Student Team Literature Standardized Reading Practice Test The Dream Keeper and Other Poems (Alfred A. Knopf, 1994) 4.

Transcription

1 Reading Vocabulary Student Team Literature Standardized Reading Practice Test The Dream Keeper and Other Poems (Alfred A. Knopf, 1994) DIRECTIONS Choose the word that means the same, or about the same, as the underlined word. Circle the letter for the answer you have chosen. SAMPLE A Melodies means A sorrows B ideas C poems D tunes 1. Strife is the same as A joy or pleasure B conflict or struggle C concern or worry D noise or confusion 2. Ancient means F very old G very valuable H very ugly J very beautiful 4. Barren means F rude and thoughtless G sad and hopeless H empty and lifeless J broken and useless 5. To whirl is to A stop suddenly B dig a hole C make a mess D spin around 6. A victim is F a person with a hot temper G a person who helps others H a person who has suffered J a person who has caused suffering 7. Ambiguity in a poem involves A more than one rhythm B more than one possible meaning C more than one writer D more than one kind of irony 3. Soaring is the same as A swimming B flying C burning D shouting Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

2 DIRECTIONS Read the excerpt in the box, then choose the answer in which the underlined word is used in the same way. Circle the letter for the answer you have chosen. SAMPLE B Face the wall with the dark closed gate... In which sentence does the word face mean the same thing as in the line above? A That man s face looks familiar to me. B The face of my watch became cloudy after I accidentally wore it swimming. C I didn t think I could face my teacher after forgetting to do my homework again. D The entire unit of soldiers turned sharply at the command Face left! 8. Beat with bare, brown fists And wait. In which sentence does the word beat mean the same thing as in the lines above? F I forgot to take my key with me, so I had to beat on the door until my sister let me in. G Police officers in some neighborhoods now use bicycles to patrol their beat. H When Aunt Rosie listens to the radio, she likes to follow the beat by tapping her foot. J Jamal is the best sprinter in the city, so he is the one to beat if you want to win. 9. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes In which sentence does the word company mean the same thing as in the lines above? A This is the largest manufacturing company in the state, and it employs several thousand workers. B The commanding officers said that my brother s company was being prepared for combat. C My sister and I enjoy each other s company now more than we did when we were younger. D Momma told me to spread a tablecloth and set out the best dishes for our company. 10. dawn today Broad arch above the road we came. We march! In which sentence does the word march mean the same thing as in the lines above? F The next piece on our school band program is a march by John Philip Sousa. G Hundreds of people came to march at City Hall to demand better care for the homeless. H March is the windiest month of the year. J The march of the penguins every year in Antarctica is an amazing event of nature. 11. Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly In which sentence does the word fly mean the same thing as in the lines above? A The outfielder caught the fly ball and the baseball game was over. B Momma said she could not enjoy her dinner as long as that pesky fly kept buzzing around the table. C Grandpa carefully tied a fly onto his fishing line. D If you want your kite to fly well on a windy day, you should give it a weighted tail. 2 Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 2012

3 DIRECTIONS As you read each excerpt, use the other words in the excerpt to help you figure out what the underlined word means. Circle the letter for the answer you have chosen. SAMPLE C I ve been a singer I ve carried my sorrow songs. I made ragtime. Ragtime is-- A a contact sport B a children s game C a new style in fashion D a kind of music 14. O, sweep of stars over Harlem streets, O, little breath of oblivion that is night. Oblivion in these lines suggests F noise and confusion G quiet and forgetfulness H anger and bitterness J music and celebration 15. Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die In these lines, fast means-- A quickly B tightly C without eating D without sleeping 12. I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep. Lulled means -- F disturbed G angered H soothed J frightened 13. I ve been a worker. Under my hands the pyramids arose. I made mortar for the Woolworth Building. Mortar is-- A a building material B a style of artwork C a design or plan D an ad campaign Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

4 Reading Comprehension DIRECTIONS Read each passage, then read each question about the passage. Decide which is the best answer to the question. Circle the letter for the answer you have chosen. SAMPLE D From Minstrel Man Because my mouth Is wide with laughter You do not hear My inner cry? Because my feet Are gay with dancing You do not know I die? 1 The tone of this stanza can be described as A happy B bitter C peaceful D determined 2 This selection includes all of the following poetic devices except F rhyme G rhythm H parallel structure J simile 4 Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 2012

5 From Song Open wide your arms to life, Whirl in the wind of pain and strife, Face the wall with the dark, closed gate, Beat with bare, brown fists And wait. 1. To whom do you think the poet is probably mainly speaking in this selection? A young athletes B young African Americans C wealthy people D travelers 2. Which of the following best expresses the theme of this poem? F Injustice must be accepted as something that cannot be avoided. G People must fight injustice with courage and determination. H Anyone can succeed if he or she tries hard enough. J It is better to pursue a goal that is not too hard to reach. 3. What does the wall with the dark, closed gate probably symbolize? A discouragement or despair B illness or death C barriers to success set up by society or circumstances D the comfort zone of familiar people and situations 4. In which lines of this selection do we find examples of alliteration? F lines 1 and 3 G lines 2 and 4 H lines 4 and 5 J none of the above 5. Which of the following poetic devices is not found in line 2 ( Whirl in the wind of pain and strife )? A simile B metaphor C alliteration D sensory imagery GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

6 From The Negro I am a Negro: Black as the night is black, Black like the depths of my Africa. I ve been a slave: Caesar told me to keep his door-steps clean. I brushed the boots of Washington. I ve been a worker: Under my hand the pyramids arose. I made mortar for the Woolworth Building. I ve been a singer: All the way from Africa to Georgia I carried my sorrow songs. I made ragtime 6. The voice used by the poet in this selection is that of F himself as an individual. G African Americans in the twentieth century. H black people throughout history. J victims of injustice throughout history. 7. This poem reflects A the contributions to culture and civilization made by people of African heritage. B the injustices suffered by people of African heritage. C both A and B D neither A nor B 8. Which of the following words best describes the tone of this selection? F resignation G anger H despair J dignity 9. Which of the following terms could be used to describe the structure of this selection? A parallelism B alliteration C rhythm D rhyme 10. This poem expresses the poet s belief that F the experience of black people in America is unlike anything previously known in world history. G the experience of black people in America is similar to experiences black people have known throughout history. H the experience of black people in America is similar to that of other minority groups around the world. J black people s contributions to American culture have always been highly regarded. GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE 6 Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 2012

7 From Mother to Son Well, son, I ll tell you: Life for me ain t been no crystal stair. It s had tacks in it, And splinters, And boards torn up, And places with no carpet on the floor Bare. But all the time I se been a-climbin on, And reachin landin s, And turnin corners, And sometimes goin on in the dark Where there ain t been no light 11. We can infer that the voice in this poem is that of A a young mother B an older woman C Langston Hughes D a building contractor 12. This poem is built on which of the following poetic devices? F simile G alliteration H personification J extended metaphor 13. The second line of this excerpt ( Life for me ain t been no crystal stair ) is an example of A understatement B personification C apostrophe D parallelism 14. Which of the following probably does not describe the speaker in this poem? F determined G highly educated H courageous J hard-working 15. In the graphic organizer below, some of the details in the description of the stairway are listed in the left-hand column. The right-hand column suggests a possible meaning for each detail. Which of the following phrases best fits the space marked X? A working the night shift B ignoring the warnings of others C going out in the evening D persevering in times of uncertainty Details of the Stairway Tacks and splinters No carpet; bare Corners to turn Going on in the dark Possible Meanings Hardships and obstacles Lack of comfort Changes in life circumstances X Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland