The fish would come to the surface of the pool and eat Yeh-Shen’s offering. Only for Yeh-Shen would the beautiful fish appear. When the stepmother called to it, the fish would remain hidden.

3 Then one day, the stepmother had a plan. She sent Yeh-Shen away on an errand. The stepmother then dressed herself in Yeh-Shen’s old coat. Hiding a sharp knife up her sleeve, she went to the pond. She called to the fish. The fish, thinking it was Yeh-Shen, came to the surface of the pool. The stepmother quickly caught the fish, took it home, and ate it!

4 The next day Yeh-Shen went to the pond. When the fish did not appear, Yeh-Shen cried out in sadness. An old man dressed in ragged clothes suddenly appeared. He told Yeh-Shen how her stepmother had taken the fish and eaten it.

5 “That fish has great and unusual powers,” the old man told Yeh-Shen. “Go and find its bones, and the powers of the fish will be yours.” Yeh-Shen ran home, and there she found the bones of her beloved fish thrown carelessly upon the garbage heap. She gathered the delicate bits together, brought them into the house, and hid them in her room.

6 Soon after this happened, Yeh-Shen’s village held a festival. Yeh-Shen longed to go, but her stepmother ordered her to stay home. As soon as her stepmother and stepsister had left for the festival, Yeh-Shen asked the fish bones for beautiful clothes to wear to the festival. Magically, silken robes and golden slippers appeared! Dressed in her beautiful new clothes, Yeh-Shen rushed to the festival. So fast did she go that she almost ran into her stepmother and stepsister. She was sure that she had been recognized. Fortunately, she had not. Yeh-Shen hurried away. She hurried so quickly that one of her slippers fell off. Yeh-Shen was barely able to change into her old clothes before her stepmother and stepsister arrived home.

Go On


Assessment 2: Book 1 43

7 A man who lived in the village came across the golden slipper Yeh-Shen had lost. He took it and sold it to the king. The king wondered who could have lost such a beautiful slipper. To find the owner, he ordered all the women of his kingdom to try the slipper on. The slipper was too small for every one of them. The king’s search finally brought him to Yeh-Shen’s village. With all the other women of her village, Yeh-Shen tried on the golden slipper. As soon as she put on the lost slipper, the matching one appeared on her other foot, and her rags were transformed into a gown of the finest silk. The king knew at once that he had found his love. He immediately asked Yeh-Shen to be his wife. So, Yeh-Shen became the queen and went to live in the palace. Fortune had finally smiled on Yeh-Shen.

8 And the king, who became very angry when he heard of the cruel way Yeh-Shen’s stepmother and stepsister had treated her, sent the pair to a faraway cave to live in darkness forever.

1 Read this sentence from paragraph 1 of the story.

The widow forced Yeh-Shen to do the hardest work.

Yeh-Shen’s stepmother makes her work hard because she

A thinks her own daughter can learn from Yeh-Shen

B wants Yeh-Shen to know how to work hard

C favors her own daughter over Yeh-Shen

D knows Yeh-Shen is able to do the hardest work

2 According to the text, which word best describes a quality of Yeh-Shen that explains why she was rewarded at the end of the story?

A honest

B healthy

C caring

D strong



3 Why does the fish appear to Yeh-Shen’s stepmother?

A The fish thinks the stepmother is Yeh-Shen.

B The stepmother has food for the fish.

C The stepmother has spoken special words.

D The fish is afraid of the stepmother’s knife.

4 Read this sentence from paragraph 7 of the story.

Fortune had finally smiled on Yeh-Shen.

What does it mean for fortune to smile on Yeh-Shen?

A After her happy childhood, Yeh-Shen is unhappy as an adult.

B After many hardships, Yeh-Shen has some good luck.

C Yeh-Shen’s life was good, and now it is even better.

D Yeh-Shen’s family wants to help her find love and happiness.

5 Which detail from the story best shows that Yeh-Shen was kind?

A “Whenever the poor girl had a few grains of rice left over from a meal, she would take them to the pool and throw them to the fish.”

B “The woman loved only her own daughter, who was not like Yeh-Shen.”

C “Yeh-Shen longed to go, but her stepmother ordered her to stay home.”

D “As soon as she put on the lost slipper, the matching one appeared on her other foot, and her rags were transformed into a gown of the finest silk.”

6 Which detail could best be left out of a retelling of the story?

A The stepmother eats Yeh-Shen’s friend, the fish.

B The fish eats grains of rice from Yeh-Shen.

C Yeh-Shen gathers the fish bones and hides them.

D The king asks Yeh-Shen to be his wife.

Go On




President Obama Speaks to Students Excerpts from “Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama: Back to School Event” (2009)

from WhiteHouse.gov.

1 Now I’ve given a lot of speeches about education. And I’ve talked a lot about responsibility.

2 I’ve talked about your teachers’ responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.

3 I’ve talked about your parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with that Xbox. . . .

4 But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world—and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed. . . .

5 We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don’t do that—if you quit on school—you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.

6 Now I know it’s not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork. . . .

7 . . . I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been. I did some things I’m not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

8 But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country. . . .

9 . . . at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life—what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home—that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That’s no excuse for not trying.



10 Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future. . . .

11 I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down—don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.

7 How are the ideas in paragraph 5 organized?

A Paragraph 5 tells the reason it’s important to stay in school.

B Paragraph 5 lists ways in which students can be responsible.

C Paragraph 5 explains things that will happen to students who quit school.

D Paragraph 5 describes how parents and teachers can help students.

8 How does President Obama support his statement that it’s not always easy to do well in school?

A He explains how you write your own destiny.

B He talks about dropping out of school.

C He gives an example from his own life.

D He mentions quitting on your country.

9 Why was Michelle Obama able to go to a good school?

A Her parents went to college.

B She and her parents worked hard.

C She had a job in high school.

D Her parents had a lot of money.

Go On



10 What does President Obama compare in paragraph 8?

A his dreams and his parents’ dreams

B his parents and his wife’s parents

C his school and his wife’s college

D his life and his wife’s life

11 Read these words from paragraph 9 of the passage.

. . . that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude.

When you are “neglecting” something, what are you doing?

A experiencing it

B preparing it

C demanding it

D avoiding it

12 What main point does President Obama make in his remarks?

A Students should not watch TV or play video games.

B Students must be responsible in order to succeed.

C Students will get into good colleges if they stay in school.

D Students should never talk back to their teachers or cut class.



Read the play. Then answer the questions that follow.

The North Wind and the Sunby Aesop, adapted by Kevin Stone. Plays, The Drama Magazine for Young People

Characters NARRATOR WIND SUN GRASSHOPPER FLOWER MAN

1 NARRATOR: This is the story of the North Wind and the Sun, who were both very strong, and how they decided who was stronger.

2 NORTH WIND (Bragging): Let me tell you something, Sun. No one is stronger than I am! I’m the strongest there is!

3 SUN: Do you have a way to prove that?

4 NORTH WIND (Pointing): Do you see that grasshopper over there?

5 SUN (Looking at GRASSHOPPER): The little green fellow?

6 NORTH WIND: Watch this! (He huffs and puffs. Sound of wind blowing is heard. GRASSHOPPER exits by executing a series of somersaults until he is off.)

7 NORTH WIND: Ah, the power of breeze!

8 SUN: I admit that you are strong. But there is more strength in the world than just yours.

9 NORTH WIND: Oh, I suppose you think you are stronger?

10 SUN (Pointing to FLOWER): Do you see that little plant over there?

11 NORTH WIND (Looking at FLOWER): The little green fellow?

12 SUN: Watch this. (SUN “shines.” Sound of a harp or other “shining” music is heard. FLOWER grows and grows and finally “blooms” into a lovely chrysanthemum. SUN smiles.)

13 FLOWER: And not a grasshopper in sight!

14 NORTH WIND (Blustering): You call that power? She’s still rooted!

15 SUN: Strength is not just tearing things up and tossing them away, Wind.

16 NORTH WIND (Arrogantly): A contest! I challenge you to a contest!

Go On



17 SUN (Calmly): Very well. Name your challenge. (MAN enters, wearing coat. He stops to admire FLOWER.)

18 NORTH WIND: You see that man down there?

19 SUN: Yes. The one with the coat.

20 NORTH WIND: Whichever one of us can get his coat off is the winner.

21 SUN: Fine. You go first.

22 NORTH WIND: I come from the top of the world! Watch what North Wind can do!

23 NARRATOR: North Wind huffed and he puffed and he blew with all his might. But the more he blew, the more tightly the Man held to his coat. Branches of trees began to snap and break. Birds were blown backwards. Butterflies zipped by like rainbow bullets. But the Man did not remove his coat. The windier it got, the more he held on to his coat. Finally, the North Wind gave up. (NORTH WIND stops blowing).

24 SUN: My turn now?

25 NORTH WIND (Panting): Go ahead and try. If I can’t do it, you never will be able to. (SUN begins to beam.)

26 NARRATOR: The Sun melted through the clouds and softened the cold and wind. The trees stood still. The birds got back on course. The butterflies found their homes. The Man took off his hat and unbuttoned his coat.

