INTRODUCTION TO READING AND LITERATURE SAMPLE TESTS

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1 INTRODUCTION TO READING AND LITERATURE SAMPLE TESTS The Oregon Department of Education provides sample tests to demonstrate the types of reading selections and questions students at benchmarks 1, 2, 3 and CIM might encounter on the Oregon Statewide Assessment administered each spring. Passages on the test represent literary, informative and practical reading selections students might see both in school and other daily reading activities. These sample questions were taken from previous years tests. They were designed to assess students abilities to: understand word meanings within the context of a selection; locate information in common resources; understand information that is directly stated (literal comprehension); understand ideas which are not directly stated but are implied (inferential comprehension); analyze reading selections and form conclusions about the information (evaluative comprehension); recognize common literary forms such as novels, short stories, poetry and folk tales; and analyze the use of literary elements and devices such as plot, setting, personification and metaphor. More information about these score reporting categories is included in the Standards chapter of this book. WHY PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH A SAMPLE TEST? Most students feel some anxiety as they approach a test. The more confident students are about their knowledge of the topic, the less anxious they will feel. It also may help students feel less anxious if they are familiar with the types of reading selections and questions they will encounter on the test. It is important that students feel comfortable with the test format and have some test-taking strategies to help them achieve the best possible score. HOW TO USE THE SAMPLE TEST The Oregon Department of Education updates sample tests periodically, distributing Form A in and Form B in The latest Form C for the school year is included here. Students may take this sample test as a practice activity to prepare for the actual test. A list of test-taking tips for students follows this introduction. Teachers may use the tips to: generate individual and class discussion; call attention to helpful strategies students can use to prepare for and take the test; and share ideas with parents of ways to help reduce test anxiety and promote good study and health habits at home. In addition to gaining practice in reading and answering test questions, some students also may benefit from practice in marking bubbles on a separate answer sheet, as required on the actual test. An answer sheet for students to mark is provided at the end of each student test booklet. An answer key for each test benchmarks 1, 2, 3 and CIM is provided at the end of this introduction. In addition to the correct answer, the key also identifies which reporting category each question is designed to assess (word meaning, locating information, literal comprehension, inferential comprehension, evaluative comprehension, literary forms or literary elements). A table below the answer key converts the number of items correct on the sample test to a score similar to the score students will receive on the Oregon Statewide Assessment (called a RIT score). However, this test is only a practice test. Scores on this sample test may not be substituted for the actual Oregon Statewide Assessment. In using the sample test, teachers may wish to have students take the entire sample test, or complete a passage Reading Sample Test Introduction to Reading and Literature Sample Tests pg.1 Teaching and Learning to Standards June 2000

2 and its questions and then discuss it in class before proceeding to the next selection. Students may benefit from re-reading the passages and analyzing both the correct and incorrect answers. Sample tests also may be shared with parents to help them understand the types of questions their child will encounter on the test and to practice with their child. Sample questions may be reprinted in newsletters or shared at community meetings to help constituents better understand the state assessment system. Although the sample tests are not as comprehensive as the actual tests, they do provide examples of the subject area content and difficulty level students will encounter as part of Oregon s new higher academic standards. Reading Sample Test Introduction to Reading and Literature Sample Tests pg.2 Teaching and Learning to Standards June 2000

3 TEST-TAKING TIPS Students: Use these tips to help you prepare for the test. Before the test Develop a positive attitude. Tell yourself, I will do my best on this test. Get a good night s sleep the night before the test. Get up early enough to avoid hurrying to get ready for school. Eat a good breakfast (and lunch, if your test is in the afternoon). During the test Stay calm. Listen carefully to directions from the teacher. Ask questions if you don t understand what to do. Before you read a selection on the test, preview the questions that follow it to help focus your reading. After reading a selection, read the entire question and all the answer choices. Stop and think of an answer. Look to see if your answer is similar to one of the choices given. Read each test question carefully. Try to analyze what the question is really asking. Slow down and check your answers. Pace yourself. If you come to a difficult passage or set of questions, it may be better to skip it and go on. Then come back and really focus on the difficult section. This is not a timed test. If you need more time to finish the test, notify your teacher. If you are not sure of an answer to a question try these tips: Get rid of the answers you know are not correct and choose among the rest. Read through all the answers very carefully, and then go back to the question. Sometimes you can pick up clues just by thinking about the different answers you have been given to choose from. Go back and skim the story or article to see if you can find information to answer the question. (Sometimes a word or sentence will be underlined to help you.) If you get stuck on a question, skip it and come back later. It is OK to guess on this test. Try to make your best guess, but make sure you answer all questions. After the test Before you turn your test in, check it over. Change an answer only if you have a good reason. Generally it is better to stick with your first choice. Make sure you marked an answer for every question, even if you had to guess. Make sure your answer sheet is clearly marked with dark pencil. Erase any stray marks. Don t worry about the test once it is finished. Go on to do your best work on your other school assignments. Reading Sample Test Test-taking Tips pg.1 Teaching and Learning to Standards June 2000

4 BENCHMARK 1 READING/LITERATURE SAMPLE TEST KEY, FORM C Test Item Correct Answer Score Reporting Category 1 A Word Meaning 2 D Word Meaning 3 C Literal Comprehension 4 A Inferential Comprehension 5 B Literary Elements and Devices 6 A Word Meaning 7 D Literal Comprehension 8 D Literary Forms 9 D Evaluative Comprehension 10 A Evaluative Comprehension 11 C Inferential Comprehension 12 A Locating Information 13 A Locating Information 14 B Locating Information 15 C Literal Comprehension 16 D Inferential Comprehension 17 B Literary Elements and Devices 18 B Literary Elements and Devices 19 B Evaluative Comprehension 20 C Literal Comprehension 21 B Evaluative Comprehension 22 B Inferential Comprehension 23 A Literary Elements and Devices 24 D Literary Forms CONVERTING TO A RIT SCORE Number Correct RIT Score Number Correct RIT Score Likely to meet benchmark 1 standard Likely to benchmark 1 grade standard Students with 10 or fewer correct answers are likely to take Level A. Students with 20 or more correct answers are likely to take Level C. Note: This sample test is for practice only; scores may not be substituted for the Oregon Statewide Assessment. Reading Sample Test Key Form C Benchmark 1 pg.1 Teaching and Learning to Standards June 2000

5 BENCHMARK 2 READING/LITERATURE SAMPLE TEST KEY, FORM C Test Item Correct Answer Score Reporting Category 1 D Evaluative Comprehension 2 C Word Meaning 3 B Literary Elements and Devices 4 B Literal Comprehension 5 C Word Meaning 6 A Evaluative Comprehension 7 A Literary Forms 8 B Literary Elements and Devices 9 A Literal Comprehension 10 D Inferential Comprehension 11 D Literal Comprehension 12 A Inferential Comprehension 13 B Locating Information 14 D Locating Information 15 A Locating Information 16 B Inferential Comprehension 17 A Word Meaning 18 D Evaluative Comprehension 19 C Literary Forms 20 D Inferential Comprehension 21 A Literary Forms 22 B Evaluative Comprehension 23 C Literal Comprehension 24 B Inferential Comprehension CONVERTING TO A RIT SCORE Number Correct RIT Score Number Correct RIT Score Likely to meet benchmark 2 standard Likely to exceed benchmark 2 standard Students with 10 or fewer correct answers are likely to take Level A. Students with 20 or more correct answers are likely to take Level C. Note: This sample test is for practice only; scores may not be substituted for the Oregon Statewide Assessment. Reading Sample Test Key Form C Benchmark 2 pg.1 Teaching and Learning to Standards June 2000

6 BENCHMARK 3 READING/LITERATURE SAMPLE TEST KEY, FORM C Test Item Correct Answer Score Reporting Category 1 B Literary Forms 2 C Inferential Comprehension 3 A Literary Elements & Devices 4 C Literal Comprehension 5 A Locating Information 6 B Locating Information 7 D Locating Information 8 B Literary Forms 9 C Literal Comprehension 10 C Literal Comprehension 11 B Evaluative Comprehension 12 D Word Meaning 13 A Literal Comprehension 14 D Word Meaning 15 C Inferential Comprehension 16 A Evaluative Comprehension 17 B Literary Forms 18 C Literary Elements & Devices 19 B Literary Elements & Devices 20 A Inferential Comprehension 21 B Word Meaning 22 D Word Meaning 23 D Evaluative Comprehension 24 C Literary Forms CONVERTING TO A RIT SCORE Number Correct RIT Score Number Correct RIT Score Likely to meet benchmark 3 standard Likely to benchmark 3 standard Students with 10 or fewer correct answers are likely to take Level A. Students with 20 or more correct answers are likely to take Level C. Note: This sample test is for practice only; scores may not be substituted for the Oregon Statewide Assessment. Reading Sample Test Key Form C Benchmark 3 pg.1 Teaching and Learning to Standards June 2000

