TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET FOR NORTH CAROLINA NORTH CAROLINA END OF GRADE 6 READING

Transcription

1 TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET FOR NORTH CAROLINA NORTH CAROLINA END OF GRADE 6 READING EMCParadigm Publishing Saint Paul, Minnesota

2 Staff Credits Editorial Laurie Skiba Editor Lori Ann Coleman Middle School Editor Brenda Owens High School Editor Diana Moen Associate Editor Gia Marie Garbinsky Assistant Editor Jennifer Joline Anderson Assistant Editor Janice Johnson Curriculum Specialist Paul Spencer Art and Photo Researcher Chris Bohen Editorial Assistant Chris Nelson Editorial Assistant Katherine S. Link Editorial Assistant Design Shelley Clubb Production Manager Michelle Lewis Senior Design Specialist Cover Credits Cover Designer: C. Vern Johnson Saint George and the Dragon [Detail], c.1400s. Spanish Artist. The Fate of Animals [Detail], Franz Marc. Tornado Over Kansas [Detail], John Stuart Curry. 2001, 2006 by EMC Corporation All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be adapted, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without permission from the publisher. Published by EMC/Paradigm Publishing 875 Montreal Way St. Paul, Minnesota educate@emcp.com

3 Contents Reading Reading Reading Reading Reading Reading Reading Reading Reading Reading Reading Reading Answer Key EMC DISCOVERING LITERATURE TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET iii

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5 READING 1 DIRECTIONS Read the passage. Then read the questions that follow the passage. Decide which is the best answer in each question. Mark the letter for that answer. Anne Frank Anne Frank was a Jewish German teenager who lived and wrote during a dark period in the history of Europe. The Nazi party, led by Adolf Hitler, rose to power in Germany in Hitler promised jobs and prosperity for a troubled Germany, but he was a ruthless and cruel dictator. He blamed Germany s problems on the Jews, and his mission was to destroy the Jewish population. Anne Frank was born in Germany in Her family moved to Holland in 1933 when it became clear to her parents that, as German Jews, their lives would be in danger. In 1940, German soldiers invaded Holland, bringing the anti-jewish laws that already existed in Germany. Jews were forced to wear yellow stars to identify themselves as Jews, and they were no longer allowed to ride bikes, ride trains, or drive. They were ordered indoors by eight o clock in the evening, and Jewish children were forbidden to attend school with other children. Jews were not allowed to hold certain jobs, so many of them could no longer make a living. In addition to being forced to live by these rules, Jewish men, women, and children were brought to prison-like work camps called concentration camps. Frank s older sister, Margot, was ordered to be sent to a concentration camp. To avoid separating, the Frank family moved with another family to some hidden rooms in an office building. These rooms became known as the secret annex. After two years in hiding, the group was discovered by Hitler s secret police. Anne Frank, her mother, and her sister died of disease in the Nazi camps. Today, Frank is known all over the world for her diary, which tells of the two years she spent in hiding. Her diary and other writings were found in the secret annex by friends who had been helping to hide the family. They were later given to Anne s father, the only member of the family to survive. He published them so that his family would be remembered. Since then, Anne Frank s writings have been published in many languages, inspiring courage around the world. 1. What is the main reason the Franks move to Holland? A. to escape danger B. to follow the laws C. to be closer to family D. to go to better schools 2. Who discovers the group s secret annex? A. Hitler B. Anne s teacher C. secret police D. an office worker EMC DISCOVERING LITERATURE TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET 1

6 3. What is the most likely meaning of ruthless? A. sad B. harsh C. compassionate D. confused 4. How would Anne and her family most likely feel while living in hiding from the Nazis? A. calm and peaceful B. energized and rambunctious C. scared and anxious D. confused and shy 5. At what time are Jews ordered indoors? A. 8:00 a.m. B. 8:00 p.m. C. 10:00 a.m. D. 10:00 p.m. 6. What item of clothing were Jews forced to wear to identify themselves as Jews? A. a black coat B. a red scarf C. a blue diamond D. a yellow star 7. Which of the following was the author s main purpose in writing the passage? A. to encourage the reader to study more about Anne Frank in school B. to entertain the reader with facts about Anne Frank s life C. to tell the reader about the horrors of concentration camps D. to briefly inform the reader of the struggles that Anne Frank, her family, and other Jews faced in the 1930s 2 TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET DISCOVERING LITERATURE EMC