27 MAN (As he follows NARRATOR’s cue): Look at that sun!

28 NARRATOR: The Sun shone brightly, filling the world with kindness and warmth. The man was feeling very hot.

29 MAN: Whew! I could use a rest. This is a nice place.

30 NARRATOR: Before he sat down, he took off his coat. (MAN does so, then sits on riser.)

31 NORTH WIND: No!

32 NARRATOR: And so the contest was over. North Wind moaned for a long time, but he agreed that Sun was stronger.

33 NORTH WIND: You win, Sun. Your power is stronger than mine.

34 SUN: Thank you, Wind.

THE END



13 Read this line that the Narrator speaks.

Butterflies zipped by like rainbow bullets.

What does this tell the reader about the butterflies in the context of the play?

A The butterflies formed a rainbow in the blue sky.

B The butterflies were colorful but could do a lot of damage.

C Colorful butterflies tried to help a man close his coat.

D Colorful butterflies were carried swiftly by heavy winds.

14 Why is the North Wind unable to get the man to take off his coat?

A The wind makes the man feel cold, so he wants to keep his coat on.

B The man is afraid his coat will disappear, so he holds it tighter.

C The man is watching birds blow backwards, and he forgets about his coat.

D The wind frightens the man, and he tries to hide under his coat.

15 Which words from the play explain why the man sits down?

A “SUN (Calmly): Very well. Name your challenge. (MAN enters, wearing coat. He stops to admire FLOWER.)”

B “NORTH WIND: I come from the top of the world!”

C “MAN: Whew! I could use a rest. This is a nice place.”

D “NARRATOR: Before he sat down, he took off his coat. (MAN does so, then sits on riser.)”

Go On



16 What does the use of the Narrator most add to this play?

A The Narrator creates the problem between the North Wind and Sun.

B The Narrator provides a detailed description of the setting of the story.

C The Narrator names the characters and repeats everything they say or do.

D The Narrator describes actions that would be difficult to show on stage.

17 What about “The North Wind and the Sun” most strongly shows that it is a play and not a poem or story?

A The main character faces a problem and solves it.

B The lines are the same length, and many words rhyme.

C The characters’ names come before the words they say.

D The author adapted, or made some changes to, the original.

18 What is the theme of the play?

A Gently encouraging people is sometimes more powerful than bossing them around.

B It is easier to solve a power struggle by fighting than it is with a contest.

C Human beings are no match for the powers of nature, especially when humans are fighting.

D The powers of the wind and sun are different, but equal in their ability to frighten people.




Invisible Inkby Erika Conlon

1 Writing secret messages with invisible ink is a very old spy trick. In ancient Rome, soldiers communicated with invisible ink that became visible when heated. George Washington used invisible ink during the Revolutionary War. At that time, mail was not private as it is today. To keep battle plans from being discovered by the British army, Washington and his soldiers used invisible ink. They wrote secret messages between the lines of a regular letter. If anyone else read the letter, they would not know to look for the secret message. The person receiving the message could heat the paper to make the secret message show up. Spies used invisible ink during later wars, too. A special formula for invisible ink used during World War I is still a secret! 2 Would you like to write a message with invisible ink? You don’t need to visit a top-secret spy supply store. You just need some common household items. First, you need something to write on. Plain, unlined paper is best. Next, you need something to write with. You can use a cotton swab or a toothpick as a “pen.” Finally, you need some ink. Can you guess what it might be? You might be surprised. One of the best invisible inks is also very common. Many people already have some in their refrigerator. Some people like to add it to their tea. Give up? It’s lemon juice! 3 Once you have all the supplies, writing a secret message with invisible ink is easy. Just dip the toothpick or cotton swab into the lemon juice. Use it to write a message on the paper. Write quickly. Once the lemon juice dries, you won’t be able to see what you’re writing. That’s the point! It’s invisible. 4 When the lemon juice dries, you have an invisible message. But what good is a message written in invisible ink if nobody ever reads it? To read the hidden message, you’ll need to heat it up. Carefully hold the paper up to a lightbulb. Hold it by the edges so you don’t burn your fingers. Now, move the paper around so the heat from the lightbulb reaches the entire surface. As the lightbulb heats the paper and the ink, the lemon juice turns brown. Your secret message has appeared! 5 How does it work? Lemon juice is a mild acid. The acid in the lemon juice weakens the paper. Because of this, the paper that has lemon juice on it turns brown first. Using this very simple process, anyone can write a secret message!