7 CIM READING/LITERATURE SAMPLE TEST KEY, FORM C Test Item Correct Answer Score Reporting Category 1 D Literary Forms 2 B Literary Elements and Devices 3 A Literary Elements and Devices 4 D Word Meaning 5 C Word Meaning 6 C Literal Comprehension 7 D Literal Comprehension 8 B Inferential Comprehension 9 B Evaluative Comprehension 10 C Word Meaning 11 A Inferential Comprehension 12 C Inferential Comprehension 13 A Evaluative Comprehension 14 B Literary Forms 15 B Literary Elements and Devices 16 C Locating Information 17 D Locating Information 18 B Locating Information 19 A Word Meaning 20 B Evaluative Comprehension 21 C Literal Comprehension 22 B Inferential Comprehension 23 D Literary Elements and Devices 24 A Literary Forms CONVERTING TO A RIT SCORE Number Correct RIT Score Number Correct RIT Score Likely to meet CIM standard Likely to exceed CIM standard Students with 10 or fewer correct answers are likely to take Level A. Students with 20 or more correct answers are likely to take Level C. Note: This sample test is for practice only; scores may not be substituted for the Oregon Statewide Assessment. Reading Sample Test Key Form C CIM pg.1 Teaching and Learning to Standards June 2000

8 Benchmark 1 Form C Sample Test

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10 Benchmark 1 Reading/Literature Sample Test DIRECTIONS Read each of the passages. Then read the questions that follow and decide on the BEST answer. There are a lot of different kinds of questions, so read each question carefully before marking an answer on your answer sheet. Song and Dance Man This is a story by Karen Acherman about a man who is an old-time entertainer. He can sing, dance and do funny things. How do you like the joke he tells? THE SONG AND DANCE MAN begins to dance. His feet move slowly at first, while his tap shoes make soft, slippery sounds like rain on a tin roof. We forget that it s Grandpa dancing, and all we can hear is the slippery tap of two feet, and all we can see is a song and dance man gliding across a stage. He says, Watch this! and does a new step that sounds like a woodpecker tapping on a tree. Suddenly, his shoes move faster, and he begins to sing. His voice is as round and strong as a canyon echo, and his cheeks get rosy as he sings Yankee Doodle Boy, a song he knows from the good old days. There are too many dance steps and too many words in the song for us to remember, but the show is better than any show on TV. The song and dance man stops and leans forward with a wink. What s that in your ear? he asks, and pulls a silver dollar out of somebody s hair. He rolls his hat down his arm, catches it in his hand, and flips it back up onto his head. Know how to make an elephant float? he asks. One scoop of ice cream, two squirts of soda, and three scoops of elephant! We ve heard that joke before, but the song and dance man slaps his knee and laughs until his eyes water. Teaching and Learning to Standards 1

11 Benchmark 1 Reading/Literature Sample Test He tries to wipe them with a red hanky from his vest pocket, but the hanky just gets longer as he pulls it out. He looks so surprised that we start laughing too, and it feels like the whole room is shaking. 1 The person telling this story says all we can see is a song and dance man gliding across a stage. At this moment the man A. is dancing smoothly. B. is clumsy. C. is moving too quickly to be seen very well. D. seems sad. 2 The author writes that the song and dance man s voice is round and strong as a canyon echo. This means that A. the man is singing about nature. B. his song is very sad. C. his voice is old and broken. D. the man has a loud, sure voice. 3 What is special about the red hanky that the song and dance man pulls from his pocket? A. It is made of silk. B. There is a rabbit under it. C. It gets longer as he pulls on it. D. No one can see it. 4 Which of these words best describes the song and dance man? A. Happy B. Tired C. Sad D. Confused 5 This story is mainly about the Song and Dance man. This means he could be called A. the plot of the story. B. the main character of the story. C. the story teller D. the setting of the story. Teaching and Learning to Standards 2

12 Benchmark 1 Reading/Literature Sample Test An Amazing Meat Loaf Not everyone is a great cook. At least, that s what you d think if you read this poem by Jack Prelutsky. My mother made a meat loaf that provided much distress, she tried her best to serve it, but she met with no success, her sharpest knife was powerless to cut a single slice, and her efforts with a cleaver failed completely to suffice. She whacked it with a hammer, and she smacked it with a brick, but she couldn t faze that meat loaf, it remained without a nick. I decided I would help her and assailed it with a drill, but the drill made no impression, though I worked with all my skill. We chipped at it with chisels, but we didn t make a dent, it appeared my mother s meat loaf was much harder than cement, then we set upon that meat loaf with a hatchet and an ax, but that meat loaf stayed unblemished and withstood our fierce attacks. We borrowed bows and arrows, and we fired at close range, it didn t make a difference, for that meat loaf didn t change, we beset it with a blowtorch, but we couldn t find a flaw, and we both were flabbergasted when it broke the power saw. Teaching and Learning to Standards 3

13 Benchmark 1 Reading/Literature Sample Test We hired a hippopotamus to trample it around, but that meat loaf was so mighty that it simply stood its ground, now we manufacture meat loaves by the millions, all year long, they are famous in construction, building houses tall and strong. 6 What do you think a cleaver is used for? A. Chopping meat B. Hammering nails C. Mixing cookie dough D. Cutting paper 7 Which of these things FIRST dented the meat loaf? A. The ax B. The arrows C. The power saw D. None of these made a dent in the meat loaf. 8 What is one way you can tell this is a poem? A. It doesn t tell the characters names B. It has people and animals in it. C. It is funny. D. It rhymes. 9 Why did they try to use a hippopotamus to dent the meat loaf? A. Hippopotamuses like meat. B. Hippopotamuses have sharp teeth. C. Hippopotamuses are friendly. D. Hippopotamuses weigh a lot. Teaching and Learning to Standards 4

14 Benchmark 1 Reading/Literature Sample Test 10 Why did the author PROBABLY write this poem? A. To make readers laugh B. To keep people from serving meat loaf C. To show that some people just can t cook well D. To tell about a new way to build houses 11 Which sentence BEST describes the way the poet felt about the meat loaf? A. He thought it tasted delicious. B. He was afraid the meat loaf would poison him. C. He was surprised it was so strong. D. He did not want to think about the meat loaf. Cheesy Biscuits If you like to cook, you might want to try this recipe from Susan Wohe s book called BUTTER. Cheesy Biscuits (makes about 12 biscuits) You will need: 2 cups flour 1/3 cup butter 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup milk 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated 1. Put flour in bowl. Cut in butter. 2. Add baking powder, salt, milk, and grated cheese. 3. Stir the mixture just enough for the ingredients to be combined. 4. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough so it s 1/2 inch thick. 5. Use a cookie cutter to cut circles into the dough. 6. Put the circles on a lightly greased baking sheet. Preheat oven to 450 F and bake for 10 minutes or until brown. Teaching and Learning to Standards 5

15 Benchmark 1 Reading/Literature Sample Test 12 How will you know when the cheesy biscuits are done? A. They will be brown. B. There will be about twelve of them. C. They won t stick to the baking sheet. D. The salt will dissolve. 13 Which of these do you put in the mixing bowl first? A. Flour B. Butter C. Milk D. Cheddar cheese 14 Which of these do you use LAST when making the biscuits? A. Mixing bowl B. Cookie cutter C. Rolling pin D. Teaspoon Paper Cranes Read this story, part of a larger book by Eleanor Coerr, called SADAKO AND THE THOUSAND PAPER CRANES. You will learn why Sadako began making many birds out of colorful paper. THE NEXT MORNING Sadako woke up slowly. She listened for the familiar sound of her mother making breakfast, but there were only the new and different sounds of a hospital. Sadako sighed. She had hoped that yesterday was just a bad dream. It was even more real when Nurse Yasunaga came in to give her a shot. Getting shots is part of being in the hospital, the plump nurse said briskly. You ll get used to it. Teaching and Learning to Standards 6

16 Benchmark 1 Reading/Literature Sample Test I just want the sickness to be over with, Sadako said unhappily, so I can go home. That afternoon Chizuko was Sadako s first visitor. She smiled mysteriously as she held something behind her back. Shut your eyes, she said. While Sadako squinted her eyes tightly shut, Chizuko put some pieces of paper and scissors on the bed. Now you can look, she said. What is it? Sadako asked, staring at the paper. Chizuko was pleased with herself. I ve figured out a way for you to get well, she said proudly. Watch! She cut a piece of gold paper into a large square. In a short time she had folded it over and over into a beautiful crane. Sadako was puzzled. But how can that paper bird make me well? Don t you remember the old story about the crane? Chizuko asked. It s supposed to live for a thousand years. If a sick person folds one thousand paper cranes, the gods will grant her wish and make her healthy again. She handed the crane to Sadako. Here s your first one. Sadako s eyes filled up with tears. How kind of Chizuko to bring a good luck charm! Especially when her friend didn t really believe in such things. Sadako took the golden crane and made a wish. The funniest feeling came over her when she touched the bird. It must be a good omen. Thank you, Chizuko chan, she whispered. I ll never part with it. When she began to work with the paper, Sadako discovered that folding a crane wasn t as easy as it looked. With Chizuko s help she learned how to do the difficult parts. After making ten birds, Sadako lined them up on the table beside the golden crane. Some were a bit lopsided, but it was a beginning. Now I have only nine hundred and ninety to make, Sadako said. With the golden crane nearby she felt safe and lucky. Why, in a few weeks she would be able to finish the thousand. Then she would be strong enough to go home. Teaching and Learning to Standards 7

