Grade 4 ELA Practice Passages. Name:

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1 Grade 4 ELA Practice Passages Name: Fiction Passages Fiction Mentor Passage: Greeting the Sun * Practice 1: Jump ** Practice 2: Go Fish ** Practice 3: Kira Kira * Practice 4: Sitti s Secrets * Nonfiction Passages Nonfiction Mentor Passage: Basic Archeology * Practice 1: Eliza s Cherry Trees ** Practice 2: Copycat Elephants ** Practice 3: What is Antarctica? * Practice 4: You Rock! * Poetry Passages Poetry Mentor Passage: A View from the Backpack * Practice 1: The Squirrel ** Practice 2: Ice Can Scream and Winter Songs * 1

2 Fiction Mentor Passage Greeting the Sun, a Maushop Story retold by Joseph Bruchac 1 Long ago, as the Sun traveled across the sky, one of the first places he came to each morning was the land of the Wampanoag people. He would shine down on them, giving them warmth and light. But instead of thanking him for what he gave them, the Wampanoag people would look up into the sky, squint their eyes, and cover their faces with their hands. 2 I do not like those little people making faces at me, said the Sun one day. I will no longer visit their land. I will stay on the other side of the sky, where the people appreciate me. 3 So, when the next day came, the Sun did not rise up in the sky. Everything in the land of the Wampanoag people stayed dark and cold. The people became afraid and began to cry out. 4 Someone help us, they cried. Everything is dark. The Sun is missing. The world is going to end. 5 Maushop, the giant, had been sleeping, but the sound of many frightened voices woke him. 6 Hunh, Maushop said. It is dark. 7 Maushop stood up from the place where he had been sleeping on the beach, just below the great cliffs at Gay Head. He saw the little fires burning in the village of the Wampanoag people. Walking very carefully, so that he would not step on anyone in the darkness, Maushop went into the village. 8 Maushop, the people cried. You must help us. The Sun did not rise today. How can we survive without the Sun? 9 I will go and find the Sun, Maushop said. 10 Maushop turned and stepped into the ocean. He began to wade toward the east. His legs were so long that it took him only four steps to cross the ocean and four more steps to come to the other side of the world. There Maushop saw the Sun sitting in the middle of the sky and not moving. 11 Older Brother, Maushop called up to the Sun, why are you here? It is long past the time for you to bring the new day to the other side of the 2

3 world. The people there are in darkness, and they are afraid. 12 I am glad to see you, Younger Brother, said the Sun. But as for those people on the other side of the world, I am not going there anymore. They never said thank you when I gave them light and warmth. All they did was squint their eyes and make ugly faces. I am going to stay here, where the people appreciate me. 13 Maushop turned and walked back across the ocean to the land of the Wampanoag people. He told the people what the Sun had said. 14 If the Sun returns, the people promised, we will greet him every morning. We will smile up at him and say thanks to him every day. 15 Maushop turned and walked back to the other side of the world. 16 Older Brother, Maushop said to the Sun, the people on my side of the world are sorry. They want you to return. They promise that they will greet you with smiles and words of thanks every morning. 17 No, said the Sun. I do not think they will remember what they promised. I will stay here. I will not move. 18 Maushop decided that he would have to show the Sun that the people really meant what they said. Maushop went to the spiders. 19 My friends, said Maushop, I need a big net. Will you weave it for me? 20 We will do as you ask, the spiders answered. They wove a huge net that was very strong. 21 Maushop picked up the net and went back to the Sun. 22 Older Brother, Maushop said, I want you to see that the people on the other side of the world meant what they said. You do not have to move. I will move you. 23 Then Maushop threw that great net over the Sun. He grabbed the ends of the net in his hands, put it over his shoulder, and dragged the Sun back across the sky. Maushop was so strong that the Sun could not resist him. 24 As soon as they reached the land of the Wampanoags, the Sun heard voices calling up to him. 3

4 25 Thank you, the voices called. Thank you for bringing us light and warmth. Thank you for the gift of another day. 26 The Sun looked down at all of the people. They were not making ugly faces anymore. They were smiling up at him. 27 Younger Brother, said the Sun to Maushop, you were right. The people on this side of the world are happy to see me. From now on, as long as they greet me this way, I will come to their land every day. Answer the following questions: 1. The Sun gets angry with the Wampanoag people because he thinks they are being A. ungrateful B. childish C. unfair D. cruel 2. Maushop can best be described as A. selfish B. thankful C. sneaky D. helpful 3. What lesson can the reader learn from this story? A. If at first you don t succeed, try again. B. It s important to appreciate the small things. C. The sun won t always shine. D. Use all of the tools you have. 4

5 4. Which is the best summary of this story? A. Maushop lives near the Wampanoag people. He goes to talk to the Sun on the other side of the world. The Sun calls Maushop his younger brother. Maushop is also friends with the spiders. The spiders weave a net for Maushop to use. B. The Sun leaves the land of the Wampanoag people because he is not happy with them. When the Sun does not come back, the people turn to Maushop for help. He finds the Sun on the other side of the world and finds out why the Sun will not come back. When the people say they will change their ways, Maushop finds a way to get the Sun to return. C. The Sun and Maushop are friends. When the Sun leaves the land of the Wampanoag people, they ask Maushop to help get the Sun to come back. Maushop makes two trips to the other side of the world. D. When the Sun leaves the land of the Wampanoag people, they want him to come back. They need help to find out where the Sun went. Maushop agrees to go look for the Sun and tell him that the people want him to come back. Maushop is able to do this because he is a giant and can travel around the world quickly. 5. Read these sentences from paragraph 23 of the story. He grabbed the ends of the net in his hands, put it over his shoulder, and dragged the Sun back across the sky. Maushop was so strong that the Sun could not resist him. What does the word resist mean in these lines? A. offer to protect B. shine back at C. fight against D. care for 5