Go On



19 What is the purpose of the organization in paragraph 1?

A to show how people have solved the problem of sending private messages

B to compare ancient Rome and America during the Revolutionary War

C to tell how some spy tricks can be used for everyday purposes

D to contrast older ways of sending messages with modern ways

20 Why is plain, unlined paper best to use when writing a secret message with lemon juice?

A Plain, unlined paper is stronger than other kinds of paper.

B Plain, unlined paper costs less money than other kinds of paper.

C Plain, unlined paper makes it easy to see the brown message.

D Plain, unlined paper makes it easy to use a cotton swab.

21 How are paragraphs 2, 3, and 4 presented?

A to tell how to solve the problem of disappearing ink

B to compare and contrast different ways of writing a secret message

C to give steps to follow for writing a secret message

D to explain several possible effects of writing a secret message



22 Which sentence from the passage provides the strongest support for the idea that writing messages in invisible ink is more than just an enjoyable activity?

A “Writing secret messages with invisible ink is a very old spy trick.”

B “To keep battle plans from being discovered by the British army, Washington and his soldiers used invisible ink.”

C “If anyone else read the letter, they would not know to look for the secret message.”

D “The person receiving the message could heat the paper to make the secret message show up.”

23 What must be done to the paper in order for the secret message to show up?

A The edges must be burned.

B It must be dried under a lamp.

C Lemon juice must be poured on it.

D It must be heated by a lightbulb.

24 How does the illustration help the reader understand the ideas in the passage?

A It shows what size paper should be used with invisible ink.

B It outlines different purposes for writing with invisible ink.

C It shows exactly how to create a message with invisible ink.

D It gives an example of a message written with invisible ink.

Go On




How the Chickadee Weathers the Winterby Debbie Zappitelli, Highlights

1 The temperature has fallen below zero. The car won’t start, water pipes are frozen, and schools are closed. If you went outside without winter clothes, you’d freeze before long. Yet the chickadee, a tiny bird that weighs less than a chocolate bar, flies about busily. It doesn’t have a scarf or boots. How does it endure cold weather?

2 The chickadee has to eat constantly during the winter to survive. Just as people use wood to keep a fire burning, the chickadee uses food to keep its body warm. Some of the food it eats during the day is chemically changed into energy reserves. The chickadee’s body stores this energy for use at night. That’s why birds eat so much early in the morning. When their reserves are used up, they get cold and have to eat again.

3 During cold spells, chickadees nest together at night to keep warm. Sometimes as many as twenty will huddle together in a hole in a tree. When the weather is extremely cold, they often won’t leave their roosts at all. They would burn more energy looking for food than they would sitting still.

4 The chickadee’s feathers are a great layer of insulation that helps this little bird keep warm. The outer feathers have tiny hooks, called barbs, that connect much the way Velcro does. This makes a windproof barrier. Underneath are soft fluffy feathers called down. Down does the same job as the stuffing in a winter jacket. It keeps body heat in and cold air out.

5 During the winter, the chickadee’s body produces more feathers for warmth. On a very cold day, you may see a chickadee fluffing up its feathers. This creates more space between the feathers to trap air that insulates the body.

6 But the chickadee’s feet don’t have feathers. How can the chickadee keep its body warm with those bare feet out in the cold? Its body has a slick trick. It cuts down the blood flow to its feet just enough so they don’t freeze. To keep from wasting energy, the chickadee learns to live with cold feet.

7 The chickadee, like other birds in northern regions, has many ways of dealing with the cold. The next time you’re stuck indoors on a cold day, admire the chickadees from a window. You can help by filling a bird feeder so they’ll have plenty to eat.



25 What difference between chickadees and humans helps chickadees withstand weather that would be harmful to humans?

A the feathers covering the bodies of chickadees

B the way chickadees fly around to stay warm

C the nests that chickadees build in trees

D the northern regions where chickadees live

26 According to the passage, the unusual way blood flows to a chickadee’s feet has an effect on

A how the chickadee makes nests in trees

B how the chickadee walks

C how the chickadee flies

D how the chickadee keeps from freezing

27 Which of these ideas do the details in paragraph 5 of “How the Chickadee Weathers the Winter” suggest?

A Winter can be a very difficult time for chickadees.

B Chickadees have fewer feathers in warmer months.

C Chickadees use their feathers to defend themselves.

D Air travels easily through the chickadees’ feathers.

28 Which detail from “How the Chickadee Weathers the Winter” supports the idea that readers should fill their bird feeders in the winter?

A A chickadee weighs less than a chocolate bar, but it flies about busily.

B To survive during the winter, the chickadee has to eat constantly.

C To keep from wasting energy, the chickadee learns to live with cold feet.

D The next time you’re stuck indoors on a cold day, admire the chickadees.