17 Benchmark 1 Reading/Literature Sample Test 15 Sadako s first gold crane A. cost a lot of money. B. showed that the nurse was wrong. C. was folded by Chizuko. D. meant that Sadako could go home soon. 16 Why does Sadako begin to make her own paper cranes? A. To show what an artistic person she is B. So that the nurse will leave her alone C. So that Chizuko will still be her friend after she is well D. Because she wants to believe that they will help her get well 17 Which sentence below is true about the characters in this story? A. Nurse Yasunaga is the main character. B. Sadako and Chizuko are the main characters. C. Sadako s mother is the main character. D. This story doesn t have any main characters. 18 This story takes place in a hospital. In this story, the hospital is the A. talent. B. setting. C. stage. D. cue. 19 Why do you think Chizuko shows Sadako how to make the paper cranes? A. To make fun of Sadako B. To give Sadako hope C. So they can sell the cranes to pay the doctor D. Because Chizuko believes the cranes have magic powers Teaching and Learning to Standards 8

18 Benchmark 1 Reading/Literature Sample Test Apples a Fruit with Appeal There is an old saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Besides being a fruit that is good for you, apples taste great, too! Learn some more about this fruit by reading part of the book APPLES by Rhoda Nottridge. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES of apples in the world, and most people have their favorites. In the United States, just three varieties Delicious (also called Red Delicious), Golden Delicious, and McIntosh make up more than half of all apples grown and marketed. Granny Smiths are favored by Australians and Argentinians. Cox s Orange Pippin has long been popular in England. Apples can be divided into four groups. First there are small, sour-tasting apples called crab apples. Crab apples are not good to eat fresh, although jelly and jam can be made from some of them. There are apples used to make juice and cider and others used for baking and cooking. The best baking apples are often tart or bitter when raw but taste good when they have been cooked. The last type of apple is the dessert apple. Dessert apples vary in size, shape, and color, but all are good to eat right off the tree. Fruit growers combine the best apples in hybrid varieties. The orange-colored hybrid named Jonagold is a cross between a Jonathan and a Golden Delicious apple. The Golden Delicious apple grew by chance from a seedling. In 1914, this sweet, yellow-colored apple was entered in a contest. It was so delicious that one of the judges tracked the tree down and bought it from the surprised West Virginia farmer for $5000. To protect his investment, the new owner had a burglarproof steel cage fitted around the tree! Teaching and Learning to Standards 9

19 Benchmark 1 Reading/Literature Sample Test 20 According to the story, apples can be divided into groups. How many groups does this story say we can divide apples into? A. Two B. Three C. Four D. More than five 21 The story doesn t say so, but the author probably thinks that A. the United States grows the most apples. B. apples are useful and interesting. C. there are too many kinds of apples. D. Australians should try a McIntosh apple. 22 What will probably happen to kids who read this story? A. They will grow up to become apple farmers. B. They will understand more about apples. C. They won t ever have to go to the doctor. D. They will travel to England to eat apples. 23 Which sentence below is true about the plot in this story? A. This story doesn t really have a plot because the author wrote it to teach about apples. B. The plot makes readers want to know what will happen next. C. The plot is very frightening to children. D. The plot is about the bad judge who got the golden tree. 24 What other kind of writing is this story about apples most like? A. It is most like a play. B. It is most like a poem. C. It is most like a recipe. D. It is most like a magazine article. Teaching and Learning to Standards 10

20 Oregon Reading/Literature Sample Test Use number 2 pencil. Do NOT use ink or ball point pen. Make heavy dark marks that completely fill the circle. Erase completely any marks you wish to change. Name of Student Name of Teacher Name of School 1 A B C D 13 A B C D 2 A B C D 14 A B C D 3 A B C D 15 A B C D 4 A B C D 16 A B C D 5 A B C D 17 A B C D 6 A B C D 18 A B C D 7 A B C D 19 A B C D 8 A B C D 20 A B C D 9 A B C D 21 A B C D 10 A B C D 22 A B C D 11 A B C D 23 A B C D 12 A B C D 24 A B C D Office of Assessment and Evaluation Read /Benchmark 1 SampleTest Oregon Department of Education Form C May 1999

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22 Benchmark 2 Form C Sample Test

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24 Benchmark 2 Reading/Literature Sample Test DIRECTIONS Read each of the passages. Then read the questions that follow and decide on the BEST answer. There are a lot of different kinds of questions, so read each question carefully before marking an answer on your answer sheet. Scarecrow! THE WIZARD OF OZ isn t the only place you can read about scarecrows. Try this article from a book by Valerie Littlewood to learn more interesting things about the history of these dummies. DRIVING THROUGH THE COUNTRY, you see a farmhand working in the fields. But on the way back you notice the exact same figure in the exact same place! Instead of a real person, you are probably looking at a scarecrow. Scarecrow, jack-of-straw, scarebird, tattybogle, or shoy-hoy under many different names, these homemade figures have been used around the world to protect precious crops for over three thousand years. They are as old as the practice of farming itself. We think of scarecrows as male or female dummies stuffed with straw. But over the centuries, farmers have invented many different scarecrows to protect their crops. Noisemakers, dead birds, smelly fires, pieces of cloth, shiny metal objects even live people have been employed. Since the time of ancient Egypt, paintings, plays, and poetry have featured them. Because of their frightening appearance, they often represent sinister spirits in myths and legends. But in children s storybooks, scarecrows have frequently been portrayed as loyal and friendly companions. Even more effective than a scarecrow that looks human is a real human scarecrow. Early British records show that it was often the job of small boys or men too old for strenuous farm labor to go out into the fields and scare away the birds. Sometimes girls too would work as bird shooers. In all weather, the bird scarers spent hours in the fields, throwing stones or flapping their arms while running and shouting. They also carried carved wooden clappers and rattles that made enough noise to frighten a whole flock of birds at one time. Guarding a field or orchard all summer long was hard work. In bad weather, the human scarecrows had only crude huts made of mud and sticks to shelter them. To keep up their spirits, they would often sing songs and recite rhymes, or have contests to see who could hit the most birds with a single slingshot. Teaching and Learning to Standards 1

25 Benchmark 2 Reading/Literature Sample Test When factories and mines opened up all over England in the early 1800s, the cost of labor rose and it became very difficult for landowners to afford human scarecrows. But even today, in India and some Middle Eastern countries, live bird scarers are still hard at work. 1 The article tells us that scarecrows have been used for over three thousand years. This is probably because A. that s when the materials for making the scarecrows became available. B. the crow population increased rapidly at that time. C. no one is sure why they were invented, so they picked a time long ago. D. that s about when people began to farm crops. 2 The article tells you that scarecrows often represent sinister spirits in myths and legends. What does the word sinister mean when used this way? A. Very small B. Important C. Evil D. Cheerful 3 The author begins this article by pretending that you, the reader, are driving through the country. What is the author s purpose for beginning this way? A. The author knows you see scarecrows best from a car. B. The author wants readers to feel like a part of the story. C. The author likes scarecrows. D. The author wants you to know the difference between the city and the country. 4 The people who worked as bird scarers were small boys, old men and sometimes girls. These people had the bird-shooing job because A. they were quick and could chase most birds away. B. they were not able to do regular farm work. C. they had enough patience to wait for the birds to land. D. they could not be relied upon to finish their jobs. 5 The article tells you that the people who worked as human scarecrows had only crude huts for shelter. This means that A. their shelters were made of an oily tar. B. the shelters could be moved from place to place. C. the shelters were small and primitive. D. people built their own shelters. Teaching and Learning to Standards

26 Benchmark 2 Reading/Literature Sample Test 6 Which of the following does this article try to teach you? A. Some history and facts about scarecrows B. Some ways people farmed three thousand years ago C. Some stories about famous scarecrows D. Some different ways you can make a scarecrow A Story of Scotland This story is from the book JOURNEY OF THE SHADOW BAIRNS by Margaret J. Anderson. Ms. Anderson was born in Scotland where this story takes place, but now she lives and writes in Oregon. ELSPETH MACDONALD STOOD BY THE WINDOW staring out at the slanting rain. When she moved her head, the uneven glass distorted the tall, narrow tenements across the street so that they seemed warped and crooked. She used to think, when they first came to live in Glasgow five years ago, that if she moved her head fast enough the buildings would topple over, letting her see the ocean. Now she knew that beyond these buildings were more buildings, and more beyond that, all the way to the shipyards where Papa worked. Elspeth sighed. Would she never stop missing their Highland home by the sea? Her thoughts were interrupted by an insistent tug at her worn dress and a plaintive voice asking, Please, Elspeth. Can t we go to the station to see the trains? For the third time, Robbie no! Elspeth said impatiently. It s too wet. But you said you would take me, Robbie persisted. It wasn t raining then, Elspeth answered shortly. Take him out for a bit just to play in the close. There s a good lass, their mother said, pulling her chair nearer the meager fire. Elspeth was about to protest, but Mama began to cough again. Suddenly the room seemed so small and cluttered that Elspeth herself wanted to get outside. Get your coat on, she told Robbie, taking her own coat from its peg by the door. Robbie struggled into a gray jacket that was too tight for him and short in the sleeves. Wait till I get Pig-Bear ready, he said, looking around the room for the piece of flannel that served Pig-Bear as a coat. You re not taking that ragged old animal! Elspeth said sharply. Let Pig-Bear stay with me, Mama broke in quietly, reaching out and taking the stuffed toy from the little boy s hand. Then she adjusted Robbie s cap, pulling it down firmly on his head so that it covered his unruly blond curls. Be careful on the stairs! she called after them as they went out the door together. Elspeth and Robbie clattered down the worn stone steps of the stairway that they shared with five other families. The stairs were poorly lit and the air was heavy with the damp, sour smells of decay and cats. At the bottom they reached the Teaching and Learning to Standards

27 Benchmark 2 Reading/Literature Sample Test close, or passageway, which led out to the street. It was here that the tenement children often gathered to play on wet days. Today both the street and the close were deserted, the biting wind and early darkness having driven the other children indoors. Robbie crouched down in the doorway of the close, collecting a few stones and arranging them in a pattern on the ground. Elspeth watched, wrapping her coat more tightly around her thin body. The way wee Rob could be so oblivious of his surroundings and amuse himself with so little always filled her with a mixture of irritation and admiration. He could find as much to interest him in a Glasgow gutter as she had found at his age in the clear waters of the Morvan Burn that ran through their farm into Loch Nevis. But then, he had been born in Glasgow and had lived all his four years in one room in a tenement building. He had never known the croft on Loch Nevis that she and Mama and Papa had left behind five years before. 7 The introduction to this story tells you that it is from a book called Journey of the Shadow Bairns. Which statement is true about the part of the book you have just read? A. It is probably part of a chapter from the book. B. It is probably most of the book. C. It is probably the ending of the book. D. It is probably not important to the story. 8 The author tells readers that Mama was sitting by a small fire and coughing. Why do you think that the author does this? A. To tell readers how much Elspeth liked her old home B. So that readers will begin to worry about Mama C. Because it makes the story seem longer D. To show how much Robbie loves Mama 9 Where did Elspeth and Robbie s father work during this part of the story? A. In the shipyards B. On a small farm called a croft C. At home in an office upstairs D. In a large factory 10 At first Elspeth does not want to take Robbie downstairs to play. Why does she change her mind? A. She decides to get some sunshine. B. The trains will be going by soon. C. The other children are waiting for them. D. She begins to feel unhappy and trapped indoors. Teaching and Learning to Standards

28 Benchmark 2 Reading/Literature Sample Test 11 Who do Elspeth and Robbie see when they go down the stairs to the passageway? A. A cat B. Other children C. Father D. No one 12 By reading this story, you know that A. Elspeth s family is poor. B. Papa and Mama are strict. C. Robbie and Elspeth will soon run away. D. there are a lot of things for a child to do in Glasgow. Learning About Mercury Did you know that Mercury is called the quick planet because it moves about 29.8 miles (47.9 kilometers) a second? Look at the information below from MERCURY: THE QUICK PLANET, by Isaac Asimov, to find out how you can learn more about the quicksilver planet. More Books About Mercury Here are more books that contain information about Mercury. If you are interested in them, check your library or bookstore. Journey to the Planets. Lauber (Crown) Our Solar System. Asimov (Gareth Stevens) The Planets. Couper (Franklin Watts) The Solar System. Lambert (Franklin Watts) Wonders Around the Sun. Bonner (Lantern) Places to Visit You can explore Mercury and other parts of the Universe without leaving Earth. Here are some museums and centers where you can find a variety of space exhibits. NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio Seneca College Planetarium, North York, Ontario Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California Calgary Centennial Planetarium, Calgary, Alberta Doran Planetarium, Sudbury, Ontario Hayden Planetarium Museum of Science, Boston, Massachusetts Teaching and Learning to Standards

29 For More Information About Mercury Benchmark 2 Reading/Literature Sample Test Here are some places you can write to for more information about Mercury. Be sure to tell them exactly what you want to know about or to see. Remember to include your age, full name, and address. For information about Mercury: The Planetary Society 65 North Catalina Pasadena, California STAR DATE McDonald Observatory Austin, Texas Space Communications Branch Ministry of State for Science and Technology 240 Sparks Street, C.D. Howe Building Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1A1, Canada About missions to Mercury: Alabama Space and Rocket Center Space Camp Applications One Tranquillity Base Huntsville, Alabama NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Public Affairs Oak Grove Drive Pasadena, California NASA Kennedy Space Center Educational Services Office Kennedy Space Center, Florida For catalogs of slides, posters, and other astronomy materials: Hansen Planetarium 15 South State Street Salt Lake City, Utah Sky Publishing Corporation 49 Bay State Road Cambridge, Massachusetts Teaching and Learning to Standards

30 Benchmark 2 Reading/Literature Sample Test 13 Based on the information given on books about Mercury, which one of the statements listed below is true? A. They are all written by Americans. B. They are arranged alphabetically by title. C. They can be found in paperback. D. They are arranged alphabetically by the last name of the author. 14 Under which heading would you look if you wanted to find out if there is a museum near you? A. Doran Planetarium B. The Solar System C. More Books About Mercury D. Places to Visit 15 Which of the following is an accurate statement about how the selection LEARNING ABOUT MERCURY is organized? A. It is organized by the kind of help you want to find. B. It is organized according to the page numbers in the book. C. It is organized using the traditional Dewey Decimal System. D. It is organized by alphabetizing all of the information. 16 Look at the sentences under the For More Information About Mercury heading. What is the attitude that the author has toward his readers in these three sentences? A. The author acts as if he is much smarter than the readers. B. The author is helpful. C. The author is bossy. D. The author doesn t care about the readers. Loch Ness Monster Scientists are very interested in finding answers to the mystery of the Loch Ness monster. Read this passage to learn about one scientist s ideas. LOCH NESS, SCOTLAND: For years cryptozoologists (people who study unexpected animals) have been studying this famous lake. And for years people have been taking pictures of something they see there... something unknown... something they say is a monster whose nickname is Nessie. Recently a well-known British scientist has shed some new light on Loch Ness. Dr. Maurice Burton, once a firm believer in Nessie, has changed his mind. Teaching and Learning to Standards

31 Benchmark 2 Reading/Literature Sample Test Now he feels that many of the photographs show nothing more than large, playful otters. Dr. Burton also thinks that people may be seeing something else in the lake. He points out that water-soaked branches and logs often settle on the bottom. As they begin to rot, gas bubbles form in them. When the bubbles are big enough to float the mess to the surface, up pops Nessie. The gas bubbles burst, and the monster sinks. But not before it has been spotted and photographed. Dr. Burton s idea is very interesting. But somehow it s not as much fun as thinking that a real monster may live in Loch Ness. 17 The second paragraph tells you that Dr. Burton has shed some new light on Loch Ness. This means that Dr. Burton has A. provided a new explanation. B. used powerful lights to explore. C. actually been to the lake. D. finally photographed the monster. 18 This selection would probably be most useful to someone interested in becoming a A. lifeguard. B. photographer. C. doctor. D. researcher. 19 These paragraphs probably came from a A. book of fairy tales. B. history book. C. science magazine. D. biography. 20 Which of the following is an accurate example of a cause-and-effect relationship described in the story? A. People taking pictures at Loch Ness cause Nessie to appear. B. Playful otters cause water-soaked branches to sink. C. Nessie s movements cause logs to float to the surface. D. Rotting branches cause gas bubbles to form. Sarah, Plain and Tall This is a passage from the book SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL by Patricia MacLachlan. Sarah is a young woman who has come to live with Papa and his two children, Anna and Caleb. The children hope Sarah will stay and marry their Papa. On these pages Anna describes one of their first evenings with Sarah. Teaching and Learning to Standards

32 Benchmark 2 Reading/Literature Sample Test AFTER DINNER, SARAH DREW PICTURES to send home to Maine. She began a charcoal drawing of the field, rolling like the sea rolled. She drew a sheep whose ears were too big. And she drew a windmill. Windmill was my first word, said Caleb. Papa told me so. Mine was flower, I said. What was yours, Sarah? Dune, said Sarah. Dune? Caleb looked up. In Maine, said Sarah, there are rock cliffs that rise up at the edge of the sea. And there are hills covered with pine and spruce trees, green with needles. But William and I found a sand dune all our own. It was soft and sparkling with bits of mica, and when we were little we would slide down the dune into the water. Caleb looked out the window. We have no dunes here, he said. Papa stood up. Yes we do, he said. He took the lantern and went out the door to the barn. We do? Caleb called after him. He ran ahead, Sarah and I following, the dogs close behind. Next to the barn was Papa s mound of hay for bedding, nearly half as tall as the barn, covered with canvas to keep the rain from rotting it. Papa carried the wooden ladder from the barn and leaned it against the hay. There. He smiled at Sarah. Our dune. Sarah was very quiet. The dogs looked up at her, waiting. Seal brushed against her legs, her tail in the air. Caleb reached over and took her hand. It looks high up, he said. Are you scared, Sarah? Scared? Scared! exclaimed Sarah. You bet I m not scared. She climbed the ladder, and Nick began to bark. She climbed to the very top of the hay and sat, looking down at us. Above, the stars were coming out. Papa piled a bed of loose hay below with his pitchfork. The light of the lantern made his eyes shine when he smiled up at Sarah. Fine? called Papa. Fine, said Sarah. She lifted her arms over her head and slid down, down, into the soft hay. She lay laughing, as the dogs rolled beside her. Was it a good dune? called Caleb. Yes, said Sarah. It is a fine dune. Caleb and I climbed up and slid down. And Sarah did it three more times. At last Papa slid down, too, as the sky grew darker and the stars blinked like fireflies. We were covered with hay and dust, and we sneezed. In the kitchen, Caleb and I washed in the big wooden tub and Sarah drew more pictures to send to William. One was of Papa, his hair curly and full of hay. She drew Caleb, sliding down the hay, his arms like Sarah s over his head. And she drew a picture of me in the tub, my hair long and straight and wet. She looked at her drawing of the fields for a long time. And she put it away. Dear William, Sarah read to us by lantern light that night. Sliding down our dune of hay is almost as fine as sliding down the sand dunes into the sea. Caleb smiled at me across the table. He said nothing, but his mouth formed the words I had heard, too. Our dune. Teaching and Learning to Standards