6 6. Which detail best supports the idea that Maushop cares for the Wampanoag? A. Maushop, the giant, had been sleeping, but the sound of many frightened voices woke him. (paragraph 5) B. Maushop stood up from the place where he had been sleeping on the beach, just below the great cliffs at Gay Head. (paragraph 7) C. Walking very carefully, so that he would not step on anyone in the darkness, Maushop went into the village. (paragraph 7) D. Maushop, the people cried. You must help us. (paragraph 8) 7. Which sentence suggests that the Sun feels it is a bad idea to trust the Wampanoag people? A. I do not like those little people making faces at me, said the Sun one day. (paragraph 2) B. So, when the next day came, the Sun did not rise up in the sky. (paragraph 3) C. But as for those people on the other side of the world, I am not going there anymore. (paragraph 12) D. I do not think they will remember what they promised. (paragraph 17) 8. Maushop is a giant. How is this detail important to the story? How does it help solve the problem? Use details from the text to support your response. 6

7 Fiction Practice Passage #1 Jump! by Sara Matson 1 I rub the goose bumps on my arms as a kid struts to the end of the diving board. He gives a friend on the ground the thumbs-up and launches into a cannonball. Boing! SPLASH! He comes up laughing. 2 See, Taylor? I tell myself. It s easy. Fun. 3 Four kids to go until my turn. At the front of the line, a girl in a pink suit giggles with her friend. 4 Go! my little brother, Travis, yells to them. 5 Let s jump together, Pink Girl tells her friend. 6 The gigglers reach the sixth rung of the ladder before the lifeguard whistles. 7 Just one at a time! she shouts. 8 Pink Girl goes on alone, slowly. Will she change her mind, like I did last week? Will the lifeguard have to help her down the ladder while everyone stares? 9 In front of me, Travis hops around like a monkey. 10 Pink Girl jumps, her hair shooting out like a parachute. SPLASH! 11 Three kids to go. Travis steps on my foot. 12 Watch it! I snap. 13 Sorry. He moves away, just as Pink Girl s friend does a first-class belly flop. 14 My brother s face lights up. Did you see that? 15 I don t answer. Only two kids to go. 16 My stomach bubbles like a pot of oatmeal on the stove. 17 You don t have to do this, I tell myself. 18 But next week is the pool party, my brain argues. You ll be the only one who can t go on the diving board. 7

8 19 The board clunks, and a girl dives gracefully into the pool. Life is so unfair. 20 Travis is next. He scampers up the ladder and waves his skinny arms. Watch this! 21 I close my eyes, then open them just in time to see him hop off the end of the board. He pops out of the water, grinning. I can t help smiling, too. Nothing scares that kid. 22 The boy behind me taps my shoulder. It s my turn. 23 I count the rungs as I climb. 24 One. 25 Two, three. 26 Four, five, six. 27 Seven, eight. 28 Nine. 29 Blue water stretches out in front of me. Kids are shooting off the waterslide at the other end of the pool. A boy runs across the concrete. A lifeguard blows her whistle at him. Everywhere, everyone is moving. Except me. 30 What are you waiting for? demands a kid on the ground. 31 I step forward. The water looks so far away. 8

9 32 Then I see Travis standing by the lifeguard s chair, shivering. His eyes lock on mine. You can do it! he yells. 33 That s what I ve always told him: When he was learning to tie his shoes. Or write his name. Or ride his bike without training wheels. You can do it. 34 I take a deep breath and step out into nothing. My body drops, my stomach rises. Then my toes slice the water and I plunge deep. I flap my arms and pull myself to the surface, where my face finds the sun. I DID IT! 35 Travis is doing a happy dance. 36 I climb out, dripping. Hey, I say, like I ve been doing this forever. Let s go again. Answer the questions below. 1. Read the sentence from paragraph 8. Pink Girl goes on alone, slowly. Will she change her mind, like I did last week? Will the lifeguard have to help her down the ladder while everyone stares? What does this paragraph help the reader understand about Taylor? a. It shows that Taylor dislikes Pink Girl. b. It shows that Taylor doesn t want to go off the diving board alone. c. It shows that Taylor changes her mind often. d. It shows that Taylor tried to go off the diving board last week but got scared and had to have the lifeguard help her down. 2. Why is Taylor willing to try diving again? a. She doesn t want Pink Girl to make fun of her. b. She wants to be ready for her upcoming pool party. c. She promised her brother. d. The lifeguard encouraged her to try again. 3. In paragraph 16, it says: My stomach bubbles like a pot of oatmeal on the stove. The author wrote this to show: a. Taylor s nervousness b. Taylor s sickness c. Taylor s anger d. Taylor s frustration 9

10 4. What does the story mostly show about Taylor s relationship with her brother, Travis? a. They are competitive with each other. b. Travis drives Taylor crazy. c. They encourage each other. d. Taylor often ignores Travis. 5. As she waits her turn, how does Taylor feel about jumping off the diving board? Use two details from the story to support your answer. 10