29 How does the writer organize the ideas in “How the Chickadee Weathers the Winter”?

A She describes how cold winter weather causes chickadees to grow more feathers.

B She compares how chickadees behave in the winter with the way humans behave.

C She tells personal stories of chickadees she has seen in the wild during winter.

D She presents the problem of winter weather and tells how chickadees solve the problem.

30 Which of these best summarizes the ideas in “How the Chickadee Weathers the Winter”?

A Humans have scarves and boots to keep them warm in the winter. Chickadees do not have clothing.

B Chickadees eat a lot of food in the winter. The food changes into energy to heat their bodies.

C To survive cold winter weather, chickadees eat constantly. They nest together, and their bodies have special ways of keeping warm.

D Feathers have tiny hooks called barbs. They make a windproof barrier, and the feathers keep chickadees warm in the winter.

STOP

©Curriculum Associates, LLC 58 Assessment 2: Book 2 – Reading

Assessment 2: Book 2 – Reading


What Is Vermiculture?by Alan Van Gilder

1 People generate a lot of garbage that doesn’t need to go into the trash can. Lots of waste items, such as food scraps, can instead be turned into compost. Compost is made of decaying food scraps. It can be used to fertilize gardens and farms. Composting can be as simple as creating an area to pile food scraps in the yard. Recently, a more complicated but effective system has become more popular: vermiculture.

2 Vermiculture is a type of composting that uses worms to speed up the decay or break down of food scraps. Certain types of worms are ideal for composting. Red wigglers are the most commonly used worms for composting because they eat and reproduce so quickly.

3 Worm composting systems are usually set up in a barrel or some kind of tall plastic container. The container is divided into layers. At each layer, part of the process of composting occurs.

4 People put their food scraps into the bin. These scraps can include items such as apple peels, eggshells, carrot tops, and potato skins. The next layer down consists of the worms. They live in between the food scraps and a layer of bedding, which usually consists of slightly wet newspaper or straw. The worms eat the food scraps and digest them and create castings. The worm castings are collected from the bottom of the bin and used to enrich the soil of gardens and farms.

5 The castings can be collected in solid form. Some composters, however, choose to retrieve it in liquid form, which they call “worm tea.” They don’t drink it! Rather, the worm tea is an excellent way to fertilize plants and enrich garden soil.

6 There are many reasons people choose to use the worm composting method over other kinds of composting. First of all, vermicomposting doesn’t require a large yard. It can be done inside. Because the worms work so quickly, the composting matter doesn’t smell bad. People have worm-composting systems in their basements or even in the kitchen under the sink. Another reason people choose vermicomposting is that the process yields the best fertilizer. Fertilizing a garden with worm tea can nearly double a garden’s yield.

7 The main benefit of composting, of course, is that it reduces the amount of garbage going to landfills. Up to 30% of waste in the landfills is material that could instead be composted.

Go On

©Curriculum Associates, LLC 59Assessment 2: Book 2 – Reading

How to create a worm composting system

What you’ll need: A plastic bin with a lid Newspaper or straw Worms Drill Wooden blocks or bricks

Step 1 Drill holes in the bin for ventilation. The worms need oxygen.

Step 2 Add a layer of bedding.

Step 3 Add worms. (You’ll need approximately two pounds of worms for each pound of food scraps you compost.)

Step 4 Prop the bin up on the bricks or wooden blocks.

Step 5 For worm tea collection, add a spout to the bottom of the bin.

Step 6 Begin feeding the worms. Stir in food scraps with the bedding.

31 Why are worm castings collected from the bottom of the composting bin?

A They will be used to help gardens grow.

B They will be thrown out with the trash.

C They will be fed to other animals.

D They will be used in other composting systems.

©Curriculum Associates, LLC 60 Assessment 2: Book 2 – Reading

32 Based on the details in paragraph 6, why might someone not do “other kinds of composting”?

A It costs too much.

B It might smell bad.

C It is too much work.

D It could create waste.

33 How does the author organize ideas in paragraph 6?

A He provides steps for creating a worm composting system.

B He describes the effects of other kinds of composting.

C He contrasts worm composting with other kinds of composting.

D He examines the problems caused by worm composting.

34 Read this sentence from the passage.

Fertilizing a garden with worm tea can nearly double a garden’s yield.

Based on this sentence, what does the word “yield” tell about a garden?

A how many worms it can have

B how much soil it can have

C how many plants it can grow

D how much water it can hold

©Curriculum Associates, LLC 61Assessment 2: Book 2 – Reading

35 Read these two sentences from paragraph 4.

The worms eat the food scraps and digest them and create castings. The worm castings are collected from the bottom of the bin and used to enrich the soil of gardens and farms.