33 Benchmark 2 Reading/Literature Sample Test 21 This story is fiction. We can say that because A. the author made up the characters. B. the characters don t act like real people. C. it is about an important time in our country s history. D. readers have to use imagination to see the scenery. 22 Sarah and the others have a lot of fun sliding on the dune. The author chose to tell about this part of the story so that readers would believe that A. the family won t have to work as hard now. B. Sarah might be happy in her new home. C. Caleb and Anna will be able to go to Maine. D. Papa thinks that Sarah is foolish. 23 The dune that Anna s father built was A. inside the hay loft of the barn. B. outside near the house. C. outside near the barn. D. near the ocean. 24 Why did Papa pile some loose hay below the hay "dune"? A. He wanted to make the hay dune taller. B. He wanted to make a soft spot to land on. C. It was needed to climb to the top of the dune. D. He wanted to make a bed for the animals. Teaching and Learning to Standards

34 Oregon Reading/Literature Sample Test Use number 2 pencil. Do NOT use ink or ball point pen. Make heavy dark marks that completely fill the circle. Erase completely any marks you wish to change. Name of Student Name of Teacher Name of School 1 A B C D 13 A B C D 2 A B C D 14 A B C D 3 A B C D 15 A B C D 4 A B C D 16 A B C D 5 A B C D 17 A B C D 6 A B C D 18 A B C D 7 A B C D 19 A B C D 8 A B C D 20 A B C D 9 A B C D 21 A B C D 10 A B C D 22 A B C D 11 A B C D 23 A B C D 12 A B C D 24 A B C D Office of Assessment and Evaluation Read /Grade5SampleTest Oregon Department of Education Form C May 1999

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36 Benchmark 3 Form C Sample Test

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38 Benchmark 3 Reading/Literature Sample Test DIRECTIONS Read each of the passages. Then read the questions that follow and decide on the BEST answer. There are a lot of different kinds of questions, so read each question carefully before marking an answer on your answer sheet. TASAKU Read this story of the stonecutter Tasaku, a man who wished to be powerful, and then answer the questions. TASAKU, A LOWLY STONECUTTER, worked at the foot of a mountain. He was happy with his work until one day a noble prince went by in a magnificent royal procession. Tasaku wished aloud for such great wealth, and the spirit who lived in the mountain heard him. Tasaku was transformed into a wealthy and powerful prince. He walked happily through his gardens until one day the sun burned his flowers and they wilted. Tasaku realized that the sun was more powerful than a prince, and he asked the mountain to change him into the sun. Tasaku became the sun and, to show his power, he burned the fields and parched the lands. The people begged for water. Then a cloud came and covered his bright rays. Tasaku saw that the cloud was more powerful than the sun, and he told the spirit to change him into a cloud. Tasaku became a cloud. With his new powers he made violent storms. Fields flooded; huts and palaces washed away. But the mountain remained. Tasaku was furious. Make me into a mountain! he demanded. The spirit obeyed and then departed, for he could do no more. Tasaku became the mountain and was more powerful than the prince, the sun, and the cloud. But Tasaku felt the sharp sting of a chisel. It was a humble stonecutter, chipping away at his feet. Deep inside, he trembled. 1 Which kind of writing does the story of Tasaku seem most like? A. A short story B. A fable C. A tall tale D. A newspaper article 2 At the end of the story, how did Tasaku probably feel? A. Content B. Surprised C. Defeated D. Powerful Teaching and Learning to Standards 1

39 Benchmark 3 Reading/Literature Sample Test 3 Sometimes an author makes something happen differently from what the readers expect. In literature this is called irony. Where in the story of Tasaku do you see irony? A. When Tasaku is a mountain and a stonecutter begins chipping at his feet B. When Tasaku made violent storms and flooded the fields C. When Tasaku demanded that the spirit make him into a mountain D. When the spirit who lived in the mountain heard Tasaku and made him a prince 4 According to the story, which statement below is true? A. Tasaku started out as a prince. B. The storms eroded the mountain. C. Tasaku became unhappy when he wasn t the most powerful. D. Tasaku had a lot of respect for nature. USING THE READER S GUIDE Use this excerpt from the READER S GUIDE TO PERIODICAL LITERATURE to answer the questions that follow it. Hair See also Eyebrows Hairstyling Care Long hair: an owner s manual. P. Boyer. il Prevention 37: O 85 Dyeing and bleaching Brightening dull hair. il Harpers Bazaar 118: O 85 Color effects. il Seventeen 44: O 85 Hair care products See also Baldness remedies Hair coloring See Hair Dyeing and bleaching Hairstyling See also Hairstylists Evening hair drama. il McCalls 113: O 85 Great hair; it s a natural [black women s hairstyles] il Essence 16: 45 O 85 Hairdos by the dozen! il Teen 29: 66-7 O 85 How to give yourself more hair. il McCalls 113: 70 O 85 Hairstylists Enduring style [Kenneth] E. Nemy. il por N Y Times Mag p90+ N 3 85 Haiti Religious institutions and affairs See also Catholic Church Haiti Hale, Jenna Being Superman s mommy. il Glamour 83: 112+ O 85 Halley s comet Comet Halley begins to show its tail. il Sci News 128: 245 O Finding Halley s comet with starframes. B. Mayer, il Sky Telesc 70: 324 O 85 Halley notebook. A. MacRobert. il Sky Telesc 70: O 85 Halley s comet [how to see it, photograph it and telescope to build] B.P. Shumaker. il Pop Sci 277: 94-5 N 85 Halley s comet in stereo [computer program] R.B. Minton. il Sky Telesc 70: 366 O 85 Here comes Mr. Halley s comet. S. Morris. il Omni 7: S 85 A reunion with Halley s comet. D.M. Ludlum. il Blair Ketchums Ctry J 12: 19 O 85 Sighting a cosmic celebrity. J. Murphy. il Time 126: 93 N Teaching and Learning to Standards 2

40 Benchmark 3 Reading/Literature Sample Test 5 If you wanted to photograph Halley s comet, which of the following articles would be most useful? A. Halley s Comet in Popular Science B. Sighting a Cosmic Celebrity in Time C. Here Comes Mr. Halley s Comet in Omni D. Halley s Comet in Stereo in Sky and Telescope 6 How many articles about Halley s comet appeared in the October issue of Sky and Telescope? A. 1 B. 3 C. 5 D. None 7 If you were interested in reading a magazine article about hairstyles to wear in the evening, which magazine would be best? A. Prevention B. New York Times Magazine C. Harpers Bazaar D. McCall s 8 Where in the library would you be most likely to find the book from which this selection is drawn? A. Fiction B. Reference C. Nonfiction D. Biography Teaching and Learning to Standards 3

41 WHY IS BASKETBALL SO POPULAR? Benchmark 3 Reading/Literature Sample Test The following passage is the last chapter from the book THE STORY OF BASKETBALL by Dave Anderson, a sportswriter. Read to learn the reasons for basketball s popularity, then answer the questions that follow. IN SLIGHTLY LESS THAN A CENTURY since Dr. James Naismith put up the peach baskets in the gymnasium in Springfield, Massachusetts, basketball has evolved into one of the world s most popular sports. Baseball and football have traveled from America to a few other nations, but not many. Basketball, in contrast, has emerged not only as an Olympic sport, but also as a game that is played virtually everywhere throughout the world. One reason is its simplicity. All you need is a ball and a hoop. Another reason is its appeal as a sport that can be played informally with five members on a team. Or four. Or three. Or two. Or even one. In many playgrounds, one-on-one is the basic game. And if there s no one else around, you can play basketball by yourself, a solitary shooter out there aiming a ball at a hoop. Unlike baseball and football, basketball has another vital appeal: Women and girls can play it. Olympic boycotts in 1980 and 1984 prevented the United States women s team from opposing the Soviet Union team, generally considered the world s best. But in 1986 the Americans twice defeated the Russians in Moscow, winning the Goodwill Games championship and the World Tournament. Cheryl Miller, a 6'3" shooter who had been voted the Outstanding Player Award at the NCAA Women s Final Four in both 1982 and 1983 while at the University of Southern California, led the U.S. team to its and triumphs. Women play a different kind of basketball than men do, said Anne Donovan, the center on those U.S. teams. Men play above the rim. Women play below the rim. Women s basketball in America began to thrive in 1971 when Immaculata, a suburban Philadelphia college, won the first formal national championship. Coached by Cathy Rush, the Mighty Macs also won the next two years. Three members of those teams later emerged as outstanding coaches Marianne Crawford Stanley at Old Dominion, Rene Muth Portland at Penn State, and Theresa Shank Grentz at Rutgers. The popularity of women s college basketball was obvious when the University of Texas Lady Longhorns were in the midst of a 36-0 season that would end with the 1986 national championship. After one victory a Texas rooter and his five-year-old son were talking to Jody Conradt, the Texas coach. During the conversation, the little boy looked up at his father. Daddy, he said, how can I grow up to be a Lady Longhorn? Like baseball and football, basketball occurs on four levels in America, from neighborhood leagues for youngsters up through high schools and colleges to the National Basketball Association, which showcases the skills of the world s best players. But unlike baseball and football, basketball can be played indoors or Teaching and Learning to Standards 4

42 Benchmark 3 Reading/Literature Sample Test outdoors. Most organized games are played in arenas or gymnasiums, but the roots of basketball grow in playgrounds and schoolyards, in driveways and backyards. Equipment is also relatively inexpensive. Put up a hoop, buy a ball, and put on your sneakers. That s all you need. But as basketball players grow taller and taller each year, the court seems to have shrunk. For four decades, the standard NBA court has been ninety-four feet by fifty feet. And ever since that railing in Springfield, Massachusetts, happened to be ten feet above the floor, the basket has been ten feet above the floor. The size of the court and the height of the basket remain ideal for college and high school competition. But with the average NBA player taller than 6'7" now, the court is clogged and virtually every player can slam-dunk the ball. Some basketball people propose that the court should be larger to provide more room for bigger players, or that only four players should be on a team. But the most popular theory is that the basket should be raised to twelve feet. The traditionalists, however, always mention that no matter how high the basket is, the seven-footers will always be closer to it than the six-footers. Debate, of course, is proof of basketball s popularity. If nobody cared about basketball, nobody would bother proposing that the game be changed. In their love for the game, some basketball people are searching for better competition, while others argue that nobody should tinker with what has been a successful game. Go anywhere in the world, and youngsters are shooting a ball at a basket, together or alone. Dr. Naismith would be proud of the game he created a game that honors him all over the world. 9 According to the author, which level of women s basketball has contributed most to its popularity? A. Neighborhood B. High school C. College D. Professional 10 What does the author imply is the reason basketball hoops are ten feet off the ground? A. Dr. Naismith carefully planned it that way. B. It needed to be that height so women could play too. C. It just happened because that s where it was convenient to put the first basket. D. It is a requirement of the Olympic committee. Teaching and Learning to Standards 5

43 Benchmark 3 Reading/Literature Sample Test 11 The information in this selection best supports the idea that A. women s basketball is not as popular as men s basketball. B. basketball owes its popularity to the fact that it can be played in many different ways. C. the rules of basketball are easy to change. D. today s taller players have a negative effect on the game of basketball. 12 The passage says some people argue that nobody should tinker with what has been a successful game. As used here, the word tinker means A. to work with metal. B. to learn new rules. C. to alter dramatically. D. to try to improve. 13 What do Marianne Crawford Stanley, Rene Muth Portland and Theresa Shank Grentz have in common? A. They all played at Immaculata College. B. They all played on the Olympic team. C. They all coached at Immaculata College. D. They were the first females in the NBA. MY PRAIRIE YEAR The story below is taken from a book called MY PRAIRIE YEAR by Brett Harvey. Read it to find out what winter was like for one family living on the prairie long ago. IN THE WINTER THE SNOW WAS SO DEEP and the cold so terrible that we sat around the enormous cylindrical stove which was red hot, swathed in blankets, overcoats and woolens. We had to put the butter on the stove so that it would melt enough to cut. I cried because of the cold, standing on my soapbox with my arms in the steaming dishwater. At first the snow looked just the way it had back in Maine. But soon it was coming down so fast and thick we could see only white outside our windows. Daddy said it looked like a blizzard and that it might go on snowing for days. He went out and stretched a strong rope from our front door to the door of the barn. The wind was howling like wolves and the snow kept coming down so heavily that you couldn t see more than a few inches in front of you. Daddy would push the door open Teaching and Learning to Standards 6

44 Benchmark 3 Reading/Literature Sample Test with all his might, letting in a great blast of icy, snowy wind, and feel his way blindly along the rope to the barn to feed and water the animals. The winter days stretched out long and cold and dark and boring. I thought spring would never come. Then one day a box arrived from Aunt Addie, Mother s sister back in Maine. We unpacked it on the big pine table, exclaiming at all the treasures. There were jars of real fruit apples, oranges and lemons wools and cottons for new clothes, toys, and best of all, books and magazines. I was starving for something to read. I drank in the smell of fresh new pages and printer s ink. There was a special package for Mother with paints and canvases in it. To our surprise, she sat right down and began painting a long spray of pink apple blossoms against a deep blue sky. I knew she was thinking of Maine because there were no apple trees on the prairie. We were all feeling a little homesick, but Mother s apple blossoms made us think spring might come after all. And spring did come! Overnight, it seemed, the prairie was dotted with pale lavender pasqueflowers. The sky was as blue as the sky in Mother s painting. Tiny dickcissels swayed on top of the weeds and called to each other in high thin chirps. Wild geese flew far overhead, babbling to each other like a crowd of faraway people. Sleepy gophers poked up out of their holes and scanned the sky for hawks. 14 In the last paragraph, it says that Tiny dickcissels swayed on top of the weeds. Dickcissels are most probably A. cotton-like puffs. B. small twigs. C. flowers. D. birds. 15 The father in this story tied a rope from the front door of the house to the door of the barn. He did this so A. the wolves couldn t get into the yard. B. the children could play in the snow. C. he wouldn t get lost when going to take care of the animals. D. the doors would stay closed in the blizzard. 16 The child telling this story said that the winter was boring. Winter probably seemed this way mostly because A. the family was alone and the weather was bad. B. the child telling the story had been used to city life. C. the books from Aunt Addie weren t for children. D. the little school had burned. Teaching and Learning to Standards 7

45 Benchmark 3 Reading/Literature Sample Test 17 For this story to be autobiographical, which of the following HAS to be true? A. The author is telling a story about someone else. B. It is a true story written by the person who lived it. C. The narrator uses stories from the past. D. There is a first-person narrator. 18 Which of the examples below contains the figure of speech called a simile? A. The snow was so deep and the cold so terrible. B. Daddy said it looked like a blizzard. C. The wind was howling like wolves. D. I was starving for something to read. 19 At the end of this selection the author mentions flowers, birds and gophers. The author s purpose in doing this is to A. contrast these creatures with the farm animals in the barn. B. provide readers with images of returning life. C. show how different spring is in Maine from spring on the prairie. D. symbolize the harshness of nature. SOME DIFFERENT CUSTOMS In the United States, adults generally greet each other by shaking hands. But that s not how it s done everywhere in the world. Read the article below to learn some facts about the custom of greeting people. TOUCHING CAN BE a very touchy business. In most Latin lands from Venezuela to Sicily, the abrazo (hug) is as commonplace as the handshake. It occurs between men and men and between women and women. This is also true in Slavic countries, where it is better described as a bear hug. The French sometimes add a man-to-man peck on the cheek. The Japanese, though, have an aversion to casual body contact. While most Japanese who come to the West make the concession of shaking hands, they remain more comfortable at home with the traditional bow from the waist. The proper form is with hands sliding down toward the knees or at the sides, back and neck stiff, and eyes averted. Their democratic sensibilities quivering like whiskers on a catfish, many Americans regard bowing as out-and-out kowtowing. In Japan, where there is nothing demeaning or obsequious about it, the bow remains the time-honored way Teaching and Learning to Standards 8

46 Benchmark 3 Reading/Literature Sample Test of saying, I respect your experience and wisdom. When in doubt, do it anyway. It works. For the casual encounter, one brief all-purpose bow will fill the bill. But on formal occasions a high-level business meeting, say the true Oriental bow with all its delicate gradations may turn out to be the only medium you and your opposite number have with which to communicate. A Wall Street investment banker and veteran of countless American-Japanese conferences explains why. For us Westerners, he points out, it s risky to try enunciating anything more complicated than sayonara. As for the Japanese executive, the more senior he is, the less likely he is to understand English he has an army of ambitious underlings to understand it for him. His seniority also means he has not come to the meeting to do business those decisions have already been made at a lower level. So why is he there at all? Mainly, to see who it is he s doing business with. Hence, on these occasions, form is frequently more telling than content. With business inferiors: Always allow them to bow lower and longer than you do. With equals: Match bows, adding an extra one when you want to show a slight edge of respect, as with someone substantially older than you or with a customer whose business you are trying to get. When unsure of status: The safest move is to bow a shade less low than the other person. With the top man: If he clearly outranks you, make sure you out-bow him even if it takes your knuckles all the way to the floor. Also, remember to keep your eyes respectfully lowered. Which, of course, isn t easy when you are trying to see how low he is bowing to you. And, in Japan never bow with a hand or both hands in your pockets. In fact, never shake hands or give a speech with hand-in-pocket. Learn all this and you ll become a master in the art of bowing. 20 A training manager, while visiting a supplier s office in Japan, is introduced to that company s president. She should A. bow more deeply than the president. B. bow as deeply as the president. C. shake hands. D. allow the president to bow lower. Teaching and Learning to Standards 9