11 Fiction Practice Passage #2 Thomas and his grandfather are fishing off a pier for trout. They have been fishing for quite a while. Go Fish by Mary Stolz 1 How long do we have to be patient? Thomas asked. 2 As long as it takes, said Grandfather. 3 This didn t sound good. Thomas scowled, scratched his arm, his head, his ankle. He shifted from one leg to the other. 4 Observe, Thomas, how quietly they wait the pelicans and our friend the heron. They don t wriggle and writhe, like some I could name. 5 They don t have anything to do but wait. 6 Thomas, I ve said it before and I say it again, you are a restless boy. 7 I know, Thomas said. Grandfather? 8 Yes, Thomas? 9 When you were a boy, were you restless? 10 Grandfather tipped his head till his beard pointed at the sky. I ll cast my mind back. 11 Thomas waited. 12 Grandfather lowered his chin, looked into Thomas s eyes. I was, he said. 13 Oh, good. 14 Grandfather threw out their lines again, handed Thomas his pole. They went on being patient. 15 They d had a few strikes, but each time the fish got the bait and Thomas and Grandfather got nothing. 16 All part of the game, Grandfather would say, calmly rebaiting. 11

12 17 Thomas landed a blowfish. It came out of the water already starting on its defense. Breathing deeply, it began to puff up, swelling until it looked like a bubblegum bubble with spines. 18 Thinks he looks pretty fierce, doesn t he, Grandfather? 19 He does look fierce, for a fellow his size. Grandfather dropped the stiff little blown-up blowfish into the water, where it slimmed down and swam off as if nothing unusual had happened. 20 They caught a flounder. 21 Flounders are bottom fish, and mostly spend their lives buried in sand. Their eyes are on top of their heads, they are flat as plates, and the one they caught was too small to keep. Carefully, Grandfather slid it back into the water. Too bad. Flounder were good eating. Especially the way Grandfather prepared them. 22 Thinking about Grandfather s cooking made Thomas s mouth water. 23 You re a very good cook, Grandfather, he said. 24 True. 25 I m getting kind of hungry. 26 So am I, said Grandfather. He did not sound ready to quit. 27 Thomas sighed and moved his rod gently up and down. 28 They caught a ladyfish. These are not good eating. 29 Grandfather was about to toss it back when the heron darted forward and took it right from his hand, then tossed his head up and set about swallowing. 30 Thomas watched as the bony fish went down the bird s long neck. 31 I m glad we don t have to swallow whole fish that way, he said. 32 So am I, said Grandfather. 33 Suddenly Thomas s rod dipped. A fish flipped out of the water a long way off. 34 Speckled trout, said Grandfather. A big one. Gently, now, Thomas. You don t want him to throw the hook. 12

13 35 I m trying, Thomas said, turning the reel as slowly as he could. He wished Grandfather would take over, but didn t ask. 36 Grandfather believed it was every man to his own fish. 37 Slowly, slowly, he reeled in his trout until it was close enough for Grandfather to scoop up with the net. He was willing to do that. 38 By golly, Thomas! he shouted. Look at the size of him! 39 Thomas, swelling like a blowfish, regarded his catch proudly. He ll have to go in the book, won t he, Grandfather? 40 He certainly will. A page to himself, like the snook we caught. 41 You caught. 42 All right. I caught. But this is your fish, and you are the one to write him in the book. 43 Oh, good, Thomas said happily. 44 Now let s go to it, said Grandfather. This crowd of trout is here, and we have to strike before they take off. 45 In the excitement, Thomas forgot to be tired. 46 Side by side, he and his grandfather caught fifteen trout and had to send only three of them back to sea to grow bigger and maybe be caught another day. 47 Twelve good-sized fish. Grandfather would keep out enough for tonight and tomorrow s dinner, and freeze the rest for later eating. 48 Thomas swallowed hungrily, thinking about dinner. 49 All right, Grandfather said at last. Let s go home. 50 Collecting their gear, richer by twelve speckled trout, they clanked back up the beach. 13

14 1. Which line from the best text shows Grandfather s patience? a. Thomas, I ve said it before and I say it again, you are a restless boy. b. Grandfather tipped his head till his beard pointed at the sky. c. All part of the game, Grandfather would say, calmly rebaiting. d. Grandfather believed it was every man to his own fish. 2. Based on the selection, what is the most likely reason Grandfather doesn t help Thomas reel in the fish? a. Grandfather doesn t know how to reel in trout. b. Grandfather wants Thomas to experience the challenge of reeling in a fish all by himself. c. Grandfather is angry with Thomas for being impatient. d. Grandfather is busy catching his own fish. 3. Why is Thomas swelling like a blowfish in paragraph 39? Use two details from the story to support your response. 14

15 4. Thomas s mood changes from the beginning of the story to the end. How does Thomas feel at the beginning of the story? How does he feel at the end? Why does his mood change? Use details from the story to support your response. In your response, be sure to explain how Thomas feels at the beginning of the story explain how Thomas feels at the end of the story explain why his mood changes use details from the story to support your response 15

16 Fiction Practice Passage #3 Read this passage about Katie and her sister, Lynn. Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata 1 My sister, Lynn, taught me my first word: kira-kira. I pronounced it ka-a-ahhh, but she knew what I meant. Kira-Kira means glittering in Japanese. Lynn told me that when I was a baby, she used to take me onto our empty road at night, where we would lie on our backs and look at the stars while she said over and over, "Katie, say 'kira-kira, kira-kira.'" I loved that word! When I grew older, I used kira-kira to describe everything I liked: the beautiful blue sky, puppies, kittens, butterflies, colored Kleenex. 2 My mother said we were misusing the word; you could not call a Kleenex kira-kira. She was dismayed over how un-japanese we were and vowed to send us to Japan one day. I didn t care where she sent me, so long as Lynn came along. 3 I was born in Iowa in I know a lot about when I was a little girl, because my sister used to keep a diary. Today I keep her diary in a drawer next to my bed. 4 I like to see how her memories were the same as mine, but also different. For instance, one of my earliest memories is of the day Lynn saved my life. I was almost five, and she was almost nine. We were playing on the empty road near our house. Fields of tall corn stretched into the distance wherever you looked. A dirty gray dog ran out of the field near us, and then he ran back in. Lynn loved animals. Her long black hair disappeared into the corn as she chased the dog. The summer sky was clear and blue. I felt a brief fear as Lynn disappeared into the cornstalks. When she wasn t in school, she stayed with me constantly. Both our parents worked. Officially, I stayed all day with a lady from down the road, but unofficially, Lynn was the one who took care of me. 5 After Lynn ran into the field, I couldn t see anything but corn. 6 Lynnie! I shouted. We weren t that far from our house, but I felt scared. I burst into tears. 16

17 7 Somehow or other, Lynn got behind me and said, Boo! and I cried some more. She just laughed and hugged me and said, You re the best little sister in the world! I liked it when she said that, so I stopped crying. 8 The dog ran off. We lay on our backs in the middle of the road and stared at the blue sky. Some days nobody at all drove down our little road. We could have lain on our backs all day and never got hit. 9 Lynn said, The blue of the sky is one of the most special colors in the world, because the color is deep but see-through both at the same time. What did I just say? 10 The sky is special. 11 The ocean is like that too, and people s eyes. 12 She turned her head toward me and waited. I said, "The ocean and people's eyes are special too." 13 That s how I learned about eyes, sky, and ocean: the three special, deep, colored, seethrough things. I turned to Lynnie. Her eyes were deep and black, like mine. 14 The dog burst from the field suddenly, growling and snarling. Its teeth were long and yellow. We screamed and jumped up. The dog grabbed at my pants. As I pulled away, the dog ripped my pants and his cold teeth touched my skin. Aaahhhhh! I screamed. 15 Lynn pulled at the dog s tail and shouted at me, Run, Katie, run! I ran, hearing the dog growling and Lynnie grunting. When I got to the house, I turned around and saw the dog tearing at Lynn s pants as she huddled over into a ball. I ran inside and looked for a weapon. I couldn t think straight. I got a milk bottle out of the fridge and ran toward Lynn and threw the bottle at the dog. The bottle missed the dog and broke on the street. The dog rushed to lap up the milk. 16 Lynn and I ran toward the house, but she stopped on the porch. I pulled at her. Come on! 17 She looked worried. He s going to cut his tongue on the glass. 18 Who cares? 17

18 19 But she got the water hose and chased the dog away with the water, so it wouldn t hurt its tongue. That s the way Lynn was. Even if you tried to kill her and bite off her leg, she still forgave you. 20 This is what Lynn said in her diary from that day: 21 The corn was so pretty. When it was all around me, I felt like I wanted to stay there forever. Then I heard Katie crying, and I ran out as fast as I could. I was so scared. I thought something had happened to her! Later, when the dog attacked me, Katie saved my life. 22 I didn t really see things that way. If she hadn t saved my life first, I wouldn t have been able to save her life. So, really, she s the one that saved me. 1) What is the meaning of the word constantly as the narrator uses it in paragraph 4 of Kira-Kira? a. often b. all the time* c. once in a while d. sometimes 2.) Which detail from Kira-Kira uses a word or phrase that also means constantly? a. Lynn told me that when I was a baby, she used to take me onto our empty road at night, where we would lie on our backs and look at the stars while she said over and over, Katie, say 'kira-kira, kirakira.' " b. She was dismayed over how un-japanese we were and vowed to send us to Japan one day. c. The blue of the sky is one of the most special colors in the world, because the color is deep but see-through both at the same time. d. The dog burst from the field suddenly, growling and snarling. 18

19 3.) How are the events in paragraphs 1 and 2 important to the theme of the story? a. They list the many lessons that Lynn taught her younger sister, Katie. b. They explain that Katie s family had very high expectations of her when she was young. c. They show how strong the relationship is between Katie and Lynn. d. They introduce the idea that Katie and Lynn want to learn more about the Japanese language. 4.) Which sentence from the story provides the best support for the answer in Question 3? a. My sister, Lynn, taught me my first word: kira-kira. b. When I grew older, I used kira-kira to describe everything I liked: the beautiful blue sky, puppies, kittens, butterflies, colored Kleenex. c. She was dismayed over how un- Japanese we were and vowed to send us to Japan one day. d. I didn t care where she sent me, so long as Lynn came along. 5.) In this passage, the sisters both took actions to help one another. Describe how Lynn and Katie saved each other. Use details from the text to support your response. 19

20 Fiction Practice Passage #4 In this passage, Mona goes to visit her grandmother in the Middle East. Sitti s Secrets By Naomi Shihab Nye 1 Once I went to visit my grandmother. My grandmother and I do not speak the same language. We talked through my father, as if he were a telephone, because he spoke both our languages and could translate what we said. 2 I called her Sitti, which means Grandma in Arabic. She called me habibi which means darling. Her voice danced as high as the whistles of birds. Her voice giggled and whooshed like wind going around corners. She had a thousand rivers in her voice. 3 A few curls of dark hair peeked out of her scarf on one side, and a white curl peeked out on the other side. I wanted her to take off the scarf so I could see if her hair was striped. 4 Soon we had invented our own language together. Sitti pointed at my stomach to ask if I was hungry. I pointed to the door to ask if she wanted to go outside. We walked to the fields to watch men picking lentils. We admired the sky with hums and claps. 5 We crossed the road to buy milk from a family that kept one spotted cow. I called the cow habibi, and it winked at me. We thanked the cow, with whistles and clicks, for the fresh milk that we carried home in Sitti s little teapot. 6 Every day I played with my cousins, Fowzi, Sami, Hani, and Hendia from next door. We played marbles together in their courtyard. Their marbles were blue and green and spun through the dust like planets. We didn t need words to play marbles. 7 My grandmother lives on the other side of the earth. She eats cucumbers for breakfast, with yogurt and bread. She bakes the big, flat bread in a round, old oven next to her house. A fire burns in the middle. 8 She pats the dough between her hands and presses it out to bake on a flat black rock in the center of the oven. My father says she has been baking that bread for a hundred years. 20

21 9 My grandmother and I sat under her lemon tree in the afternoons, drinking lemonade with mint in it. She liked me to pick bunches of mint for her. She liked to press her nose into the mint and sniff. 10 Some days we stuffed little zucchini squash with rice for dinner. We sang habibi, habibi as we stacked them in a pan. We cracked almonds and ate apricots, called mish-mish, while we worked. 11 One day Sitti took off her scarf and shook out her hair. She washed her hair in a tub right there under the sun. Her hair surprised me by being very long. And it was striped! She said it got that way all by itself. I helped her brush it out while it dried. She braided it and pinned the braid up before putting on the scarf again. 12 I felt as if I knew a secret. 13 In the evenings we climbed the stairs to the roof of Sitti s house to look at the sky, smell the air, and take down the laundry. My grandmother likes to unpin the laundry in the evening so she can watch the women of the village walking back from the spring with jugs of water on their heads. She used to do that, too. My father says the women don t really need to get water from the spring anymore, but they like to. It is something from the old days they don t want to forget. 14 One the day my father and I had to leave, everyone cried and cried. Even my father kept blowing his nose and walking outside. I cried hard when Sitti held my head against her shoulder. My cousins gave me a sack of almonds to eat on the plane. Sitti gave me a small purse she had made. She had stitched a picture of her lemon tree onto the purse with shiny thread. She popped the almonds into my purse and pulled the drawstrings tight. 1. In paragraph 6, it says: We didn t need words to play marbles. What does this mean? A. You are not supposed to talk when you play marbles. B. Mona didn t want to play with her cousins. C. The cousins were able to play a game they all knew, even though they didn t speak the same language. D. Sitti told them to play quietly. 21

22 2. Read the following line from paragraph 1. We talked through my father, as if he were a telephone, because he spoke both our languages and could translate what we said. What is the meaning of the word translate? A. repeat B. echo C. turn words into a different language D. speak English 3. Why is the setting important to this story? Use two details from the story to support your response. 22

23 4. The narrator s relationship with her grandmother develops during her visit. How does their relationship develop? How do they communicate even though they do not speak the same language? Use details from the story to support your response. In your response, be sure to explain how their relationship develops explain how they communicate use details from the story to support your response 23

24 Nonfiction Mentor Passage Read the two passages below and answer the questions. Basic Archaeology: What s a Dig? and What s a Midden? from socialstudiesforkids.com By David White, copyright Basic Archaeology: What's a Dig? 1 One of the main things archaeologists do in their line of work is the dig. This is a project designed to find out more about a specific area and what it was like many, many years ago. Archaeologists might be looking for animal skeletons or plant remains. They might be looking for weather patterns or fire damage. 2 Whatever they're looking for, it usually involves digging. Why? Well, first of all, the wind is constantly blowing fresh dirt and trash all over the world. This airborne debris lands on the ground in tiny layers. After years of these tiny layers building up, what was once on the surface is buried underground. It's not that the ground has really sunk; it's more that more layers have been added on top. 3 So, archaeologists use their pickaxes and their drills and their brushes to find and piece together clues to what happened in an area's past. And the more they find, the more they understand. 4 For instance, by discovering seeds, archaeologists can also discover what kinds of crops the people who lived there grew or, if people didn't live there at all, what kind of wild plants or fruits or vegetables grew there. 5 Also, a dig might turn up fragments of clothing or shoes, giving archaeologists clues to what kind of clothing the people who lived there wore. 6 The basic idea behind the dig is to discover the past. 24

25 Basic Archaeology: What's a Midden? 1 It might sound a little silly, but archaeologists can find out a lot about people by looking through their trash. 2 People throw away things because those things aren't important or because the people have too much of those things already. By sifting through the garbage pile of a civilization, archaeologists can find out what was important to those people (or what they had too much of). 3 Why is this important? Sometimes, garbage is all that's left of a people. Especially if that people has been conquered by others, the buildings, tools, and food was probably consumed or destroyed long ago. A people's trash, especially if it was also trash to the invaders, might be left alone, enabling archaeologists to discover more about a people who left few clues to what they liked and didn't like. 4 Did they wear certain clothes? What kinds of food did they eat? What kind of tools did they use or throw away? Answers to all these questions can be found by sifting through a midden. 5 It could also be possible to find out more about a conquered people by searching the midden of their conquerers. Some invaders, not really knowing what's valuable to the people they're conquering, might very well throw away things that are extremely valuable. It is left to archaeologists to find these things and piece together the life stories of people long since conquered. 6 One person's trash could be another person's treasure. QUESTIONS: 1. In paragraph 2 of Article 1, What s a Dig? which two words help the reader understand what the word debris means? A. Wind B. Dirt C. Trash D. Ground E. Layers F. Surface 25