Which of the following describes the relationship between these two sentences?

A The sentences describe two steps in a process.

B The sentences compare two events.

C The sentences contrast two events.

D The sentences describe a problem and its solution.

36 Look at the diagram on page 59 and the directions next to it.

What new information do the diagram and directions provide?

A Food scraps go at the top layer of the compost bin.

B Bins need a drain or spout at the bottom to collect worm tea.

C Bins need newspaper or straw in the middle to gather worm castings.

D Plastic containers are good places for composting.

37 Look at the diagram and the directions next to it. Where do the wooden blocks or bricks go?

A under the bin to prop it up

B at the bottom of the bin to collect tea

C on top to hold down the lid

D mixed in the bedding to add space

STOP

©Curriculum Associates, LLC 62 Assessment 2: Book 2 – Writing

Assessment 2: Book 2 – Writing

Read the myths. Then answer the questions that follow.

Blue Corn Maiden and the Coming of Winterretold by Marisa Tandor

1 Blue Corn Maiden was the prettiest of the corn maiden sisters. The Pueblo People loved her very much, and loved the delicious blue corn that she gave them all year long. Not only was Blue Corn Maiden beautiful, but she also had a kind and gentle spirit. She brought peace and happiness to the People of the Pueblos.

2 One cold winter day, Blue Corn Maiden went out to gather firewood. This was something she would not normally do. While she was out of her adobe house, she saw Winter Katsina. Winter Katsina is the spirit who brings the winter to the Earth. He wore his blue-and-white mask and blew cold wind with his breath. But when Winter Katsina saw Blue Corn Maiden, he loved her at once.

3 He invited her to come to his house, and she had to go with him. Inside his house, he blocked the windows with ice and the doorway with snow, and he made Blue Corn Maiden his prisoner. Although Winter Katsina was very kind to Blue Corn Maiden and loved her very much, she was sad living with him. She wanted to go back to her own house and make the blue corn grow for the People of the Pueblos.

4 Winter Katsina went out one day to do his duties and blow cold wind upon the Earth and scatter snow over the mesas and valleys. While he was gone, Blue Corn Maiden pushed the snow away from the doorway and went out of the house to look for the plants and foods she loved to find in summer. Under all the ice and snow, all she found was four blades of yucca.

5 She took the yucca back to Winter Katsina’s house and started a fire. Winter Katsina would not allow her to start a fire when he was in the house.

6 When the fire was started, the snow in the doorway fell away and in walked Summer Katsina. Summer Katsina carried in one hand fresh corn and in the other many blades of yucca. He came toward his friend Blue Corn Maiden.

7 Just then, Winter Katsina stormed through the doorway followed by a roar of winter wind. Winter Katsina carried an icicle in his right hand, which he held like a flint knife, and he carried a ball of ice in his left hand, which he wielded like a hand-axe. It looked like Winter Katsina intended to fight with Summer Katsina.

Go On

©Curriculum Associates, LLC 63Assessment 2: Book 2 – Writing

8 As Winter Katsina blew a blast of cold air, Summer Katsina blew a warm breeze. When Winter Katsina raised his icicle-knife, Summer Katsina raised his bundle of yucca leaves, and they caught fire. The fire melted the icicle.

9 Winter Katsina saw that he needed to make peace with Summer Katsina, not war. The two sat and talked.

10 They agreed that Blue Corn Maiden would live among the People of the Pueblos and give them her blue corn for half of the year, in the time of Summer Katsina. The other half of the year, Blue Corn Maiden would live with Winter Katsina and the People would have no corn.