47 Benchmark 3 Reading/Literature Sample Test 21 If Jason is obsequious around Paula, Jason sees Paula as his A. best friend. B. superior. C. mother. D. bitter enemy. 22 In the sentence, It s risky to try enunciating anything more complicated than sayonara, enunciate means A. write down. B. investigate. C. planning. D. to say something clearly. 23 If you were an American businessperson trying to deal with a large Japanese company, which of these is most important to remember? (Base your answer only on the information in the article.) A. The only person you ll have to convince is the company president. B. The leaders of Japanese companies don t have anything to do with the foreign business of their companies. C. The Japanese appreciate the aggressive nature of many American businesspeople. D. It s probably important to understand the different customs of Japan. 24 This passage is an example of what type of writing? A. Biographical B. Fictional C. Informative D. Persuasive Teaching and Learning to Standards 10

48 Oregon Reading/Literature Sample Test Use number 2 pencil. Do NOT use ink or ball point pen. Make heavy dark marks that completely fill the circle. Erase completely any marks you wish to change. Name of Student Name of Teacher Name of School 1 A B C D 13 A B C D 2 A B C D 14 A B C D 3 A B C D 15 A B C D 4 A B C D 16 A B C D 5 A B C D 17 A B C D 6 A B C D 18 A B C D 7 A B C D 19 A B C D 8 A B C D 20 A B C D 9 A B C D 21 A B C D 10 A B C D 22 A B C D 11 A B C D 23 A B C D 12 A B C D 24 A B C D Office of Assessment and Evaluation Read /Grade8SampleTest Oregon Department of Education Form C May 1999

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50 CIM Form C Sample Test

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52 CIM Reading/Literature Sample Test DIRECTIONS Read each of the passages. Then read the questions that follow and decide on the BEST answer. There are a lot of different kinds of questions, so read each question carefully before marking an answer on your answer sheet. THE WOODS Kim Stafford is an award-winning Oregon author. Read this excerpt from his book, HAVING EVERYTHING RIGHT, to learn about part of his growing-up years. AFTER SCHOOL I STOPPED AT HOME to change my outfit shucking my slacks for jeans, tossing aside my polite cotton shirt for the buckskin one my grandmother had sewn, pulling on my boots and lit out for The Woods on the run. We called it The Woods, just as we called a nearby slope The Big Hill; the limited territory of childhood is exact, and therefore mythic. Two blocks from home the human world dwindled to a path threading through nettle and alder. A spider web across the path meant no one was there before me. I crawled under its fragile gate to solitude and was gone. This was my routine from third grade to high school to straggle home after dark and stand in the cold garage, shivering and balancing on one foot to shed my muddy clothes. It was a certain evening in my junior year that I realized with a shock I could walk directly into the kitchen; I had somehow not fallen or leapt into the creek, had not slithered up a mossy tree, hugging the trunk with my thighs and arms, or spilled down a bank of mud. I had politely walked in the woods and returned. I mistrusted my sincerity. Something had changed. Something had gone wrong. What did you find today? my grandmother (we called her Boppums) would ask, as she sat picking at a crust of cockleburrs in one of my socks. I would run to my mud-stiffened pants to dig through the pockets for a rock an Indian might have used, or a leaf I liked, crumpled and fragrant, or a waterlogged stick turning into a fossil, a furry length of twine I had braided from cedar bark: I could use this to snare a rabbit, if I had to. The Woods was a wild tract developers had somehow missed in their swathe through old Oregon. It probably stretched about three miles long by two miles wide, and was surrounded by the city of Portland and its suburbs. Raccoon, beaver, salmon, deer, awesome pileated woodpeckers, and exotic newts were among the secret lives of the place. Once, in the fifth grade, four of us decided to head north through unexplored territory toward the edge of the world. Lewis and Clark had nothing on us, or our glorious bewilderment when we emerged, near dark of a long Saturday, to find a broad, dangerous road, a tall house covered with ivy, and a giant in blue coveralls mowing his lawn. Where are we? Bobby Elliott shouted over the roar of the motor. The man looked down at a row of muddy, scratched little savages. Terwilliger Extension, he shouted. We were stunned to silence by this bizarre name for most of the long detour home past the ice-cream store. Teaching and Learning to Standards 1

53 CIM Reading/Literature Sample Test What did we do down there all those hours multiplied by weeks and years? When we went together, we often hatched a project more like Robinson Crusoe than John Muir in our use of the wilderness: Let s find the charcoal-wagon boy s old road! Let s find Indian relics! Let s make Indian relics! Let s go to the Old Mill and make a fort! Let s wade as far as we can without stepping out of the creek so no one can track us! Let s roast a skunk cabbage root and try to eat it! Let s make a path with steps in the hill and signs so an eighty-year-old woman could follow it! Let s make elderberry pipes and smoke leaves! Let s steal those real estate signs and hide them! Although our research into history, botany, anthropology, and geography almost got us poisoned or arrested on several occasions, we lived by joy. Once we ate a kind of wild carrot, then came home to look it up in Pat O Shea s father s medical text. The only plant we could find of similar description was called hemlock: A piece of the root the size of a walnut can kill a cow. I never read a sentence in school that had such impact. The dizzying image of a stricken cow lurching heavily to its knees will inhabit my brain whenever I am about to taste a new food. 1 This passage is probably A. from an article about why cities should leave more green spaces and land for parks. B. in a book about the history of children in Oregon. C. found in an adventure novel for children. D. part of a book of personal reflections. 2 The author compares the fictional character Robinson Crusoe and the historical character John Muir. By comparing these two men, Stafford wants readers to know that A. the boys had a deep respect for the power of nature. B. the boys were more adventuresome than scientific. C. these young boys would someday become famous. D. spending a lot of time in the outdoors can be a significant experience for ordinary people. Teaching and Learning to Standards 2

54 CIM Reading/Literature Sample Test 3 Which of the choices below is used as an allusion? A. Lewis and Clark C. The Big Hill B. The Old Mill D. Pat O Shea s father 4 In the first paragraph, the author says that two blocks from home the human world dwindled to a path threading through nettle and alder. What does he mean by this statement? A. Houses were suddenly out of sight. B. He saw a winding wooden fence around the neighborhood. C. The road stopped abruptly near the woods. D. Manmade things slowly became less evident. 5 In the fourth paragraph, the author mentions that the developers had missed The Woods in their swathe through old Oregon. Which of the following were the developers doing? A. Thinning trees B. Surveying the state C. Clearing the land D. Building a road 6 Who was the giant in blue coveralls whom the kids saw? A. One of the surveyors B. Kim Stafford s dad C. A man mowing his lawn D. A shadow on the ivy-covered house 7 The author always carried the image of a stricken cow in his mind when tasting new food because A. cows frequently eat wild carrot. B. he was hesitant to try new food. C. the kids were scared by a mean cow when they found the wild carrot. D. the memory of the wild carrot experience made him suspicious of new foods. Teaching and Learning to Standards 3

55 CIM Reading/Literature Sample Test 8 In which paragraph does the author realize that his childhood adventures are behind him? A. Paragraph 1 B. Paragraph 2 C. Paragraph 3 D. Paragraph 4 9 Three of the statements below are facts. Which one is NOT a fact? A. Once we ate a kind of wild carrot, then came home to look it up in Pat O Shea s father s medical text. B. Four of us decided to head north through unexplored terrritory toward the edge of the world. C. It probably stretched about three miles long by two miles wide, and was surrounded by the city of Portland and its suburbs. D. This was my routine from third grade to high school to straggle home after dark and stand in the cold garage, shivering and balancing on one foot to shed my muddy clothes. THE ELEPHANT Eldon Larkin, a reporter, has gone to the circus grounds because an elephant has killed a man. Read what happens next in this excerpt from Oregon author Vince Kohler s book, RAINY NORTH WOODS. THE CIRCUS HAD PITCHED ITS TENTS close to the railroad switchyard on the edge of the bay, where the smell of sawdust mingled with the odors of diesel oil and the salt water of the sea. The rusty camper belonging to the ringmaster of the circus stood close to the gray water. With its peaked shingled roof, the camper looked like a motorized doghouse, and the ringmaster like a gloomy, agitated dog. As he and Shelly picked their way through the mud, Eldon thought of the magic of the circus midways of his childhood. This circus was not magic, never had been. Its tents were patched and filthy, its clowns ruffians, its ringmaster a scowling seedy man whom Eldon could imagine constantly wringing his big flat hands over the prospect of dwindling proceeds. A sheriff s deputy, wide-hipped but tapering upward to rail-thin, like a human bowling pin, shirt neck too big for him, huge impassive horse s face topped by a brush cut, stood at the door of the ringmaster s camper, holding up a writ. Teaching and Learning to Standards 4

56 CIM Reading/Literature Sample Test Impound Horton? the ringmaster whined, shifting his feet in his floppy rubber boots and squinting at the paper with watery blue eyes. We re going to Coos Bay. That elephant s killed a man, the deputy said. Ya wanna try it for murder? Maybe we ought to. The animal stays. The ringmaster threw up his hands, brought them down again, wrung bony fingers over knuckles big and knobby as hex bolts. Times are bad. Every day s delay costs money. You can t have a circus without an elephant. Wish we could supply a replacement, the deputy said, but we don t breed em around here. The ringmaster turned to Eldon. You hear what he says? How he talks to me? Take a picture of this! Write all this down! Put it in your paper! Shelly clicked off a photo as the deputy examined the ringmaster like a weary cook deciding how best to knead a stubborn mound of dough. The animal s transport van and a supply of food is impounded as well, the deputy said. You ll have to give a deposition. Deposition? For the investigation. Man s been killed. I ll give it now! Not my baby. District attorney ll contact you tomorrow. I have to go to Coos Bay! The deputy shrugged. Maybe you can give your deposition there. But you go without the elephant. When do I get him back? Horton s valuable. If it was up to me, I d shoot it. It s a man-killer. Right, it s a man-killer! The ringmaster ran through the mud to the front of his camper, pointing angrily into the dented, muck-spattered cab. I ll shoot it myself, I ll shoot it myself! Right now! Got my on the rack right in there! Let s not talk like that, the deputy remarked, eyes sliding to the rifle and back to the ringmaster. It s illegal to shoot a firearm in the city limits. That weapon loaded? No? Good. It s probably too light to do much to an elephant, anyway, don t cha think? When d you roll? Tomorrow dawn. I ll tell the DA. Maybe he can work something out. The deputy nodded to Eldon and Shelly and headed back to his car. The ringmaster clenched and unclenched his hands as the deputy turned away. He flexed them faster and harder with every step the deputy took. The ringmaster s blue eyes grew larger, rounder. His face grew red. D ja hear him? Talks to me like that! Takes my elephant away! Well, it s a dangerous beast, Eldon said, watching the ringmaster for his reaction. Teaching and Learning to Standards 5

57 CIM Reading/Literature Sample Test That elephant cost me two thousand dollars! Came all the way from India! Raised im from a pup! People pay lots more for a car, and cars kill people... lots more people than elephants do! They don t shoot cars. They impound them, though. 10 This passage tells you that the deputy examined the ringmaster like a weary cook deciding how best to knead a stubborn mound of dough. This quotation means that A. the deputy was afraid that the ringmaster would punch him. B. the deputy hoped to trick the ringmaster into remaining in town. C. the deputy wanted to figure out an effective way to deal with the ringmaster. D. the deputy planned to overpower the ringmaster before it was too late. 11 When the ringmaster complains that you can t have a circus without an elephant, the deputy replies, Wish we could supply a replacement, but we don t breed em around here. This shows that the deputy s attitude was A. sarcastic. B. angry. C. sympathetic. D. helpful. 12 Although this passage doesn t actually say, what do you think is most likely to happen in the future? A. Eldon s newspaper story will draw enough attention to salvage the circus. B. Horton will escape safely to the woods. C. The circus will continue to go downhill. D. The circus will be shut down for cruelty to animals. 13 The information in this selection best supports the idea that A. Eldon is mostly a bystander in this situation. B. the ringmaster is blaming Eldon for most of his problems. C. the deputy is too harsh on the ringmaster. D. Shelly and Eldon ought to respect the ringmaster s wishes. 14 This passage probably came from A. a biography. B. a novel. C. an article about circus life. D. a pamphlet about cruelty to animals. Teaching and Learning to Standards 6

58 CIM Reading/Literature Sample Test 15 The ringmaster threw up his hands, brought them down again, wrung bony fingers over knuckles big and knobby as hex bolts. This sentence contains a literary device called A. personification. B. a simile. C. an allusion. D. irony. ALASKA HAPPENINGS What s going on in our largest state? Look at the information below and use it to answer the questions which follow. Mayfest. Sitka, Petersburg, Ketchikan, Juneau and all Inside Passage communities, through May. This spring celebration includes ethnic dancing, theater, food fairs, arts and crafts, and much more. (907) Anchorage Museum of History and Art. Anchorage, through September 19. Barry Moser: Wood Engravings features 60 wood prints used to illustrate Alice in Wonderland, Huckleberry Finn, The Wizard of Oz and other books, through May 9. Arts from the Arctic compares contemporary artwork for indigenous peoples in the Arctic regions of Alaska, Russia, Greenland, Canada and Scandinavia; and The Bradford Washington Photography Exhibition showcases work by America s foremost field photographer, May 6-September W. Seventh Ave. (907) Alaska State Museum. Juneau, through October 2. Gifts from the Great Land Alaska presents 400 extremely rare early-19th-century Native American artifacts. 395 Whittier St. (907) Prince William Sound Royal Flush Regatta. Prince William Sound, May Tour boats and private vessels depart from Cordova and Whittier and rendezvous outside Valdez Harbor, where they re welcomed by a day-long poker game and allnight Casino Royale. (907) Little Norway Festival. Petersburg, May Celebrate Norway s independence with food, pageantry, dancing, contests, costumes, a parade and a Kaffe Haus. Throughout town. (907) Salmonchanted Evening. Juneau, May Juneau Jazz and Classics presents renowned jazz and classical musicians such as the Turtle Island String Quartet, Obo Addy and Kukrudu, and Greta Matassa. Various locations. (907) Polar Bear Swim. Nome, May 24. Brave Nomeites take their annual dip in the Bering Sea, where the water temperature is 35 degrees or less. Bering Sea shoreline. (907) Teaching and Learning to Standards 7

59 CIM Reading/Literature Sample Test Kodiak Crab Festival. Kodiak, May Activities include survival suit races, parades, food booths, games, an ultramarathon and music. Throughout town. (907) In which city would you find the Alaska State Museum? A. Sitka B. Anchorage C. Juneau D. Kodiak 17 Which event would require you to think of a country in Europe? A. Prince William Sound Royal Flush Regatta B. Kodiak Crab Festival C. Polar Bear Swim D. Little Norway Festival 18 From looking at this information, which statement seems correct? A. Most phone prefixes are 364. B. The area code for Alaska is 907. C. Most activities happen outdoors. D. There is opportunity to view quite a bit of art, but not much opportunity to hear music at this time of year. HOWL In his book, OF WOLVES AND MEN, Barry Lopez describes the wolf as it lives in the wild and in people s minds. Read the following excerpt to learn about the wolf s howl, and answer the questions that follow. It was wild, untamed music and it echoed from the hillsides and filled the valleys. It sent a queer shivering feeling along my spine. It was not a feeling of fear, you understand, but a sort of tingling, as if there was hair on my back and it was hackling. Alda Orton, Alaskan trapper THE WOLF S HOWL is the social signal perhaps most familiar to everyone. It typically consists of a single note, rising sharply at the beginning or breaking abruptly at the end as the animal strains for volume. It can contain as many as twelve related harmonics. When wolves howl together they harmonize, rather than chorus on the Teaching and Learning to Standards 8

60 CIM Reading/Literature Sample Test same note, creating an impression of more animals howling than there actually are. Wolves do not have to stand to howl. They can howl lying down or sitting on their haunches. There has been more speculation about the nature and function of the wolf s howl than the music, probably, of any other animal. It is a rich, captivating sound, a seductive echo that can moan on eerily and raise the hair on your head. Wolves apparently howl to assemble the pack, especially before and after the hunt; to pass on an alarm, especially at the den site; to locate each other in a storm or in unfamiliar territory; and to communicate across great distances. Some Eskimos, according to writer/naturalist Farley Mowat, claim to be able to understand what wolves are howling about and to take advantage of it when the howling reveals the approach of migrating caribou. The howl may carry six miles or more in still arctic air. There is little evidence that wolves howl during a chase, but they may do so afterward, perhaps to celebrate a successful hunt (the presence of food), their prowess, or the fact that they are all together again, that no one has been injured. Adolph Murie, who had an eye for such things, reported a lone wolf howling while hunting mice. There has never been any evidence that wolves howl at the moon, or howl more frequently during a full moon, though howling may be more frequent in the evening or early morning. Howling reaches a seasonal peak in the winter months, during the time of courtship and breeding; it is easy to see how the idea that wolves howl at the moon might have gained credence and played well on the imagination during these cold, clear nights when the sound carried far and a full moon lent an eerie aspect to a snowscape. What emotions prompt a howl remain unknown, though field and laboratory researchers both suggest that solo howls and group howling alike are brought on by restlessness and anxiety. Loneliness is the emotion most often mentioned, but group howling has a quality of celebration and camaraderie about it, what wildlife biologist Durward Allen called the jubilation of wolves. Murie writes of four wolves assembled on a skyline, wagging their tails and frisking together. They began to howl, and while they did so a gray female ran up from the den a hundred yards away and joined them. She was greeted with energetic tail wagging and general good feeling, then they all threw back their heads and howled. The howling, wrote Murie, floated softly across the tundra. Then, abruptly, the assembly broke up. The mother returned to the den and the pups; the others departed on the evening hunt. Teaching and Learning to Standards 9