26 2. What does the information in paragraph 3 in Article 1 help the reader understand about archaeologists? A. What types of tools they use B. How long it takes to complete a dig C. How many clues are found at each dig D. What they learn about people from the past 3. In paragraph 6 of Article 1, the author states, The basic ideas behind the dig is to discover the past. Draw a ring around the two paragraphs in Article 1 that support the ideas that digs can tell us specific information about people who lived in the past. 4. The following question has two parts. Answer A and then answer part B. PART A: According to Article 1, what do archaeologists study in addition to people who lived long ago? A. The reasons an areas became full of debris long ago B. The general conditions in an area long ago C. The governments of the people long ago D. The ways people worked together long ago PART B: Which details from Article 1 best supports the answer to Part A? A. It s not that the ground has really sunk; it s more that more layers have been added on top. B. And the more they find, the ore they understand. C. For instance, by discovering seeds, archaeologists can also discover what kinds of crops the people who lived there grew or, if people didn t live there at all, what kind of wild plants or fruits or vegetables grew there. D. Also, a dig might turn up fragments of clothing or shoes, giving archaeologists clues to what kind of clothing the people who lived there wore. 26

27 5. The following question has two parts. Answer Part A and then answer Part B. Part A: Which sentence best states the main idea of Article 2, What s a Midden? A. Conquering other people destroys details about the past. B. Learning about the past is more important than ever. C. Being an archaeologist is a very difficult job. D. Looking at old trash gives archaeologists useful information. Part B: Which detail from the article best support the answer to Part A? A. By sifting through the garbage pile of a civilization, archaeologists can find out what was important to those people (or what they had too much of). B. Sometimes, garbage is all that s left of a people. C. Especially if that people has been conquered by others, the buildings, tools, and food were probably consumed or destroyed long ago. D. Some invaders, not really knowing what s valuable to the people they re conquering, might very well throw away things that are extremely valuable. 6. Read the following sentence from Article 2. A people s trash, especially if it was also trash to the invaders, might be left alone, enabling archaeologists to discover more about a people who left few clues to what they liked and didn t like. Which point is the author supporting by including this sentence in the article? A. how difficult is it to learn about people based on the objects they have left behind B. that objects that were considered worthless in the past are also worthless in the present C. that throughout history people have fought over valuable objects D. why some objects people used in the past may have survived to the present 27

28 7. Based on the information in both articles, what steps would you take to do an archaeology dig at a spot where people might have lived in the past? Write an essay describing the process you would follow to learn about these people, using only the information in the articles. Be sure to include details from both articles. Write your response in the space that has been provided below. 28

29 Nonfiction Practice Passage #1 Read the excerpt from a book titled Eliza s Cherry Trees: Japan s Gift to America about a young woman who lived in Washington, D.C., in the 1800s. Then answer the questions. Eliza s Cherry Trees: Japan s Gift to America by Andrea Zimmerman 1 When she was twenty-six, Eliza bought tickets to faraway Alaska. Few tourists had ever been there. Eliza wrote reports for the newspapers back home. She loved sharing the fascinating things she saw, such as huge glaciers, spouting whales, and the native people. Eliza even wrote a book the first guidebook about Alaska. 2 When Eliza went back to Washington, it wasn t long before she started thinking about traveling again. She decided to visit her older brother, who was working in Japan. Eliza sailed across the ocean. 3 In Japan, she rode on trains, carriages, and bumpy rickshaws. She climbed mountains, ate strange foods, and visited ancient temples. Everything was so different! She studied Japanese art and learned to speak Japanese. She fell in love with Japan and its people. 4 Eliza especially loved Japanese gardens. Eliza s favorite plants, by far, were the Japanese cherry trees. Eliza called them the most beautiful thing in the world. Thousands of the trees were planted in parks and along the riverbanks. When they bloomed, the trees became clouds of pink blossoms. As the petals drifted down, it was like a pink snowfall. The Japanese people loved the cherry trees as their national symbol. Crowds gathered for picnics under the trees. People wrote poems and painted pictures to honor those sakura. 5 When Eliza came back home, she wrote a book about Japan. She wanted to share her love of Japan with other Americans. She wanted the nations of Japan and America to be friends. 6 Even though she was always thinking about her next journey, Eliza loved coming home to Washington, D.C. She was proud of America s growing capital and wanted it to look as beautiful as any city in the world. 7 She thought about the muddy land from a recent construction project in the swampy area around the riverbank. Eliza had a wonderful idea. She remembered the beautiful cherry trees in Japan. She thought, That s what Washington needs! 29