7 READING 2 DIRECTIONS Read the passage. Then read the questions that follow the passage. Decide which is the best answer in each question. Mark the letter for that answer. excerpt from How Robin Hood Saved the Widow s Three Sons One fine morning, Robin Hood was walking down a lane toward Nottingham town. He was dressed in the colors of green and brown. A fine figure he made as he wandered down. But as he continued, he heard a terrible wailing. Turning a corner, he found an widow weeping. What, pray tell, is troubling you? Robin asked the woman. He knew her well, for he had often dined at her hearth with her sons, who were counted among his followers. Down the way, my three sons are to be hanged today, she replied. What have they done to deserve such a punishment? Have they stolen? Have they killed a priest? Have they burned down a church? No, none of those have they done. They are to be killed because they killed the king s deer. Following your ways, they shot it with their longbows and twas their bad fortune that the sheriff should happen by, she cried. That s no crime as I see it, said Robin. You have told me just in time. If they are to be hanged today, I must be along quickly now. And he hurried off, towards the site of gallows. As he walked, he pondered how to save the widow s sons. I need some sort of disguise, to get me in to the town without the sheriff knowing, he thought. At that moment, he happened upon an old man dressed in rags, a palmer back from his journey to the Holy Land. What news have you? Robin asked the man. There s to be a hanging today three hangings to be exact. And a shame it is. For the three who are to be hanged are no villains, I say. Why then are they to be hanged? asked Robin. The sheriff finds killing the king s deer to be a crime. He wishes to make an example, for he is charged with stopping the hunting of the king s beasts. Yet, he sees nothing wrong with the likes of me and the likes of the three going hungry for want of meat, when a bit of venison would be a treat. Robin looked at the man shrewdly. Thank you for the news, good man. And for your troubles, I propose a trade. I will give you my clothes and thirty silver coins in exchange for your clothes. What say you? Don t poke fun at an old man, who had but little in this life, he protested. I am in earnest. Come, come, I haven t all day, urged Robin. I ll give you these pieces of gold for your hat and your cloak, and your tattered old breaches. Tis not a fair trade, thought the man, but it will do me a world of good. So he did not protest when Robin plucked the hat from his head and placed it on his own. Robin dressed himself in the patched breeches and the threadbare cloak. He tucked his arrows under his clothes, unstrung his bow and leaned upon it as a staff. He had his disguise, and he thought, perhaps, a plan. 1. What does the phrase poke fun at mean? A. hurt B. play with C. jab D. tease EMC DISCOVERING LITERATURE TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET 3

8 2. How does the beggar feel toward the sheriff? A. bothered by his decision to hang the boys as an example B. frightened of his authority C. envious of his wealth D. confused by his willingness to trade clothes 3. Whose clothes does Robin use as a disguise? A. the sheriff s B. the king s attendant s C. the beggar s D. the widow s 4. What is the main conflict in the passage? A. man against himself B. man against evil C. man against man D. man against nature 5. What is the meaning of the word shrewdly? A. stupidly B. curiously C. wisely D. angrily 6. Based on the information given in the passage, which of the following words least describes Robin s character? A. vulnerable B. clever C. helpful D. sympathetic 7. How does Robin most likely feel at the end of the passage? A. frightened B. determined C. tired D. thrilled 4 TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET DISCOVERING LITERATURE EMC

9 READING 3 DIRECTIONS Read the passage. Then read the questions that follow the passage. Decide which is the best answer in each question. Mark the letter for that answer. Mount Vesuvius A volcano is a break, or vent, in the earth s crust where heat, gas, and molten rock can escape. Volcanoes can take many shapes, including a cone, which forms when lava and solid matter are ejected through the vent from the interior of the earth. Solid materials fall around the vent, while lava streams from the vent. The lava and other materials harden into a cone that slopes outward away from the vent. Mount Vesuvius is an example of a cone-shaped volcano. Many volcanoes are born underwater on the sea floor. Mount Vesuvius like the vast cones of the Hawaiian Islands began as an underwater volcano. In a violent eruption of a volcano, lava is highly charged with steam and other gases, such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide. The steam and other gases continuously escape from the surface of the lava with violent explosions. Lava shoots up and forms a fiery fountain of drops of ash. The lava rises in the vent and flows over the rim of the crater. After an eruption the volcano may return to an inactive, or dormant, state. Mount Vesuvius is one of many active volcanoes in the world today, having exploded many times since the fateful explosive eruption that hit Pompeii, Italy, in AD 79. The most recent eruption occurred in Which of the following statements about Mount Vesuvius is true? A. it is an active volcano today B. it is located in Hawaii C. it last erupted in 1979 D. it is shaped like a tube 2. How do the steam and other gases escape from the lava? A. by flowing over the rim B. through a vent C. with violent explosions D. they evaporate 3. What is the meaning of the word ejected? A. pulled B. guided out C. prevented from returning D. thrown out EMC DISCOVERING LITERATURE TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET 5

10 4. Which of these is the best summary of the passage? A. Volcanoes are violent eruptions of lava. B. Volcanoes take many shapes. C. Mount Vesuvius is a cone-shaped volcano, born underwater, that continues to erupt today. D. Mount Vesuvius erupted and hit Pompeii, Italy, in AD What will most likely happen to Mount Vesuvius in the future? A. it will gradually get larger B. it will probably erupt again C. it will no longer look like a cone D. it will return to the sea 6. Which resource would be best to use to find more information about volcanoes? A. a biography B. an encyclopedia C. an almanac D. a thesaurus 6 TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET DISCOVERING LITERATURE EMC

11 READING 4 DIRECTIONS Read the passage. Then read the questions that follow the passage. Decide which is the best answer in each question. Mark the letter for that answer. The Gentle Hoss Of all the things you come across, the best one is a gentle hoss. A man doesn t have to git a rope and ketch him on the flyin lope, And mebby have to ear him down, and git all shook and jerked around And mebbyso git kicked or throwed before he gits the critter rode. A gentle hoss is shore a pal. You walk into the hoss corral, You take yore bridle in yore hand and he s so gentle that he ll stand. He doesn t fight the bit aytall, and when you put on the head stall, He doesn t seem to have no fears. He knows you won t rough up his ears. He doesn t fret and fight and fuss, like some ill tempered onery cuss. He s with you all the long day through to help with what you have to do. And any time you rope and tie, he ll hold the slack and shore stand by. In case you re workin on the ground, jest drop the reins, he ll stick around. Jest think the time and work he saves; this gentle pony that behaves. A cow boy mighty soon will find he s worth three of the other kind. He wants to work and do his share and never quits you any where. Of all the things you come across, the best one is a gentle hoss. 1. Which of the following phrases from the poem is not an example of dialect? A. a man don t have to git a rope B. this gentle pony that behaves C. you take yore bridle in yore hand D. jest drop the reins EMC DISCOVERING LITERATURE TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET 7

12 2. Why does the horse have no fears when you put on the head stall? A. he knows you won t hurt his ears B. he enjoys the head stall C. he doesn t realize you re putting the head stall on D. he has no fears about anything 3. What is the tone of the poem? A. extreme excitement B. great sadness C. sincere affection D. modest concern 4. What is the rhyme scheme for The Gentle Hoss? A. aabbccdd B. ababcdcd C. aabbaabb D. abcdabcd 5. What does the speaker of the poem say that the horse will save you? A. time and money B. food and work C. money and food D. time and work 6. What will a gentle horse do if you drop the reins? A. run away B. walk back to the stables C. stay nearby D. fall asleep 8 TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET DISCOVERING LITERATURE EMC

13 READING 5 DIRECTIONS Read the passage. Then read the questions that follow the passage. Decide which is the best answer in each question. Mark the letter for that answer. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Scarborough Fair is an English folk ballad that has been sung for hundreds of years. It has often been recorded by folk artists, especially in the 1960s and 1970s. Martin Carthy, Kim Robertson, the Gilmour Brothers, and Cathy Barton and Dave Para have recorded it. Among the most well-known folk artists to perform the ballad are Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. Scarborough Fair is a song on Simon and Garfunkel s album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, recorded in About the ballad Simon said, That s a gorgeous song. I learned it from Martin Carthy. Scarborough Fair is like three hundred years old. Martin Carthy had a beautiful arrangement of it, and my arrangement was like my memory of his arrangement. The ballad is one of Garfunkel s favorite songs. Scarborough is the most natural, effortless song we ever recorded. Really, it s as if it happened through us. We just got out of the way while the music god recorded that song. Simon and Garfunkel began playing together as Tom and Jerry in the 1950s, after they met at Forest Hills High School in New York. Their career as the duo Simon and Garfunkel spanned much of the 1960s, during which they recorded a number of folk albums. Besides Scarborough Fair, some of the pair s most famous songs include Bridge over Troubled Water, The Sounds of Silence, I Am a Rock, and Homeward Bound. Simon and Garfunkel were known for their beautifully harmonized voices and unique musical style. Today Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel both are following successful solo careers. 1. What kind of music do Simon and Garfunkel sing? A. folk B. rock C. rap D. punk 2. What names did Simon and Garfunkel use when they first started playing together? A. Tom and Jerry B. Tim and Tom C. Ben and Jerry D. Sim and Gar 3. Which of the following information about Simon is given in the passage? A. he is currently struggling financially B. he felt very good about their recording of Scarborough Fair C. he was often misunderstood by Garfunkel D. he is older than Garfunkel EMC DISCOVERING LITERATURE TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET 9

14 4. Simon describes Scarborough Fair as A. lyrical B. indescribable C. effortless D. harmonious 5. Who is Martin Carthy? A. the author of Scarborough Fair B. a singer who recorded Scarborough Fair C. Garfunkel s best friend and teacher D. Simon and Garfunkel s agent 6. What were Simon and Garfunkel known for? A. their outrageous hair styles B. their beautifully harmonized voices C. their quirky style of dress D. their dedication to their work 10 TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET DISCOVERING LITERATURE EMC

15 READING 6 DIRECTIONS Read the passage. Then read the questions that follow the passage. Decide which is the best answer in each question. Mark the letter for that answer. English Underground Tunnel System In Liverpool, England, there is an underground web of tunnels built by Joseph Williamson ( ). For most of the 20 th century, these tunnels were only rumors. Williamson was not known as an architect. He was actually a wealthy tobacco agent with a compassionate heart. After the Napoleonic Wars, England was in deep recession. Unwilling to see families starve, Williamson hired unemployed men to build huge brick arches behind his house in return for an honest wage. Word got out that this man was giving men work at a good wage, so Williamson kept hiring more and more men. The result was the creation of an enormous underground tunnel system, or labyrinth. After over 150 years of exploration, scholars are still unable to map out the underground system, because it has not all been explored yet. The labyrinth has been found to be too complex and too vast to figure out. However, that has not stopped them from trying. 1. Why did Williamson build the tunnel system? A. he loved tunnels B. he wanted an escape route away from his house C. he needed a place to store his tobacco D. he wanted to give jobs to unemployed workers 2. What does the word recession mean in this passage? A. economic slump B. trouble C. denial D. sadness 3. Which of the following is an opinion in the passage? A. England went into a recession after the Napoleonic Wars. B. Not all of the labyrinth has been explored. C. Williamson was a compassionate person. D. Williamson was a tobacco agent. 4. What is Williamson known for? A. his adventurous spirit B. his bad smoking habit C. his dependability D. his compassionate heart EMC DISCOVERING LITERATURE TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET 11

16 5. What will people most likely do in the future, concerning the labyrinth? A. get lost in it B. continue to explore it C. shut it down D. forget about it 12 TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET DISCOVERING LITERATURE EMC

17 READING 7 DIRECTIONS Read the passage. Then read the questions that follow the passage. Decide which is the best answer in each question. Mark the letter for that answer. Getting into Storytelling If you are interested in storytelling, study and tell mysterious stories. See what thoughts and moods your imagination leads you to, and consider how they relate to what you see, hear, read, or feel. Each time you tell a story, you ll receive something new from it; sometimes a wordless hint, sometimes a great phrase or profound insight, sometimes a joke, sometimes all these things. Navigate your way through legends and myths with a sense of the doors that each one opens for you. In the world of legend and mythology, you can reanimate events and scenes of the past with your own thoughts and imaginations. You have felt the rays of the same sun and moon as the ancient creators. The characters in the myths share problems, hopes, and dreams with people in your own world. Your imagination will help you understand yourself. Imaginative conceptions are windows through which the heart looks and sees. Myth, legend, and story are houses of such windows. When children say to me, after I have related a fantastical sequence of events, That s not true! I reply, The outside may or may not be true, but the inside is mysteriously true. Mystery and beauty are the very fabric of the universe, and we make them come alive through oral literature. 1. The characters in myths do not share which of the following with people in your own world? A. problems B. hopes C. dreams D. illnesses 2. In this passage, what does the word fabric mean? A. cloth B. substance C. material D. center 3. If you were writing a report on this topic, which fact from the passage would be least important to include? A. You have felt the rays of the same sun and moon as the ancient creators. B. If you are interested in storytelling, study and tell mysterious stories. C. Each time you tell a story, you ll receive something new from it. D. Myth, legend, and story are houses of windows through which the heart looks and sees. EMC DISCOVERING LITERATURE TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET 13

18 4. What literary technique is used in the words, imaginative conceptions are windows through which the heart looks and sees. A. simile B. metaphor C. personification D. hyperbole 5. In what type of publication would this passage be most likely to appear? A. a short story collection B. a local newspaper C. a history textbook D. a collection of fables 6. What does the author say comes alive through oral literature? A. hopes and dreams B. thoughts and imaginations C. mystery and beauty D. thoughts and moods 14 TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET DISCOVERING LITERATURE EMC

19 READING 8 Turtles Taken off the Menu in Brazil Praia do Forte, Brazil Sea turtles used to mean no more to Ulisses Santana, a skinny fisherman in this small coastal village, than an occasional hot meal and a bit of shark bait. Today he reveres them. Two large concrete turtles mark the path to the small house he built selling papier-mache turtles to US and European tourists who flock here by the thousands. On most afternoons, you can find the former predator slopping strips of newspaper over a turtle-shaped mold. Turtles have become a big part of my life, Santana, 47, said solemnly. Today, if I or any other fisherman sees a turtle sick on the shore, we stop and try to help it. Santana s ecological conscience is the result of the dogged efforts of a pioneering project called Tamar short for tartaruga marinha, Portuguese for sea turtle. Dedicated to saving the five endangered species of sea turtles that nest on Brazil s Atlantic Coast, it has won international raves for its achievements. In the past 18 years, Tamar employees have helped release 2.8 million turtle hatchlings to the sea. They have reeducated hunters who once raided nests, supervised a growing tourist industry, drawn key government and business support, and made the huge, clumsy sea turtle a lovable and even trendy figure in Brazil. Last year, Tamar shared the J. Paul Getty Wildlife Conservation Award with two Asian groups. Brazilian Environment Minister Gustavo Krause has praised it as a landmark in the history of Brazilian marine conservation. Sea turtles have been on Earth for about 150 million years, having proved hardier than dinosaurs. But specialists said the population has been reduced by half since the 1970s, mostly due to unrestricted poaching. Today, seven of the world s eight known species of sea turtles are considered endangered. Female turtles are easy prey when they leave the sea by night to nest. Every three years or so, they return faithfully to the same stretch of coastline, even if it means traveling thousands of miles. The lumbering creatures, which can weigh 1,000 pounds or more, fall into a kind of trance, ignoring the danger from hunters eager to devour their meat and eggs and sell their shells for jewelry. To help protect the vulnerable giants, Tamar oversees 620 miles of coastline north and south of Praia do Forte, with 400 residents on the payroll as part-time beach monitors. Throughout the nesting season, each monitor takes charge of about 2 miles of beach, watching over eggs where they are laid or, if the nests are vulnerable to animals or birds, taking them to hatcheries. 1. Which resource would be best to use to find more information about turtles? A. a dictionary B. an atlas C. an encyclopedia D. a newspaper EMC DISCOVERING LITERATURE TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET 15

20 2. Why has the population of turtles been reduced by half since the 1970s? A. unrestricted poaching B. pollution C. global warming D. disease 3. Who is Ulisses Santana? A. a turtle hunter B. a restaurant owner C. a politician D. a fisherman 4. Which of the following phrases from the passage is not an example of an opinion? A. concrete turtles mark the path B. landmark in the history C. easy prey D. lumbering creatures 5. What is the meaning of dogged? A. noisy B. numerous C. persistent D. useless 6. Who is the narrator in this passage? A. Ulisses Santana B. Tamar C. Gustavo Krause D. someone who is not part of the passage 16 TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET DISCOVERING LITERATURE EMC

21 READING 9 DIRECTIONS Read the passage. Then read the questions that follow the passage. Decide which is the best answer in each question. Mark the letter for that answer. The Mindworks of Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, who used the famous pen name Lewis Carroll, had a stutter and deafness in one ear that made him shy and awkward around adults. However, when he was around children, he felt comfortable and relaxed. He always seemed happiest when spending time with his nieces and nephews or his friends children, telling them stories and teaching them games. It was during a session of storytelling that the idea for Alice in Wonderland was born. Dodgson decided to take Alice Liddell and her two sisters for a leisurely boat ride on the Thames River. To pass the time, he told the youngsters about a girl named Alice who fell down a rabbit hole. At the end of the trip, Alice Liddell asked Dodgson to write out the story he told for her. Three and a half years later, Alice s Adventures in Wonderland was published. Alice s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass the sequel to Alice are Carroll s most well-known books and are full of puzzles, games, and nonsense language. Ever since he was a young boy, Carroll had been fascinated with language and writing. He began to write letters at the age of twelve while he was at Richmond School, a school nine miles from his home. Even at this age, his writing was imaginative and nonsensical. For example, a letter he wrote to his sister Elizabeth said, I am glad to hear of the six rabbits. For the new name, after some consideration, I recommend Parellelopipedon. It is a nice and easy one to remember, and the rabbit will soon learn it. As an adult, Carroll continued to follow his out-of-the ordinary imagination. For example, he only wrote with purple colored ink. And when he would write at his writing desk, he preferred to stand, rather than sit. He invented a system of mnemonics (technique of improving memory) for remembering names and dates, and a system for writing in the dark. Carroll had another passion: mathematics. He constantly invented tricks for computing arithmetic. For example, he invented a trick for division and for finding the day of the week for any given date. He also loved to dabble in cryptology the study of code-making and code-breaking. All these interests eventually found their way into Carroll s stories. A perfect example is the poem Jabberwocky from Through the Looking-Glass. To begin with, the first stanza of the poem starts off is written backwards, in what Carroll calls looking-glass letters because one had to use a mirror in order to read it: Jabberwocky also contains words that seem to have no meaning. However, Carroll created these words with both logic and imagination. Listed below are some words from the poem as Humpty Dumpty interprets them in chapter 6 of Through the Looking-Glass. Many of these words are derived from Old English words. brillig (derived from the verb bryl or broil). Four o-clock in the afternoon the time of broiling dinner slithy (compounded of slimy and lithe). Smooth and active toves. Animals like badgers, lizards, and corkscrews that make nests under sundials and eat cheese EMC DISCOVERING LITERATURE TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET 17

22 gyre. Go round and round like a gyroscope gimble (taken from gimlet). Screw out holes in something wabe. Grass plot around the sundial mimsy (derived from flimsy and miserable). Unhappy borogroves. Thin shabby-looking birds with feathers sticking out all around; like live mops outgrabe. Past tense of outgribe, meaning to make a noise like something between bellowing and whistling, with a kind of sneeze in the middle Carroll was infamous for using word games and puzzles in his letters and in his stories. You can log on to Doublets at Thinks.com at to learn how to play word games such as doublets. To learn more about Carroll, visit the Lewis Carroll Home Page at The impact of Lewis Carroll and his stories on our society has been and continues to be phenomenal. The Alice stories (Alice s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass) have been adapted to many different art forms plays, ballets, symphonies, sculptures, animation, and movies. The language of jabberwocky has found its way to television scripts, where lines spoken by characters from The Muppet Show, Doctor Who, and Star Trek use words and phrases from the poem. There is even a frisbee sport called Jabberwock Ultimate and a video game called Secret of Mana with the main enemy named Jabberwock. Although Carroll s stories are more than a century old, his works continue to give joy and pleasure to children and adults all around the world. 1. What does the word leisurely mean? A. pleasant B. hurried C. slow D. calm 2. What is the meaning of the word phenomenal? A. scary B. startling C. breathtaking D. exceptional 3. What did Carroll feel the most at ease with? A. adults B. children C. his parents D. animals 18 TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET DISCOVERING LITERATURE EMC

23 4. What was one of Carroll s passions? A. mathematics B. psychiatry C. biology D. philosophy 5. What word means go round and round like gyroscope? A. mimsy B. brillig C. gimble D. gyre 6. What was Dodgson doing when he got the idea for Alice s Adventures in Wonderland? A. picnicking in the woods B. drinking tea with his daughter C. taking a boat ride D. chasing a rabbit out of his garden 7. What are borogroves? A. birds B. swamps C. trees D. tunnels 8. How is the first stanza of Jabberwocky written? A. in French B. using made-up words C. backwards D. upside down EMC DISCOVERING LITERATURE TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET 19

24 READING 10 DIRECTIONS Read the passage. Then read the questions that follow the passage. Decide which is the best answer in each question. Mark the letter for that answer. from As You Like It All the World s a Stage by William Shakespeare Jaques. All the world s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse s arms. Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel And shining morning face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school. And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Made to his mistress eyebrow. Then a soldier, Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon s mouth. And then the justice, In fair round belly with good capon lined, With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws and modern instances; And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts Into the lean and slippered pantaloon, With spectacles on nose and pouch on side; His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice, Turning again toward childish treble, pipes And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness and mere oblivion, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. 1. How many acts does one man play? A. one B. seven C. twenty-nine D. sixty-five 20 TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET DISCOVERING LITERATURE EMC

25 2. What is a soldier full of? A. attitude B. oaths C. opinions D. wisdom 3. How is the infant described? A. mewling and puking B. screaming and eating C. squeaking and gurgling D. howling and crying 4. What does the word satchel mean? A. books B. coat C. cape D. bag 5. What does the lover sigh like? A. a furnace B. a teapot C. the wind D. an old man EMC DISCOVERING LITERATURE TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET 21

26 READING 11 DIRECTIONS Read the passage. Then read the questions that follow the passage. Decide which is the best answer in each question. Mark the letter for that answer. excerpt from Geronimo s Story of His Life I was born in No-doyohn Canon, Arizona, June, In that country which lies around the headwaters of the Gila River I was reared. This range was our fatherland. Among these mountains our wigwams were hidden. The shattered valleys contained our fields. The boundless prairies, stretching away on every side, were our pastures. The rocky caverns were our burying places. I was fourth in a family of eight children four boys and four girls. Of that family, only myself; my brother, Porico (White Horse); and my sister, Nah-da-ste, are yet alive. We are held as prisoners of war in this Military Reservation (Fort Sill). As a babe, I rolled on the dirt floor of my father s tepee, hung in my tsoch (Apache name for cradle) at my mother s back, or suspended from the bough of a tree. I was warmed by the sun, rocked by the winds, and sheltered by the trees as other Indian babes. When I was a child, my mother taught me the legends of our people; taught me of the sun and the sky, the moon and stars, the clouds and storms. She also taught me to kneel and pray to Usen the spirit father, for strength, health, wisdom, and protection. We never prayed against any person; but if we had aught against any individual, we ourselves took vengeance. We were taught that Usen does not care for the petty quarrels of men. 1. Which of the following events is explained first in the story? A. Geronimo rolls on the floor as a baby B. Geronimo, one brother, and one sister are still alive C. Geronimo s mother teaches him to pray to Usen D. Geronimo was hung in a tsoch, attached to his mother s back 2. What is the meaning of the word vengeance? A. revenge B. mercy C. understanding D. retreat 3. Which resource would be best to use to find more information about Geronimo? A. an atlas B. a thesaurus C. a dictionary D. a biography 22 TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET DISCOVERING LITERATURE EMC

27 4. What is the author s main purpose for writing this passage? A. to inform B. to instruct C. to entertain D. to persuade 5. What point of view is used in the passage? A. first-person B. second-person C. third-person D. Usen 6. Which word best describes Geronimo s childhood? A. scary B. worldly C. nurturing D. violent EMC DISCOVERING LITERATURE TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET 23

28 READING 12 DIRECTIONS Read the passage. Then read the questions that follow the passage. Decide which is the best answer in each question. Mark the letter for that answer. excerpt from Hearing under Siege by Bob Ludlow Whether it s rock or Bach, music that s played too loud can put more than a temporary damper on your hearing. At most rock concerts and many night clubs, the sound intensity is high enough to cause irreversible damage to the delicate sensor cells lining the inner ear. Car and home stereo equipment and headphones can also harm your hearing when the volume is cranked up too high. Noted noise-pollution expert William Clark, Ph.D., a researcher at the Central Institute for the Deaf, in St. Louis, is especially troubled by reports of teenagers music listening habits. He cites recent studies of personal stereo use that indicate 5% to 10% of these young people are risking significant hearing loss. In his testimony before Congress, Clark called for mandatory warning labels to be placed on stereo equipment as well as red warnings on volume controls. But loud music is only one of the threats to good hearing that abound in everyday life. Workplace noise has long been recognized as a major cause of permanent hearing loss. And outside of work, many kinds of home and recreational equipment have the potential to damage your hearing. Power saws, leaf blowers, model airplanes, all-terrain vehicles, and firearms especially firearms are cause for concern. So are the high noise levels at automobile races, motorcycle races, and other crowded sporting events. 1. Who is William Clark? A. a musician B. a researcher C. a police officer D. a pediatrician 2. What is the tone of the passage? A. disgust B. concern C. curiosity D. confusion 3. What does the word abound mean? A. jump B. restrict C. free D. overflow 24 TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET DISCOVERING LITERATURE EMC

29 4. What is the main idea of the passage? A. Loud music can damage hearing. B. William Clark is a researcher at the Central Institute for the Deaf. C. Workplace noise causes permanent hearing loss. D. Firearms are cause for concern. 5. According to the passage, what effect does the sound intensity at most rock concerts and many night clubs do to the delicate sensor cells lining the inner ear? A. a painful ringing B. deafness C. irreversible damage D. headaches EMC DISCOVERING LITERATURE TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET 25

30 ANSWER KEY NORTH CAROLINA END OF GRADE 6 READING Answers for Reading 1 1. A 2. C 3. B 4. C 5. B 6. D 7. D Answers for Reading 2 1. D 2. A 3. C 4. C 5. C 6. A 7. B Answers for Reading 3 1. A 2. C 3. D 4. C 5. B 6. B Answers for Reading 4 1. B 2. A 3. C 4. A 5. D 6. C 26 TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET DISCOVERING LITERATURE EMC

31 Answers for Reading 5 1. A 2. A 3. B 4. C 5. B 6. B Answers for Reading 6 1. D 2. A 3. C 4. D 5. B Answers for Reading 7 1. D 2. B 3. A 4. B 5. B 6. C 7. D Answers for Reading 8 1. C 2. A 3. D 4. A 5. C Answers for Reading 9 1. C 2. D 3. B 4. A 5. D 6. C 7. A 8. C EMC DISCOVERING LITERATURE TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET 27

32 Answers for Reading B 2. B 3. A 4. D 5. A Answers for Reading B 2. A 3. D 4. A 5. A 6. C Answers for Reading B 2. B 3. D 4. A 5. C 28 TEST PREPARATION BOOKLET DISCOVERING LITERATURE EMC