Demeter and Persephone retold by Hilary Dumitrescu

1 I am Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest. The wheat grows tall and golden wherever I walk. The orchards blossom, and the fruit grows ripe and sweet. The people are happy because I bless all of their growing crops. As long as I am happy, all of the Earth flourishes. 2 My daughter Persephone is the apple of my eye. She is as kind as she is beautiful. I have always hated to be away from her, as the thought of any harm coming to her is too dreadful to bear. Once in a great while, my duties as Goddess call me away. It was on one such occasion that tragedy struck. 3 While I was away, my beautiful Persephone walked near the seaside, gathering flowers for her hair. She saw one lovely flower with hundreds of tiny blossoms. As she bent to pick it, a great hole opened in the Earth. From out of the great pit raced a chariot driven by Hades, the god of the Underworld. He took one look at Persephone and knew at once that he loved her. Scooping her into his chariot, he raced back underground, vowing to make her his queen. 4 When I heard of Hades’s terrible trick, I was furious. I demanded that Persephone be released from his kingdom. “Nothing on Earth will grow,” I promised Zeus and the other gods, “until my child is returned.” 5 True to my word, I hid in my house and did not go out to the fields. The crops withered, the fruit shriveled on the vines, and the soil turned to dust. The people cried out to the gods for help. 6 Finally, Zeus and the other gods demanded an audience with Hades. They commanded him to return Persephone to me at once. 7 “But she has already joined my kingdom!” Hades proclaimed. 8 “Nonsense!” I cried. “My daughter would sooner die than stay with you!” 9 “Why, just today, she ate six pomegranate seeds. Since she has taken food from my kingdom, she may not return to yours.”10 At the sound of this news, my face crinkled to that of an old woman, and the very Earth shook as it seemed to shrivel along with me. At the sight of this, even Hades was moved.11 “All right then,” he said. “Since she has eaten only six seeds, she need only stay in my kingdom for six months of the year. The other six months are yours.”12 Hearing this news, I was comforted. I covered the land with blankets of white snow. “Until my Persephone returns,” I said tenderly to the dry earth.13 As the time of Persephone’s return drew nearer, the blanket of snow began to thaw. When I finally saw my daughter’s lovely face again, the Earth burst forth with life. The orchards blossomed, and the fruit grew ripe and sweet. The wheat grows tall and golden wherever we walk.

Go On


38 In “Blue Corn Maiden and the Coming of Winter,” why do the Pueblo People love Blue Corn Maiden? Use two details from the myth to support your answer.

Write your answer in complete sentences.

39 Does “Demeter and Persephone” take place in a realistic setting or in an imaginary setting? Use two details from the myth to support your answer.



40 How are the points of view in the two myths different? Use one detail from each myth to support your answer.


Go On


Planning Page

You may PLAN your writing for question 41 here if you wish, but do NOT write your final answer on this page. Write your final answer on pages 68 and 69.

Answer


41 Both myths provide explanations for why crops grow only part of the year. How are the explanations similar and different? Use examples from both myths to support your answer.

In your response, be sure to do the following: • explain what “Blue Corn Maiden and the Coming of Winter” says about

why corn only grows part of the year• explain what “Demeter and Persephone” says about why crops grow only

part of the year• compare and contrast the two explanations• include details from both myths to support your answer



STOP

©Curriculum Associates, LLC 70 Assessment 2: Book 3


Read the poem. Then answer the questions that follow.

Dandelionby Nellie M. Garabrant, from Poems Teachers Ask For, Book Two,

published by F. A. Owen Pub. Co., 1925.

There’s a dandy little fellow, Who dresses all in yellow, In yellow with an overcoat of green; With his hair all crisp and curly, 5 In the springtime bright and early A-tripping o’er the meadow he is seen. Through all the bright June weather, Like a jolly little tramp, He wanders o’er the hillside, down the road;10 Around his yellow feather, Thy gypsy fireflies camp; His companions are the wood lark and the toad.

But at last this little fellow Doffs1 his dainty coat of yellow,15 And very feebly totters o’er the green; For he very old is growing And with hair all white and flowing, A-nodding in the sunlight he is seen. Oh, poor dandy, once so spandy,20 Golden dancer on the lea2! Older growing, white hair flowing, Poor little baldhead dandy now is he!

1 doffs: takes off, removes2 lea: grassland; pasture

Go On

©Curriculum Associates, LLC 71Assessment 2: Book 3

42 What tells the reader that “Dandelion” is a poem? Use two details from the poem to support your answer.


43 What is a theme of “Dandelion”? Use two details from the poem to support your answer.



Read the passages. Then answer the questions that follow.

Lindbergh Flies the Atlantic from We by Charles A. Lindbergh

Takeoff

1 About 7:40 a.m. the motor was started and at 7:52, I took off on the flight for Paris.

2 The field was a little soft due to the rain during the night and the heavily loaded plane gathered speed very slowly. After passing the halfway mark, however, it was apparent that I would be able to clear the obstructions at the end. I passed over a tractor by about fifteen feet and a telephone line by about twenty, with a fair reserve of flying speed. . . .

3 I turned slightly to the right to avoid some high trees on a hill directly ahead, but by the time I had gone a few hundred yards I had sufficient altitude to clear all obstructions and throttled the engine down to 1750 R.P.M. I took up a compass course at once and soon reached Long Island Sound . . .

Fog and Clouds

4 Darkness set in about 8:15 New York time and a thin, low fog formed over the sea through which the white bergs showed up with surprising clearness. . . .