30 8 Eliza told the man in charge of the Washington parks about the wonderful cherry trees. She showed him photographs that she had taken. She told him about her plan to plant hundreds of cherry trees down by the water. He said no. He believed that they didn t need any different kind of tree in Washington. 9 But Eliza knew that sometimes when you have a good idea, you have to keep trying. So she waited. When a new parks man was hired, she told him about her good idea. He, too, said no. 10 Eliza kept traveling. She also met with friends who loved to travel. Some of these friends had started the National Geographic Society. The society was for people who wanted to learn more about the world. 11 Eliza was the first woman to have an important job there, and she helped the society grow. She wrote many articles and books. Eliza made more trips to Japan, Alaska, and Europe, and she explored India, China, Russia, and Java, an island of Indonesia. 12 Eliza also became a photographer. Not many women did that, either. She took pictures for the Smithsonian Institution and recorded people and places that Americans had never seen. 13 But Eliza didn t forget about the cherry trees, and she didn t give up. She kept trying for more than twenty years! Every time a new man was hired to be in charge of the parks department, Eliza went to tell him about her idea. Each one said no. 14 In 1909, William Howard Taft had just been elected president. Eliza had another good idea. She knew that sometimes people in politics could help get things done. She wrote a letter to the president s wife, Mrs. Taft. Eliza told Mrs. Taft about her plan to make Washington more beautiful with the lovely cherry trees. She was afraid the answer would be no again. 15 But Mrs. Taft loved the idea! With the help of Mr. Takamine, a generous Japanese scientist, they had the trees sent from Japan. 16 Everyone was happily waiting for the trees to arrive. Eliza imagined the beautiful pink clouds of blossoms that would soon be blossoming in Washington. 17 In January of 1910, two thousand cherry trees arrived. They were given as a gift from Japan s capital city, Tokyo. But there was a problem. The trees had diseases and bugs. Inspectors were afraid they would make American trees sick. The president agreed. He signed an order for all the cherry trees to be burned to ashes. 18 Eliza was so disappointed. She was also afraid that the Japanese people would be offended. But the mayor of Tokyo said that they understood. He even joked about George Washington chopping down a cherry tree. 30

31 19 New trees were carefully grown in Japan. In March of 1912, three thousand new trees arrived. They were inspected and declared healthy! 20 On March 27, 1912, there was a small ceremony at the planting of the first two cherry trees. Eliza watched as her longtime dream was finally coming true. 21 Over the years, the trees grew, and every spring, they bloomed. People began gathering to enjoy them and to celebrate their beauty, just like in Japan. Eliza was happy to see how they helped turn Washington, D.C., into one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Answer the following questions. 1. The article includes these details about Eliza s life She wrote newspaper articles to tell others about what she saw in Alaska to inform those who had not seen these She wrote the first guidance book about Alaska She was the first woman to work at the National Geographic Society, where she wrote many articles and books What do these details help show about Eliza? a. They show that she shared the benefits of her experiences with others. b. They show she had many important jobs during her lifetime, but becoming a photographer was one of her proudest memories. c. They show that she had a careful plan for everything she did in her life. d. They show that she wasn t afraid to travel. 2. Based on the text, which word best describes Eliza? a. Impatient b. Determined c. Brave d. Fierce 31

32 3. There are two parts to this question. Answer Part A and then answer Part B. Part A. Which statement best describes how the events in paragraph 13 through 15 are related to each other? a. They explain how Washington DC would change if cherry trees were planted around the city. b. They show that Eliza found a new way to get cherry trees planted in Washington DC c. They compare the ways Eliza and Mrs. Taft tried to add beauty to Washington DC d. They describe how Mr. Takmine gave Eliza the idea to bring cherry trees to Washington DC Part B. Which sentence from the article best supports the answer in 3A? a. When they bloomed, the trees became clouds of pink blossoms. b. She kept trying for more than twenty years! c. She wrote a letter to the president s wife, Mrs. Taft. d. With the help of Mr. Takamine, a generous Japanese scientist, they had the trees sent from Japan. 4. Eliza faced many challenges as she tried to bring cherry trees to Washington, D.C. Using details from the text, describe some of the challenges she faced. 32

33 Copycat Elephants by Michael Thai What do elephants and parrots have in common? 1 You may have seen a talking parrot on a TV show, in a movie, or even in someone s home. The parrot has learned to copy sounds that people make. Birds are not the only animals that can copy the noises they hear. Dolphins, bats, and some apes also mimic sounds. Now we can add elephants to this list of copycats. 2 Dr. Joyce H. Poole is a zoologist. She studies the sounds of elephants. While she was in Kenya, she would hear strange noises made by Mlaika after sunset. Mlaika was a 10-year-old African elephant. 3 Mlaika lived near a highway. Dr. Poole says, I could not tell the difference between Mlaika s call and the distant truck noise. She and other scientists studied Mlaika s sounds. It turned out that Mlaika was copying the sounds of the trucks driving by. Chirping Elephants 4 Mlaika was not the only copycat elephant, Dr. Poole says. Calimero is a 23-year-old male African elephant. He spent 18 years with two female Asian elephants. Asian elephants make chirping sounds to talk with one another. African elephants usually do not make chirping sounds. But Calimero now does. He is copying his Asian elephant friends. 5 Only a few other mammals, such as bats, dolphins, and humans, have learned to copy noises around them. Many of them seem to copy the sounds of friends to create a special bond. 6 Dr. Poole says that elephants, too, need to form bonds with their family and friends. She says, They make sounds to communicate with each other. When they are separated, they use sound to keep in contact. 7 Why would Mlaika copy trucks that she heard going by on the highway? Animals that are able to mimic sounds may enjoy practicing new sounds. When they are kept outside of their natural environment, they may copy unusual sounds. That may be why an elephant would copy the sound of a truck. 8 Parrots, dolphins, humans, and elephants show that being a copycat is one way that animals and people make new friends and keep old ones. 33

34 1. Which detail about Mlaika helps explain the strange sounds she was making? a. She was an African elephant. b. She lived in Kenya. c. She lived near a highway. d. She was ten years old. 2. Which paragraph in the article shows how people are most like the animals? a. paragraph 2 b. paragraph 3 c. paragraph 5 d. paragraph 7 3. Which detail best supports the article s main idea? a. Parrots copy human sounds. b. People copy sounds and noises. c. Mlaika is one of the elephants that copy sounds. d. Dr. Joyce H. Poole studies mammals that copy sounds. 4. Read the sentence from paragraph 7. When they are kept outside of their natural environment, they may copy unusual sounds. What is the meaning of environment in this sentence? a. the work a person or animal does b. the place a person or animal lives c. the family a person or animal has d. the noise a person or animal makes 5. Read the sentence from the article. It turned out that Mlaika was copying the sounds of the trucks driving by. (paragraph 3) How does paragraph 7 support this sentence? a. It gives a new example of Mlaika copying sounds. b. It shows how Mlaika enjoyed studying the trucks. c. It gives a possible reason for Mlaika copying sounds. d. It shows how Mlaika learned to make the truck sounds. 34

35 6. Read the sentence from paragraph 6. Dr. Poole says that elephants, too, need to form bonds with their family and friends. Which action in the article best shows the forming of a bond? a. imitating a truck b. talking on television c. learning to chirp d. studying animal sounds 7. Based on information from this article, explain why elephants may copy sounds they hear. Use details from the text to support your response. 35

36 Nonfiction Practice Passage #3 What is Antarctica? What is Antarctica? 1 Antarctica is a continent. It is Earth s fifth largest continent. Antarctica is covered in ice. Antarctica covers Earth s South Pole. What is Antarctica Like? 2 Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. The temperature in the winter is cold enough to freeze water all the time. The temperature in the middle of Antarctica is much colder than the temperature on the coasts. 3 It has two seasons: summer and winter. Earth is tilted in space and the direction of tilt never changes. During summer, Antarctica is on the side of Earth tilted toward the sun. It is always sunny. In winter, Antarctica is on the side of the Earth tilted away from the sun. Then, the continent is always dark. 4 Antarctica is a desert. It does not rain or snow a lot there. When it snows, the snow does not melt and builds up over many years to make large, thick sheets of ice, called ice sheets. Antarctica is made up of lots of ice in the form of glaciers, ice shelves and icebergs. 5 Antarctica has no trees or bushes. The only plants that can live in a place that cold are moss and algae. Who Lives in Antarctica? 6 Antarctica is too cold for people to live there for a long time. Scientists take turns going there to study the ice. Tourists visit Antarctica in the summers. The oceans around Antarctica are home to many types of whales. Antarctica is also home to seals and penguins. What Can NASA Learn About Earth From Studying Antarctica? 7 NASA uses satellites to study Antarctica. NASA wants to know how Antarctica is changing. Scientists want to know what the changes in Earth s climate are doing to Antarctica s ice sheets. They also want to know what changes in Antarctica s ice might do to Earth s climate. 8 One tool that NASA uses is ICESat. That stands for the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite. Using ICESat, NASA can measure changes in the size of Antarctica s ice sheets. ICESat also helps NASA understand how changing polar ice may affect the rest of the planet. Melting ice sheets in Antarctica may change sea levels all over the world. 9 NASA instruments have also helped scientists create detailed maps of Antarctica. 36

37 These maps help researchers when planning trips to Antarctica. They also give people a clearer view of the continent. What Can NASA Learn About Space From Studying Antarctica? 10 Antarctica is a good place to find meteorites that are easier to see on the white ice. Also, meteorites that fall to Antarctica are protected by the ice for a long time. 11 NASA sends teams to Antarctica to learn more about the planet Mars. Antarctica and Mars have a lot in common. Both places are cold. Both places are dry like a desert. NASA tested robots in Antarctica that later landed on Mars. 12 NASA also goes to Antarctica to study astronaut nutrition. Like people who are in Antarctica in the winter, astronauts in space are not in the sunlight. The sun helps the human body make vitamins. Scientists study people who visit Antarctica to learn how to help astronauts in space get enough vitamins According to the article, NASA studies Antarctica for all of the following reasons EXCEPT A Antarctica helps us understand ice. B Antarctica helps us understand important rare plants. C Antarctica is a good place to find meteorites. D Antarctica is a good place to test robots. 2. Read these two sentences from paragraph 3: In winter, Antarctica is on the side of the Earth tilted away from the sun. Then, the continent is always dark. Which statement describes the relationship between these two sentences? A The sentences contrast two events. B The sentences describe two steps in the same process. C The first sentence explains the reason for the second. D The second sentence gives the cause of the first. 37

38 3. What can NASA learn from studying people living in Antarctica that would help astronauts? A the nutritional effects of a long term lack of sunlight B the extra vitamins the body has to make during the winter C the seasons when astronauts would have the best nutrition in space D the types of vitamins the body needs when it is exposed to the sun 4. According to the passage, the changing size of Antarctica s ice sheets has an effect on A living conditions on the continent B the temperature of the air and clouds C the amount of wildlife that can survive there D. sea levels all around the world 5. Which heading in the article would you look under to find out about the weather in Antarctica? A What is Antarctica Like? B Who Lives in Antarctica? C What Can NASA Learn About Earth From Studying Antarctica? D What Can NASA Learn About Space From Studying Antarctica? 38