rskills Test 3b, page 1 NAME: DATE: rskills Progress Monitoring Test 3b DIRECTIONS: This is a reading test. Follow the directions for each part of the test, and choose the best answer to each question. SAMPLE QUESTIONS Sample A. Merrill stopped at the top of the basement stairs. He tried the light switch, but it didn t work. Then he heard a sound from somewhere in the darkness below. Where was Merrill going? into the basement to the kitchen into the garage to the living room Sample B. Which sentence has the correct word order? We took a ride long to her house. To her house a long ride we took. We took a long ride to her house. A long ride to her house we took. See Answer Key at end of test. Go on to the next page to begin the test.
rskills Test 3b, page 2 Comprehension Read this short story. Then answer questions 1 5. The Fall of the House of Usher Adapted From the Story by Edgar Allan Poe It was a dark day when my carriage pulled up in front of the equally dark Usher mansion. The place was built of bleak gray stone and had windows like the eyes of a very old, sick person. It was circled by decayed trees and stood on the edge of a bottomless lake. I was tempted to tell the driver to take me back to the train station, but then a servant appeared in the doorway. I had promised Roderick Usher, an old friend from college, that I would visit him, and here I was. Roderick was the last remaining member of his family, known as the House of Usher. If I had expected the house s interior to look any cheerier than the exterior, I was gravely mistaken. The servant showed me into a room with lighting so dim that the armchairs looked more like creatures than furniture. Roderick was there and, turning from the window, he frightened me by his changed appearance. (I had not seen him in some years, as his wife was sick and could not travel.) He was thin and pale, his face creased by worry, and his hair a wild uncut tangle. Still, he greeted me warmly. We sat, and I asked about his wife. I would not have thought it possible for him to look any sadder, but he did then. He informed me that Madeline s case was hopeless. She was unlikely to live much longer. She wanted nothing more to do with doctors, so he had to administer her medicine himself. Small doses caused her to roam about like a zombie. Larger doses sent her into a kind of coma. He was convinced he would one day give her too much medicine. So he checked her constantly to be sure she still breathed. Over the next week, a pattern emerged. Roderick spent his days in
rskills Test 3b, page 3 Over the next week, a pattern emerged. Roderick spent his days in Madeline s sickroom. I spent my days in his well-stocked library. (I never did see Madeline.) We ate meals together and played chess in the evenings. As we played, he would sometimes look up and recoil as though seeing a ghost, but from no apparent cause. No wonder that at day s end, I slept poorly and dreamed of shadows and sounds of doors closing. One morning, I awoke late and made my way downstairs. There I found Roderick in the breakfast room, head in hands. The servant told me that Madeline had died during the night. He and Roderick had already buried her! They put her in the family graveyard in a coffin that had been ready for months. Seeing my shock at how quickly he had buried Madeline, the servant added, It was her wish. Roderick looked up and repeated, It was Madeline s wish. The rest of the day I sat with Roderick, listening to him talk on and on about Madeline. As the hours passed, he grew more and more upset, not with grief but with guilt. He feared that he might have caused her death by an overdose of medication. That worry gave way to one far more horrific: that she had not actually been dead but, rather, deep into one of her spells. In other words, they may have buried her alive. Nothing I said eased this fear. He grew more and more agitated until finally the servant returned with a medicine to help him rest. We helped him to bed and left him alone. I awoke later to the sound of shouting. I dashed to Roderick s room and found him sitting up in bed, pointing in terror to the window. She has escaped the grave! he gasped. See the dirt on her clothes. See the blood on her fingers. DO YOU NOT SEE HER? With that, he fell back onto his pillows and breathed his last breath.
rskills Test 3b, page 4 I could not get away from that awful place fast enough. After Roderick s body had been removed, I walked to the gate to watch for the carriage to the train station. I was unwilling even to wait at the door of the mansion. A sudden noise made me look back, and what I saw froze me in place. A huge crack in the front wall of the house was growing larger by the second. As I watched, the gray stones tipped and then collapsed. In a matter of minutes, the entire mansion was a heap of rubble. Truly, the House of Usher was no more. 1. From the speaker s point of view, the Usher mansion is a place that makes him feel curious to see the inside. amazed at the architecture. worried about a friend. anxious to leave right away. 2. When Madeline died, the narrator was shocked because he thought Roderick had killed her by being careless. took her death too lightly. had buried her too quickly. would go crazy without her. 3. What happened to Roderick Usher at the end? He went to the train station. He died when his house collapsed. He gave himself an overdose of medication. He died in his bed after claiming to see his wife.