5 There was no moon and it was very dark. The tops of some of the storm clouds were several thousand feet above me and at one time, when I attempted to fly through one of the larger clouds, sleet started to collect on the plane and I was forced to turn around and get back into clear air immediately and then fly around any clouds which I could not get over.

Is that Ireland?

6 The first indication of my approach to the European Coast was a small fishing boat which I first noticed a few miles ahead and slightly to the south of my course. . . .

7 Less than an hour later a rugged and semi-mountainous coastline appeared to the northeast. I was flying less than two hundred feet from the water when I sighted it. The shore was fairly distinct and not over ten or fifteen miles away. . . .

8 The coastline came down from the north, curved over towards the east. I had very little doubt that it was the southwestern end of Ireland . . .

9 I located Cape Valencia and Dingle Bay, then resumed my compass course towards Paris.

Go On


Landing

10 The sun went down shortly after passing Cherbourg and soon the beacons along the Paris-London airway became visible.

11 I first saw the lights of Paris a little before ten p.m., or five p.m., New York time, and a few minutes later I was circling the Eiffel Tower at an altitude of about four thousand feet.

12 The lights of Le Bourget were plainly visible. . . . I flew low over the field once, then circled around into the wind and landed.


Lindbergh Does It! by Edwin L. James, excerpt from The New York Times, May 22, 1927

1 A New York Times man was one of the first to reach the machine after its graceful descent to the field. Those first to arrive at the plane had a picture that will live in their minds for the rest of their lives. His cap off, his famous locks falling in disarray around his eyes, “Lucky Lindy” sat peering out over the rim of the little cockpit of his machine.

2 It was high drama. Picture the scene. Almost if not quite 100,000 people were massed on the east side of Le Bourget air field. Some of them had been there six and seven hours. . . .

3 Suddenly it was 10:16 exactly. Another motor roared over the heads of the crowd. In the sky one caught a glimpse of a white gray plane, and for an instant heard the sound of one. Then it dimmed, and the idea spread that it was yet another disappointment.

4 Again landing lights glared and almost by the time they had flooded the fieled [field], the gray-white plane had lighted on the far side nearly half a mile from the crowd. It seemed to stop almost as it hit the ground, so gently did it land.

5 And then occurred a scene which almost passed description. Two companies of soldiers with fixed bayonets and the Le Bourget field police, reinforced by Paris agents, had held the crowd in good order. But as the lights showed the plane landing, much as if a picture had been thrown on a moving picture screen, there was a mad rush.

The crowd inspects the airplane.

Go On


6 The movement of humanity swept over soldiers and by policemen and there was the wild sight of thousands of men and women rushing madly across half a mile of the not too even ground. Soldiers and police tried for one small moment to stem the tide, then they joined it, rushing a[s] madly as anyone else toward the aviator and his plane.

7 The first people to reach the plane were two workman [workmen] of the aviation field and half a dozen Frenchmen. “Cette fois, ca va!” they cried (This time, It’s done!)

8 Captain Lindbergh answered: “Well, I made it.”

9 An instant later he was on the shoulders of half a dozen persons who tried to bear him from the field.

44 In “Lindbergh Flies the Atlantic,” how was the flight more like an experiment than a fun journey? Use two details from the passage to support your answer.



45 According to “Lindbergh Does It!” why were soldiers, field police, and Paris agents present when Lindbergh landed? Use two details from the passage to support your answer.


46 According to “Lindbergh Does It!”, there was great excitement at the scene of Lindbergh’s landing. How does the author support this idea? Use two details from the passage to support your answer.


Go On


Planning Page

You may PLAN your writing for question 47 here if you wish, but do NOT write your final answer on this page. Write your final answer on pages 78 and 79.

Answer


47 Both passages tell the story of Lindbergh’s flight across the Atlantic. But the passages tell about the event in different ways.

Which passage uses more facts than feelings? Is it the firsthand account, “Lindbergh Flies the Atlantic”? Or is it the secondhand account, “Lindbergh Does It!”? Use specific examples from each passage to support your answer.

In your response, be sure to do the following: • describe the information In “Lindbergh Flies the Atlantic”• describe the information in “Lindbergh Does It!” • tell which passage uses more facts than feelings• use details from both passages in your answer



STOP

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Book 1 Book 2 – Reading Book 3Book 2 – Writing

1. A B C D

2. A B C D

3. A B C D

4. A B C D

5. A B C D

6. A B C D

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For numbers 38 through 41, write your answers in the book .

38. See page 65 . 39. See page 65 . 40. See page 66 . 41. See page 68 .

For numbers 42 through 47, write your answers in the book .

42. See page 71 . 43. See page 71 . 44. See page 75 . 45. See page 76 . 46. See page 76 . 47. See page 78 .

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