rskills Test 3b, page 5 4. The mood of this story is best described as amusing. frustrated. frightening. adventurous. 5. What is the theme of the story? People need health care. Losing a loved one is painful. Travel can be difficult. Good friends are difficult to find.
rskills Test 3b, page 6 Read this short story. Then answer questions 6 10. The Figurehead Captain Morris had sailed his ship, The West Wind, across the Atlantic Ocean and back many times during his long career on the sea. This next journey was to be his last. At the front of the ship was a wood carving of a lady dressed in a long cape. This wooden figurehead protected the ship just as her carved cape protected her from the weather. The West Wind had made countless crossings with her leading the way. And with one more crossing left for the captain, he nodded his head toward the wooden woman. Where would I be without you? he whispered. The figurehead looked straight ahead, as still and silent as the water in the blackest depths of the sea. During the first days of the voyage, the captain did what he always did. He checked the weather and his compass. He commanded his sailors to keep the ship on course, and the sailors obeyed. But on the fourth day, Captain Morris had the crew cut down the figurehead from its perch. He had it wrapped carefully and placed below deck. When the ship landed in Boston, he had the figurehead removed from the ship. A few weeks later, a new man named Captain Wiley took over as captain of The West Wind. The sailors followed the new captain s orders. All went well until the fourth day when a cloud, black as night, raced up from the south. Gusts of wind tossed the ship around like a toy in a bath. Captain Wiley was knocked to the deck and hit his head. Sadly, this injury killed him. One month later, a new captain named Janks boarded The West Wind. He said a few kind words about Captain Wiley. He then commanded the ship to set
rskills Test 3b, page 7 sail. All went well until the fourth day of the journey. Again, as in the last voyage, a black and threatening cloud approached. Again, the ship and its crew struggled. But this time, the captain survived. That night, when the seas had calmed down, Captain Janks finally went to sleep. But he awoke in the middle of the night, climbed up to the deck, and stared at the place where the figurehead had been sawed off. He decided, then and there, that the ship needed a figurehead placed on the front, or prow, of the ship. So when the crew reached the harbor in Boston, Captain Janks ordered a figurehead carved to look exactly like the missing original. On the day the new figurehead was completed, the Boston newspaper reported a sad and strange event. A retired man of the sea, a Captain Morris, had died in a strange and terrible accident. A witness saw the man tossed around violently, almost as if he were caught in a terrible storm. But, the witness added, it was a calm and pleasant summer day everywhere except for where this poor man stood. When the authorities brought the body of Captain Morris back to his home, they found the door to his house wide open. A neighbor came by to identify the body. That s the captain, Mrs. Gladser said. Then she mentioned that a large wooden figure of a lady in a cape was missing from the captain s home. 6. How does Captain Morris end his career on The West Wind? He is killed during a terrible storm. He takes the figurehead from the ship. He threatens the next captain of the ship. He writes an article for the Boston newspaper.
rskills Test 3b, page 8 7. This story is narrated by Captain Morris. Mrs. Gladser. an outside observer. the lady in a cape. 8. Which word best describes the mood of this story? mysterious adventurous romantic lighthearted 9. What happened to Captain Morris at the end of the story? He returned the figurehead. He joined his crew on the ship. He died on his boat. He was killed by a strange storm. 10. What is the theme of this story? The sea is full of adventures. Some things cannot be explained. Sea captains can t be trusted. Wooden figures bring good luck.
rskills Test 3b, page 9 Vocabulary/Word Study Read each question and decide which is the best answer. Fill in the circle next to the answer you have chosen. 11. Laura said she was unworthy of the award. The word unworthy means very worthy. worthy again. not worthy. one who is worthy. 12. The clerk in the store was unfamiliar with the cash register. The word unfamiliar means not familiar. familiar again. very familiar. one who is familiar. 13. These windows are nonbreakable. The word nonbreakable means broken before. not breakable. broken again. easily breakable.
rskills Test 3b, page 10 14. These students are nonpaying members. The word nonpaying means without paying. paying again. one who pays. paying soon. 15. The duke called a servant into the room. What does the word servant mean? serve again not serve able to be served one who serves 16. Which word has a suffix that makes it a noun? immigrated immigrant immigrates immigrating 17. Which word has a suffix that makes it a noun? measured measures measurement measuring
rskills Test 3b, page 11 18. Which word has a suffix that makes it a noun? establishment established establishing establishes
rskills Test 3b, page 12 Conventions Read each question and decide which is the best answer. Fill in the circle next to the answer you have chosen. 19. Which is the best way to correct this run-on sentence? The end of the story was sad everyone cried. The end of the story was sad, everyone cried. The end of the story was sad. Everyone cried. The end of the story was sad everyone. Cried, too. The end of the story; was sad, everyone cried. 20. Which is the best way to correct this run-on sentence? You can get a license you need to take driving lessons. You can get a license you need to take driving lessons. You can get a license but; you need to take driving lessons. You can get a license, to take the driving lessons you need. You can get a license, but you need to take driving lessons. 21. Which is the best way to correct this run-on sentence? The joke made her laugh she couldn t stop. The joke made her laugh she, couldn t stop. The joke made her laugh, and she couldn t stop. The joke made her, laugh she couldn t stop. The joke made her laugh, she couldn t stop.
rskills Test 3b, page 13 22. Which is the best way to correct this run-on sentence? I like to play soccer I also like to play tennis. I like to play soccer, and I also like to play tennis. I like to play soccer, also, I like to play tennis. I like to play; soccer I also like to play tennis. I like to play soccer, I also like to play tennis. 23. Which sentence has the correct word order? The shirt bright red was on sale. Bright red on sale was the shirt. The bright red shirt was on sale. On sale was the bright shirt red. 24. Which sentence has the correct word order? The officer for the children was waiting to cross the street. The officer was waiting for the children to cross the street. To cross the street was for the children waiting the officer. For the children the officer to cross the street was waiting. 25. Which sentence has the correct word order? Their vacation the family want not did to end. Their vacation the family did want not to end. The family want their vacation did not to end. The family did not want their vacation to end.
rskills Test 3b, page 14 Open Response Write your answer in your own words on the lines below or on the answer document. Use complete sentences. 26. Review the story The Fall of the House of Usher. Did the narrator make the right decision when he went to visit and stay with his friend Usher? Write one or two sentences to explain.
rskills Test 3b, page 15 Open Response Write your answer in your own words on the lines below or on the answer document. Use complete sentences. 27. Review the story The Figurehead. Which captain acted more responsibly to protect the sailors of The West Wind Captain Morris or Captain Janks? Write two or three sentences to evaluate.
rskills Test 3b, page 16 Writing Prompt Read the prompt. Write your response below or on the answer document. If you need more space, continue writing on a separate paper. 28. Write a literary analysis explaining what you learn about Roderick Usher from the narrator s interactions and descriptions of him in the story The Fall of the House of Usher. Remember to identify the title, author, and text type in the introduction, make a point about the story s characters in the thesis statement, use vivid examples and quotes from the story, summarize the writer s key ideas in the conclusion, and use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.
rskills Test 3b, page 17 Writing Prompt STOP
rskills Test 3b, page 18 Test 3b Answer Key Sample Questions A. B. Comprehension 1. Craft and Structure: Point of View 2. Story Elements: Plot 3. Story Elements: Plot 4. Craft and Structure: Mood 5. Story Elements: Theme 6. Story Elements: Plot 7. Craft and Structure: Point of View 8. Craft and Structure: Mood 9. Story Elements: Plot 10. Story Elements: Theme Vocabulary/Word Study 11. Prefixes 12. Prefixes 13. Prefixes 14. Prefixes 15. Suffixes 16. Suffixes 17. Suffixes 18. Suffixes Conventions 19. Correcting Run-On Sentences 20. Correcting Run-On Sentences 21. Correcting Run-On Sentences 22. Correcting Run-On Sentences 23. Using Correct Word Order 24. Using Correct Word Order 25. Using Correct Word Order
rskills Test 3b, page 19 Test 3b Answer Key Open Response (sample answers): 26. He made the right decision because he had made a promise to visit Usher. But he probably should not have stayed, or he should have done something to help. (2 points: Evaluate) 27. Captain Janks acted more responsibly because he realized that the ship needed a figurehead, and he was trying to protect his ship and his crew. Captain Morris acted selfishly by taking the figurehead from the ship, probably to protect himself. (4 points: Evaluate) Writing Prompt: 28. Answers will vary. Use the rubrics from the SAM Portfolio tab to assess student responses.
rskills Test 3b, page 20 Test 3b Answer Document NAME: DATE: Multiple Choice Questions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.
rskills Test 3b, page 21 Test 3b Answer Document NAME: DATE: Open Response 26.
rskills Test 3b, page 22 Test 3b Answer Document NAME: DATE: Open Response 27.
rskills Test 3b, page 23 Test 3b Answer Document NAME: DATE: Writing Prompt 28.
rskills Test 3b, page 24 Test 3b Answer Document NAME: DATE: Writing Prompt